The Portland daily press., 1876-12-06
Report of the District Com missioners and
R0npd of Health,

Report of the District Com missioners and
Board of Health.
The reports of the district commissioners and
the board of health are Just received too late
to read them and 10 make recommendations
thereon and are herewith submitted
The Centennial Exhibition.
The international exhibition held in Phla-
delphia this year in commemoration of the one
hundredth anniversary of American Independ-
ence has proven great success and will no
doubt be of enduring advantage to the coun-
try. 1t has shown the great progress in the
arts, sciences and mechanical skill made in a
single century and demonstrated that we are
but little behind older nations in any one
branch, while in some we scarcely have rival.
1t has served too, not only to bring peoples and
products of skill and labor from all parts of the
world together, but in bringing together people
from all sections of our own country which,
must prove great benefit in the information
impaired and pride of country engendered.
1t has been suggested by scientists
in, and connected with, the Smithonian
Institution in accumulation herewith,
submitted that the government exhibit
be removed to the capitol and a suita-
BILE building be erected or purchased for its ac-
commodation as permanent exhibit l earn
estly recommend this, and believing that Con-
gress would second this view, directed that all
government exhibits at the centennial exhibit
ton should remain where they are, except such
as might be Injured by remaining in building
not intended as protection in irclement
weather, or such as may be wanted by the de-
partment furnishing them, till the question of
permanent exhibition is acted on. Although
the moneys appropriated byCongress to enable
| tbs participation of the several executive de-
partments in the international exhibition of
| 1876 were not sufficient to carry out the under
taking to the full extent at first contemp plated,
it gives me pleasure to refer to the very efficient
| and cra0ltahIa manDpr which the haa rd
| pointed from these several departments to pro-
| vide an exhibition on the part of the govern
ment have discharged their duties with the
| funds placed at their command without pre-
| cedent to guide them in the preparation of such
display. The success of their labors was am
| ply attested by the sustained attention which
| the contents of the government building at
| tracted during the period of the exhibition,
from both foreign aud native visitors. | am
| strongly impressed with the value of the colec-
| ton made by the government for the purposes
| of the exhibition, illustrating as 1t does the
mineral resources of the country, the statistical
| and practical evidences of our growth as ma
ton and the uses of the mechanic arts and the
| application of applied science in the admins.
| tration of the affairs of the government. Many
| nations have voluntarily contributed their ex
hibits to the United States to increase the inter
| est 10 any permanent exhibition Congress may
provide for. For this act of generosity they
should receive the thanks of the people, and
respectfully suggest that resolution Of Con
gress to that effect be adopted.
The Method of Presidential Elections.
The attention of Congress cannot be too ear
nestly called to the necessity of throwing some
greater safeguard over the me thod of choosing
and declaring the election of President. I'm
der the present system there seems to be nt
provided remedy for contestng the election il
any one state The remedy partially lies N
doubt in the enlightenment of electors, the
compulsory support of the free schools and thi
disfraDchsement of all who cannot read ant
write the English language after fixed pro
baton, and such remedy would meet m,
hearty apprval. would not make this apply
however, to those already voters but 1 would
to all becoming so after the expiration of tht
probation fixed upon. Foreigners coming tt
this country to become citizens who are edu
Gated in their own languages, would acquire
the requisite knowledge of ours during the
necessary residence to obtain naturalization
If they did not take interest enough in oul
language to acquire sufficient knowl edgs of il
to enable them to study the institutions anC
laws OF the country inteligently, / would moi
confer upon them the right to make such law,
nor select those who do.
| L append to this message for convenient ref
erence synopsis of administrative events auf
OF all recommendations to Congress made By
me during the last seven years. Time MAJ
show some of these recommendations not t
have been wisely conceived. L believe thu
larger part will be no discredit to the admins
tration.
| The San Domingo Scheme.
| One of these recommendations met with tb,
united opposition of one political party in tn,
Senate and with strong opposition from the
other namely, the treaty for the annexation o
Santo Domingo to the United States, to which
L shall expressly refer, maintaining as L d.
that it my views had been concurred in til,
country would be in more prosperous condi
ton to-day, both politically and financially
Santo Domingo is fertile and upon its soil may
be grown just those tropical products of which
the United States use so much and which art
produced or prepared for market now by slave
labor almost universally, namely, sugar, coffee
dye woods, mahogany, tropical fruits, tobacco
etc. etc. About 70 per cent. of the exports O.
Cuba are consumed in the United States; {
large per centage of the exports of Brazil also
find the same market These are paid for al
most exclusively in coin. Legislation, particu
larry in Cuba, being unfavorable to a mutual
| exchange of the products of onr country
flour shipped from the Mississippi river to Ha
vana can pass by the very entrance to the city
on its way to port in Spain. then pay a duty
| fixed upon articles to be re-exported, trans.
ferred to Spanish vessel and be brought back
almost to the point of starting, paying a second
| duty, and still leave profit over what would
produced in Cuba could be produced in Santf
domingo. Being part of the United States
commerce between the island and mainland
wo4id oe Tree, there wnnld he no exnsrt dnties
coming here; there would be no import duties
upon the supplies, machinery, etc.. going from
the states.
The effect that would have been produced
upon CUBAN commerce with these advantages
to rival is observable at glance. The Cubar
question would have been settled long ago ia
favor of Free Cuba" hundreds of American
vessels would now be advantageously used il
transporting the valuable woods and Other
products of the soil Of the Island to a marker
1 and in CARVING SunnlHS and mi -
The island is but sparsely settled, while it has
an area sufficient for the profitable employing nt
of several millions of people. The soil would
have soon fallen into the hands of United
States capitalists. The products are so valua.
BILE in commerce that emigration there woud
have been encouraged. The emarcipated race
of the South would have found there congo
nal home where their civil ghts would not be
disputed, and where their labor would be SO
| much sought after that the poorest amono
them could have found the means to 90 there,
In cases OF great oppression and cruelty such as
has been practiced upon them 10 many places
within the last eleven years whole communi
ties would have sought refuge in Santo d.
DtngO. L do not suppose the whole race would
have gone, nor is it desirable that they should
| Co. Their labor is desirable, indispensable al
most where they now are, but the possession
| OF this territory would have left the negro
master OF the situation by enabling him to de.
| mand his rights at home on pain of finding
| them else where.
do not present these views now az recon-.
mepdation for renewal of the subiect OF
annexation, but do refer it to vindcate nv
| previous action in regard to it,
Conclusion.
| With the present Congress my official life
terminates. 1t is not probable that public af
fairs will ever again receive attention from me
further than citizen of the Repablic, taking
| deep interest 10 the honor, integrity and pros
| perity of the whole lard.
(Sgned) U. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, Dec. s. 1876
THE TREASURY REPORT.