Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-12-17
WOODSTOCK VIRGINIA.
TAassasy sorn.sg, December =, 1874
The Pres.sient's Message.

of the united States was com municated
20 Congress on Monday 9TH inst. The
following comprehensive resume of the
s.atewents and recommendations con-
tanned in the document will be read
with Interest, and will render useless
the publication.
After the usual introductory remarks
the President proceeds to state that the
relations Of the United States. with all
foreign powers are friendly and with
out. disturbance, although there is an
unsettled question with Venezuela,
which has not yet paid the awards Of
she joint Congress, it viii be recollected
strongly expressed its sense on this
subject in February 1873. The Pres~
d, nj, in his message Oh last Decembey,
SAID there was reason to believe the
lesitaticy OF that Republic in recogniz-
ing the claims sprung, iii part at least
from real difficulty to discharge them
in connection with its obligations to
other governments, ard therefore the
expediency offurther forbearan ce on
the part 1T our Government was be-,
lieved TO be worthy of the considera-
ton of Congress. In addition to
! enezuela,e We have unsettled ques
tons with Spain, growing out OF. 4 the
affair OF the Nirginius and other grieyi-
Gus transactions on the part Of the
Spanish authorities IN connection With
events in Cuba, The magnitude # the
offcnses has not been reduced since the
Presidents previous message a year
ago. AS this unsettled condition of
affairs in Cuba cannot long continue,
It may become necessary for other
nations, with our own to interfere to
terminate the Instruction which has
80 long prevailed, the Spanish Govern;
ment having upsrecesstu|ly attempted
10 suppress it, Meantime the conn
'aerce OF ali countries, and especially
atat of the United States suffers, the
she hags of the United States and
England. having been insultad. The
President had hoped that by the meet
ing OF Congress the. present negotia~
: tions with Spain would have been dis
appointed. He therefore says little or
iioihing about indemnify pending the
negotiations, but at a future time will
present the subject to the lsperil. con
sideration Of Congress.
The position Of he President on the
financial question is as follows: He
desires and recommends the resumption
OF specie payment at the earliest
practicable day, but he does not be-
Heve this can be reached as soon as the
first OF January, 1876 He does not
name any day leaving Congress to
devise means to secure this desired
end, it being the duty of congress to
do So. The legal tender clause OF the
Currency act should be repealed, to
take effect as to contracts made after
the date fixed by law fer its repeal :
Power should be given to the Secretary
Of the Treasury to obtain gold from
and after the date fixed for the resumpS
ton of specie payments blythe issuance
OF bonds. In addition to this the
revenues of the Government should be
in excess of expenditures to support
resumption, greater economy practiced
in all departments Of the Government,
and, if necessary, the customs and
internal revenue laws changed in order
to secure large amount Of revenue :
With the return Of specie payments
banking should be free; the bill holders
should continue to be protected as lal
present under the banking law; there
should be no limitation to the volume
OF currency, as the community itseii
2 should determine what amount is re,
auired for business transaction instead
of leaving the Executive, the Secretary
Of the Treasury and Congress to fix
the limit, 1t would be! the duty o,
Congress, howeyer,to make regulations
regarding free banks of issue, and te
state the conditions. on which they can
be organized and transact business, the
legislation 10 be in accos dance with The
new orderaof things, OF, in other words
the resnnnption of spieee payments. :
,Tnsre should be no monopoly, by fixing
g TIE amount of issue lie recommend
that Congress do not interfere Will
the present currency act, passed duiins
the last session, unless to amend it S,
as to conform with plan for the re
sumption Of specie payments. 2
The President makes no ecommen
dations on tire. subject of Internal I'm
provements by the General Govern
nent, but merelyrrefers to the fact tina
Congress has already appointed a com
mittee on transportation routes to .tht
seaboard, which has always made it
report and will give further information
from more recent Investigations. -
Much space is. devoted to affairs il
Arkansas, and reasons given why h
declined to- interfere, in the. recen
difficulties in that State, and he advert
TO the facts narrated in his special mes
sage to Congress, in February, 1873
relative to Louisiana, inewhich he sal,
q he had no specific Recommendation Il
make on the subject, but if there wer
any practical. way Of removing thes
difficulties BY way'of legislation, thei
he earnestly requested the question
might be taken up at that session 0
Congress. He was extremely anxieq
to avoid any prctenee Of undue utter
ference in State affairs, and it Congress.
differed with him as to what ought Il
be done, he requested its immediate
decision to9-that effect, otherwise BIZ
5 should feel obliged, as far as be corlc
by the exercise of legitimate authority
to put an end to the unhappy con.
troversy which disturbed the peace and
prostrated the, buaintss of Louisiana
by the recognition and support of thai