The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
To tie Senate and House Of Representa-.

In submitting my seventh message to
Congress in this Centennial year Of our
national existence, as q free and independ-
ent people, it affords me great pleasure
to recur TO the advancement that has
J been made from the time Of the colonies
one hundred years ago. We were then
people numbering only 100000; now
we number more than so 100000. Then
! Industries were confined almost exclusive
ly to the tillage of the
soil; now manufactures absorb
much OF the labor of the country. Our
| liberties remain unimpaired. The bonds.
men have been freed from slavery, and
we have become possessed of the re-
spect if not the friendship of all civil
Ized nations. Our progress has been
| great in all the arts, in science, sgri-
culture, commerce, navigation, mining
mechanics, law, medicine, etc. And in
general education, the progress is like
wise encouraging. Our thirteen States
have become thirty-eight, including Col
orado, which has taken the inltiatory
steps to Become u State, and
eight territories, including the
Indiaa Territory and Alaska, and ey-
cludlng Colorado, making a territory cX-
! tending from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
On the south we have extended ID the
Gulf of Mexico and in the West from the
Mississippi to the Pacific.
One hundred years ago the cotton gin,
the railroad, the telegraph, the reaplng,
sewing and modern printing machines
and various other inventions of scarce
ly less value to our business
and happiness were entirely unknown.
In l776, manufacturers scarcely cX-
isted even in name in all this vast terri.
tory. In 1890 more than two millions of
persons were employed IN manufacturing,
producing more than $2,ll0,000,00O Of
produce in amount annually, nearly
equal to our national debt, nearly the
whole of the nopulace OF l716 beng en-.
gagged in the one occupation of agricul.
ture. In 1870 so numerous and diversified
had become the occupations of our peo-
pie, that less than six millions out of
more than forty millions were so en-
gagged. The extraordinary effect pro-
duced in our country by resort to such
occupations has built market for the
products of fertile lands distant from the
seaboard and the markets of the world.
The American system of working
various and extensive manufactures next
to the plow and the pasture, and adding
the connecting railroad and steamboat
has produced in our distant country
result not equalled by the intelligent
parts of other nations. The ingenuity
and skill of American mechanics have
been demonstrated Mt home and abroad
in manner most fattering to their pride,
but for the extraordinary grade and abil-
ity of our mechanics the achievements,
of our agriculturists, manufacturers and
transporters throughout the country
would have been impossible Of attain
nent. The progress of the miner has
also been great, Of coal, our produc'
tion was small, now many mil
lions or Lvno aIu mIned annually
So with iron which formed scarce an ap-
preciable part Of our products half II
century ago. We now produce more
than the world consumed at the begin
ming of our national existence. Lead,
zinc and copper from being articles OF
imports, we may expect to b. large cN-
ports in the near future. The deycl.
opments of gold and silver mines
throughout the States and territories has
not only been remarkable, but has had II
large effect upon the business
of all commercial nations.
Our merchants in the last one hundred
H.. la, .-tu l.
lished reputation for enterprise sagaci
ty, progress and integrity unsurpassed by
the people of older nationalities. This
good name is not confined to- their
homes, but goes cut on every sea and into
every port where commerce enters
With equal pride we can point to our
progress in all OF the learned professions.
As we are now about to enter upon our
second centennial, commencing our man
hood as a nation, it is well to look back
upon the past and study what will be
best to preserve and advanch our future
greatness. From the fall of Adam for
his transgrcssion to the present day, no
nation has ever been free from threat
ened dangers to ITS prosperity and
happiness. We should look to the dan
gers which threaten us, and remedy
them so far as lies in our power. We
are republic whereof one is as good as
another before the law. Under such
form OF government, it is of the greatest
Importance that all should be possessed
fan education, with intelligence enough
to cast vote with right understanding
of its meaning. a large association OF
ignorant men cannot for any considera-
bic period oppose a successful resistance
to such tyranny rs oppression from the
educated few. They will inevitably
sink or acquicsce to the will of intelli-
gencc. whether directed by the present
or hereafter; hence education of the
masses becomes of the first necessity
for the preservation of our institutions
They are worth preserving because they
have secured the greatest good to the
greatest proportion of the people Of any
foreign government yet devised. All
other governments just approach 1t IN
proportion to the general diffusion Of ed
ucation and independence ofthought and
and action.
Amendment TO the Constitution.
As the primary step therefore
to our advancement in all that has mark
ed our progress in the past century, |
suggest for your earnest consideration
and most earnestly recommend
it that constitutional amendment
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 pub
lie schools adequate to the education Of
all the children in the rudimentary
branches within their respective limits
irrespective of Eek, color, birth place or
religion; forbidding the teaching in said
schools Of religious, atheistic or pagan
texts, and prohibiting the granting Of any
school funds or school taxes or any part
thereof, either by legislative, municipal
or other Government, for the benefit OF
any other object OF any nature or kind
whatever.
Untaxed Cnurch Property.