The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
70 lk Senate and Houss d Repre.enlalipel:

annual message 10 Congress, it seems
proper that should refer 10, or, in some
degree, recapiIulAte the events and oil.
ciGl acts Of the past eight years. i was
my fortune or misfortune to DO called TO
the Office Of Chief Executive, without
any previous political training. From
the age Of seventeen | had never even
witnessed tho excitement attending u
Presidential campaign but twice, ante
cedent to my own candidacy, and Al but
oneot them was eligible as voter. Under
such circumstances 1t is but reasonable
TO SUPPOSE that errors OF judgment must
have occurred. Even had there not, - differ
once OF opinion between the Executive,
bound by an oath TO the strict perform
ance Of bis duties, and writer's and Iiebat.
ers must have arisen. 1t is not necessarily
evidence OF blunder on the part Of the
Executive, because there are these dlier.
ences Of views. Mistakes have been
made, az all can gee, and admit, but 1t
seems TO me oftencr In the selections made
tthe assistants appointed 10 aid in carry.
ing out the various duties Of administer.
ing the government, in nearly every case
selected withoula personal acquaintance
with the appOintec, but upon the recon-
nvndalionso Of the representatives chosen
directly by the people. 1t is Impossible
where 80 muny trusts are to be allotted
that the right parties should be chosen IN
every instance. History shows that no
administration, from the time oil wash
;n9,or m tho nresent has been free from
these mistakes, but / leave comparisons
to history, claiming only that l have act
cd 10 every instance from conscientious
desire TO do what was right, constitution
vi, within the law, and Tor the very best
interests Of tho whole people. Failure.
have been errors Of judgment, not OF
intent. Ny civil career commenced,
too, at u most critical and dith'
cu. time. Less than four yeard be-
fore the country had emerged from a
conflict such as no other nation had ever
survived. Nearly one:hait Of Tho States
had reyolted against the government,
and Of those remaining faithful 10 the
uuion large per Centage Of the popula.
ton sympathized with the rebellion, and
made an enemy in the rear almost as dan
Kerous as the more honorable enemy IN
The front. The latter committed errors
Of judgment, but they maintained them
openly and courageouSly. The former
received the protection Of tile government
they would see destroyed, and reaped all
the ppcuniary advantages TO be gained
out OF the then existing state OF al
fairs, many OF them by obtaining
oon.racls and by swiudling the gov
ernment in the delivery Of their
goods. Immediately on the cessation oil
hos,ilities the then noble President, who
had carried tho country 80 far through
its perils, fell martyr to his patriotism
at tho handa Of All assassin. The inter.
venlng time to my first Inauguration was
;iied up with wtanglings between Con
grtaa and the new Executive rs TO the
best mode oil reconstruction, or, to speak
plairly, As to whether the control OF the
Government should be thrown immedi'
a,eIy into tho hands Of !hose who had 80
recently and persistcEEly tried 10 destroy
It, or whether the Visitors should continue
to have an equal voice with them in its
control. Reconstruction, as finally agreed
upon, means this, and only this, except
ths, the late slave was enfranchSed
giving an increase, as was supposed, 10
the Union loving and Union supporting
vote in the free and full sense OF the
word Hence at the beginning OF
my frat administration tho work Of re.
construction, much embarrassed by the
long delay, WA virtually commenced.
II was the work oil the legislative branch
Of tho government. My province was
wholly in approving the acts, which l
did most heartily, urging the LegislA-
lures OF tho States that had not yet done
so to ratiiy the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution. The country was la
boring under an oncrous debt, contracted
In the suppression OF tho rebellion, and
to the nation was SO oppressive az
TO discourage production. Another
danger also threatened us-a for
eigO war. The last difficulty had
to 10 adjusted, and was adjusted
without war, and in manner highly
honorable TO all parties concerned.
The taxes have been reduced within
the Inst seven years, nearly $500, 100000
and the National debt has been reduced
in the came time, over S43i, 000,O00.
BY reiundingthe 9 per cent bond
ed debt for bonds bearing 8 and Al per
cent interest respectively, tho annual
interest has been reduced over SlS0, 0O0,-
900 in 1859, to but little over $500 ,OOO,O 900
in 1876. The balance OF trade has been
changed from over 1000, 900, against
the United States in 1869, to more than
Sl20000000 in our favor in 1876. II il
confidently believed that the balance Of
trade in favor Of the United States will
increase, not diminish, and that the
pledge OF Congress, 10 resume specie pay.
mcnt in 1879, will DO easily accomplished,
even In the absence OF much desired
further legislation on tho subject.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
A policy has been adopted towards the
Indian tribes inhabiting a large portion
Of the territories OF the United States
which has been humane and has subStan-
TALLY ended Indian hostilities in the
whole land, except in Il portion Of Ne
braskA, and Dakota, Wyoming and Mon
kuuA lCEIAtulICbI tuC 1IAGA llllh region
and the approaches thereto. Hos,ilitics
there have grown out of the avarice Of
the white man, who has violated our
treaty stipulatiOns in his search for gold.
The question might DO asked, why the
government has not forced obedience to
the terms OF the treaty prohibiting The
occupation OF tho Black Hills region by
the whites? The answer Ia simple. The
first immigrants to the Black Hills were
removed by troop'; but rumors OF rich
discoveries Of gold took into that region
increased numberR. Gold has actually
been found in paying quantities, and an
effort to remove the miners would only
result in the desertion OF the bulk OF tho
troops that might be sen, there to remove
them. All difficulty in the matter has,
however, been removed, subject to the
approval OF Congress, by treaty ceding
the Black Hills and approaches to settle.
msnt by citizens. The subject Of our In.
dian policy and treatment is 80 fully set
forth by the Secretary Of the Interior
and the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs,
and my views are 80 fully expressed there.
In, that refer to their reports and rec.
concentrations as my own.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The relations OF the United States with