The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-12-09
M;{A< Gttil Mhtg
The President's Message.

Both Houses of Congress organized on
Monday last, and the message and Reports
of the Department were laid before them.
The Message is comprehensive, yet concise;
every word and sentence is compression
Of facts, and tho document is one of the
most clear and business like papers that
ever emanated from the White House.
The Message opens with the declaration
that the laws have been rigidly enforced,
without attempting to inquire into the pol
icy or wisdom Of those enactments; and
after briefly acknowledging the prosperity
of the nation under wise Providence for
the past year, attended, however, with more
than the usual calamities by storm and fire,
the following subjects are taken up in
detail, and briefly, but clearly discussed
Foreign Relations, Financial Affairs; The
Army and Navy; Post Office Department;
Ku-Klux Law: The Mormons; The Indian
Policy; Public Lands; Agricultural Affairs;
Pay of Heads of Bureaus; Territorial Gov
eminent Of Washington; The Chicago Fire;
Protection of Emigrants, and Civil Service
Reform.
The President, in referring to the visit of
the Grand Duke, and the cordial relations
existing between the Government of the
United States and Russia uses the follow
ing very pointed language in reference to
Minister Catacazy:
at was impossible with self-respect, or
with just regard to the dignity of the
country, to permit NJ. Catacazy to contin0
to hold intercourse with this Government
after his personal abuse of Government
officials, and during his persistent inter-
ference through various means. with the
relations between the United States and
other Powers"
The Message congratulates Brazil on the
initiatory steps taken by that Empire for
the abolition of slavery, and deprecates
the holding Of slave property under foreign
Governments by citizens of the United
States. 1t says
"Our relations with that empire, always
cordial, will naturally be made more soby this
act. 1t is not too much to hope that the
Government of Brazil may hereafter find
right, to advance toward entire emancipa-
ton more rapidly than the present act con-
templates.
The true prosperity and greatness of a
nation is to be found in the elevation and
education of its laborers. 1t is subject
for regret that the reforms in this direc-
ton, which arc voluntarily promised by
the statesmen of Spain, have not been
carried out in it's West India Colonies
The laws and regulations for the apparent
abolition of slavery in Cuba and Porto
Rico leave most of the laborers in bondage
with no hope of release until their lives
become burden to their employers.
l desire to direct your attention to the
fact that citizens of the United States, or
persons claiming to be citizens of the
United States, are large holders in forei On
lands of this species of property, forbid
den by the fundamental law of their alleged
country. recommend to Congress to pro-
vide by stringent legislation a suitable
remedy against the holding. owning or
dealing in slaves, or being interested in
slave property in foreign lands, either as
owners, hirers or mortgagers, by citizens
of the United States"
With relation to Cuba, the President
regards its disturbed condition as source
Of annoyance and anxiety. Our naval
officers have been instructed, in case it
should become necessary, to spare no
effort to protect the lives and property of
bona fde American citizens, and to MAINTAIN
the dignity of the flag. Hopes are express
ed that all pending questions with Spain
will DO amicably disposed of.
The national debt has been reduced to
the extent of $50, 1860 during the
year, and by the negotiation of national
bonds at lower rate of interest the inter
est on the public debt has been so far di.
minishkd that the sum to be raised for the
interest account is nearly $17,0O0,000 less
than on the first of March 1869.
On the tariff the President says:
elm re-adjusting the tariff, l suggest
that a careful estimate be made of the
amount of surplus revenue collected under
the present. laws, after providing for the
current expenses of the Government, the
interest account and a sinking fund, and
that this surplus be reduced in such man.
ner as to afford the greatest relief to the
greatest number. There are many arti-
cles not produced at home, but which enter
largely into general consumption through
articles which are manufactured at home,
such as medicines, compounds, ETC., ETC.,
from which very little revenue is derived,
but which enter into general use. All such
articles l recommend to be placed on the
free list.
Should a further reduction prove advisa-
BILE, | would then recommend that it be
made upon those articles which can best
CT,
OF producing the wages of American labor. -
On tho enforcement of the Ku-K lux law
the following is the language of the Mes
sage:
CATER the passage Of this law informa-
ton was received from time to time that
combinations Of the character referred to
in this law existed and were powerful III
many parts of the Southern States, partic-
ularly in certain counties in the State of
South Carolina. Careful investigation was
made, and it was ascertained that in nine
counties Of that State such combinations
wero active and powerful, embracing suf-
ficient portion of the citizens to control
the local authority, and having among
other things the object of depriving the
emancipated class of the substantial bene-
fits of freedom, and of preventing the free
political actions of those citizens who did
not sympathize with their own VIEWS
Among their operations were frequent
scoursings and occasional assassinations.
generally perpetrated at night by disguised
persons, the victims in almost all cases
being citizens of different political senti-
ments from their own, or freed persons who
had shown disposition to claim equal
rights with other citizens. Thousands OF
inoffensive and well-disposed citizens were
the sufferers by the lawless violence At
the last accounts the number of persons
thus arrested was one hundred and sixty
eight. Several hundred whose criminality
was ascertained to be of an inferior
degree, were released for the present.
These have generally made confessions
of their guilt Great caution has been
exercised in making these arrests, and not
withstanding the large number, it is be-
lieved that no innocent person is now in
custody.
The prisoners will be held for regular
trial in the judicial tribunals of the United
States. As soon as it was ascertained that
the authorities of the United States were
about to take vigorous measures to enforce
the law many persons absconded. and there
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