Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-08
TIE PRESIDENTS Message.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the Senate ard House of Representatives.
In submitting my eighth and last annual
message to Congress, it seems proper that L
should refer TO and in some degree recapit-
ulate the events and official acts of the past
eight years. 1t was my fortune or misfor-
tune to be called to the Office Of Chief Exec
utive without any previous political train
| ing. From the age of II, had never even
witnessed the excitement attending a presl-
! Dental campaign but twice. antecedent to
my own candidacy, and at but enc of them
was eligible as 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 an Executive bound by oath to the
strict performance of his duties, and writers
and deba;ers ust have arisen. 1t Is not
necessarily evidence IF laundering on the
part of the Executive, because there are
these differences, yet
MISTAKES HAVE BzEN MADE,
as all Can see, and 1 admit it seems to me
oitener in the selection Of assistants ap-
pointed to aid in carrying out the various
duties Of administering the government In
nearly every case these have been selected
without personal acquaintance with the ap-
pointee, but upon recommendations OF re-
presentatlyes chosen directly by tie people
it is impossible where so many trusts are
to be ALLOTTED. that the right parties should
be chosen in every instance. History shows
that no administration from the time OF
! Wasbin2ton 10 the present has been Tree
from these mistakes. But | leave cOmpar-
isons to history. claiming on.y that nave
acted in every Instance from
| CONSCIENTIOUS DasIRE TO DO WHAT WAS
RIGHT AND CONSTITUTIONAL
within tie law and for the vo-y hes. IN
terests Of the people Ny iailures have been
| errors Of lad gment, not of intent. My civil
! career commenced, too, at a most critical and
| difficult time Less than four years before,
the country had emerged from conflict such
d no other nation had ever survived. Near
ly one-half of the states had reyOlted against
the government and in those remaining
faithful to the Union, large percentage OF
the population sympathized with the re-
belllon and made an enemy in the rear al
mos; a. dangerous as the more honorable
enemy in front. The latter committed err
rors Of judgment but they maintained
them openly ard c5urageousv. The Tor
mer received the protection OF The
GOVERNMENT THY WOULD SEE DESTROYED,
and reaped al the :. cuniary advantage to be
gained out OF the EXISTING state oi affairs
many OF them Y obtaining contracts anu
| BY swiudliI the goTcrnmentln the delivery
Of their goods Immediately on the cessation
| of h0stilItit> The noble president who had
carried tie country 50 lar through It's
perils. fell martyr to his patriotism at the
| hands oi an assassin. The intervening time
to my frs; Inauguration was filed up with
wrangliugs between Congress and the new
| executive As to the best mode OF recon
struction." or, 10 speak plainly, as to
| whether the control Of the government
should be thrown Immediately into the
hands @: those who had 50 recently and
persisteItlY tried TO destroy IT, or whether
the yictors should continue TO have an
equal voice with them in this control.
RECONSTRUCTION,
as finally agrced upo... means this and only
this, except that the late slave was en-
franchi>ed, giving an Increase as
was supposed 10 the Union-loyng
and unor-supporting voters. II free in the
full seuse # The word they would not dis
appoint this expectation; hence at the be-
ginning OF nv inst administration the work
Of reconstruction. much embarrassed by the
long delay. naturally commenced. Ii was
the wuik Of the legislative traneh OF the
government My province was wholly in
approving their acts, which | did most
heartily, urging the Legislatures Of the
States that Lad rot yet done 50 to ratliy the
! fiteerth amendment to the constitution.
/ The country was laborlng under an enor-
nous d,b-, contracted in the suppression OF
! rebellion and taxation was 50 oppressive as
! to discourage production, danger also
threatened u from foreign foes. The last
difficulty tad to be adjusted and was adjust
ed without a war and IN manner highly
favorable TO all parties concerned.
THK ACCoNPIIsHHENTs Or The LAST sLvEN
YEARS.
TIE taxes have been reduced within the
/ last seven Year nearly three hundred NIL
! lions Of dollars ard Tie national debt has
! been reduced in the same time over Jour
hundred ard thirty-fye millions OF dollars.
! by rounding the tx per cent bonded debt
/ for bJnt- bearing i've ard tour anu one
/ half per cent interest, respectively The an
| nual interest has been reduced from over
one hundred and thirty millions OF dollars
in 1869 to bat little over lone hundred mil
| lions Of dollars IN 1876. The balance Of
trade has been changed from over one hun
| drcd and thrty millions against the nlted
States in 1859 to more than one hundred
and twert " millions Of dollars in our favor
!
balance OF trade IN favor OF the United
States viii increase. not diminish, and that
! the pledge OF Congress 10 resume specie
4 payments in 1879 viii be easily accom-
| plshed. even in the absence of much deslr-
/ ed further legislation On the subject
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
A policy has been adopted towards the
/ Indian tribes intahitiug large portion Of
the territory Of the United States which has
/ been humare. al j has substantially ended
! Indian hustllitits IN the whole land, except
| in a portion Il Nebraska and Dakota. Wy
1 oming and Montana territories, the Back
/ Hills region and the approaches thereto.
/ The hOSiIllties there have grown out OF the
ayar!ce u. the white man, who has violated
| our stipulatiCbs 10 hi- search for gold. Inc
question might be asked why the Govern
ment has mol enforced obedience 10 the
/ terms OF the treaty prohibiting the oceupa-
| ton OF the Back Hills region by whites.
! The answer Is simple First, Immigrants
to the Black Hills were removed BY troops.
| bat rumJIs Of rich discoveries Of gold took
| into thgi region increased numbers. Gold
has actually been found in paying quaint
ty and an effort 20 remove the miners would
| only result in the dl-cr;ion Ut the bulk OF
the trocIs that might be sent there 20
remove them. All difficulty in this
matter has. however, been removed, sub
| ject to the approval ofCongress, by a treaty
ccdng tie Black Hills and approaches to
settlement by citizens. The subject of
Indian policy and treatment Is SO fully set
forth by the Secretary OF the lnterlor and
the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs, and
my views so fully expressed therein, that |
refer to their reports and Recommendations
as my own.
OUR RELATIONS WITH rORElCN POWERS.
The relations Of the United States with
foreign powers continue On q friendly foot
ing. Questions have arisen from time to
time in the foreign relations Of the Govern
ment, but the United States have been hap
PLY free. during the past year,
from the complicated embarrassments
which have surrounded some OF
the fareign powers. The diplomatic
correspondence submitted herewith contains
Information as to certain CT the matters
which have occupied the government. The |
cordiality which attends our relations with |
the powtr. Of the earth has been plainly |
shown ~ the general participation OF |
foreign nations in the exhibition which has |
Just clo>t { and by the txerilons made by |
foreign powers to show their interest IN and 1
friendly feelings towards the United States |
in the concentration I the centennial OF |
the nation The government and people OF
the United States have not only folly APP !
preciated this exhibition of kindly feeling, !
but 1t may be justly ard fairly expected !
that 10 small benefits will result both to |
ourselves and other nations from better
Acquaintance and better appreciation OF our
mutual advantages and mutual works
TIE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE
Compress at its last Session saw ft TO re-
duce the amount usually appropriated for
foreign intercourse by Withholding appro-
priations Tor representatives of the United
States in certain foreign countries and for
certain consular oficers. and by reducing
the mounts usually appropriated f0r GER
tain other diplomatic posts. and thus neces-
stating q change in the .rade of the rep.