The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-12-16
Presidents Message
To tAe senate..aad' lr6use u Repressusasipcs.

millions. now We number more man tort
millions. Then industries were confined al
most exclusively to the tilage Of the soil
now manufactures absorb much Of the labo
OF the country. our liberties remain unim
paired; the bOndsmeu have been freed frou
slavery; we have become possessed Of tn
respect, II not the friendship. Of an ciyilize,
nations; our progress has been great I'm nj
the arts, IN science, commerce, naEigsaiion
mining, mechanics, law, medicine. piC
etc, and IN general education thr progres
j. likewise encouraging. Cur tliritccl
States. have become thirty-eight. in
Guiding Colorado, which has takcl
the steps 10 becoine State, and eight Terri
tories, Including the Indian Territory an,
Masks and excluding CoIors,6lo. making tn,
territory extend from the Atlantic % IN,
Pacific. On the south we have extended {,
the Cuff 81 Mexico. and IN the weSt fFou
the Mississippi 10 the Pacific. One hundred
wears ago the cotton-gin, the steamship
the railroad, the telegraph, the reaping
sewing ana modern printing machines. anC
numerous other inventions. OF scarcely les
value to our business and happiness, wcr,
entirely unknown. lu l116 manufacture
scarcely existed even in name. In all 1hi
vast territory in 1870 more than two million
OF persons were employed in maInIfact
ries producing more than-S2 I00. .OO9.008 d
produce, an amount annually nearly equal {,
our national debt. From nearly the whole o
the population Of l1.6, being engaged in The
one occupation Of agriculture, in 1870 :,
numerous and diversified had become tn,
occupations Of our people, that less than
SiN millions out OF more than forty millions
were 50 engaged. The extraordinary effect
produced i'm our country by a resort 20 such
occupations has built market for the pro-
ducts Of fertile lands distant from the sea-
board and the markets Of the world. The
American system Of working various and
extensive manufactures next to the plow and
the pasture, and adding connecting railroads
and steamboats,, has produced In our distant
country results not equalcd by the iutelii-
gencc of other nations. The ingenuity and
skill Of American mechanics have been de-
mOustratcd at home and abroad in manner
most flattering 10 their pride. But for the
genius and ability Of our MECHANICS, the
achievements Of our agricalturisiS manu-
faciurers and tTanSpOrters throughout the
country would have been Impossible OF ar
tainment. The progress Of the miner has
also been great. In coal our production wa,
small. Now many millions Of tons are mined
annually. So with iron, which formed
scarcely an approciablc part-of our product
a century ago. we now produce more thar
the world consumed ut the beginning OF
our national existence. Lead, zine and cop
per, from being articles Of import we may
expect 10 be large exporters of in the neaI
future. The development of gold and silver
mines throughout the States and Tcrritoric,
has not only been remarkable, but has had a
large influence upon the business OF all CON-
mercal nations. Our merchants in the lasl
hundred years have had a success and have
established reputation for enterprise, saga
city, progress and Integrity, unsurpassed by
the older natiCnalitics. This good name is
not confined TO their homes, but goes ont on
every sea and every port where commerce
enters. With equal pride We can point tC
our progress in the learned professions.
OUR NATIONS MANHOOD.
As we are now about to enter on our
second centennial, commencing our man.
hood as a nation. il is well 10 look back upon
the past and study what will be best TO pre-
serve and, advance our future greatness.
From the fall of Adam for his tTansgressiOn
to the present day, no nation has ever been
free from threatened danger TO its pros
perity and happiness. We should look TO
the dangers that threaten and remedy them
so far as lies in our power. We are a Repub-
lie whereof one man is as good as another
before the law. With such form of govern
ment it is Of the greatest importance that al
should be possessed OF education and intelli-
gence enough TO cast a vote with right
understanding of its meaning. A large aaso-
citation Of ignorant men cannot for any con-
siderable period oppose a successful re-
Eistance Of tyranny as opposed to the edu-
Gated. They inevitably sink, and aequiescC
10 the will Of intelligence, whether directed
by tire demagogue or by priestcraft. Hence
first necessity for the preservation of ouI
institutions. They are worth preserving
because thev have secured the greatest
good TO the greatest proportion of the pOpu-
lation Of any form Of government yet de-
Vised. All other forms of government APP
proacR it first in proportion to the general
diffusion Of education and independence oI
thought and action. As the primary steI
therefore TO our advancement in all that has
marked oET progress in the past century,
suggest for your consideration, and mos
earnestly recommend. that q nStitltiona
amendment be submitted to the Legislature
of the several States for ratification, max
ing il the duty Of each of the several State'
10 establish and forever maintain -E-r =
FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
adequate TO the education OF all children II
the rudimentary branches within their re-
spective limits. irrespective of sex. color
birthplace or religion, and f0rhiddlng tbs
teaching in said schools Of religious. aiheis
tie, and pagan text, and prohibiting tbs
granting OF any school funds or school taXci
or any part thereof, either by legislative
municipal or any other authorities, for tn,
benefit Of any other object of any nature o.
kind whatever. -
UNTANED CHURCH PROPERTY.
In connection with this important question
would also call your attention to the i'm
portance Of correcting an evil that, If per
mitted TO continue, will probably lead (,
great trouble in the land before the close o
the nineteenth century. II is the accumula
tion Of vast amounts of untaNed churcl
property. In 1850. / believe. the ChlIrcl
property OF the United States which paid n,
tax. municipal or State, amounted TO abou
81. .OOO. 600. In 1860 the amount had doubled
In 1879 it is about II, ,0O0, 600, 200. BY 1900
without check, il IL safe to say this prOpert
will reach sum exceeding 5000 GOO, 600
So vast sum receiving all the protection
and benefits of Government without bearing
its proportion of the burdens and expense
Of the same, viii not be looked upon acqIllcs
Gently bv those who have paid taxes
In a grewing country where real estat
enhances so rapidly with time as IN IN
United States, there is scarcely a limit TO tn
wealth that may be acquired by corporation
religious or otherwise, if allowed TO retail
real estate without taxation. The contem
plation Of SO vast property as here allude
to without taxation may lead to SeQueStra
tion without constitutional authority an
perhaps with blOodshed. l would SuggeS
the taxation of all property equally, whethe
church or corporation, excepting oniy th
last resting place Of the dead, and p0SSibl
with proper restrictions of church ediiices
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with most Of the forcig
powers continue on satisfactory and friend
ly footing. Increased intercourse, the eNten
tior Of commerce an q the cultivation of mu
ANAl lllAfitNlN llaNt AlAllAbNfh bAAA ANAttAANA
with the large majority Of the powers of th
world, rendering practicable the peaceful sC
luton Of questions which from time 10 tim
arise. leaving few which demand eXtende
or particular notice. The corrcspondenc
Of the Department of State with our diplO
matte Representatives abroad is transmitte
herewith. H-
am happy to announce the passage Of q
act by the General Courts of Portugal, pro
claimed since the adjournment of Congress,
tor the abolition Of seryitude in the PortU
gese colonies. Ii is to be hoped that sue
legislation may be another step toward Il
great consImmatiOn to be reached, when i
man shall he permitted, directly, or ind
rectlv. under any guise, excuse or form
law, TO hold his fellowman in bondage.
am Of opinion, also. that il is the duty Of Il
United States, as contributing toward Ih
end and required by the spirit Of the age
which we live, 10 provide by suitable legisE
ton that no citizen of the United States shu
hold slaves in any other country as proper
or be interested therein. cd ..- ..F .. Id.