The Morning herald., 1875-12-08
THE HERALD.
WILMINGTON. DECEMBER 8, 1875
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
N ational Topics s.
MO Third Term.
HOME AND FoRElGN RELATIONS

HONE AND FORElGN RELATIONS
WASHINGTON, Dec. THE following is
a synopsis of the Presidents message te
Congress, read in the Senate and House ol
Representatives yesterday:
To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:-In submitting my seventh annual
message to Congress in this Centennial
year az our national existence is free and
independent people, it affords me grea,
pleasure to recur to the advancement that
has been made from the time of the colon
les one hundred years ago. We were ther
a people numbering only three millions
now we number more than forty millions
Then industries were confined almost ex'
clusively to the tillage Of the soil.
Now manufactures absorb much OF the
labor of the country. Our liberties remain
unimpaired. fThe bondsmen have been
freed from slavery. We have become pos
sessed of the respect, if not the friendship
of all civilized nations. Our progress has
been great in all the arts, in science, agri-
culture, commerce, navigation, mining,
mechanics, law, medicine, ETC., and In gen.
eral education the progress is likewise en-
couraging.
Our thirteen States have become thirty
eight, including Colorado (Which has taken
the initiatory steps to become a State), and
eight Territories, including the Indian Ter
ritory and Alaska, and excluding Colorado,
making territory extending from the At
lantic to the Pacific. On the south we have
extended to the Gulf of Mexico, and on the
west from the Mississippi to the Pacific.
ONE HrNDREDyFARS AGO
the cotton gin, the steamship, the railroad,
the telegraph, the reaping machines, and
numerous other inventions of scarcely less
value to our business and happiness were
entirely unknown.
In 1776 manufactures scarcely existed
even in name in all this vast territory. In
1870 more than two millions Of persons
were employed on manufactures,
producing more than 81, loo, 100000 of pro-
ducts in amount annually, nearly equal to
our national debt.
THE INGENUITY AND SKILL OF AMERICAN
MECHANICS
have been demonstrated at home and abroad
in manner most 1lattering to her pride
But for the extraordinary genius and skill
of our mechanics, the achievements OF our
agriculturists, manufacturers, and trans
porters throughout the country would have
been impossible of attainment
OUR SECOND CENTENNIAL.
As we are now about to enter upon our
second Centennial, commencing our man
hood as q nation, 1t is well to look back upon
the past and study what will be best to pres
erye and advance our future greatness
From the fall of Adam for his tranagression
to the present day, no nation has ever been
free from threatened danger to its prosper
ity and happiness. We should look to the
dangers threatening US, and remedy them
80 far as lies in our power.
WE ARE REPUBLIC,
whereof one is as good as another before
the law. Under such form of govern
ment it is of the greatest Importance that
all should be possessed Of education and in
telligence enough to cast vote with right
understanding of its meaning. A large as
sociation of ignorant men cannot, for any
considerable period, oppose successful re-
sistance to tyranny and oppression from the
educated few, but will inevitably sink into
acquiesence to the will of intelligence,
whether directed by the demagogue or by
priestcraft. Hence
THE EDUCATION OF THE MASSES
becomes of the first necessity for the pres
ervation of our institutions. They are
worth preserving, because they have Sc
cured the greatest good to the greatest por-
ton of the population of any form of gov
ernment yet devised.
All other forms OF government approach
it just in proportion to the general diffusion
Of education and independence Of thought
and action. As the primary step, therefore,
to our advancement in all that has marked
our progress in the past century, suggest
for your consideration, and most earnestly
recommend it, that a constitutional amend
ment be submitted to the Legislatures of
the several States for ratification, making
it the duty of each of the several States to
establish and forever maintain free public
schools adequate to the education OF all the
children in the rudimentary branches within
their respective limits, irrespective of sex,
color, birthplace, or religion: forbidding the
teaching in said schools of religious, athes-
tic or pagan tenets; and prohibiting the
granting Of any school fund or school taxes,
or any part thereof, either by legislative,
municipal, or other authority, of any rel-
gious sect or denomination, or in aid or for
the benefit of any other object Of any nature
or kind whatever.
In connection with this important ques-
tion would also call your attention to the
importance of correcting an evil, that, if
permitted to continue, will probably lead
to
GREAT TROUBLE IN OUR LAND
before the close of the nineteenth century.
1t is the accumulation of vast amounts Of
nntaxed church property. In 1850 ! believe
the church property of the United States
which paid no tax, municipal or State,
amounted to about $s3 100000. In 1860
the amount had doubled. In 1875 it is about
81 900, 100000 By 1900, without check, it
is safe to say this property will reach sim
exceeding $4,000, 100000.
SO vast sum receiving all the protection
and bentiets Of government, without bear.
ing a portion of the burden and expenses of
the same, will not be looked upon acquies-
Gently by those who have to pay the taxes.
In a growing country, where real estate
enhances 50 rapidly with li@e as in the