The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-12-13
Ghe Columbian.
BLOOMSBURG, PA.
Frjday, Dec. Is, 1872.


space this week for the publication Of
the message ofthe President.
Tho main points Of the mess lge may
he arranged under the following
heads:
]. General Grants first recommen.
dation ia the creation of a board Of com.
mis'ioners fr appnrlioning the Geneva
award
II. N'x' In order, rs they stand in
the innSstge, Is the recommendation OF
commission TO act Jointly with
similar Que from Great Britain, for
surveying the boundary line through
Harn Channel under the decision OF the
Emperor Of Germany.
Ill. Next Is the recommendation of
ac mn ssion to survey, conjointly with
Great Britain, that part of the Alaska
boundary which Is cJnterminous with
the British North American possess.
ions.
" A similar Recommendation for
an appropriation to pay the expenses Of
II cominissi,r to survey our northern
boundary between the Lake OF the
Woods and ,hs Rocky Mountains.
V. Submitting to Congress the pro.
priety of Inviting the International
Statistical Congress to hold its next ses-
sion in the United States.
vi. Still following the order of the
message, ,a"strong recommen "dation for
nm appropriation in aid of the Ameri-
can exhibitors at the Vienna Exposi-
tion.
VII. Recommends further appro.
piiation for the expenses of the com.
mission on the Mexican border.
Viii A recommendation, repeated,
from the last annual message, to pun
i+h American citizens who hold slaves
in Cuba.
TX. A renewal of his last years
recommendation to- support four
American youths at our embassies in
China and Japan to learn the language
ofthose countries and serve as interpre.
ters.
Y. To authorize our coDsuls In for
eign countries to aid other distressed
citizens than seamen.
XI. No changes in our present reve.
nue laws except to correct accidental
errors which is recommendation to
-tsud still and do nothing.
Xii. The favorable attention of
Congress Is asked for certain minor re-
forms recommended by the Secretary of
War. They relate chiefly to matters of
military detail.
XIII. General Grant virtually endors-
es the old Whig doctrine of gigantic in.
ternal improvements by the General
Government, aud paints a seducing
picture of several new artificial water
routes between the Mississippi Valley
and the Atlantic coast, including ship
canal around Niagara Falls, and sup.
plemented by the proposal of land
locked coast route between Maine and
the Gulf of Mexico.
XIV. A vague request 10 look fa.
vorably on the recommendation Of the
Secretary ofthe Navy.
XIV. Ditto for the vagries of the
Postmaster General.
XVI. Favorlng the purchase of the
telegraph lines by the Government.
XVII. Favoring liberal contracts
with steam lines for carrying South
American mails.
XVIII. For the recovery Of the lost
carrying trade, recommending an ap.
propription of 81. 10000 year, with.
out the least hint as to how il is to be
expended.
XIX. For federal census in 1S47.
Xxx. Recommending the devotion
of the net proceeds of the sale of public
lands to education.
XXI. Revision of the Territorial
laws, and appropriation for local i'm.
provements in the District Of Colum-
bia.
XXI To promote the planting of
forests by the purchasers of public
lands.
AS will be seen, but few of them are
of very grave import. Section VIII,
as above, simply renews recommen.
dation in the last message and is i'm
practicable and absurd. This country
has nothing whatever to do with
the laws of other nations who are, or
ought to be, amply able to take care of
their own interests. Section XIII, al
though very vague and containing no
specific recommendation, looks to in
ternal constructions of the most enor-
nous proportions requiring the expen.
dture ofhundreds of millions ofdollars.
Should the subject be taken up by Con-
gress we will discuss its merits hereaf.
ter. Section XVI advocates the pur.
chase of the telegraph lines by the Gov
ernment. This is a renewal of a for
mer recommendation. This is a mon.
strous scheme which would create an
army of 20, 900 or more Off ice holders
and cost the country an incalculable,
amount ofmoney. We have no space
to treat the subject now, but propose to
do so at length when, as is probable,
it comes before Congress. Section
XIII looks to the expenditure of
vast sum, but fails to state clearly how
it is TO be done. 1t would certainly be
great benefit 10 the country If the
lost carrying trade could be recovered
but there Is such thing as paying too
dearly for our whistle. Section XIX
for federal census in 1876, just before
the centennial exhibition, is a good
i dea and would be of value.
The majority of the recommenda-
tions possess no Especial claims for sp.
probation and the message as a whole,
Is by no means a rems rkable docu.
ment.
Cameron Rebuked.
The Washington Sunday Chronicle,