Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1876-12-09
IFrom he Baltimore Sun.
The Presidents Message.


is nothing luminous init In the outset the Pres
ident says 1t was my fortune, or misfortune,
10 be called TO the office of chief executive
without any previous political training" These
words are sad echo OF what Gen. Grant
wrote TO personal friend in 1864, before Mr..
Iiucolu's second nomination. 10 your let
ter i" he SAYS to his iieud, Hon. j. n. Nor
risl "you say that have il in my power to
be the next President This is the last thing
in the world desire ItC0uM regard such q
eoRSumRaijOn as being Highly unfortunate FOR
myself If not for Ge country. 1hrough Prov
idcuco have attained 10 more than | ever
hoped, and with the position now hold in the
regular army, if allowed to retain ii, will be
more than satisfied. scarcely know the in
ducemeut that could be held out to me to ac-
cept Office, aud unLesitatiUgly declare that
infinitely prefer my present position to that OF
any civil office within the gift Of the people.
Had Gen. Graut never changed his mni as
expressed in this letter it would not have been
bis misfortune, as we'll as the c0untry'S, that
he has held the highest "civil office" in the
government, not only without being qualified
for il. BY any previous political training
but With bis instincts. habits and Ideas aS a
sOldier.uperaiiug as a positive disqualification.
To this single fact we have the key 10 most Of
the rors aud buuders Of Gen. Grants adj
miuistat1n anil the explain ti)l Of the pres
euI troubles which il has brought upon the
country That he has made 6lunders, particu-
Hrly 10 the matter Of appointments 10 Office
Gen. Grant does not dvuy, but he says apollo
seiically, History shows that no almiuistra-
ton, from the time Of Washington to the
present has been free from these mistakes. -
Ills own failures lie claims, have been
errors Of Judgment, not Of intent" Errors III
policy, IL is to be noted, Gen. Grant nowhere
admits he appends to his message "a Syuop-
sis OF all recommendations to Congress made
by me during the last seven years, and says
"time may show some Of these recommended
tious not wisely conceived, but believe the
larger part will do no diScredit to the admins
trati0u. Upon one OF his recommendations
Of former years which failed n command
either popular or legislative approyal-hiS
project for the acquisition Of San Domingo
be Jwells lovingly and at length, and atuib-
utes 20 the failure to acquire that island the
fact that the country is not in more prosper
Gus condition both politically and financially.
Here. again, the President refers 10 the subject,
he says, not 70 renew his recommendation IN
favor of annexation, but only to "rIHdtc1fe
his own former action in regard 70 il. In this,
as In the portion of the message already quo
tel, IL Is impossible not 20 see the hand Oi Gen.
Graut himself. Il is the tone Of a man who
feels personally Injured and aggrieyej, aud
who Is disposed 20 regard his own failures not
rs "AuitS. but "mist0rtuueS,' aud d ascTlJe
them % circumstances beyond his own con-
troll, including the opposition Of others Even
the fact Of his holding the chief magiStracy for
two consecutive terms without any previous
political training" heSccmS to regard as some
thing which happened to him or was forced
npou him, and which he could not help, rather
than rs position Of bis own voluntary ac-
Ceptance, If not his own seeking. 1t is this
touch Of Gen. Grants own personality which
gives 70 the message a somewhat peculiar IA
yoT Il is defensive and sometimes querulous
in tone, as Gen. Grant thought that be and not
the country had the best right to complain.
rs is usual iu similar documents, the Presi-
dent refers 10 alaree uunberof topics which
are more fully treated in The reports Of the sew
eral heals OF departments. rarely, however,
making anything approaching a recommends
ton in regard 10 them. From the Secretary
Of the Treasury he derives the figures which
show a reduction Of taxes during the last seven
years Of nearly $500 600 600, and Of the ua-
iioual debt over S435 900 coo. BY refun ling
the bonded debt at a lower rate the an
uual interest has been reduced from
$3.50 900 600 in 1869 90 little over
Sl0O,OOO,OO0 in 1876. TIE balance OF
trade Is quoted rs having changed from $780,
600 600 against MS in 1869 to Sl20 600, 900 in
our favor In 1876, aud the belief expressed
that the pledge Of Congress to resume specie
payments in 1879 can be easily accomplished
The great source Of Indian h1stilties Is
ayerrcd to have been removed by the cessiOu
by treaty Of the Black Hills
/ Reference is made more than once in the
message to the centennial exhibition, and &c
| the interest and friendly feeling manifested by
/ foreign nations therein. The suggestion Is
male that the government exhibit, enriched
/ BY The gifts Of foreign powers, for which suit
able acknowledgement should be made, should
be kept together ami removed 10 Washington
A'luSiou is made to the cutting down at the
/ last session Of the diplomatic appropriation
| BILL aud doubt is expressed whether such re-
/ treatment IS wise economy.
/ The necessity Of legislation with regard {.
. fraudulent naturalization aud % the RICH, Of
. expa,ration and election Of nationality is 4
gam pressed upon the attention Of Congress
/ The condition Of the qn,s,inn' in a new ex-
tradition treaty with Great Britain, the Prcsi.
lcut says, will form the subject Of a specia
communication 10 Congress.
The establishment Of tribunals in the Otto
man empire fer securing Justice 70 citizens Of
the United States, and the cotiuuance Of com
motions on the Mexican border, are mentioned
tlc latter as giving rise to new complaints by
our citizens The fna, close Of the commits
sion in adjustment Of former claims is referred
to satisfactorily.
The circumstances attending The mission
Of Colorado are explained. The State was al
mi,tcd by the President By proclamation Au-
gust /, 1876, upon compliance, as it appeared
20 him, with the requirements of the act Of
Congress Of Nnrch 3, 1876, authorizing the
people % Colorado 90 form a state government
Reference is made 20 the services Of the
army during The Indian war I'm "sutduiug GER
tain wild bands Of the Sioux Indian nation.
but nothing is said Il tie Use Of the "troops
10 connection with tic returning boards organ
ization Of state Legislatures, &c. except tina,
they were employed lin preserving the peace
al the South during the election
The condition Of the navy is described as
being the best practicable with the means a,
command, and a good word said for the sec7e-
a., ,,,-,