The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-12-03

Tho Presidents nreasage-His Report
FOR tho Year and Hts Recommended
lions to Congress.
General Grant is evidently sincere be-
lever in o experimenting Providence over the
affairs Of men and of nations; and that this
abiding faith, with its ever-present sense Of
responsibility. has had and has much to do
with the discharge of his public duties we
cannot doubt We accord him, therefore. the
full weight of his words whom, in the opening
of his fourth annual message to Congress
(Which closes up his regular accounts for his
first Presidential term). he says that sit Is
with thankfulness to the Givcr of all good
that as nation we have been blessed for the
past year with peace at homo, peace abroad,
and general prosperity vouchsafed to but
few peoples" Such official recognitions Of the
Supreme Power above us touch gratefully the
hearts of believing people. Gratefully, too,
viii they appreciate the Presidents Hattering
testimony to that spirit of energy and perse-
vetance exhibited by the people of Boston and
Chicago in rising above their overshadowing
calamities; and gratefully will they accept the
opinion that ''as far as human judgment can
penetrate tbs future no cause seems to exist to
threaten our present peace"
Proceeding. then, to business the President
informs us that when Congress adjourned in
June last question had been raised by Great
Britain-that ominous question Of in
direct or consequential damages which, for
q time, seriously imperilled the settlement by
friendly arbitration Of the grave differences
between the two governments: but that the
arbitrators disposed Of the difficulty in q man.
ner perfectly satisfactory to our government.
Next, the award Of the Geneva Tribunal of the
sum in gross of fifteen million five hundred
thousand dollars upon those Alabama claims
is accepted as happy settlement Of long
standing difference; and this decision, in con-
nection with the award Of the Emperor of
Germany on the San Juan boundary question,
| leaves England and the United States s'with-
out shadow upon their friendly relations"
But if this business were still open for argu-
ment we might here resume the old discus
sion. As it is settled we can only say with
honest Sancho ssLet us bid God bless the
giver, nor look the gift horse in the mouth"
The thanks and congratulations returned to
the respective States and to the arbitrators
| especially to Mr.. Adams) and to all con.
| cerned in the arbitration arc, of course, emil
nently just and proper But the parties directly
interested will be particularly pleased with
the recommendation that board be created
at once to examine the claims Of individuals
in the premises with view to the distribu-
ton among the sufferers from England's
peculiar neutrality of the British gold
awarded as our indemnity. We sincerely hope
that these men will not share the fate Of those
unfortunates involved in the claims arising
from old French spoliatons upon our COM
merce 'prior to the year 1900"
From his long and intimate official connec-
ton with and services in the matter Of our
San Juan boundary claim at Washington,
London and Berlin, Mr.. Bancroft, with its
perfectly satisfactory settlement, Is fairly en-
titled to the Presidents thankful acknowledge
ments We are pleased too, to hear of 'the
prompt spontaneous action of Her Majesty's
government in giving effect to the award"
in the removal of her troops from the joint
occupation of San Juan Island And it is
something to say that this is the first time in
our history that we have been without o
boundary dispute with England. But still
joint commission is necessary to determine
the line Of the Haro Channel and another to
fix the boundary between Alaska and British
Columbia, and these are recommended. The
prou,Iopf to ho Of Aha 1,vnso %1oko
few hundred miles or so to the right or the
left in our Alaska boundary will be matter
Of no consequence to either party, and in this
opinion we concur
Upon the question Of the Northeastern
fisheries and the reciprocities agreed upon in
the Treaty Of Washington as between the
United States and the New Dominion, in
view of the action of the imperial
and provincial governments on the other
side, the President recommends to Con-
gress the needful legislation in tho same
direction in order to establish the treaty
stipulations. AL right And SO in regard to
our northern boundary between the Lake Of
the Woods and the Rocky Mountains and
SO with regard to our amicable relations with
Ill tne ocAtcS VI EUROPE. AHe peace picture
of the message is here oil that could be de-
sired. Nor can we suppose that its recon-
mendations touching the Vienna Exposition,
the Statistical Congress, our approaching
national centennial celebration and other in
cidental subjects will be neglected by the two
Houses, in view Of the great objects of uni
versal peace and brotherhood among the
nations. - a"ss
Our border relations with Mexico have been
anything but agreeable; they are still unset
tied; but General Grant is hopeful of better
things from the present MEXICAN gov