The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1876-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

message to congress, il seems proper that J
should refer TO, and in some degree recapit
ulate the events and official acts OF the past
eight years. 1t was my fortune-or mIstor
tune-to be called to the Office Of chief ezecu
tive without any political tUrning. From
the age of seventeen, L had never even Wit
messed the excitement attending a presid den
tial campaign but twice antecedent TO my
own candidacy, and bus one Of them was
eligible as q voter. Under such circumstau-
ees it IS but reasonable to suppose that the
errsrs of judgment must have occurred even
had there not been difference q opinion be
tween the executive, bound By an oath 20
the strict performance Of his duties. and the
writers and debaters, which must have arisen.
II not necessary evidence OF plumber on the
mart OF the executive because there are
these Differences Of views. Mistakes have
been made, ali can see, and admit; but
Ii seems to me oftener in sections, made by
assistants appointed TO aid in carrying out
the various duties Of administering the gov
ernment-in nearly every case selected
without personal ends or acquaintance with
the appointed bat On the recommendation
OF REPRESENTATIVES chosen directly by the
people, it is impossible, where so many
trusts are 10 be allotted, that right parties
should be chosen in every Instance History
shows that administrations from the time OF
Washington 10 the present have not been
free from mistakes; but leave comparisons
70 history, claiming only that have acted
in every instance from a consciousness and
desire TO 20 what was right, constitutional.
within the law, and Tor the very best inter
es-s Of the whole people, and failures have
been
ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT, NOT OF HAST.
Ny civil career commenced at the utmost
critical and difficult time, less Than foor
years before the country had emerged FROM
a conflict such other nation had sur
vived. Nearly one-halt of the states had
revolted against the government. and OF
those remataing faithful 10 the union
large percentage of the population svlupa-
thized with the rebellion and r3ade an enc
my IN the rear almost as dangerous Is the
more terrible enemy in the front. The llt-
ter committed errors OF Judgment, pat they
maintained them openly and COURAGE
ously. The former received the protection
Of the government they would see de
str0yed and Teaped all the pecuni6ry adyan
tage to be gained out Of the then existing state
Ofaffairs- many OF them by obtaining contracts
and by svindling the government IN the de-
livery of their goods. Immediately on the
cessation of hOs.ilities the then noble presi
dent Wb9 had carried the country through
its Oerils, fell 4 martyr to his patiotism at
the hands of an ASSASSIN The intervening
time to my first Inauguration was filed up
with wranglingS between congress sud the
new executive rs 10 the best mode of re-
construction, or, to speak plalaly, as to
whether the control of the government
should be thrown into the hands of Chase
who had recently and persistently tried a.
destroy it, or whether the vlctors shoulG
continue to have sn equal voice with them
in thus control. Reconstruction, as finally
agreed upon, was this and only this, except
that the late slave was enfranchsed, giving
- Increase, as was supposed, 70 the union
WNlng, union supporting voters: offered IN
the fullest sense OF the word they would
net disappoint this expectation, hence at the
beginning OF nay first administration the
WORK OF RECONSTRUCTION.
much embarrassed by the long delay, yirtu-
ally commenced II was the work of the
Legislative branch of the government. Ny
province was wholly in approving their acts
which l did most heartily urging the legisa-
lures of the states that had not done so 10
ratify the hfteeutz amendment 20 the consti-
tuition The country was lab0ring under an
enormous debt contracted in the suppression
of rebellion, and taxation was so oDpres-
sive as 10 discourage production. Another
danger also threatened us-a foreign war
The last difficulty had TO be adjusted, and
was adjusted without war, and in man
ner highly honorable to all parties con
cerned- Taxes have been reduced within
the last seven years nearly
THREE HUNDRED MILLIONS or DOLLARS.
The national debt has been reduced.iu the
same time over S435,000O00 by refunding the
8 per cent. bonded debt for bonds bearing
and / = per cent. interest respectively. The
annual interest has been reduced from over
$4,000 GOO in 1869 10 but a little over 500
100000 IN 1876. The balance of trade has
been changed from $3.50 100000 against the
United States in 1869 TO more than S120.0gO
-t9G in o5IT -ss.=Ss III 1876 j. is confidently
believed that the balance Of trade in farar
of the United States viii increase and not
diminish, and that the pledge 81 congress 20
resume specie payment Ia 1879 VIII be ac-
cOmphshed, even II the absence Of much de-
sired legislation on the subject policy
has been adopted toward the Indian tribe.
Inhabiting lArge portion OF territory Of the
United States which has been humane has
substantially ended the Indian hostilit4es iu
the whole land, except in portion OF Ne
braska and Dakota and Wyoming aud Mon
tana territories, the Black Hills region and
approaches thereto. The hostilities there
have grown ont OF the aEarice of the
white man who has violated our treaty
stIpulatlOns IN his search for gold
The question might be asked why the gov
eminent has not enforced obedience to the
terms OF the treaty prohibiting the ocru-
Panee OF the Black Hills region by the
whites. The answer is simple The first
emigraTJs 20 the Black Hills were removed
by the troops, but rumors and fresh dis
eoveries of gold took into that region in
creased Chambers Of gold have actually
been found IN paying quantities and an
effort TO remove the miners would only re-
suit in the destruction Of the bulk Of the
all. The difficulty in this matter has. how
ever, been removed, subject 10 the approval
OF congress, by a treaty ceeding the Black
Hills and the approaches 70 the settlement
by the Cheyennes. The subject of the In
dian policy and treatment is so fully SET
forth by ne secreisrv Of the interior end
the commissioner of Indian affairs and my
views 50 fully expressed therein that [ refer
t0mere reports ard recommendations as nv
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 GOV
eminent, but the United States have been
hsPpily free during the past year from the
complic cation and embarrassmeuts which
have sur-1rnded some Of the foreign
powers. The
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENTS
submitted herewith, contains information as
70 certain of the matters which have oceu-
pied the government. The cordially which
attends our relations with the % wers Of the
earth has been plainly shown by the general
participation OF foreign nations in the exhi-
bition which has just closed, and bv the ex.
ertlons made by distant powers show their
interest, and friendly feelings towards the
unlted States commemorative OF the cen
tennlal OF the nation. The government and
people OF the United States have not fully
appreciated this exhibition Of kindly feel
ing, but 1t may be justly and fairly expected
no oLld4A btHelto VIII result 10 ourselves
and other nations from a better acauaint-
ance and better appreciation OF our mutual
advantages aud mutual dependence.
congress at its last session saw fit 20 reduce
the amount usually appropriated to foreign
intercourse by Withholding appropriations
for representatives, of the United States in
certsin foreign countries and for certain con
sular officers and by reducing the amount
usually appropriated for certain other di-
plomatie posts and thus neeessitating
changes in the grades of representatives.
For those reasons, Immediately upon the
passage of the bill making appropriations
for diplomatic and consular services for the
present force, instructions were issued to the
representatives of the United States at Bo.
livia, Ecuador and Columbia, and to the
consular officers for whom no appropriation
had been made 10 close their respective le-
cations and consulates and cease from the
performance of their duties, and in like
manner, steps were Immediately taken to
substitute Charges de Affairs for ministers
resident in Portugal, Denmark, Greece
Switzerland and Paraguay While thorough
ly impressed with the wisdom of sound
economy in the foreign service, as IN other
branches OF the government | cannot es-
cape the conclusion that in some instances
the Withholding OF appropriations win prove
an expensive economy, and that the small
Tetrencbment secured by change of grade
IN certain diplomatic posts as not an ade-
quate consideration for this influence ami
importance which viii attend our fo-sir,y,