Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
4 BOLD. SENSIBLE, PROGRESSIVE
DOCUMENT.
Prosperity at Home, Peace and Honor
Abroad.
AlGrand Scheme Of Internal Improve
mentS Suggested.
Postal Telegraphy and a Permanent
Civil Service Reform.
An Able Paper from Secretary Boutwell,
SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 8p. NJ.


WASHINGTON, Dec. ., s p. NJ.
After n short recess the Presidents mes
sage was at 1.40P. NJ. received and read.
1t commences with recognition of the
blessings which the American people have
enjoyed within the past year, the only ex-
ception being the great fire in Boston. 1t
refers to the Geneva Arbitration and its
satisfactory results, which left the two Gov
ernments, the American and English wi tn
out shadow on their friendly relations,
which it is sincerely hoped may forever re-
main unclouded. 1t recommends the inn
mediate creation of a board of commission
ers to decide on the amounts to be paid to
individuals for damages incurred by the
Confederate privateers.
OUR PEACE TRIUMPHS.
1t compliments Hon. Charles Fran
els Adams the American Arbitrator at Ge-
neva, and Mr.. Bancroft, Minister at Bcr-
lin, for their earnest services in the matter
of the Geneva and the San Juan Arbitra-
tions, the decision in the latter leaving the
United States for the first time without
any question as to disputed boundaries.
In regard to the fisheries and to our rela-
tons with the British North American
Provinces, the President says that he has
received notice that the Imperial Parlia-
ment and the Dominion Government have
passed laws to carry the provisions of the
Treaty of Washington into operation, and
he, therefore, recommends n legislation of
Congress in the same direction. He speaks
of the friendly relations of the United
States with all the Governments of Eu-
rope. He refers to the Vienna Interna-
tional Exposition, recommends the fitting
up of two national vessels to convey the
goods of exhibitors to Trieste and suggests
that n proposition be made to have the
next great exposition in this country in
OF l,nf time nff ln 81
bratiOn in Philadelphia.
CUBA.
He refers to the disturbed condition of
Cuba, and says that no advance to-
wards pacfication in that island has been
made, while the insurrection had gained
no advantages and exhibited no more of
the elements of power or prospective sue
cess than year ago. Neither had Spain
succeeded in REFRESHING the instruction.
The parties to the strife were standing in
the same attitude as for a long time past
The continuation of slavery in that island
he regarded as among the strongest causes
of the continuance of the strife, and he
thinks that the abolition of slavery and the
institution of other reforms there, could
not fail to advance the restoration of peace
and order. 1t was generally to be hoped
that the present liberal government
of Spain will voluntarily adopt that view.
-
and Japan, the President recommends
provides for maintaining four American
youths in each of these countries as part
of the diplomatic family of our Ministers.
OUR FINANCES.
He gives details of the revenue received
i'm the past year and of the reduction to
the amount of over one hundred millions
of the public debt. He expresses a doubt
whether any further reduction in taxation
is practicable for the present and he recon-
mends that no more legislation be had
on that subject except to correct errors of
omission or of commission in the present
laws until sufficient time shall. have elaps-
ed to prove that it can be done and still
leave sufficient revenue to meet the cur
rent expenses, TO pay interest on the pub
lie debt ana to provide Orthe sinking fund.
He suggests, also, that the currency shall
be as soon as possible brought to par with
Gold.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
He says that various enterprises will be
brought to the attention of Congress for
the cheapening of the transportation of
produce from the West to the Atlantic sea-
coast, and suggests that steps should be
taken to gain all available information to
ensure equitable and judiciOus legislation.
In this connection he refers fayorably to
the proposed route to connect the Missis
sippi Valley with the Atlantic at Charles
ton and Savannah, by way of the Ohio
and Tennessee Rivers, also to the proposed
extension of the Kanawha and James
River Canal and the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, and TO the proposed canal around
Niagara Falls. He says that there should
be an almost continuous system of land
locked navigation from Maine TO the Gulf
of Mexico, nature having provided a
greater part of the route and the Obstacles
to be overcome being within the skill of
engineers.
OUR NAVY AND COMMERCIAL MARINE.
He calls attention TO the weakness of
the American navy and endorses the COO
concentrations of the Secretary of the
Navy in that respect. He recommends
subsidies for steamship lines to Brazil and
between San Francisco, New Zealand, and
A ustralia also an increase of the salaries
of heads of bureaus. He favors the abO-
lition of the ranking privilege and rec
ommends q modification of its existing
evils. He also recommends the adoption
by Congress Of the best method Of acquir-