Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1871-12-08

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

4 Message, and will be read with interest
The third annual message OF President
Grant, the teAt Of which was received in this
licity by telegraph shortly after ito delivery 10
Congress yesterday, opens with reiteration
Of the policy announced in his inaugural mes
sage. " The policy has been not TO inquire
into the wisdom OF the laws already enacted,
but TO learn their spirit and intent, and TO en-
force them accordingly Ia sentiment which,
ifliteraly adhered 10, would preclude the En-
ecutive from making many useful recommen-
dalions for the repeal or modification OF laws
| found 10 lie bad
The exceptional calamties by fire and food
which have marked the past wear and which
have led to the display Of so much active be-
nevolencc and generous sympathy nj home and
abroad, receive appropriate mention, while
the year is recognized 10 have been, under n
wise Providence, one Of general prosperity 10
the nation
Under the head Of foreign relations, the
country is properly congratulated upon the
beneficial effects likely TO result from The trea-
Fly Of Washington both MS a settlement Of our
differences with Great Britain, and as an ex-
ample to the world how wars may he avoided
without sacrifice of national honor. Credit
! is given 10 our diplomatic aud consular agents
ut Paris for the manner in which they have
performed their delicate duties without wound
ing the susceptiblities Of French or Germans
during the trying scenes in France Of the past
twelve months.
Some surprise will doubtless be felt to find
! NJ. Catacazy elevated to the dignity OF ma
tonal grievance, and The purely personal
difficulties between that obnoxious envoy and
| the administration at Washington deemed wor-
thy of Il place in the Presidents message. In
former cases, such as those of citizen Genet dur
ing The administration o. Washington, and Of
| Mr. Champion, during the Crimenn war, il was
the violation of law rather thnn Of personal or
diplomatic prophecies, which incurred the
censurc of the Executive, and which was
brought 10 the attention of the nation. Re
ference is made 10 the diplomatic failure in
Corea and to the success achieved by Admiral
Rodgers over a semi-harbarous people, and
the whole subject is left - for such action as
Congress may see lit 10 take"
The abolition of slavery by Brazil is made
the subject of presidential congratulntion, and
the enactment by Congress of n stringent law
is recommended TO reach the case Of American
citizens who in their business dealings with
planters and others in countries where slavery
is still tolerated by law, may become interest
ed AS mortgages or otherwise liz This species
Of property.
The rumors which have been rife of pend
ing difficulties with Spain, and possible inter-
vention in the affairs of Cuba, find no coun-
tenancc in what is said in the message upon
these heads
Turning from foreign to domestic affairs,
the first and most important recommendation
Of the message is that both the tariff and in
iernal laws be modified, with a view TO tighten
the burdens at present imposed upon the
| country. Ii is recommended that " all taxes
from internal revenue sources be abolished,
except those collected from spirtuous, vnous
and malt liquors, tobacco in its various forms,
and form stamps, which amounts 10 n tacit
recommendation 10 abolish the income tax.
In any readjustment Of the tariff it is recon-
mended that those articles not proenced at
home but which enter largely into general
consumption through medicine, compounds,
&c. and from which little revenue is derived.
should lie placed on the free list, and that
should further reduction be deemed advi-
sable, it should be made upon those articles
which can best bear it without disturbing
home production or reducing the wages of
American labor This latter recommends
ton has the merit of being so exceedingly gem
ernl that it probably will give no ofiense even
| to the most ardent protectionsts. For par
ticulars upon this head Congress is referred 10
| the report of the Secretary of the Treasury
! The fluctuations in the currency are deplored
and the wisdom Of Congress is invoked 10 find
II remedy, which is the nearest the President
comes to showing any concern uron the sub
4 ject OF specie payments. The message reiter-
ates the commentator heretofore pronounced
| by the Secretary of the Treasury upon the
| present infamous system of moeiies to inform
ers in the revenue services of the country--a
| system which, while condemned in theory, is
said in practice, however, to flourish exceed
| ingly.
| In the navy the employment of supcrnume-
| rary officers in the merchant service, las in
| England and other countries, and that pro-
motion above the rank of captain be made by
| selection instead of seniority (as at presently
| seem to be recommendations worthy the at
| tenion Of Congress.
! The plan of uniting the telegraph service
| with the ordinary postal service OF the country
is urged upon the favorable consideration Of
! Congress, as recommended by the Postmaster
! General. The revenues of the department
continue to improve.
The measures taken for the enforcement of
| The ku-klux law are next reviewed The
proclamation of October II is justified upon
the ground that the requirements Of the pro-
camation Of October u requiring the MEM
bers of unlawful combinations within FIVE days
| TO surrender all their arms, ammunition uni
| forms, disgnises, and other means and nipple
mens used by them for carrying out their I'M
| lawful purposes had not been complied with.
| The existence of the unlawful combinations"
| ''purposes, /" farms, y uniforms and g inn
plemens" is taken for granted. q regular
trial in the judicial tribunals of The United
| states Is promised The parties who have been
arrested in numbers some hundreds and we
may ndd also their conviction, inasmuch as il
is added 90 it is believed that no innocent
person is now in custody" If "reeular'
trial is 10 take place, the question of guilt or
innocence, one would have supposed might
have been left 10 the Judicial tribunals" A
reign of terror having been inaugurated, the
fact that numbers ofpersons have "abscond-
| ed" is assumed TO be "good grounds for
supposing that all such persons have violated
! the law
The suppression Of polygamy in Utah, with
provision for the legitimizaiion of q iuno-
cent children" up TO a certain date is sug-
gested--the latter only "as suggestion, not
a recommendation
The 81 peace policy heretofore adopted by
the administration with reference to the In
| dians, Though somewhat varied in practice
by exploits like those of the Piegan'' massa-
cre) is recommended TO be adhered 10, mot
only because il is humane, Christian-like and
economical, but because it is right"
Political amnesty is recommended, upon tie
ground apparently that no good comes from
excluding a particular class of men from
Office because they had violated their oath 10
support the constitution, while thousands who
would have done so Ind they been in the same
positions admitted TO be eligible 1t is
added, . II there are any great criminals dis
tinguished above all others for the part they
took in opposition TO the government. they
might, in the judgment of Congress, be exclud-
ed from such amnesty" II is needless to re-
L IL