The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

since tne laSt assembling OF congress.
We have, through n kind Providence,
been blessed with abundant crops and
have been spared from complications
and war with foreign nations. In our
midst comparative harmony has been
restored. 1t is to he regretted, howev-
er, that free exercise of the elective
franchise has, by violence and intimi-
dation, been denied to citizens in ex-
ceptional cases in several of the States
lately in rebellion, and the verdict of
the people has thereby been reversed.
The States of Virginia, Mississippi
and Texas have been restored to our
national councils. Georgia, the only
State now without representation, may
confidently be expected to take her
place there also at the beginning of the
new year. and then, lei us hope, will be
| completed the work of reconstruction.
With an acquiescencc 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
disabled soldiers and sailors and their
widows and orphans, and in the chan
geS of the Constitution which have
been made necessary by great rebel
lion, there is no reason why we should
not advance in material prosperity and
| happiness as no other nation ever did
| after so protracted and devastating q
war.
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 domi-
ciled in French territory. Instructions
were issued to grant the protection.
| This has been followed by an extension
of American protection to our citizens
of Saxony, Hesse and SAKE Coburg Go.
tha, Columbia, Portugal, Uruguay, the
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Chilli,
| Paraguay and Venezuela in Paris. The
charge was an onerous one, and requi-
ring constant severe labor as well as the
exercise of patience, prudence and good
Judgment. 1t has been performed to
the entire satisfaction of this govern
ment. and, as 1 am officially informed
equally so to the satisfaction of the gov
ernment of North Germany. As soon
as l learned that republic had been
proclaimed at Paris, and that the peo-
pie of France had acquiesced in the
| change, the minister of the United
States was directed by telegraph to rec
ognize it and to offer my congratula-
tiOns and those of the people of the
| United States. The establishment
in France of a system of government,
disconnected with the dynasty tradi-
tions of Europe, appeared to be prop
er subject for the felicination of Ameri-
cans. Should the present struggle result
in attaching the hearts of the French
to our simpler forms of representative
government, it will be subject of
still further satisfaction to our people
| While we make no effort to impose our
institutions upon the inhabitants of
other countries, and while we adhere
to our traditional neutrality i'm civil
contests elsewhere, we can not be indif-
ferent to the spread of American pOliti-
cal ideas in great and highly civilized
country like France. We were asked
by the new government to use our good
offices jointly with those of European
powers in the interests of peace. An
swer was made that the established
policy and the true interests of United
States forbade them to interfere in Eu-
ropan questions Jointly with European
powers.
| ascertained informally and unOffi-
cially that the government of North
Germany was then disposed to listen to
such representation from any power,
and though earnestly wishing to see
the blessings of peace restored to the
belligerents, with whom the United
States are on terms of friendship, de-
clined, on the part of the government,
to take step which could only result
in injury to our true interest, without
advancing the object for which our in
tercession was invoked. Should the
time come when the action of the Uni.
ted States can hasten the return of peace
by single hour, that action will be
heartily taken.
l deemed it prudent in view OF the
number of persons of German and
French birth living in the United
States to issue, soon after official notice
of state of war had been received
! from both belligerents, proclamation
defining the duties of the United States
as neutral power and the obligations
of persons residing within the same to
observe their laws and the laws of other
nations. This proclamation was fol.
lowed by others as circumstances called
for them. The people thus acquainted
in advance of their duties and obliga-
tions have assisted in preventing viola
tions of the neutrality of the United
States.
. 1t is not understood that the condi-
tion of the insurrection in Cuba has
materially changed since the close OF
the last session of Congress. In an early
stage of the contest the authorities OF
spain inaugurated a system of arbitra-
ry arrests, of close confinement and
! military trial and execution of persons
suspected of completely with the insur-
r gents, and of summary embargo on
! them and their properties, and the Sc
questration of their resources by eXecu-
tive warrant. Such proceeding, so far
as they affected the person or property
of citizen of the United States, were
violations 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 rea-
son of such violations, were made to
} the Spanish government from April IS,
1869, to June last. The Spanish minis.
ter, at Washington, had been clothed
! with limited power to aid in redres'
sing such wrongs. That power was
found to be withdrawn in view, as it
was said, of the favorable situation in
which Cuba then was, which, however,
did not lead to a revocation or suspen'
, sion of the extraordinary and arbitrary
functions exercised by the executive
power in Cuba, and we were obliged to
make our complaints at Madrid. In
the negotiations thus opened and
= still pending, the United States only
: claimed that for the future the rights
: secured to their citizens by treaty should
be respected by Cuba, and that as tC
the past joint tribunal should be es.
tablished in the United States with full
Jurisdiction over all such claims. Be
fore such an impartial tribunal each
claimant would be required to prove
his case. On the other hand, Spain
would be al liberty to traverse every
q national fact, and thus complete equity
a would be done. A case which at one
!, time threatened seriously to affect the
: | relations between the United States and
Spain has already been disposed of in
: this way.
The claims of the owners of the AS.
pinwall for the illegal seizure and de
tention of the vessel was referred to ar
bitration by mutual consent, and has
:, resulted in an award to the United
States for the owners of the sum of Sl9,
702 so in gold. Another and long pend
s ing claim of like nature-that of tht