South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1870-12-09

for the evil. The message assumes that
iron vessels cannot be built in this country
without government assistance, and biDts
at the old exploded policy of encouraging
ship building / y means of bounties.
The evils Of a huciuating and depressed
currency are deplOTed, as ia the message a
year ago, ard it is suggested that, with the
foil in the premium on gold, the time has
probably come for wise legislation with the
view of placing our currency once more on
a specie basis.
A true revenue reform cannot be made
III day, but must be work of national le-
gislation and e time. As soon as the re-
venue can be dispensed with, all duty
should be removed from coffee, tea and 9TH
er articlee Of universal use not produced by
ourselves. The necessities of the country
I compel IA to collect revenue from our i'm
ports. An army Of assessors and collectors
Is not pleasant sight to the citizen, but
that or tariff for revenue is necessary"
The reform of the ranking privilege and
the adoption of the correspondence card"
IN our postal system is recommended
The policy inaugurated by the present
administration Of employing Friends and
other missionary agencies for the purpose
OF civilizing and managing the Indian is
declared to have worked well, and promises
the best possible results
! The civil service reform also gets the ben
eft Of the Executive approval. He says ::
81 respectfully call your attention to one
abuse of long standing, which would like
to see remedied by this Congress. 1t is n
! reform in the civil service Of the country
| would have it 60 beyond the mere fixing
of the tenure Of Office of clerks and employ
ees who do not require the advice and con-
( sent Of The Senate to make their appoint
ments complete. | would have it to gov
crn not the tenure, but the manner Of all
appointments. There Is no duty which so
much embarrasscs the Executive and the
heads of departments as that of appoint.
ments, nor Is there any such arduous aud
thanEless task imposed on Senators aad
| Representatives ms that of fnding places for
constituents. The present system does rot
secure the hest men, and often even not fit
men for public places. The elevation and
/ publication Of the civil service of the gov
eminent will be hailed with approval by
/ the whole people of the United Statcs."
1t is proof Of the strong hold which the
cause both of revenue and of civil service re-
( form has taken upon The people Of the coun-
/ try when the administration thus spreads
its sails to catch the rising breeze. The hit
at Senators and Representatives, is not bad
The President thinks that the day has
| passed for regarding the public lands as
direct source Of revenue To the govern
ment They should be rather administer
ed in the interests of the whole country for
the purpose Of promoting emigration and
the settlement of new States The Presi.
dent makes another advance step also, to
the measure of the peoples march, and dis
courages the policy of granting government
subsidies to railroad or other corporations
either of land or money. From the recon-
mendations in favor of erecting new build
! iDgs for State ard War Departments, we
| infer that the President has not taken stock
in any of the capital moving projects whi,h
have been started
After some minor suggestions, the mes
sage closes with the following summary of
the policy of the administration, of which
it can only be said that if the practice be
as good as the theory, there can be no room
for opposition or criticism:
ain conclusion, would sum up the pol
icy Of the administration to be a thorough
enforcement of every law, faithful collcc-
/ ton Of every tax provided for, economy in
the disbursement of the same, a prompt pay
ment Of every debt of the nation, n rcduc-
| tion oc the taxes as rapidly MS the require.
| mcnts Of the country will admit, the reduc.
| tons of taxation and tariff 10 be 50 arrang.
ed as to afford the greatest relief to the
/ greatest number, honest and fair dealing
/ with all other people, to the end that war,
/ with all its bIighting consequences, may be
/ avoided, but without surrendering any right
obligation due to Us; n reform inthe treat
ment Of Indians aud in the whole civil ser
vice Of the country, and finally, in securing
a pure, untrammelel ballot, where every
man entitled to cast a vote may do so Just
once, at each election, without fear Of mo-
lestation or prescription on account Of his
political faith, nativity or color"
These expressions and concern about an
Contaminated ballot" &c, would, howev p
or, have much more consistency and force
we're they accompanied with that recon-
incubation Of general amnesty which would
restore the elective franchise to the many
intelligent and worthy citizens now arbitra-
rily deprived Of il in the interest Of party.
But Sun
THE L $ ARMY General Sherman
reports the army as composed OFF lSS Off
GERS and 80, $50 mcn--totnl 81, 37S-to be
reduced by thc first Of January next 90 . r.
277 officers, and by the first Of the July
following to 10000 meu-totnl, 30 277.-
According to the present figures, remarks
.hc fredericksburg HyoH, there is one