Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-12-16
THEPaEslDENT's MESSAGE.
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General Reforms Suggested for
the Centennial Year.

ine H'ssaee openS: ..-. ..t ,.....
In submitting my seventh annual mes.
sage to Congress, in the centennial year
! OF our national existanee as a free and in
dependent people, it affords me great
pleasure TO recur to the advancement that
has been made from the time of tho col,
opies, one hundred Years ago. We we're
then q people numbering only three nil.
lious; bow we number more than forty
lmillions Theo, industries were confined
almost exclusively to the tlllage of the
soil 4; now manufactures absorb much of
the labor of the country. Our liberties
remain unimpaire1, the b7ndsmen have
been freed from Slavery, and we have be.
ccme possessed of the respect, if not the
friendship, of all civilized nations.
| Graphic aud we'll worded details fol.
lowed.)
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The President earnestly recommends
that constitutional amendment be sub
mitted to the Legislature making it the
duty Of each State to establish and forever
nlaiptain free public schools, adequate to
the education of all children in the Gle
mentry branches within their respective
limits, irrespective Of sex, color,
birthplace, or religion, forbidling
the teaching in said school Of re.
iigious, athestie or psgaa tenets, and
prohibiting the granting of any school
funds or school taxes, or any part thereof
either by legislative, municipal, or other
authority, for the benefit or in aid, directs
ly. of any religions sect OF denomination
or in aid or for the benefit of any other
object of any nature or kind whatever.
TAXING CHURCH PROPERTY.
He alludeS to the importance OF corr
rccting the evil Of vast amounts of untold
church property aud estimates that by
1890, ii unchecked. this property will
each a SUN exceeding three thousand
million dollars, He would suggest the
taxation of Il property equally excep
ting only the last resting Place of the
dead.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Relations with most foreign powers
continue on satisfactory and friendly
footing. The President is happy to an
ronhce thepas age Of an act BY the gcner-
al C,rtes Of Portugal abolishing slavery
in the Colonies. The past year has fur
nished no evidence Of an approaching
formation of the runous conflict which
has been raging for seven years in Cuba.
Ike same disregard Of the laws of ciyiliz
I'd warfare and the just demands of hu-
manity which have heretofore called
forth expressions of condemnation from
the nations Of ChriStendom, have continu
ed to blacken the sad scene. Desolation
ruin and pilage are pervailhg the rich
fields OF one Of hs most fertile and pro>
ductive regions of the earth. and the in.
cendiary's torch firing plantations and
valuable factories and building, is the
agent marking the alternat advance and
retreat of the coutending parties. The
President narrates tie damage to the in>
tcrests ofall the commercial nations,
especially these United States and the
insecurity of property owned by citizens
of the United States in Cuda. He had
hoped Spair would be enabled to establish
peace 10 her colony. Because of this
hope and from an extreme reluctance to
interfere in tue affairs of another and
friendly nation, be has patiently anl anx.
ious'y awaited the progress of events
The armed bands of either side now occu>
py the grounds as in the past. '-''a
The President makes long argument
and eoncludes: ..-.,
CUBAN INDEPENDENCE.
a recognition of the independence Of
Cuba being in my opinion impractable
and indetensible, the question which next
presents itselfis that of the recognition Of
belligerent rights in the parties to the
contest. After further argument, the
President concludes: The recognition of
independence or Of belligereucy being
thus in my Judgment equally inadn.issa-
bic, it remains to consider what course
shall be adopted should the conflict
not soon be brought to an end by acts Of
the parties themselves, and should the
evils which result therefrom affecting all
nations and particularly the United
States, continue. In such event, am
Of the opinion that other nations will be
compelled to assume the responsibility
which devolves upon them and to serious,
ly consider the only remaining measures
| possible, meditation and Intervention.
! After further statement. he says: Al