The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-05

The Presidents Message is before our
readers. 1t Is an unpretending, practical
matser-of-fact State paper, which challenges
the general appreciation of the country, both
In respect to the acts Of the administration
during the eventful year that is drawing to
close and In the measures Of legislation re-
commended to Congress- Its distinguishing
merit Is that It is not encumbered with con-
stitutional chop logic. Compared with the
annual Messages of bis 'illustrious prede-
cessors," from General Jackson down
to Mr.. johnson, the great Souwes-
tern expoundsr Of the constitution,
this Message of General Grant is model of
brevity, though full Of meat ~ an egg. Even
brief review OF half the numerous important
subjects In 1t touched upon would occupy
much larger space than the document itself,
and so for the present our remarks upon it
will be mainly addressed to few Of the lead
ing topics presented.
First, then, upon our foreign relations Gen.
eral Grant, with an excusable pride, refers to
the Treaty Of Washington and the legislative
measures and appropriations necessary to
carry its various provisions into effect. Mean
time, he has addressed . communication to
the Governors Of our Northern bor-
der States, from New York to Wis
consin, suggesting the action needed
on their part touching the reciprocal
free navigation of the ST. Lawrence and Lake
Michigan, &C., provided for in said treaty.
The Publications Of an important treaty OF
commerce have been exchanged with Italy.
Through conference at Washington an armis-
tice has been established between Spain and
the South American allied republics. The
President next speaks of the visit Of the Rus
sian Grand Duke as proof that the Gear de-
sires to maintain the cordial relations of friend
ship that have existed so long between Russia
and the United States. But-and this little
word but is great mischief maker-but, says
our amiable President, s'the inexcusable course
of the Russian Minister at Washington rendered
1t necessary to ask his recall and to decline
to receive that functionary as a diplomatic
representative. In short 1t had become
impossible to tolerate Mr.. Catacasy any longer
in his ministerial capacity, and SO he has been
withdrawn. and the Imperial legation has
passed into the hands Of gentleman entirely
unobjectionable, as We are glad to know;
and we are not inclined to be inquisitive as to
what all this troubls with Mr.. Catacazy was
about.
We like the suggestions Of the Message
touching our relations with Japan and China
and our commercial interests in that quarter of
the world, for they are up to the spirit Of the
age; and we rather like, too, the frankness
with which the affair in the Corea is stated
and turned over to the discretion of Congress.
We are, on the other hand, somewhat
disappointed in the Message in refer
ence to Mexico. Those freeboo!crs
Of the so-called s'Free Zone" have
given and are giving us much trouble, and
General Grant, on this business and on the
general anarchy in Mexico, has nothing
stronger to say than this:-"I hope Mexico,
by its own action, will soon relieve this gov
eminent of the difficulties experienced from
these causes" We had hoped, Mr.. President,
that you would electrify the country with an
eloquent appeal in behalf of humanity, civili-
cation, and our manifest destiny and manifest
duty in Mexico. However, if we are not
greatly mistaken you will soon have to come
to this ultimatum as the only alternative for
law and order in our chaotic sister republic.
We guess that Garvcy has not gone down to
Nicaragua, for, as it appears, we have
an extradition treaty with that country.
We join in the congratulations of the
Message touching the emancipation Of the
slaves in Brazil but we want little more light
than is given us on those mysterious complica-
tons with Spain upon Cuban affairs-thosc
complications which, so far as we comprehend
them, seem to US as involving an extraordi-
nary American indulgence of Spanish inso-
lence. And yettb Presidents representations
concerning Cuban shareholders claiming to be
American citizens will, doubtless, bring ont in
Congress some very curious revelations on this
subject in the discussion Of the constitutional
legislation recommended.
Passing from our foreign relations to our
domestic affairs, General Grant, first touching
upon the desirable reduction Of the national
debt already achieved, thinks that we have
thus brought our national finances to that
satisfactory condition which will justify
considerable reduction OF our national taxes.
The information given by the HERALD to the
public on this subject some days ago is fully
confirmed. Indeed our foreshadowings of the
Message in every respect were very near the
mark. On this home question of taxation
General Grant recommends "a modification
Of both the tariff and internal tax laws" and
s'that all taxes from internal sources be abol-
ished, except those collected from spirtuous,
viuous and malt liquors, tobacco in it's various
forms, aud from stamps" In readjusting the
tariff he recommends the policy Of the greatest
good to the greatest number" and II heavier
reduction is deemed advisable than the add-
ton Of certain articles to the free list, he