American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,


The members of the Forty-siNth Congress
have assembled in their first regular sessio
under circumstances calling for mutual cor
gratulations and grateful acknowledgement .
usual measure OF National prosperity whic
we now enjoy. The most interesting event
since my last annual ran.sage to Congress ar
: connected with the financial operations of tn
oe.. ,nterests directly the 6ms
, | graduate Congress on the successful eNecu
ton of the Resumption act: AT the time Tx ed
states notes began to be redeemed in coin
SINCE the LIST OF January last thoy have bcel
promptly redeemed on presentation. and in al
business transactions. public and private, i'll al
parts OF the country, they are received art
mand upon the Treasury r TOR gold and silver il
exchange for United states notes has beer
comparatively small and the voluntary de
post OF coin and bullion in exchange for note.
has been very large. The excess of the pre-
cious metals deposited or exchanged forUnit cd
notes redeemed is about SI0.o0o,oon,
The resumption OF specie nay fs,ents has beer
followed by very xrv'at revival of business
| With currency equivalent in value to the
money OF the commercial world, we ena-
| bled To enter upon an equal competition with
| other nations in trade and production. The
increasing foreign demand for our manufac
lures and agricultural products has caused 3
| large balance of trade in our favor, which has
been paid in gold. from the lst of July last to
! November IL, to the amount OF about S59,0oO,-
| Up. Since the resumption OF specie payments
| there has been a marked and gratifying i'm.
! provcment OF the public credit. The bonds OF
| tnc government Dtnrlfig only per cent. inter-
est have sold at or above par, sutiia lent in
amount to pay OF all of the National debt
which was redeemahle Under the present
| laws The amount OF interest saved annually
| by the prpeess OF refundng the debt since
March !, 1sTI, is sl4.sgI,1 11. The bonds sold
were largely in small sums, and the number
OF our citizens now holding the public securi-
i ties is much greater than ever before. The
amount of the National debt, which natures
in less than two years, IL SEE. L., 100 of which
| sb0OD,t00 bear interest at the rate of five
per cent, andt the balance is in bond. bearing q
Ia altTt-I hiatt =
of the public debt can be refunde d
by the issue OF four per cent. bonds and
be cffected about sI1,0ol.e0) can be annually
saved to the Treasury. 10 secure this impor-
United States further legislation Is required,
which IL is hoped will he provided by Congress
during its present session: The coinage of
gold by the miuts of the United States during
the last fiscal year was $40 $685. l2.
The coinage of silver doHars since the passage
5ns as! aSt Of wSsR have
been issued from the Treasury, and are now in
session of the Government. The tendency of
the proposition for unity of action between the
United states and the principal commercial
nations of Europe to effect permanent
system for the equality of gold and silver
in the recognized money, OF the world.
refrain from any new legislation on the gem
eral subject. The great revival of trade, in
ternal and foreign, will supply during the
coming year its own instructions, which may
well be awaited before attempting further ex-
detrimental measures with the coinage. 1
would, however, strongly urge upon Congress
the Importance of authorizing the Secretary
Of the Treasury to suspend the coinage
ratio The Market p Value ee Of fef fhe silver liver
dollar being, uniformly and largely less
Is obviously impracticable 10 maintain
them at par with each other IL both are coined
into circulation it will, if coined without limit
soon become the sole standard of value, and
thus defeat the desired object, which is cur
erfNlh ell ct.nn
equivalent value, dollar for dollar, with the
univcrsally-recognized money of the world.
States notes, with the capacity of legal tender
In private CONTRACTS, is "A step to be taken in
which should be accepted as the policy and
duty of the Government and the interest and
security OF the people IL is my firm
paper money, based wholly upon the authori-
ty and credit of the Government, except in
extreme emergency, Is without warrant in the
Constitution, and a violation of sound fnnn-
cial principles The issue of United States
notes during the late civil war, with the ca
pacity of legal tender between private indi-
viduals, was not authorized except a means
of rescuing the country from Imminent peril
The circulation of these notes as paper money
for any protracted period of time after the ac-
complishment of this purpose was not contem-
they were issued. They anticipated the re-
demption and withdrawal of these notes at
with the attainment OF the object for which
they were provided. The policy of the Unit
tion of the Constitution has been to avoid the
creation of National debt, and when, from
necessity, in time of war, debts have
With this view, and for this pur-
laws for the accumulation of sinking fund |
sufficient to extinguish the public debt within |
a limited period be maintained. If any change |
necessary by Congress, 1t is suggested that ex-
perience has shown that duty can be placed
nm fala pv1
price of those articles to the consumer, and |
which viii add several millions of dollars an !
nually to the Treasury.
THE SUPPRESSION OF PoLYGAMY.
The continued deliberate violation by a large |
zens Of the Territory of Utah OF the laws of |
the United States for the prosecution and pun
i Isl aae Of polggamy merits the attention
it to admission as State. The general
the welfare of the citizens of the Ter
ritory, require its advance from the
sibilities and privileges of a State. This i'm
portant change will not. however, be approved I
very considerable numbers, uphold a practice
which is condemned as a crime by the laws of
all civilized communities throughout the
world The law for the suppression of this
ofense was enacted with great unanimity by
Congress more than seventeen years ago, but
the Territory of Utah because of the peculiar
difficulties attending its enforcement. The
tab that the law was in contravention of the
guarantee of religious freedom.
This objection is now removed. The SUI
premc Court of the United States has decided
the law to be within the Legislative power of
Congress, and binding, as rule of action, for
all who resided within the Territories. There
S no longer any reason for delay or hesitation
N its enforcement. 1t should be firmly and
enectivcly. executed. If not sufficiently
IN and d aid Of the ehopa
n view, I recommend that more com
Drchensiye and more searching methods for
provided IL necessary to secure obedience to |
he law, the enjoyment and exercise of the
rerrifories of the United states may be- en- wi fh
held or withdrawn from those who Violate OF
oppose the enforcement of the law on this sub
occupied only with State offices, have not
allied to elicit in the political discussions
which attended them all over the country
new and decisive evidence of the deep interest
which the great body CT citizens take in the
'rogress OF the country toward a more gen
Bral and complete establishment, at what
sver cost, OF universal security and free
dom in the exercise of the elective franchise.
While many topics of political concern demand
sphere of National and State authority. find
no reason to qualify the opinion | expressed
IN my last annual message, that no temporary
pr administrative interests OF Government,
however urgent or weighty, will ever destroy
pc zeal Of our people in defense OF the
primary rights of citizenship, and that the
power of public opinion will override all
political prejudfces and all sectional and
state aftachrnenfs In demanding that all over
Dur wide territory the name and character of
cfttzen of the United States shall mean ono
and the same thing. and carry with them I'M
appeal TO the intelligence and patriotism OF
all good citizens Of every part of the country
Ions on other political subjects, 10 units in
obedience to existing laws aimed
~ the protection of the right of sun rage
respectfully urge upon Congress 10 SUNNY
InHS f,k. I .