Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-12-05

slavery i'll Cuba is principal cause OF
the laTnentable condition of the Island
and does not doubt that Congress-
shares his hopes that it will soon be
made to disappear. III Il that pea,e and
prosperity will follow It's abolition
He suggests two constitutional amend
ments, one to authorize the President
to approve so mnclI of any measure of
Congress az his Judgment may dictate
without approving the whole, and the
other to provide that when an extra
session Of Congress is convened by
Executive proclamation Legislation
shall be confined TO such subjects az
the Executive may bring before Con
gress from time to time in
writing. He recommends the cree
ton at Washington OF suitable
buildings for Cabinet officers, and for
such officials as now receive commute
ton for quarters, thus setting an ex
ample to the States, which may in
duce them to erect buildings for their
Senators the message goes very fully
into the financial question, and de-
clares that the country never can have
permanent prosperity until specie pay
ments be reached he recommends
legislation prohibiting National Banks
from paying interest OIL deposits, and
forcing them into resumption, if only
in legal tender notes he suggests the
question whether banking should not
be made full, but securing all the pre-
sent privileges to bill holders he no.
tees the improvement in American
ship building during the past year,
and hopes for continuance of it in
regard to the problem of cheap trans
portation, he refers to the Erie and
Illinois canals, and suggests whether
it would not be wise craftsmanship
to pledge to the States that own those
canals, that if they will enlarge them
the general government will look after
and keep in navigable condition, the
great public highways with which
these canals connect, to wit. the Hud-
son river, the St. Clair flats. and the
Illinois and Mississippi rivers he re-
commends q government exploration
of the upper Amazon river and its
tributaries a revision and codifcation
more mints endorses the recommen-
dation of the Post Master General for
the establishment of p. 0. Savings
repositories and invites the consid-
Grafton of Congress to the proposition
for postal telegraph; he recommends
legislation in regard to the judicial
proceedings in Utah, and also III re-
gard to :he bankruptcy law, which he
considers as productive of more evil
than good if not totally repealed it
should be modified in those portions
providing for involuntary bankruptcy;
those portions should be repealed. He
calls attention to the immense aggre-
gate Of claims against the Government,
many OF them growing out of the re-
bellion, and not Il few of them fabri-
Gated and supported by false testi-
mony he recommends that persons
having claims be required to present
them at an early period and that the
personal attendance of witnesses be
required at the Court of Claims. In
regard to the Indian question he re-
commends a territorial form of gov
ernment for the Indian Territory he
also recommends such action as will
permit the settlement of a body of
Russian colonists on the public lands.
. and endorses the proposition for n
ccnsls in 1915 he eulogizes the Wash
in2%on Board of Public Works and
speaks Of the great improvement of
the city under the operations of the
Board recommends a liberal policy
on the part Of Congress III defraying a
portion of the expenses, and suggests
the establishment here of National
! University he recommends the pass
age Of an enabling act for the admis-
sion Of Colorado as a State, and sug-
gests the opening of n canal for the
purpose of irrigation from the Eastern
slope Of the Rocky Mountains to the
| Missouri River. In conclusion lie re-
news his recommendation for general
amnesty, and says: ''there are num-
Der of persons yet laboring under dis
abilities. very small, but enough to
keep up Il constant irritation there
can be no possible danger to the Gov
errment i'll restoring these to eligi-
bihty to hold Office and suggests the
enactment Of a law the better to secure
the civil rights which freedom should
secure, but has not acknowledgement,
to the enfranchised slave"
The reading of the message in the
House occupied one hour and half
It was ordered to be printed and re-
ferred to the Committee of the Whole