Middletown transcript., 1876-12-09
The Presidents Message.


President Grant submitted his eighth
and last annual message to Congress or
Tuesday It was short but compre'
hensive document-of such things as il
treated upoD-well written and couchec
in good language. but it was a subject
Of surprise and disappointment to tb'
people, who had anxiously awaited it
coming to learn the status Of the Chie1
Executive on the election complications,
that lhe message makes no allusior
whate YER to the difficulties and embar'
rassnents that now perplex the country
The main object Of the message seeml
rather to be to show to the people wha'
wise and sagacious statesman and con.
scientious patriot they have had at the
head Of the nation for the past eight
years but whom. by their own folly,
they are about to lose forever: for be
intima tes that be will hereafter take nc
part in public matters but retire to pri-
vate life-an act in which be would re-
ceive the hearty approval Of the whole
nation. and from which had he never
emerged the country would not have
lost anything.
The message opens with statement
which might have been left out. as the
truth Of it has been too long and plainly
evident to make any allusion to it ne
cessary, and that is that he came TO
the office of Chief Executive without any
previous political training;" fact
that lis blunderiag administration has
abundantly proved. and bad be added
that he had learned nothing about bis
duties as president under the constitu-
tion. they would still have agreed with
him. His apologies for bis "errors of
ment" and blunders might be ac-
cepted, but no sane man. unbiased by
partisan prejudice. will believe bis de-
claration that "he acted in every in
stance from a conscientious desire to do
what was right. constitutional, within
the law and for the best interests of the
whole people In view Of his sft-re-
peated attempts to control the elections
10 the Southern States by the use of
Federal soIdiery, and bis armed inter-
ference with State legislatures, his ideas
Of constitutional duty will be regarded
as rather peculiar to say the least.
The next step is a rehearsal of the
circumstances under which he came into
office--ths close of the war. the death
Of Lincoln, the radical quarrel with
Andrew johnson, the reconstruction
farces, &c and tells US how ably he
carried the country through those stormy
times. The finances next receive bis
attention, and be says there has been .
reduction of four hundred and thirty
Eve millions Of dollars Of the principal
Of the debt. and through this and the
funding into FIVE and four and half
per cent. loans there has been reduc-
ton Of thirty millions Of dollars in the
annual expense for interest Within
the last seven years the taxes have been
reduced 100000, 1000. 1.-The balance
Of trade" which. in 1869. was $780,
OOO.O against the United States. 10
estimated to be $120. .0OO. 900 in favor
Of the country in 1876 The President
believes this favorable turn will cop-
tinue. so that the pledge of Congress to
resume specie payments by 1879 will be
easily accomplished. 'even in the ab-
sence Of much desired legislation" The
humane Indian policy adopted has sub
stantially accomplished its design, ex-
cept in the Black Hills country, among
the wild Sioux. where mercenary white
men. violating treaty obligations, have
caused war which is now nearly ended
The foreign relations Of the country
continue on a footing not only friendly,
but shown by the Centennial celsbra-
ton to BE- cordial" Reference is made
to the reduced appropriations by Con-
gress in support Of diplomatic and con-
sular intercourse. but the President
thinks that Withholding appropriations
in some instances will prove to be lex
pensive economy" The Alabama Claims
Court has nearly completed its business.
The boundary lines between the United
States and British North America are
all adjusted. except that which adjoins
Alaska Observations concerning the
Extradition Treaty with Great Britain
are reserved for special message on
that subject. Some courts have been
established in Egypt to the satisfaction
Of our Government; and the Hawaiian
Treaty is in operation since August 16,
1876 Certain commotions" in Mex
leo, which still continue. have caused
injuries to American citizens BY persons
in authority there, and the Texas from
tier has been troubled by acts Of vio-
lenee Some Of these grew out of the
irregular habits Of the Rio Grande river,
which appears to pursue a bad custom
in changing it's course and leaving it in
dispute whether some adjacent lands are
10 Mexico or in the United States. Co.
lombia has paid up the steamer Montijo
claim the Joint Commission on Mexi-
can and American claims has completed
it's business sir Edward Thornton has
rendered valuable service in that behalf
as "Arbiter, and is justly thanked, and
Venezuela is paying up the monthly in
stalments, with reasonable promptness.
on claims she agreed to pay
The delicate and complicated ques-
tions growing out Of the abuses Of our
naturalization laws-out of marriages
contracted by Americans in foreign
countries, out of the status Of Ameri-
can women Who marry foreigners, and
Of children Of American parents born
abroad-are again called to the atten-
ton Of Congress with view TO reme-
dial Legislation So, too, is the status.
in our courts Of aliens who have claims
against the United States. Colorado
was proclaimed State in the Union.
by authority Of an act Of Congress. on
August 1st 1875. Six millions of dol