New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

To war-wOrn AbOlitiOnists, accustomed 70
find in each Presidents Message themselves
berated, their motives aspersed, and their de-
votion to Impartial Liberty stigmatized as inn
PEELED by sectional hate and in essence little
better than treason, it must be refreshing to
read this Message, wherein aversion to Slavery
at home and abroad, with recommendations
that orr citizens be forbidden to hold slaves
in countries where human bondage is still
legal, congratulations on the initiation of
enfranchisement in Brazil, hopes that the
process may be FASTENED, complaints that
Spain's semblance of emancipation in Cuba
and Porto Rico is a mockcry, &C., &C., are
so prominent. The fact that the President
who thus nobly embOdies and enuneiates the
better impulses Of our people was himself q
partisan Of Slavery down to the outbreak OF
our great Civil War, SO far from weakening
the force of his demonstrations against the
discarded scourge and shame Of our country,
but intensiies and emphasizes that testimony.
Just compare this Message in it's relations to
Slavery with one of Buchanans uttered barely
twelve years ago. and the immense, bcnefcent
strides made by our Republic within that
period will be manifest. Let none doubt that
the Moderation is permanent, and far more
likely to be increased than diminished.
Our Foreign Relations appear to be satisfac-
tory in the main, and the President is right
in regarding and representing our late Treaty
with Great Britain, whereby our grave differ
ences with that power are submitted to friendly
arbitration. as striking evidence of
progress in true civilization. Grant that
the Treaty in question is less favOra-
bic to us on some points than
might fairly have been expected-that we
should have insisted on total abolition of war
on private property (other than contrabandD
afloat-still we hold that Treaty theme of
lust felicitation, honorable to both parties, and
suspicious to the future peace OF Christendom.
We believe Gen. Grants fluctuations there
upon will be fully responded to by great ma
jority of his countrymen.
We Judge that our relations with Spain arc
more critical than the Presidents guarded
Language would indicate; otherwise, we should
strenuously object to his Endorsement OF Secre-
tary Robeson's suggestion as to the necessity
:" for increasing and improving the material
6" of the Navy" We protest against any such
increase. If we need more vessels and more
men for any present emergency, let US hire
them, use them, and pay the bill; but there is
no need of permanent increase. On the
contrary, we suggest that half the National
vessels now rotting idly in our ports be
sold to the highest bidder, and no longer
watched and guarded at q useless cost while
they grow daily more and more unseaworthy
and unseryiceable. If we ever want more
war.vessels these will be found good for
nothing but breaking up and sale as old iron.
Let us break them up at once, now that iron
is in demand at good prices, and not let
them eat their heads of twice more.
If we need more guns in the West
Indies, call home our useless parade
feet from the Mediterranean. Secretary
Robson is jolly good fellow, and we wish
him all matrimonial and other felicity; but
his "suggestion implies more officers and
more expense, whether he knows 1t or not,
and that the country will not stand: Avast,
there, skipper for you are rushing on sunken
rocks which your chart seems to take no note
Of
The Presidents recommendations that the
Internal Taxes be swept away, except those
known ~ Stamps and those levied on
LIQUORS and Tobacco, will meet with gen
eral approval May we not hope that Congress
win act promptly and decidedly on this recon-
meDdationf
As to Tariff revision, the President reflects
very nearly the average sentiment OF the
People. But we guess his trae friends In
Congress will make haste slowly in reducing
the revenue from this source. The fact that
the Debt has been steadily and largely re-
duccd has done more than anything else to
make the Administration and the party sup
porting it strong and popular. SO many Mil
liors paid off each month are to Gen. Grants
Administration what Union victories on