The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-12-14
The Presidents Message.

The messages of our chief magis
trates, as they are given from year to
year, are mile stones, so to speak, in
the nations growth. Each exhibits
the material progress the nation has
made in the twelve-months just gone
over. Thus, the Presidents message
is necessarily more or less interesting
to the American reader, and the one
which has just been given to the pub
lie is no exception to the rule. But
we shall find no especial traces of
ability in the document; us a state
paper it is safe to say that many 9th
ers nave cxcelled it.
The Message manife-ts an OCCASION
al spasm of energy; in those portions
of it for instance, which refer to the
acquisition of San Domingo, the
fisheries question, and the navigation
of the ST Laurence. Of course no
one imagines that Grant had any hand
in the writing of the message, or in
its general design but at least his
inspiration Is plainly percertibIe in
the remarks on San Domingo. The
acquisition of that spec of tropical dirt
has long been known to be a hobby
of his. When the idea was in its
embryo state. it will be remembered
that he so forgot the dignity of his
official position as to buttonhole Con
gressmen for their influence in carry
ing through the scheme. But there
was about the latter so perceptibly the
odor of job, that it soon fell into
disrepute, popularity, and had the
effect to array against the President,
Senator Sumner, and other Republi-
can leaders. Considering all this, it
is somewhat remarkable that Grant
should have so warmly electioneered
the job, as he has in his message
On the subject of the fisheries, the
President, we imagine, represents the
average sentiment of the country
There is no doubt that the authorities
of the Canadian Dominion, have Ia
ken grounds against our fishermen,
which tFey cannot be permitted to
maintain; and this country will be
glad to hear the President say that,
should the authorities in question per-
| slst in exercising their untenable jn-
iisdiction over the vessels of the Uni
ted States, it will be his duty TO
take such steps as may be necessary
to protect t. rights of the citizens OF
the United States" And the deter
mination of the Pres d mt to firmly
protect the rights of our people in the
navigation of the st. Lawrence will
also meet with approval. These are'
perhaps, the salient points of his
message.
He describes the foreign relations
of the country, especially in connection
with the war in Europe; but no new
points are touched upon, if we except
the matter of the Alabama claims
Grant recommending to Congress "to
authorize the appointment of a COM
mission to take proof of the amounts
and the ownership of these claimes on
notice to the representatives of Her
Majesty, at Washington, and that
authority be given for the settlement
of these claims by the United States,
so that the Government shall have
the ownership of. the private claims
as well as the responsible control of
all demand against Great Britain"
With reference to the decline of
American commerce, he says that
several propositions will be laid before
Compress in the course of the present
session, looking to a remedy of the
evil.