The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-12-09
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


Last Monday OF 1850 O'Clock the specia
Session of Congress expired and at 10 O'Clock
the Regular Session opened. As the two Houses
were organized there was no delay in com
mencipg business, and the Presidents Mes
sage was the same day read. From this docu
ment, which is temperate and business like in
| tone, able snd statesmanlike in argument, and
is moreover, written in good, plain English
we take the following extraots as boing of gen
eral interest to the people of the South:
The discontinuance of the use of the army
for the purpose of upholding local govern.
ments in two States of the Union was no less
constitutional duty and requirement under
the circumstances existing at the time than it
was much needed measure for the restoration
OF local self. governments and the promotion of
troops from such employment was efsoted de.
liberately and with solicitous care for the
peace and good order Of society, and the pro-
ct lection 20 Of the property and persons and every
that have followed are indeed significant and
encouraging. All apprehension of danger
from remitting those States to local self gov
ernment is dispelled, and a most salutary
change in the minds of the people has begun
and is In progress in every part of that SEQ.
tion Of the country onoe the theatre of nm
distrust and aversion, concord, friendship and
patriotic attachment to the Union. No un-
prejudiced mind will deny that the terrible
and often fatal collisions which for several
years have been of frequent occurrence, and
ngitated and alarmed the public mind, have
almost entirely ceased, and thst 8 spirit of
est has s.succeeded. There has been general
re-eateblishment Of order and of the orderly
ADMINISTRATION OF justice, and instances of re-
manning lay ieesness have become of rare 90.
currence. Political turmoil aud turbulence
have disappeared; useful industries have
been resumed. Public credit in the Southern
States has been greatly strengthened, and the
encouraging benefits of q revival of commerce
between the sections of the country lately
embroiled in civil war are fully enjoyed
Such are some of the results already attained
upon which the country is to be oong ngratulated.
They are Of such importance that we may
with confidence patiently await the desired
contamination that will surely come with the
natural progress of events. It may not be i'm
proper here to cay that it should be our fixed
and nnalterable determination to protect, by |
all available AID proper means under the con- |
stitu'ion and the laws, the lately emancpated |
race in the epJoyments of their rights and |
privileges, and urge upon those 60 whom |
heretofore the colored people have sustained |
the relation of bondmen the wisdom and jus !
tice of humane and liberal local legislation |
with respect to their education and general
welfare. firm adherence to the lave, both |
national and State, as to the civil and politi-
cal rights of the colored people now advanced
to full and equal citizenship, the immediate
repression and sure punishment by the nation
al and local authorities within their respective
urisdicton of every instance of la iessnees
and violence toward them, ia required for the
security alike of both races, and is justly de-
msnded by the public opiuisu of the country
and the age. In this way the restoration of
lection of every citizen in the full opjoy ment
If every constitutional right, will surely be
attained. Whatever authority reefs with me
% this end shall not hesitate to put forth.
The public debt of the United States to the
amount of 1929 600 600 bears interest at the rate
If per cent: and $703, 600 COO at the rate of
'er cent and the only way in which the conn
ry can be relieved from the payment of these
liSh rates of interest," is by antsgeously re-.
uudug tie indebtedness. Whether the debt
8 ultimately paid in gold or in silver coin is
Il but little moment compared with the posi-
lie reduction of interest one-third by refund
ny il at suoh reduced rates If the United
'tates had che uuquestioned right to pay it's
'onds in silver coin, the littls benefit from
hat process would be greatly overbalsnoed by
he injurious etfsc. of such payment: Il,
The annual report of the Secretary of the
'ressury the state of the finances pre-
ents Important questions for the action of
congress, upon some of which have already
urinR the fiscal year ending June 80, 1877.
7ere $269. 600 5s6 G2. The total expenditures
Or the same period were S235. .660 009 SO. !
saving surplus revenue Of $50, $40, ,577 60.
his has substantially supplied the require
rents OF the sinking fund for that year. The
stimated revenues of the current fiscal year ,
re $265. .5OO,OOOI and the estlmeted expepdl'
1res for the Same period are 1892 440, CAB ~.
these estimates prove to be correct, SheLe
ill be q surplus revenue of $33. .o69 356 %, +
n amount nearly sufficient for the sinking '
ind for that year. The estimated revenues I
,r the next fiscal year are S269, ,25o. 600, 1t 4
ppears from the report that during the last b
soAl year the revenues of the Government, :,
umpared with the previous year, have largely =
Ocreased. This decrease, amounting to the
nm of SIS ,4e1 ,452 81, was mainly in custom
mites, Caused partly by large falling of of C
40 amount of imported dutiable goods, and q
Artly by q large falling of of prices In the d