The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


message To Congress, in this ceIlen-
Mai year OF our national existence ~
free aud independent people, IL NJ
fords me great pleasure 10 rtcuf 70
the advancement that has been maze
from the tlme Of Tie colonies, one
hundred years ago. We were then II
people numbering only three millionE
now we number more than forty lnll-
lions. Then industries were cOuhued
almost exclusively to the llllage ol
the soil now manufacturers absorb
much OF the labor of the county
Our liberties remain unlnlpairtn'
The bondsmen have been freed from
slavery. We have become possessed
OF the respect, II not the friendship,
of all civilized nations Our progress
has been great In all the arts ana
sciences agriculture, commerce, nav
igatlon, mining mechanics, lnW, med
! ioine, etc; la general education NE
progress Is likewise encouraging. Our
| thirteen States have become thirty
eight, including Colorado, which mas
taken the lnitatory steps to become
State, and eight Territories, inclu-
ding the Indian Territory, and cXeli-
ding Colorado making territory OK
tending from the Atlantic to the l'h-
ciilc. On the south we have extend
ed to the Gulf of Mexico, aud la tho
west, from the Mississippi to the Pa
chic. One hundred years ago, the
cotton gin, the steamship the rail-
road, the telegraph, the reaping, sew
ing and modern printing machines,
and numerous other inventions OF
scarcely less value TO our business aud
happiness, were entirely unknown
In 1870, manufactures scarcely exist
ed, even in name, in all this vast ter
ritory. In 1870 more than two NH"
lions Of persons were employed. IN
manufactures, producing more than
2, 100 900, 900 Of products in amount,
annually, nearly equal to our nation
al debt. Nearly the whole of the pop
ulati0n Of E7G being engaged In the
one occupation of agriculture, IN 1870,
so numerous and diversified had be-
come the occupation OF our people TINT
less than six millions, ont of more
than forty millions, were 80 engaged.
The extraordinary effect produced IN
our country by resort to diversified
occupations, has built a market for the
products of fertile lands, distant from
the seabord and the markets Of the
world. The American system of locat'
ing various auu extensive manutac'
tories, next to the pillow and the pas
ture, and adding connecting railroads
and steamboats,, has produced, In our
distant interior country, u result no.
ticeahle by the intelligent portion OF
all commercial nations, The iGgenui'
ty aud skill Of American mechanics
| have been demonstrated at home and
abroad in Il manner Most ilattering to
| their pride. But for the extraordinary
genius aud ability of our mechanics
the achievement of our ngricuturlsts,
manufacturers and transporters
throughout the country, would have
been impossible Of attainment. The
progress of the miner has also been
great. OF coal our production wa,
small now many millions of tons ARE
mined annually. So with iron, which
formed scarcely IN appreciable part OF
our products hAli n century ago W.
now produce more than the worll
consumed Mt the beginning of our Ga
tional existence. Lead, Hiue and cop
per- from being articles Of import, We
may expect to be large exporters Of II
the near future. The development %
| gold and silver miuos in the unitel
States and territories has not only
been remarkable, hut has had larg'
influence upon the business OF all com
mercial nations. Our merchants, h
the last hundred years, have had 1
success, and have established reputa
ton for enterprise, sagacity, progress
and integrity unsurpassed by people
of older nations. This good name il
not cOnhed to their homes, but goe
out upon every sea and into every
port, where commerce enters. witt
| equal pride we can point to our pro
gress in all of the learned proies
sions.
Education.
AS we are now about to enter upon
our second centennial, commencing
our manhood ~ nation, II is well Il
look back upon the past and study
what will be best to preserve and al
vance our future greatness. From tn,
fall of Adam for his transgreSsions (,
the present day, no nation has beef
free from threatened danger to IL
prosperity and happiness. We SHOULD
look to the dangers threatening us
and remedy them 10 far rs lies In oul
power. We are republic, whereo
one man Ia good as another before TIT
law. Under such u form of govern
ment, it Is of the greatest ii2portanc,
that all should be possessed of educa
ton aud intelligence enough to cas-
u vote with II right undcrstandingof IT.
meaning. A large association OF il
norant men cannot, for considerable
period, oppose II successful resistanc,
to tyranny and oppression from tn,
educated few, but will inevitably sinh
into acquiescence to the will of intel
ligence, whether directed by the dem
agogue or priestcraft. Hence, the ed
ucation of the masses becomes OF tn,
first necessity for the preservation. o
our Institutions; they are worth pre-
serving, because they have secured til,
greatest good to the greatest portion
of the population, OF any form of gov
ernment yet devised. All other form
of government approach it, just II
proportion to the general diffusion o
education and independence of though
and action. AS the primary step
therefore, to our advancement in al
that has marked our progress in the
past century, | suggest for your earn
est consideration, and most earnestl,
recommend it, that q constitutions
amendment be submitted to the Leg
islatures of the several States for rat
ification, making it the duty of eacl
of the several States to establish, ant
/ forever maintain, free public schools
adequate to the education OF all til,
Lcbildren I'm the rudhmentary branche.