Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-06
The Annual Message
PRESIDENT GRANT.


In submitting my eighth and last annual mes
sage TO Congress il seems proper that should re-
fer iu aud in some degree roOapituate the event.
aud official acts Of the past eight years
PERSONAL STATEMENT
II was my fortune or misfortune 10 he CALLED IL,
the office Of Chief Executive without nny mo
Sious political Thinning. From the age OF seven
teen had never even witnessed the excitement
attending Presidential campaign but twice an
tccedcnt 20 my own candidacy, aud at but one "
them was eligible a. u voter. Under such cir
II Is but reasonable 10 suppose that
errors Of judgment must have occurred, even had
they not differences ~ opinion between the Txpcu.
GIVE, bound by an oath to the strict performance
Of his duties, aud writer's and debaters must have
arisen. 1t IL not necessarily evidence Of bundct
on the part Of the Executive, because there are
these differences ot views Mistakes have beon
made MS an can see, and | admit but it seems Il,
me oiiener In the selections made Of the assist
ants appointed 90 aid In carrying out the various
duties ui administering the government in ncntl,
every ease selected without personal acquniuf.
aucc with the appointcc but upon recommends
items ui the representatives. chosen directly hv the
people 10 b. impossible, where 80 many trust.
are 90 be allotted that the right parties Should be-
chosen In every instance. History shows that na
iIom tlo time vi Washington fl
ihe present has been free from these mistake.
but leave comparison to history. claiming only
that have acted m every instance from q cou-
scientious desire tp do what WIS right and con
Il
interest. Of the wholcpoope Failures have been
efron Of judgment, not Of intent
rm woGA on RECONSTRUCTION.
Ny c,ll career commenced, too. at most crit
ical and difficult time less than -four years be-
fore the country had emerged from conflict sucl
as no other nation had ever survived. Ncail,
onc-half OF the states had feyolted against the
90, eminent, and Of those remaining faithful Ca
the Union large percentage Of The population
synpathizcd with The rebellion, and made an
enemy in the rear almost a. dangerous a. the
more honorable enemy In funt The latter COM
ntted errors Of judgment but they maintained
them openly aud couIageousy, the former re-
ceived the protection Of the government they
would see destroyed and rcapod an the pecuniar,
Advantage 20 be gained ont Of the then existing
state Of affairs, many Of them hy obtaining cou-
tracts and hN sWindlng the government in the
delivery ~ their goods Immediately ON the ce--
sation Of hustties the then noble President, who
had carried the country 50 far through H. pcfil-
fell martyr 20 his patriotism, az the hnnds OF an
assassin. The intervening time 10 my first iu-
auguution WAS filled up with wranglings hetwc.u
Congress and the new Executive rs 90 the hc-t
mode Of reconstruction. or % speak plainly, A.
70 whether the control Of the government should
be thrown Immediately into the hands of those
who had So recently and per-istcntly tried 20 de-
stroy 10, or whether the NiCtuu- should continue
10 have AN equal voice with them IN this control
Reconstruction, as finally agreed upon, means
this and only this, except that the late slave wns
posed, To- the | Mon by lowing aud Mon support
ing voters. n free in the fall sense Of the word
they would not disapioiut this expectation
Hence. 80 the beginning of my first ndminstia-
ton, the work OF reconstruction was much cu-
harmssed by the long delay virtually commenced
li was the work 81 the legislative branch OF llIe
government My province WIS wholly in alr
proving their acts which did most heartily.
urging the legislatures Of tho states that had not
vet done so 10 raiiiy the fifteenth amendment Q"
the constitution.
DIFFICULTIES go rr OVERCOME
Tie country was abonng under ana enormous
debt contracted Boo the suppression 81 the ~ bciiuu
and taxation VIE so oppressive rs 90 discourage
production Another danger also threatened us
"a foreign war The last difficulty hnd 10 De aJ-
iusted and was adjusted without war, aud in
manner highly honorable 20 al, parties concerned
Taxes have been reduced within the last seven
year. nearly three hundred millions OF dollar
and the national debt has been reduced iu the
same time over four hundred aud thity-ii,o mill
lions Of dollars. iy rciundlng the six per cent
bonded debt for bonds bearing five aud four and
one-laf per cent interest respectively, the annual
interest has been reduced from over one hundred
and thirty millions OF doiars IN 1862 20 but little
over one hundred millions Of dollars IN 1870
ruE BALANCE or TRADE
Has been changed from over one hundred aud
thirty millions against the uited States in i~si
90 more than one hundred and twenty millions
Of dollars in our favor In 1876 Il j. confident,
believed that the balance Of trade ia favor oI the
United states will increase and not diminish and
that the pledge OF Congress 10 resume specie pay
ments in 1879 Will Dee easily accomplished. even
IN the absence Of much desired further Legislation
on the subject
TN iNpAN-
a policy has been adopted towards the Indian
tribes inhahiling large portion Of the territnr,
Of the United States which has been humane
las substantially ended Indian hostilities in the
whole land, except IN portion OF Nebraska and
Dakota Wyoming and Montana Territories the
Black Hills region and approaches thereto Hos
Utilities there have grown out Of the ayaree Of the
white man who has violated our treaty stipulation
Ia his search for gold.
The question might be asked why the govern.
ment has not enforced obedience 10 the terms OF
the treaty which prohibited the occupation OF the
Black Hills regions by whites. The answer II
simple The tirst einigrants 10 the Black Hill
were removed 10y troops but rum0rs Of rich dis
cuvcries Of gold took into that region increased
numbers. Gold has actually been found in PAY
ING quantity and an effort 10 remove the miners
would only result IN the deseftOn Of the bulk ct
the troops that might be sent there TO remove
them. an difficulty in this matter has, however,
been removed, subject 10 the approval Of Con-
grcss. hy treaty cediug the Black Hills and APP
breaches "a settlement by citizens. The subject
Of Indian policy and treatment Is 30 fully set
forth by the Secretary OF the Interior and the
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs and my views ~
fully expressed therein, that refer 10 those re-
ports aud Recommendations as my own.
RELATIONS WITH roREiGS powERs
The relations Of the United States with foreign
powers continue on friendly footing. Questions
have arisen from time TO time, IN the foreign re-
lauons OF the government but they have been
happily free during the past year from the com
plitation- and enharrassments which have SUI
rounded some of the foreign powers The diplo
matte correspondence submitted herewith con
tains information a. 10 certain matters which
have occupied the government. The cordalty
which attends onr relations with the powers Of
the East has been plainly shown by the gen
erHl participation OF foreign nations IN the exhibit
tiou which has Just closed. and by the eXertOns
made 10y distant powers Ia show their interest
aud friendly feelings toward The uited States ia
the commemomtion uf
rnr CENTENNIAL
Of the nation. The government aud people Of the
United States have not fully appreciated this ga
mbiton of kindly feeling, but II may be iustl,
and fairly expected that no small benefit will re-
suit both 10 ourselves and other nations from
better acquaintance and better appreciation uT
our mutual advantages and mutual wants
CONSULAR SERVICE
Congress. at lis last session, saw fit to reduce
the amount usually appropriated ior foreign inter.
course, by Withholding appropriations for repre-
senatiyes Of the United States ia certain foreign
countries and for certain consular officers aud hy
reducing the amounts usually appropriated Tor
certain other diplomatic posts, and thus necess-
tatug change Ia the grade Of the representative
For these reasons Immediately upon the passage
Of the bill making appropriations for the diplo-
matte aud consular service for the present fiscal
year, instructions were issued 10 the representa-
tves Of the United states at Bolivia, Ecuador aud
Columbia, aud 10 the consular officers, for whom
no appropriation had been made TO close their
representative legations and cOnsulates and cease
from the performance Of their duties, and in like
manner steps were Immediately taken 10 subst-
tute Charges ID Aifaires for ministers resident Ia
Portugal Denmark, Greece, Switzerland and Far
aggay While thoroughly Impressed with the
custom of sound economy in the foreign service
as In other branches OF the government cannot
escape the conclusion thar in some instances the
Withholding Of appropriations will prove an ex-
pensive economy, and that the small rotrenohment
secured by change of grade in certain diplomatic
posts Is not an adequate consideration for the loss
OF influence aud Importance which will attend our
foreign representatives under this reduction /
am Of the opinion that reorganization of the
subject will cause a change in some instances IN
the conclusions reached on these subjects nj the
last session Of Congress.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS
The count Of commissioners Of Alabama claims
whose functions were continued By an act OF the
last session Of Congress until the first dRy OF Jan
uary 1871, has carried on its abors with dill.
gence and general satisfaction. by a report from
the clerk of the court transmitted herewith bear
ing date November H. 1876, It appears that
within the time now allowed by law, the court
will have disposed Of all the claims presented for