The Van Buren press., 1870-12-13
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

We make the following extracts from
President Grants Message to Congress
THINGS GENERALLY.
A year of peace and general prosperity
to this nation has passed since the last
assembling of Congress. We have,
through a kind Providence, been blessed
with abundant crops and have been spar
ed from complications and war with for
eign nations. In our midst comparative
harmony has been restored. 1t is to be
regretted, however, that free exercise
of the elective franchise has by violence
and intimidation been denied to citizens
in exceptional cases in several of the
States lately in rebellion, and that the
verdict of the people has thereby been
reversed.
RECONSTRUCTION IN PARTICULAR.
The States Of Virginia, Mississippi and
Texas have been restored to representa-.
tion in our national councils. Georgia,
the only State now without representa-
ton, may confidently be expected to take
her place there also, at the beginning Of
the new year, and then, let US hspe, will
be completed the work Reconstruction.
With an acquiescence on the part of the
whole people in the national obligation
to pay the public debt created as the price
Of our union, the pensions to our dis
abled soldiers and sailors, and their wild
ows and orphans, aud in the changes in
the constitution, which have been made
necessary by the great rebellion, there
is no reason why we should not advance
in material prosperity and happiness as
no other nation ever did, after so pro
tracted and devastating war.
AMERICAN PROTECTION
Soon after the existing war broke out
in Europe, the protection Of the United
States minister in Paris was invoked in
favor of the North Germans domiciled
in French territory. Instructions were
issued to grant such protection. This
has been followed by an extension of
American protection to citizens of Sax
ony, Hesse and SAKE Coburg, Gotha, Co.
lumbia, Portugal, Uruguay. the Dominic
an republic Ecuador, Chill, Paraguay
and Venezuela, in Paris. The charge
was an onerous one, requiring constant
and severe labor, as well as the exercise
of patience prudence and judgment 1t
has been performed to the entire salts
faction of this government, and, as am
officially informed, equally so to the sat.
isfaction Of the government Of North
Germany.
RECOGNITIoN ~
AS soon as | learned that a republic
had been proclaimed at Paris, and that
the people Of France had acquiesced in
the change, the minister OF the United
ifi3e a1 stiqo tlHeterdr tsherns,l. nsan,.
those ofthe people of the United States.
The establishment in France of sys-
tenn of government disconnected with the
dynastic traditions Of Europe appeared
to be a proper subject for the telicita-
ton Of Americans. Should the present
struggle result in attaching the hearts of
the French to our simpler forms Of rep
resentative government, it will be a sub
iect of still further satisfaction to our
people. While we make no effort to i'm
pose our institutions upon the inhabitants
of other countries, and while we adhere
to our traditional neutrality in civil in
terests elsewhere, we cannot be indffer.
ent to the spread of American political
ideas in great and highly civilized coun-
try like France.
NO ENTANGLING ALLIANCES.
We were asked by the new government
to use our good offices Jointly with those
Of European powers in the interest of
peace. The answer was made that the
established policy and the true interests
of the United States forbade them to in
terfere in European questions jointly with
European powers ascertained inform
ally and unofllcially, that the government
of North Germany was not then disposed
to listen to such representations from
any powers, and, though earnestly wish
ing to see the blessings ofpeace restored
to the belligerents, with all Of whom the
United States are on terms of friendship,
| declined on the part of this govern.
ment to take step which could only re-
suit in injury to our tue interests with
out advancing the object for which our
Intervention was invoked. Should the
time come when the action Of the United
States can hasten the return of peace by
single hour, such action will be heartily
taken.
THE CUBAN SITUATION.
IL is not understood that the condition
of the insurrccton in Cuba has material
ly changed since the close Of the last ses-
sion of Congress. AT an early stage OF
the contest the authorities Of Spain inau.
guratcd system Of arbitrary arrests; OF
close confinement; Of military trial and
execution of persons suspected Of COM
plicity with the insurgents; a summary
embargo Of their property and requisi-
tons upon their revenues by executive
warrant. Such proceedings, AS far as
they affected the persons or property OF
citizens Of the United States, were in vio-
lation Of the provisions Of the treaty OF
1895 between the United States and
Spain. Representations of injuries re-
sulting to several persons claiming to be
citizens Of the United States, by reason
of such violation, were made to the Span
ish government from April, 1869, to
June, last The Spanish minister at
Washington had been clothed with lin
tied power to aid in redressing such
wrongs. That power was found to be
withdrawn in view, as it was said Of the
favorable situation in which the island OF