Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-12-16
THE MESSAGE BY TIE PRESIDENT.

cspitulate the events and official acts OF the
past eight years. 1t was my fortune, or my
misfortune, to be called to the Office of Chief
Executive without any previous political train
ing. From the age of seventeen had never
even Witnessed the excitement attending q
Presidential campaign but twice an.ecedent to
my own candidacy, and at but one OF them was
l eligible as a voter. Under such circum-
stances it is but reasonable to suppose that
errors Of Judgment must have occurred. Even
had they not, differences Of opinion between
the Executive bound by an oath to the strict
performance of his duties, and writer's and de-
baters must have arisen. It is not necessarily
evidence of blunder on the part of the Execu-
tive because there are these differences Of
views.
MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE,
az all can zee aud admit, but it seems to me
oftener in the selections made OF the assistants
appointed to aid in carrying cut the various
duties OF administering the government. In
nearly every csso selected without personal
acquaintance with the appointee, but upon re-
concentrations Of the representatives chosen
directly by the people, it is impossible where
30 many trusts are 10 be allotted that the
right parties should be chosen in every i'll
stancs. History shows that no administration
from the time Of Washington. to the present
has been free from these mistakes, but leave
comparisons to history, claiming only that |
nave acted in every instance from conscien-
tious desire to do what was right, constttu-
tional within the law, and for the very best
interests Of the whole people. Failures have
been errors of judgment, not intent.
MY CIVIL CAREER
commenced, too at most critical and diff
cult time. Lees than four years before the
country had emerged from a conflict such as
no other nation has ever survived. Nearly
one half Of the States had revolted against the
government and Of those remaining faithful
to the Union large percentage Of the popula-
ton sympathzed with the rebellion, and made
an "enemy in the rear almost as dangerous
as the more honorable enemy in the front.
The latter committed erTors Of judgment, but
they maintained them openly and courage
ously. The former received the protection OF
the government they would see destroyed,
and reaped all the pecuniary advantage to bs
gained out Of the then existing state OF affairs,
many CT them by obtaining contracts and by
swINDLING THE GOVERNMENT
in the delivery OF their goods. Immediately
on the cessation OF hostilities the then noble
President, who had carried the country so fer
through its peris, fell a martyr TO his patriot
| iem at the hands of an assassin. The inter
vening time to my first in&ugUra'io ion WAS filled
up with wrar glipgs between Congress and the
| new Executive az to the best mode Of 'recon-
| ruction, ",cr to speak plainly, as to whether
the control Of the government should be
| thrown Immediately into the hRnds OF those
who had 60 recently and persist emily tried to
destroy it, or whether the victors should CON
tinua to have an equal voice with them III this
| control.
EECoNsTRUCTION,
| az firalIy agreed upon, means this and only
| this, except that the lato slave was enfrsn'
chised giving an increase, as was supposed,
| to the Union loving and Union-supporting
votes. II free in the full sense OF the word
| they would not disappoint this expectation ;
hence, at the beginning of nv first admins
| tration, the work of Tecanstru ction, much en-
barrassed by the long delay, virtually com
menced. Il was the work of the legislative
| branch of the government My province was
| wholly in approving their acts, which | did
most heartily urging the legislatures OF States
that had not yeS done 20 to ratify the fifteenth
amendment TO tie Constitution.
The county was laboring under an enor-
nous debt contracted in the suppression of
REBEL on, and taxati III was so oppressive as to
discourage production.
ANOTHER DANGER
also threatened us-a foreign war. 40 last
| difficulty had to be adjusted, and was adjusted
without q war, and in manner highly honor
able to all parties concerned. Taxation has
been reduced, within the last, seven Yeara
nearly $500, COO.
| THE NATIONAL DEBT
has been reduced in the same time over foul
hundred and thirty-fve millions Of dollars by
| refunding the six per cent bonded debt fol
bonds bearing five and four and one-helf pei
| cent. interest respectively. The annual ~
| terest has been reduced from over one nun
dred aud thirty millions of dollars in 1869 tc
put little over one hundred millions of dollars
| in 1876, The balance of trade has been changed
| from over one hundred and thirty millions
against the United States in 1869, to more
| than one hundred and twenty millions o! dol
| lars in our favor in 1876. 1t is confidently be-
lieved that the balance of trade in favor OF
| the United States will increase, not diminish
and that the pledge of Congress, to resume
apecie payments in 1879, will he easily accom-
| plished, oven in the absence Of much desired
| further legislation on the subject. policy
has been adapted toward
THE INDIAN TRIBES
inhabiting r large portion Of the territory Of
| tho United Sta. os which has been humane anC
has tubsts ntially ended Indian hostilities ir
! the whole land except in q portion of NebrA5ka
| and Dakota, Wyoming and Montana Terri
| tories, the Black Hills region and approachef
thereto. Hostiities there have grown cut oi
the avarice OF the white man, who has vio
| lated our treaty stipulations in bis search fol
gold. The question might be asked, why the
government has not enforced obedience tc
| terms of the treaty prohibiting the occupation
of the Black Hills region by the whites The
answer is simple. The first imm' grants to the
the Black Hills were removed by the troops
but iumors Of rich discoveries OF gold tool
into that regicn increased numbers. Gold has
actually been found in paying quantity, ana an
effort to remove the miners would oAly TT suit
in the desertion Of the bulk OF the troops that
might be sent there to remove them. AL diff
Guilty in this matter has, however, bsen re-
moved, subject 20 the approval Of Congress
by treaty ceding the Black Hills and ap-
proaches to settlement by citizens. The sub
iect of Indian policy and treatment is 30 fully
SGT forth by the set retHy Of the int rlor anC
the commissioner of Indian affairs, and my
views SO fully expressed therein, that | refel
to their reports and recommendations as my
own. The relations of the
UNITED STATES WITH FOREIGN POWERS
continue on a friendly footing. Questions
have arisen from time to time in the foreign
relations Of the government but the Unltec
States have been happily free 0uring the pas'
year from the complications and cmbarraes
ments which have surrounded some of the
foreign powers. The diplomatic correspond
ence submitted herewith contains information
as TO certain Of the matters which have occu'
pied the government. The cordiality which
attends our relations with the powers of tbs
earGn mas Deen p!elnly SHOWN py Tue soneia
participation Of foreign nations in the Exhibi'
ton which has just closed, and by the exer-
tions made by distant p5wers to chow theii
interest in, and friendly feelings toward, the
United s ates in the commemoration OF the
centennial of the nation. The governme nj
and people of the Unted States have not only
fully appreciated this Exhibition Of kindly
feeling, but it may be justly and fairly expect
ed that no email benefits will result both to
ourselves and other nations from better ac-
quaiutance and better appreciation OF ouI
mutual advantages and mutual wants. Con-
gress at it's last session, saw fit TO reduce the
amount usually appropriated for foreign inter
course, by withholding appropriations for rep
| tr, Vfoi