Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-12-11
The Presidents Message.
[From the Baltimore Gazette. ]

beginning he touches sharply upon the exist
ing financial distress Of the country Business
aud industries are, rs he truly says, prostrat-
ed, while labor and capital are plentiful He
therefore thinks that 'wise craftsmanship At
this session of Congress would dictate legsln-
ton ignoring the past, directing in proper
channels these great elements Of prosperity
Most excellent advice, if only carried out -
The large publ debt he considers an element
of depression, and the System of currency"
-paper-which il is impossible TO keep al par,
has, he thinks, induced most perncous
spirit of speculation and extravaganza among
the people Rather coolly, if not sarcastically,
he remarks that he does not question the Wis
dom of the introduction Of this currency at the
time Of its adoption. He urges, rs a matter of
justice and good faith, that the bonds held
abroad shall be paid ia coin or its equivalent,
or else National disgrace is inevitable. To
obtain means for this, commerce, manufactures
and agriculture should be encouraged. The
first step TO be taken is, he says, ito secure Il
currency, good wherever civilization reigns,"
and this, he thinks, consists only Of gold and
silver, to which we must return at the earliest
possible moment, and until that is done he de-
clares that no permanent prosperity can be eS-
pected The delay in resumption of specie
payments partakes Of dishonesty, and the only
way TO resumption is through the positive ac-
ton OF Congress. He says: 81 believe it is in
the power of Congress at this session TO devise
such legislation will renew confidence, re-
vive all industries, start us a career of
prosperity to last for many years, and save the
credit Of the nation and people,
He depicts the evils arising from the fuctua-
tons of the present medium Of exchange and
repeats at is the duty of Congress to devise
the method of correcting the evils which are
acknowledged to exist, and not mine; bn;
will venture TO suggest two or three things
which seem 10 me as absolutely necessary TO
return TO specie payments, the first great re-
quislte in q return to prosperity. The legal
tender clause 10 the law authorizing the issue
OF currency by the National Government
should be repealed 10 take effect as to all con-
tracts entered into after the day fixed in the
repeating act, not 10 apply, however, to the
payment of salaries by the Government or for
other expenditures now provided by laws to
be paid in currency in the interval pending
between repeal and final resumption. Provi-
sion should be made by which the Secretary
of the Treasury can obtain gold it may be-
come necessary, from time 10 time, from the
date when specie redemption commences To
this might and should be added a revenue
sufficiently in excess Of expenses to insure an
accumulation Of gold in the Treasury 10 sus-
tain redemption
The President favors free banking at the
same time as resumption, and even declares
that they are essential to each other. The
President, MS will be seen, insists upon action
in relation to the currency in rather peril
nacious, if not aggressive manner, when we
know that the general opinion of those ''Tho
speak by the card is, that no financial legiS-
laton can he effected during this session
He speaks favorably OF our foreign relations
which have been friendly during The past year
with al! other Powers, He hopes for sue
cessfnl result of the pending negotiations for
further opening to our commerce of the En-
pires of China and Japan. He renews his
recommendation that special Court be au-
thorzed to hear all claims of aliens against the
United States for damages to person or prop
erty during the instruction" lie al
ludes TO the progress of the survey TO
determine the boundary between the Uni
ted States and British Possessions in
America, and states that the field work has
been completed.
He states that the ''Court OF Commission
ers of Claims cannot possibly complete the
work before it prior to February, 1875 when
it expires by law, and asks an extension of
the time of its jurisdiction.
In relation to the Cuban struggle, he says
that !" SIX years of strife gives the Instruction
a significance which cannot be denied" and
thinks that some positive steps should be taken
in the matter The questions between this
a speedy adjustment is hoped for.
The President calls attention to the frauds
perpetrated upon the diplomatic and consular
officers of the United States by means of false
naturalization certificates, and asks that legis-
lation be shaped to punish offenders ia such
cases.
The President refers 10 the report of the
Secretary of the Treasury, and concurs in its
recommendations. He advises that the tariff
he. Il In
while decreasing the number of articles upon
which duties levied, and again pointedly
calls attention to the nnwisdom of recent leg
islalion. In commenting upon the Army and
Navy reports the President suggests vari--
GUS improvements in those branches of
public service. He also reviews the report OF
the Postmaster General and notes the sugges-
tions for an equitable adjustment of conlpen-
sation to railroads for carrying the mails.
In reference TO the difficulties in the State o {
Louisiana the President explains and endeav-
ors to Justify his acts in recognizing and sup
porting the Kellogg Government, and states
that unless Congress shall take action in the
matter he will continue 10 do So He also de-
clares that the presence of United States troops
was necessary in many portions OF the South
ern States to prevent and punish ihc intimida-
ton of voters at the polls, and denounces the
White Leagues and other societies Of that
CLASS. ne SAYS, III reference 10 tue ARKANSAS
troubles, that he declined to interfere pending
the Congressional investigation of the matter,
and calmly expresses general repugnance to
Executive interference in the affairs of the
States. Of the question of the difficulties be-
tween the races he says:
'sLet there be fairness in the discussion of
Southern questions, the advocates of both or
all the political parties giving honest, truth
full reports of occurrences condemning the
wrong and unfolding the right, and soon all
will be well. Under existing conditions the
negro votes the Republican ticket because he
knows his friends are of that party. Many
good citizen votes the opposite, not because
he agrees with the great principles of State
which separate the parties, but because gener-
ally he is opposed to negro rule. This is a
most delusive cry. Treat the negro as citi-
zen and a voter as he is, and must remain,
and soon parties will be divided, not over the
color line but upon principle. Then we shall
have no complaint of sectional interference"
He refers briefly TO the reports of the Secre-
tary of the Interior and Commissioner of Agri-
culture, and praises the reforms in the Civil
Service. He greatly favors the revival of
shipbuilding, particularly of iron steam
ships, and proposes that ample compensation
for carrying the ocean mails be offered as an
incentive thereto. The concluding portion of
the Message discusses affairs in the District and
the survey of the Mississippi river.
The most serious labor strike of the year is
that of the men in the iron mills at Pittsburg
which commenced on 18th inst Forty thous-
and will stop work, nearly all the mills will
be compelled to suspend operations, and the
blow will disastrously affect the mining in
terests. The cause of the trouble is the same