The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-12-07
The Annual Message
Of President Grant.
An Exhibit of the Condition
Of the Country.
Our Foreign Relations in a Sat-
isfactory Condition.
Etc, Etc.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:
In submitting my eighth and last annual
ynessaoe to Congress, it seems proper that /
should refer to, and in some degree recapltu-
late, the events aud official acts OF the past
eight years. It was my fortune. or mlsfor-
tune, to be called to the Office 1Chle1 E1ecu-
tive without any previous political training.
From the age Of IL / had never even witnessed
the excitement attending a Presidential CAM
paign but twice antecedent to my own can
didacy, and at but one of them was l eligible
as q voter. Under such circumstances, IL is
but reasonable to suppose that errors OF Juog-
ment must have occurred: even had they not,
differences of opinion between the Executive, |
bound by an oath to the strict performance OF
his Duties and writer's and debaters must have
arisen. It is not necessarily evidence OF
blunder on the part OF the Executive because
there are these differences Of views.
Mistakes have been made as all can see, and l
admit. but it seems to me oftener in the selec-
tions made of assistants appointed to aid In
carving out the various duties OF administer
ing the Government, in nearly every case Sc
lected without {. general acquaintance with the
appointee, but upon the recommendations OF
the Representatives chosen directly by the
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 the Administration, from the time
of Washington to the present, has not been
free from these mistakes; but leave comparl-
sons to history, claiming only that have act
ed IN every instance from consclentlous Ge-
sire to do what was right, constitutional with
In the law. and for the very best interests OF
the people. My failures have been errors OF
Judgment, not of intent.
Retrospective.
NY civil career commenced too, at most
critical and difficult time. Less than four years
before tue country had emerged from conflict
such as no other nation had ever survived.
Nearly one-half of the States had revOlted
against the Government, and of those remain
ing faithful to the Union q large percentage
of the population sympathized with the rebel
lion and made an enemy In the rear almost as
dangerous as the more honorable enemy In the
front. The latter committed errors Of judg-
ment, but they maintained them openly and
courageously. The former received the pro-
lection of the Government they would see de-
stroyed, and reaped all the pecuniary advan-
tages to be gained out of the then existing state
of affairs-manv of them by obtaining con-
tracts and by swindling the Government in the
delivery of their goods.
Immediately on the cessation of hostilities
the noble President, who had carried the coun-
try SO far through its perlls, fell martyr to
his patriotism at the hands Of an assassin.
Reconstruction.
The intervening time to my first inaugura-
ton was filed up with Rrangling between
Congress and the new Exc eutlve as to the best
mode of reconstruction. Or, TO speak plainly,
as 70 whether the control of the Government
should be thrown Immediately into the hands
of those who had so recently and persistently
tried to destroy it, or whether the victors
should continue to have an equal voice with
them in this control Reconstruction as final
" agreed upon, means this, and only this, eX-
cept that the late slave was enfranchlsed-
ing an increase, as was supposed, to the Union
I0T1 TTvi0r
in the full sense of the word, they
would not disappoint this expectation,
hence at the beginning of my first administra-
ton the work Of reconstruction. much embar-
raised by the long delay, virtually commenced.
1t was the work Of the legislative branch of
the Government. My province was wholly IN
approving It's acts, which I did most heartily,
urging the Legislatures of States that had not
vet done so to ratify the Fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution. The country was laboring
under an enormous debt contracted In the
suppression of the rebellion, and taxation was
50 oppressive as to discourage production.
Another danger also threatened us-forelgn
war. The last difficulty had to be adjusted,
and was adjusted, without a war, and in
manner highly honorable to all parties con-
cerned. The taxes have been reduced within
the last seven years nearly $500, OO0 QUO, and
the national debt has been reduced In the same
time over $435. 000, 900 by returding the 3 per
cent. bonded debt for bonds bearing 515. b,
and ~ per cent interest respectively. The
annual interest has been reduced from over
$3.50, 900 in 1869 to but little ever $780,
100000 in 1876. The balance of trade has
been changed from over $780, 600, 900 against
the United States in 1860 to more than $780,
000, 600 in our favor In 1876. It is confidently
believed that the balance OF trade in favor of
the United States viii increase, not diminish,
and that the pledge of Congress to resume
specie payments In 1879 will be easily accom-
plished, even in the absence of much desired
further legislation on the subject.
Our Indian Wards. &t
A policy has been adopted towards the Indian
tribes inhabiting a large portion OF the terri
tory of the United States which has been hui
name, and has substantially ended Indian hos
tilities in the whole land, except in portion OF
Nebraska and Dakota, Wyoming and Montana
Territories, the Black Hills region ana sp-
proaches thereto. HostIities there have
grown out OF the avarice of the white man,
who has violated our treaty stipulations In
mis- search for gold. The question
might be asked why the Govern
ment has not enforced obedience
to the terms of treaty prohibiting the occu-
patton of the Black Hills region by the whites.
The answer is simple. The first emigrants to
the Black Hills we're removed by troops, but
rumors and fresh discoveries of gold took into
that region increased numbers. Gold has ac-
tually been found in paying quantities, and
an effort to remove the miners would only
result In the desertion of the bulk of tbs troops
thst might be sent there to remove them. All
difficulty in this matter has, however, been re-
moved, subject to the approval of Congress, by
treaty ceding the Black Hills and its ap-
proaches to Eettlement by citizens.
The subject of the Indian policy and treat
ment Is so fully set forth by the Secretary OF
the Treasury, the Secretary of the Interior and
the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and my
views so fully expressed therein that refer
TO their reports and recommendations SO my
Own.
Our Foreign Relations.
The relations of the United States with
foreign powers continue on friendly footing.
Questions have arisen from time TO time in the
foreign relations of the Government, but the
United States has been happily free during the
past year from the complications and enbar-
easements which have surrounded some OF the
foreign powers.
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