The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-12-10
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Without any preliminaries, Presi-
dent Grant, in his Sixth Ann, al
Message, which was delivered to Con-
gress last Monday, enters upon dis
cussien Of the national finances.
The position he takes is eminently
sound and shows that his opinions IS
to the necessity OF al early return to
specie payments have undergone no
change since his last Message. Re-
terring to the great prostration in
business and industries Of the past
year, he calls attention to the fact
that during this rrostration two e.
sential elements Of prosperity-labor
and capital-havs been most abund-
ant, but both have been largely unem-
ployed. He refers to a third element
ofprosperity possessed by this country {:
its soil and climate, unequaled for
varieties of products for our own use
and for export. 1t will be the work
of wise craftsmanship on the part Of
Congress to distribute in proper
channels these great elements Of pros
perity.
With sound currency, debt
abroad only can cause any continued
depression in our industries. The
war necessitated the raising Of large
sums Of money and the devising Of =
system ofcurrency which proved to be
impossible to keep at par with the
recognized currency Of the world.
These two causes have involved US in
a foreign indebtedness which the hon
or of the nation requires should be
paid in gold. To meet this debt our
commerce should be encouraged and
markets sought and created for the
sale of our surplus products. But
the first step is in a return to specie
payment, and there should be no un-
necessary delay in fixing by legisla-
ton a method by which We may &C.
cure a gold and silver currency.
The President believes that until
this il done there can be no prosper
Gus and permanent revival Of bust
ness. Every delay in preparation
ior final resumption partakes Of dis
honesty. He thinks it is in the power
Of Congress, at this session, to devise
such legislation as will renew conf
dence, revive all industries, start us
on a career of prosperity to last for
many years, and save the credit ofthe
nation and of the people. He sug-
gests as a first requisite in return to
specie payments the. repeal Of the le-
gal tender clause-the Secretary OF
the Treasury to accumulate gold, be-
tween the repeal and final resumption,
to sustain redemption. He also con-
siders free banking an essential, with
resumption, to give proper elasticity
to the currency-bill-holders to have
the same protection which they have
under existing laws.
Our relations with other powers
continue to be friendly. The long
continuance of the instruction in Gu
b. may make interference by outside
nations a matter Of self.necessity.
The President suggests to Congress
the propriety of readjusting the tariff
so as to increase the revenue, and, at
the same time, decrease the number
of articles upon which dues are levied.
Those articles which enter into our
| manufactures, and are not produced
at home, should be entered free.
Those articles of manufacture which
| We produce a constituent part Of, but
do not produce the whole, that part
which we do not produce should en-
ter free also. All corrections in this
regard are in the direction of bringing
labor and capital in harmony with
each other, and of supplying one Of
the elements Of prosperity so much
needed.
In order to provide the amount re-
quired for the sinking fund-$34,.
100000 per annum-the revenues
must be increased or expenditures d.
minished.
The troubles in Louisiana, Arkan.
sas and other States of the South are
discussed at some length. He has in
| terfered with the affairs of a State
only when compelled by necessity to
do so. He considers many Of the
difficulties in the South to arise from
| disposition on one side to magnify
wrongs and outrages, and on the 9TH
er side, to bellttle them or justify
them. He appeals for fairness in the
discussion of Southern question-con-
demning the wrong and upholding
| the right-and soon all will be we'll.
He says, however, that while he re-
mains the Executive, all the laws OF
Congress, and the provisions Of the
Constitution, including the amend
| ments added thereto, will be enforced
with rigor, but with regret that they
should have added one jot or title. to
Executive duties and powers.
These cover the most important
points in the Message, which is a
plain and practical document, and
one commencing itself to the good
sense and better judgment Of men o.
all parties.
LATE NEWS ITEMS.
Not many white politician,
would be found to take the course O,