The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-12-15
Presidents Message.
JASuIGTON, December I.

" NASIlGIpN, DecculDcI &.
The Presidents message opens: In
submitting my seventh annual message
to Congress in the centennial year 0i
our national existence as q free and in.
dependent people, it affords me great
pleasure to recur to the advancement
that has been made from the time of the
colonies 100 years ago
The President earnestly recommends
that constitutional amendment be
submitted to the Legislatures, making
it the duty Of each State to establish and
forever maintain free public schools
adequate to he education Of all children
in the rudmentary branches irrespect-
i've Of sex, color, birthplace or religion
fOrbidding the teaching in said schools
Of religious, atheistic or pagan tenctS
and prohibiting the granting of any
school funds or school taxes or any part
thereof, either by Legislative, municipal
or other authorities, for the benefit or
aid, directly or indirectly, of any relg-
iOus sect or denomination, Or in aid or
for the benefit Of any other object of
any nature or kind whatever.
He alludcs to the importance of cor
recting the evil Of vast amounts of un.
taxed church property, and estimates
that by 1890, if unchecked, this proper
ty will reach sum exceeding $1,000
600, 900. He would suggest the taxation
Of all the property equally, excepting
only the last resting place of the dead
Relations with most foreign powers
continue on satisfactory and friendly
footing.
Abiding to smuggling through tho
fpnn on1 Hntt1n yNiilc thn IL
Grande, the President says an expert
Grande for that purpose is on trial, and
it's hoped that, if not thwarted by the
shallowness Of the river and other nat
ural obstacles, it may materially contrib.
ute to the protection of the herdsmen OF
Texas.
Discussing specie resumption, tho
President 81 Us: "Too much stress can
not be laid upon this question:, and
hope Congress may be induced to in.
sure the c0nsummati0n of the act Of the
last Congress at its last session to bring
about specie resumption on and aftel
January l, 1879, at the farthcst. II
would be a great blessing if this could
bc consummatcd at even an earlier
day"
| commend to your earnest consdera,
ton repeal of so MECH Of. the lesal
tender act as makes these notes receiva-
bic for debts contracted after a certain
date, to be fixed in the act itself-say
not later than January !, 1877. a hear.
ty reaction would set in at once. and
with it desire to make the currency
equal to what it purports to be.
He suggests that The Secretary Of the
Treasury be authorized to redeem say
not to exceed S2,O00,O monthly of. le-
gal tender notes by issuing in their stead
long bonds, and that additional power
be given the Secretary of the Treasury
to accumulate gold for final redemption
either by increasing the revenue or by
decreasing expenses, or both. The res.
t0rati0n of the duty OIL tea and coffee i
suggested also, reduction on certain
articles-such as hardly pay for the col
lection, and such as enter intJ manufac
lures.
lie suggest that some better means be
found for verifying claims against the
government than through the Court OF
Claims, especially those growing out o
the late war. They are in nearly every
instance eXOrbitant.
The President says: make educa
ton compulsory, so far as to deprive al
persons who cannot read and write
from becoming voters after the yea
1890, DISTINGUISHING none however, OF
grounds Of illiteracy who may be vo
ters at the time this amendment take
effect declare church and State toreve
separate and distinct drive out licens
and immortality, such as polygamy ant
the importation Of women for illegiti
mate purposes.