The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-12-18

+ PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The following is a synopsis Of
the Presidents message:
commences with a recognition
of the blessings which the Ameri-
can people have enjoyed the past
year, the only exception being the
great fire in Boston.-It refers. to
the Geneva Arbitration and its hap
py results, which left the two Gov
ernments, American and England,
without shadow on their friendly
relations, which it is hoped may
forever remain unclouded. It rec
ommends the immediate creation
of a board of commissioners to de-
eide upon the amounts to be paid
to industrials. It compliments
Messrs Adams and Bancroft upon
their eminent services in the mat
ter of the Geneva and San Juan
arbitrations. The decision in the
latter case leaving the United
States for the first time without any
question as to disputed boundaries.
In regard to the fisheries, and to
our relation with the British North
American provinces, the Presi-
dent says that he has received no.
tice that the Imperial Parliament
and the Dominion Government had
passed laws to carry the provisions
| Of the Treaty of Washington into
operation, and he, therefore rec
ommends the Legislation of Con-
gress in the same direction. He
speaks of the friendly relations Of
the United States with all the Gov
ernments Of Europe. He refers to
the Vienna international Exposl-
ton, recommends the fitting up Of
two National vessels to convey the
goods of exhibitors to Trieste, and
suggested that proposition be
made to have the next great expo
sition in this country in 1876, at
the time of the Centennial Celebra-
ton in Philadelphia. He refers to
the disturbed condition OF Cuba,
and says that no advance to pacif-
cation in that Island has been made
while the insurrection had gained
no advantages and exhibited no
more of the elements of power or
prospective success than year ago.
Neither had Spain succeeded in
repressing the insurrection. The
parties to the strife were standing
in the same attitude as for long
time past. The continuation of
slavery in that Island, he regards
as among the strongest causes Of
the continuance Of the strife, and
he thinks that the abolition Of sla-
very and the institution of other
REFORMS there could not fail to ad-
vance the restoration of peace and
order. It was greatly to be hoped
that the present Liberal Govern
ment of Spain will voluntarily
adopt that view.
Referring to our relations with
China and Japan, the President
recommends provisions for main
taing four American youths in each
| OF those countries, as part of the
diplomatic family of ministers.
He gives details of the revenue
received in the past year, and of
the reduction to the amount of
over $1OO,0OO,000 of the public
debt. He expresses doubt wheth-
er any further reduction in taxation
| is practicable for the present, and
he recommends that no more leg
islation be had on that subject. ex-
cept to correct errors of omission
or commission in the present laws,
until sufficient time shall have
elapsed to prove that it can be done,
and still leave sufficient revenue to
meet current expenses, pay inter-
est on the public debt, and provide
for the sinking fund. He suggests
also, that the currency shall be as
soon as possible brought to a par
with gold. He says that various
enterprises will be brought to the
attention of Congressfor the cheap
ening Of transportation of produce
from the West to the Atlantic sea
coast, and suggests that steps should
be taken to gain all available infor-
nation to insure equitable and ju-
dicious legislation.
In this connection he refers IA
vorably to the proposed route to
connect the Mississippi Valley with
the Atlantic at Charleston and Sa-
vannah by way Of the Ohio and
Tennessee Rivers, also to the pro-
posed extension of the Kanawha
and James Canal and the Chesa-
peake 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 hav-
ing provided a greater part of the
route, and the obstacles to be over