, 1870-12-06
TUESDAY. DECEMBER 6, 1870.


TUESDAY. DECEMBER 6. 1870,
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE. It
The Presidents message is occupied
largely With formal secapitulation Of The !
condition of our foreign affairs. 1t e1-
l',e~ses sympathy With the adoption of re-
iss..sean Institutions By France, and de-
ttc 10 avoid any intervention in the |
I1anco-Germnn conflict, save at the solicit
alton ui both parties, and in the interests
of peace. It recommends thRt Congress
make provision for the purchase, by our
o~n government, of the Asabams claims, SO
tlat The nation may lold this issue in its
AVN hands for future adjustment The
recommendation implies that the President
thinks it wiser to buy up the claims On be-
half Of the nation, than it would bo 10 al \
Low the British Government to pay them
off without further trouble. In other
words, the President thinks this \ very
1r.tty quarrel rs il stands.
Those who believe that peace, except
where war is absolutely unavoidable, is the
s.unA. wise, and economical policy Of al
r,tinus will inquire why the nation should
r. 10 the expense Of paying of thess
claims to prevent England from paying
iLr,a. ~heo she il ready and anxious to do
~. To tax our own people to pny Eng-
lands debts. lest we may lose cause OF
,lutrrrl with her, which she is prepared to
a,@cAIrge, and ve are not prepared to en-
force. SEEMS neither brave nor generoua.
Iu tle same connection, tho President
s!.r:!s II, the difficulties between our fish,
.r.. +, MD the Canadians, with minute
1r-~ OF st.tetaent which shows that they
l.;.,. ..ccnpiel much larger share Of his
:.,,rn,luu Than Of the countryf. We con-
f.->. ue do not See much 10 quarTal about
il tie f.ct that the Canadian authorities
1....,hit orar fishermen from fishing within
,i,r.- miles Of their shores.
TEt,ir right 10 prevent them, under in-
/, sra,;utai Law, from fishing within three
1u:hs If the Canadian shores, even if il
lad ,ut heen expressly acknowledged by
ts-a,r. IL as clear Us their right to prevent
slcm from cutting timber on the shore.
We .i,ubt cot that, If war with England
sha!! ever become convenient or necessary,
s',,e stronger grounds than these will be
available TO inse it on.
We think most readers will be surprised
ut the Presidents singular argument for
tie purchase Of 5An Domingo. lad ho
confined himself TO the simple and aigni.
fed statement That he still maintained his
1,r1ner opinions in favor of the acquisition
Of that Island. the statement would have
live recommendation.
But the President proceeds to argue tina
if We du not acquire San Domingo, Eu
rope will build q free port aud great cit,
on the Bay Of Samana (as if thst resul
would not be Rs advantageous to us as IL
acquisition J II we do purchase it, II
argues. the s!ares will rush: thither frog
t.,t> e.Eer islands in such numbers as Il
lra,. no slavery in Cuba or Porto Rico
the national debt, which it viii be ser
difficult 10 pay unless San Domingo
lua:ht. gill fade like the baseless fabric O
1. vision If We buy San Domingo. In short
,he san Domingo purchase, notwithstand
4Ak 4H NEAC1h A0oS yR@AA1 AZ 0<@AA %A+o r.
1u.,a-u:e Of the President. and his 1ecou
,uer,.,ng it to the two houses Of Congress
iu>,.Sd af the Senate in Executive Sessiol
tis;-,ts that lie prefers the plan of anne
ir. ,Le island hy joint resolution, instea
ot ratification Ut the treaty in the mot
l.tesciibtd in The constitution
1h. subject If our depressed CONNER
,&a&r .pr.sns ff,a nff1pt rf f3.a T1rai
t1-ut We regret to observe that he fa
l., r.,cw the Recommendation Of hia spec;
u.s,--age 10 Co ,gress at the last session
sAvor.f admitting to American registl
fa- lie purposes VI cur foreign Trade, Y,
h,,,>, purchased abroad In place Of Il
recommendation, he suggests that our sh
lin; shoall be encouraged by appropl
1u.,.> froul the National Treasury. :
tu,4lS that our foreign commerce is
s;cL 4 condition at present, that we "
iu ih.. future. have to look more to
cox,,tl,s $ s4tth Of MS, and 10 Chins q
Japan, for its rerival'-a suggestion,
,natins nf Which, we quite fail TO ee
nyeletnl.
III. pfe~i lent recommends legislat
l.oliu. to an early resumption Of sp'
RI 1sayls.nts. Tho manner of bringing
aluu: is not suggested. bnt the rscomu
s!at,n itself meets our hearty appro
1nd viii We thiak, he farorably recei
l,y the country
What is meant by revenue reform sc
10 l." grcat puzzle to the President,
Ie gaes on to tell several kinds OF reve
reform that he is opposed to. II it mi
), 1rp11iation Of the national debt, he il
posed to that. II it 1neaus the aboli
uf custom Houses, and the collection {
take, hy direct assessment upon the
1te, he is opposed 10 TINT. Since revt
r, :arm has not, so far rs he is adv
l,trn defined by any Of its advocate!
believes THAI q tariff for revenue is nj
tary. The concluding sentence of
1nrld chapter on revenue reform
trnl.Ablr lie construed rs committing
I';e>idert 10 protective tariff. He s
"such 4 tsta1, go ras II acts IN encon
r.It "i hnne t'ouccss. suords euployu,e
ar ., sf n ia sstk W IN Sp1s,1 t3 81 shs 2,
E-yus OF home Resources"
This is IN expression Of individual {
ion as to how protective tariff ope1at
from which opinion We wholly disi
While it il sufficiently indicative o,
lind of influence by which the Psesj
j, ,urrouaded-tbe same rhich p.os
the removal of Secretary Cox-it is, i
ally. not so strong as the high tariff
.1,r..l. We infer that the meaui,
r.rrrue r. form is c1ea1er to the Exec
mind ,,,,n bc ;s u,ll;no tn admit and
i. n,,cress in the connt,y has not v