Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

cling to be received in Baltimore about
halfpast one o'clock and ending about
thee 2. NJ. 1t was given to the public
by the press in Extras The Sun,
however, stereotyping ii and putting 1t
forth in good form, with satisfactory
promptness. 1t appears in our Supple.
ment to-day, with abstracts OF other Oh
the official documents. ;.
Not only has the past year, according
10 the Presidents message, been without
any startling event, and with the eXcep-
ton Of the Boston fire, without any
marked calamity to cloud the general
record of peace and prosperity at home
and abroad, but the President has a5so-
lutely no special recommendations or
suggestions to make beyond what have
been foresqadowed in previous messages
for the immediate future. 1t is an echo
in effect for the wish recently expressed
by Prince Bismarck for the German
Emperor and people, that history with
them might for while stand still. The
tone of the message itself is dignitied
and official, offering no contrast in this
respect to other similar State papers Of
late years. Nothing of a personal char
acter is obtruded, no allusion even being
made to the fact that presidential cleo
ton has taken place withinthe past year
After the usual expressions Of gratitude
10 the Divine Author Of all our bless
ings, national as well as individual, the
message proceeds directly to a review,
lually gratifying and succinct, OF the
state of our foreign affairs.
Appropriate congratulations are ad-
dressed to the national legislature upon
the results of the Washington treaty
the award in favor of the United States
pronounced by the Geneva tribunal and
that of the Emperor of Germany in the
matter of fhe San Juan boundary. Here
again there is not syllable to show that
the award of SIS, 100000 in satisfaction
of the Alabama claims is not up to the
full measure of the demands and pre-
tensions of our government, but,equally
with the decision of the German Empe-
ror,lt is accepted as entirely satisfactory.
powers and their representatives con
cerned in these acts of arbitration, and
also to the counsel and agents of the
United States, for the spirit and manner
in which they have discharged the sew
eral trusts and duties confded 10 them.
Immediate provision by law for the
prompt distribution of the proceeds Of
the Geneva award among the parties
entitled thereto is urged. The hearts
of two great nations will re-echo the
hope expressed by the President that
the governments of Great Britain and
the United States may remain as at pre-
sent, without shadow TO cloud their
friendly relations.
Congress is urged to the passage of
the supplementary Legislation required
to give effect to other provisions Of the
treaty relating to the fisheries &c, the
parliaments of Great Britain and Cana
da having already passed laws TO carry
those provisions into effect. The APP
dointment of Joint commission to de
termine the boundary between Alaska
and the Dterminous possessionSo of Great
Britain, as also an Increased appropna-
ton in aid of the similar commission
now engaged in running the boundary
between the United States and the
British possessions, from the Lake Of the
Woods to the Rocky Mountains are also
recommended.
The suggestion is made that the In
teruational Statistical Congress should
be invited to hold its next session, three
wears hence, in this country, and that
the centennial celebration in 1876 would
furnish an appropriate occasion for such
meeting. The subject of the centennial
itself comes in for appropriate mention
in another portion Of the message. An
appropriation in aid Of American exhib-
itors at the Vienna Exposition to be
held next year, is recommended, also
that two vessels of war be commissioned
to transport to Trieste and back, artl-
Giles sent from this country for exhibit
ton.
sympathy is expressed with Mexico
in its efforts to maintain stable repub-
lican government and the revival OF the
commission heretofore appointed to III
quire into depredationS along the Mexl-
can frontier is deemed desirable, with
view of removing existing causes Of com
plant.
Allusion is made to the disturbed
condition of Cuba, ard the belief conf
IDENTIFY expressed that the abolition OF
slavery and the introduction of needtul
reforms into the local administration
would not fail to advance the restOra-
ton of peace and order. The promul-
cation within the past few weeks by the
home government of regulations design
ed to carry into effect the emancipation
law of 1870 is hailed as an earnest of
the good intentions of the present liberal
government of Spain in this respect.
The owning of slaves in Cuba by Amer
lean citizens is again advertea to as an
evil requiring repression by law.
The failure of Venezuela to make
provision for the satisfaction of what
are known as the "Venezuela claims" is
again brought to the attention Of Con
press, ''for such action as may be DEEM
ed proper.
In view of the growing importance of
our relations, commercial and diplomat
ic, with China and Japan, it is recon-
mended that provision be made for the
support and education of at least four
American youths in each of those coun-
-