Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-12-10
WEEKLY TELEGRAPH
AsHTABULA. ONO.
Saturday Morning, Dec 10, 1870.

PREaIpExT's MsssAoE.--Much of tho space
Of the Teiegrap1, this week, b taken up lSS
the annual message of the President This
remark. however, docs not warTaRt, tile con-
clusion that the ds'eunsnl Is unduly long. 1t
il a. lriesas cohtise treatment of tue various
subjects embraced, would seem to admit II
is-sirongly marked by the Grantstyle--,lircct.
vigorous, clear, compact and yet as fdll and
comprehensive at the case demands. While
ssme oeits subjects are turned off with ten or
s.dozen lines, others Of greater weight, are
treated Of, without an exception, within the
space OF half column. Such Is the case, for
Instance, with the Spanish matters The claims
against that sovereignty having been submit
ted 10 arbitration TO the Minister Of Her
Britanie Majesty, arc in tho course Of
friendly arrangement and settlement. Epon the
Alabama claims, there Is little To be said. They
are embraced in the statemGRi--that the cabi-
, net Of London do not admit negligence, aud
therefore guilt and responsibility IN the course
Of that government during the rebellion, while
the Presidents convictions are firm and unal
terabiy fixed in ;le opposite direction Hc IT
commends tho appointment of commission
to take proof of amounts and ownership of
these claims, and their payment by ths gov
crnment at WasLisgiSD, and tiiuS he owner
ship and soiltrUf Of them becomes an. aff,ir
wholly Of the governmental thought that
seems to be dgnifled and generous. The Su
Domingo treaty and tho advantages Of the ac.
quircment ofthat territory, is argued at length.
and with much apparent force. Tha, portion
Of the message Is well worthy Of deliberate
perusal. The fishery question is handled with
considerable carncstness and meaning, aud it,
tone will probably have the cdgct to facilitate
smother consideration and st cement o II, but
whether the business can be carried on with.
out occasional trouble and vcxalion H. AT lcast
little doubtful. The navigation a Yhc 81
Lawrence, and the uniriendly disposition o
Canada TO exclude us from tits grave subject
evidently IN the mind of the President, from
the careful and discreet manner Of the discus.
sion of IL. The remarks upon the resumption
NJ specie payment, will be considered us call
for and timely. The estimates for appro-
priations for the support Of the different
branches of the government, show that tho
Presidents policy of rigorous economy enter
into and have had their influence in shaping
and modifying them. The missionary plan OF
conducting the Indian affairs. works wou aud
meets with executive favor. The policy Of the
government should be TO encourage and foster
the settlement and Improvement OF the public
lands. rather than TO, make them source Of
revenue. On this and the land grant
question, ho is sound. Tho sRmming up of
his policy. as stated in the brief concluding
paragraph Of the messagc,will challenge public
appreciation and regard, for the reason that
there is nothing now, but a rcitorn,ion and
declaration of mat, anlY tho theory, but tLa
practical working Of bis administration from
the start.
The message In brief, ls II crcditabc manly
and admirable State paper, and no reader
should failto give deliberate and thought
hsAerassli Whatever cavilers may say abou
tbe,wnnt of statcsmanslip in tho President
II would take some hardhood To deny thcs;
qualities to his State papers and his State pol
Co..