Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-12-11

DISTR!C': OF COLUMBIA AFFAIRS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 7-Noon.-
The Senate a,d House Of Representa-
tives is quite full. i
The usual committee vas appointed
to inform the President OF the readl-
cess of Congress to hear from him.
The President says in his message
that our relations with all foreign
powers are friendly and without dis
turbance, though there ia an unsettled
question with Veneznola. which, has
not vet paid the awards of the JOINT
Commission under the Convention OF
1866. Congress-, it will be recollected,
strongly expressed its sense On tubs
subject in February, 1873. The Pres
ident, in his message of last December.
said there was reason to believe the
hesitancy of that Republic il recogniz-
ing the claim sprung, in part at least,
from real difficulty in discharglng
them in connection with its obligations
to other governments; and, therefore,
the expediency of further forbearanee
on the part OF our government was be-
liaved to be worthy of the consider
ton of Congress. In addition to Fene-
zueIa. we have unsettled questions
with Spain, growing out of the affair OF
The Virginius and other grievOus
transactions on the part of the Spanish
authorities in Cuba. The magnitude
of the offenses has not been reduced
since the Presidents previous mes
sage, a year ago. AS this unsettled
condition of affairs in Cuba caunot
long continue, in may become necessa-
Nv for other nations, with our own, to
Interfere to terminate the lnsurrectlon
which has SO long prevailed, the
Spanish Government having unsuc-
cessfully attempted to suppress it. In
the meantime the commerce Of all
countries, and especially that of the
United States, suffers, the flags of the
United States aud England having
been insulted. The President, in con-
versation, although he does not state
the fact in his message, says the
United States purchase about eighty
per cent. of the Cuban exports and,
therefore. the duties paid by Ameri-
can citizens contribute to this extent
in helping Spain TO continue the war
against the insurgents. The President
had hoped that by the meeting Of
Congress to-day, the present ne
gotiations with Spain would have been
ended; but in this he Las been disap-
pointed. He, therefore, in his mes
sage, says little or nothing about in
demnity, pending the nes Ouiations but
at some future time viii prose the
subject to the specia! cu-s,ideratioD Of
Congress.
The position OF The President Oh tie
| financial question Is positively Is fol-
lows, notwi Lstai.t,ins the former
specu!at,uls of tbDae 10 tluhe With
! out euttu1liy: u. desires I'D ro-
! conmenls ito ge>up pt-on o. s.Nccie
/! PAYMENTS a. ii.,, -asi.csV practicable,
! DAY, nUt ie ti>.e, lot EeitcSo this Can
+, be reacueti a. 6oun as the iTst OF
.Jaluary, ISIt. Re does not !.ame any
: day. !e.iv:l ( CuDEr,ss To devise neabs
t. scars tnis desired end, 1t beit &
I rl,. dn ri Congress tr do 81. lie
|. sa: ..4,ue. t,aGsu ot tbs currency ,.ct
. s!.uiii b. I.rea;.i 20 tahe feet as to
! Contracts :ua lie after the dsy TO be
| fixed by law for ijs repeal. Power
! should De given to the Secretary Of
/ tia Treasury 10 obtain gold, from and
after the date fixed for tins resumption
Of specie payment, by th:, issue O.
bonds In addition 70 this the regen-
ues Of tAn covernInen5 should be IN ex-
. cesa ot tie expenditures to support
the assumptions; greater economy
should be practiced in all departmsseennxss
of the governE;; At ennn ana revenue Laws
. ma nlgsed in order to secure larger
amount Of revenue with The return Of
specie pay ments; banking should be
tree, bill holders should continue to
be protected as at present under the
banking laws. There should be no
limitation 70 the volume of currency.
as the community itself should deter
mine what amount is required for bu-
sinesS transactions instead Of leaving
the Executive. Secretary OF the
Treesurv, and Congress to fix
the limit 1t would be the duty of
Congress, however, to make regula-
tions regarding free banks of issue,
and to state the conditions on which
they can be organized and transact
business, the Legislation to be in &C.
cordance with the Lew order of things,
or in other words, the resumption of
specie payments. There should be 70
monopoly in fixing the amount of is
sue. The President will recommend
that Congress do not interfere with
the present currency act, passed
during the last session, unless it be to
amend it so as to conform with plan
for the resumption ot specie payments
The President will make no recon-
mendation on the subject of internal
improvements by the general govern
ment, but will merely refer to the fact
that Congress has already appointed
a Committee on Trar portation Routes
to the Seaboard, which has already
made it's report, and will give further
information on more recent inyestga-
tons.
The Presi lent devotes Inuch space
to affairs in Arkansas; giving reasons
why he declined to interfere in the
recent difficulties in that State, and he
adverts to the facts narrated in his
special message to Congress February
1873. relative to Louisiana, in which he
said he had no specific recommends
ton to make on the subject, but if
there were any practical way ofremov-
ing these difficulties by legislation,
then he earnestly requested that the
question might be taken up at thai
session of Congress. He was extreme
~ anxious to avoid any pretence of un-
due interferapce in Stare affairs, and
if Congress differed with him as to
what ought to be done, he requested
its Immediate decision to that effect,
otherwise he should feel obliged, as
far as he could by the exercise of le-
gitlmate authority, to put an end to
the unhappy controversy which dis
turbed the peace and Frustrated the bus
mess of Louisiana by the recognition
of that government, which WAS recog-
nized and upheld by the Courts of the |
State. Is seemed advisable that he
should state what course he should |
feel bound to pursue in reference to |
the matter in the even. that no action |
being taken in the subject by Congress |
at that time, but subject to any salts |
factory arrangements that might be
made by the parties to the controversy
and which Of all things was the most
desirable. It would be his duty. SO
far as it might be necessary for him
to act, to adhere to the government
heretofore recognized by him. The
President again submits the question
70 Congress, and will continue to act
as he has heretofore ACTED relative to