The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-12-09
Presidents AeSSsge.

To the Senate and House Of Representatives.
A year of peace and general prosperity t
this nation, has passed since the last assent
ling of Congress. We have, through a kin
Providence, been blessed with abundant crop
and have been spared from complications an
war with foreign natisns. In our midst com
parative harmony has been restored. It is t
Sc regretted, however, that free exercise o
election franchise has by violence and intimi
dstion been denied to citizens in exceptions
cases in several of the States lately IN rebel
lion, and the verdict OF the people has thereb!
been reversed.
The states Of Virginia, Mississippi and Texai
hava been restored TO representation in oul
1atioual councils. Georgia, the only state nov
without representation, may confidently bC
expected to take her place there also at the
beginning Of the new year; and then, let Us
hype, the work of reconstruction viii be com
Melted. With an acquiessenee on the part Of
The whole people in the national obligation to
nav the public debt created as the price Of our
un;on, the pensions TO our disabled soldiers
sud sailors and their widows and orphans, and
a, - changes TO the Constitution which have
bss1 n,ads necessary by a great rebellion,
there iS no res son why We should not advance
IN material prosp,-,5ty and happiness as no
nation ever did after so rSotracted and deTas-
sating war.
Soon after the existing war broke out IN
Europe the protection Of the United Sta es
Minister in Paris was invoked In favor Of the
North Germans dOmiciled in French territory.
Instructions were issued to grant the protec-
ton, This has been followed by an extension
OF American protection to citizens Of Saxony,
Hssse, SAKE Gotha Coburg, Colombia, Portn-
ga Uruguay, Paraguay and Venezuela in
PARIS. The charge was an onerous one, re-
curing constant and severe labor, as well as
the exercisS of patience, prudence and good
iudgment. Il has been performed TO the en-.
1ire satisfaction OF this government, and as
Am officially informal, equally 50 TO the salts
faction Of the government.
AS socn as I learned that Republic had
been proclaimed at Paris, and that the people
of France ha0 acquiesced m the change, the
Minister of the United States was directed by
teleoraph TO recognize it and tender my con-
graduation and those of the people of the
fTuitsd States. The rs-establishment in
Frause Of q system Of government disconnec-
ted with the dynastic traditions Of Europe
s,,Deared 70 be 3 proper subject fer the feEei-
sat;o7 Of Americans. Should the present
strnggl. result IN Sttaching the hearts of the
Fre5eh to our simpler forms Of R-pIesenta-
tive GovernmPnt, It will be o subject Of stall
further satisfaction to our people. While We
make no effort TO Impose our institutions upon
the inhabitants of say country, and while we
adhere to our traditional neutrality in civil
contest elsewhere, we cSpnot be Indifferent tc
ths spread Of American political ideas In .
great and highly civilized country like France
We were asked by the new Government tc
,,a nv good Offices Jointly with those Of Euro
,ossn poTsrs in the interest Of peace Answer
- made. tha$ the established policy and true
jnter9st Of the United States forbids them e
interfere IN European 9pestions jointly viii
Furopean powers ascertained informally
and 1noHicslly, that the Government Of North
Germany was not then disposed to listen &c
Huch rspresentGziOns from any powers, and
though earnestly wishing to see the blessings
of peace restored to the beligerants, with al
Of whom the United States are on terms Of
friendship, declined, on the part Of this gov
ernment 70 take steps which could only result
in injury 10 our true interests, without adFanc-
{no tbe object for which our Intervention was
invoked. Should the time come when action
of the United States can hasten the return OF
peace by 8 single hour, that action viii be
heartily taken.
I deemed It prudent, in view of the number
Of Darsons of German and French birth living
in the United States, to issne, soon after ofici-
al notice Of a state Of war had been received
from both beligerents, proclamation defining
the duties Of the United States, as neutral,
and the obligatiOps of persons residing within
InSlE D1sGENg kutlL ldhb ana NuG
laws Of this nation. The proclamation was
followed by others as circumstances seemed to
call for them. The people, thus made acquain-
ted IN advance OF their duties and obligations,
have assisted In preventing violation of the
neutrality Of the United States.
It is not understood that the condition of
the Jnsurrection In Cuba has materially chang
ef .sInce the close of the last sessions Of Con-
rraEs In an early stage Of the contest the
-,oFC In gr,esr So1 *
9rbitrarv arrests, Of close confinement, and OF
Inilitsrv trial ano execution of persons sus-
pected of completely with the insurgents, and
Of summary embargo Of t5e properties and Sc
ouestration of their revenues b5 5EXecut1Ye war
rant. Such proceeding, as far as they affected
the persons or properly of citizens Of the Uni
ted Stated States, were in violation Of the pro-
visions Of the treaty Of 1875 between the Uni
ted States and Spain. Representations Of in
II. .-iss resulting TO several persons claiming to
be On -izens of the United States, by reason Of
such violation, were made to the Spanish
Government from April 1869, to June last
The Spanish h mister at Washington mad been
clothed with a lin. ted power TO aid In redress
sing such wrongs. That power was with
drawn, in view, as II was said, Of the unstable
atuahon in which the isiaDo of Cuba then
was which, however, did not lead to the re-
yoeanon or suspension of the extraordinary
ano aroltrary functions exercised BY the exec
utlve k0Wer IN Cuba, and we were obliged to
make ou~ complaint at Madrid, In the ne
gotlatons lSns opened and still pending there,
the United States only claim fbaf for the
future the Ilgnts secured to their citizens bv
treaty should be respected in Cuba, and that
ss to the past joint tribOpaI should he estab-
lished in the United States, with full $500;
fion over all such claims Before -,1I -. -:
martial tribunal, each claimant ,,---I5 - -
ouired 70 prove his case. On the 49, Z. 80
Spain would be at liberty to traverss ,.,.-, e4.,,
material fact thus complste equity would &,
5n7e A case which at one time Threatened
ss-;cn,sly to affect the relations between tn
TINTED States and Spain has already been dis
posed OF in this way.
The clam Of the California Lloyd Aspin-
,vsIl for the illegal seizure and detention oi
fhat vessel, was referred to arbitration by mn-
fnal consent, and has resultsd in tho award to
fhe United States from the ovnels Of the same
s5ee sum Of Sl9, ,702.60i in Gold. Anothsr and
49, ,ons, pendIng claim Of q like nature, that
- ne SShsle ship Can~da, has been disposed
- - fr;eudly arbitration during the present
-esy Il v-es referred by the joint consent Of
b-,zil and the United States to the decision OF
Sir Edward Thornton, Bis Brttanie Majesty
+. '-,ister at Washington, who kindly under
M i he laborious task Of examining me Vo-
,1o sook = -uass Of correspondence sna testimony
s.5Tit,ss s1iT,s by the two goysrnnee&. soe