Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-12-17

by the recent and sudden death of
Thomas A. Hendricks. president
of the United States. His distinguished
public services, his complete integrity
and devotion to every duty. and his
personal virtues will find honorable
record in his cOuntiy's history. Ample
and repeated proofs of the esteem and
confidence in which he was held by his
fellow-countrymen were manifested by
his election to offices of the most inn
portant trust and highest dignity. and,
at length, full of years and hon0rs, he
has been laid at rest amid general sor-
row and benedietion.
CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY.
The constitution, which requires
those chosen to legislate for the people
TO annually meet in the discharge of
their solemn trust, also requires the
president to give to congress informal
ton of the state of the Union and
recommend to its consideration such
measures as he shall deem necessary
and expedient. At The threshold of a
compliance with these constitutional
directions, it is well for us to bear in
mind that our usefulness to the peo-
pies interests will be promoted by
constant appreciation of the scope
and character of our respective duties
as they relate to federal legislation
While the executive may recommend
such measures as he shall deem expe-
dent, the responsibility for legislative
action must and should rest upon those
selected by the people to make their
laws. Contemplation of the grave and
responsible functions assigned to the
executive branches of the government
under the constitution will disclose the
partitions of power between our respec-
tive departments, and their necessary
independence; and also the need for the
exercise of all the power intrusted to
each, in that spirit of comfy and CO.
operation which is essential to the
proper fulfillment Of the patriotic obli-
cations which rests upon us as faith
full servants of the people. The jealous
watchfulness of our constituencies,
great and small, supplements their suf-
frage; and, therefore, III the tribunal
they establish every public servant
should be judged.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
It is gratifying to announce that the
relations of the United States with all
foreign powers continue to be friendly.
Our position after nearly century of
successful constitutional government,
maintenance of good faith in all of our
engagements, the avoidance of compli-
cations with other nations, and consist
ent and amicable attitude toward the
strong and weak alike. furnish proof
of political disposition which renders
professions of good will unnecessary.
Theras are no questions of difficult
pending with any foreign government.
Question has arisen with the govern
meut of Austro-Hungary touching the
representation of the United States at
Vienna. Having, under my constitu-
tional prerOgative, appointed an esti-
mable citizen of unimpeached probity
and competence as minis, er at that
court, the government of Austro-Hun-
gary invited this government to cogni-
Zance of certain exceptions, based upon
allegations against he personal accept
ability of Mr. Kelley, the appointed
envoy, asking that, in view thereof, the
appointment should be withdrawn.
The reasons advanced were such as
could not be acquiesced in without vio-
latiOn of my oath of Office and the pre-
ceptS of the constitution, since they
necessarily involved limitation in
favor of foreign government upon
the right of selection by the executive
and required such an application of a
religious test as qualification for Of
fee under the United States as would
have resulted in the practical dis
reimbursement of large class of our
cltlZenS and the abandonment of vital
prlnclple of our government. The
Austro- Hungarian government finally
decided not TO receive Mr.. Kelley as
the envoy of the United States, and
that gentleman has since resigned his
commission, leaving the post vacant.
AMERICAN PORK ABROAD.
| regret to say that restrictions have
been put upon the importation of our
pork into France, notwithstanding the
abundant demonstration of absence of
sanitary danger in its use; but | en-
terrain strong hopes that. with a better
understanding of the matter, this vex-
atlous prohibiting viii be removed. 1t
would be pleasing to be able to say as
much with respect to Germany, Aus
tria and other countries where such
food products are absolutely excluded
without present prospect of reasonable
change.
THE ISTHMUS CANAL.
The interest of the United States in
a practicable transit for ships across
the strip of land separating the Allan
4
ly manifested during the last half CEN
tury. My immediate predecessors caused
to be negotiated with Nicaragua
treaty for the construction. by and at
the sole cost Of the United States. of
canal through Nicaraguan territory,
and laid 1t before the senate. Pending
the action of that body thereon. |
withdrew the treaty for re-examina-
ton. Attentive consideration of its
provisions LEADS me to withhold it from
resubmission to the senate.
Maintaining, as | do, the policy of
the presidents from Washington's
day. which pTOscribes entangling al
liances with foreign states, | do not
favor a policy of acquisition Of new
and distant territory, or the incorpora-
ton of remote interests with our own.
The laws of progress are vital and or
ganic, and we must be conscious of that
irresistible tide of commercial eXpan-
sion which. as the concomltant of our
active civilization, day by day, is being
urged onward by those increasing ia
cilities of production, transportation
and communication to which steam
and electricity has given birth. But
oug duty in the present instructS us to
address ourselves mainly to the deyel
opment of the vast resources of the
great area committed to our charge.
and to the cultivation of the arts of
peace within our borders, though jeal-
ously alert in preventing the American
Hemisphere from being involved i'll
the political problems and compllca-
tons of distant governments. There
fore am unable to recommend pro-
positions involving paramount priyi-
leges of ownership or rights outside of
our own erritOry, when coupled with
absolute and unlimited engagements to
defend the territorial integrity of the
State where such interests lie.
SHIP RAILWAY.
While the general project of connect
ing the two oceans by means of canal
is to be encouraged am of the opinion
that any scheme to that end, to be con
sidered with favor. shall be free from
the features alluded to. The Tehuante-
pee route is declared by engineers of
the highest repute, and by competent
scientists TO afford an entirely practi-
cal transit for vessels and eaTgoes by
means of ship railway from the AT
lantic to the Pacific. The obvious adj
vantages of such a route. If feasible.
over others more remote from the
axial lines of traffic between Europe
and the Pacific, and particularly be-
tween the valley of the Mississippi and
the western c.. of North and South
America. are deserving of considera-
tion. Whatever highway may be con-
structed across the barrier dividing the
two greatest maritime areas OF the
world. must be for the worlds benefit
Ia trust for mankind, to be removed
from the chance of domination by any
single mower nor become a pOi0t of IN