Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-12-17
THE MESSAGE.
President Cleveland's First
Communication to
Congress.
He Urges a Suspension
Of the Coinage Of
Silver.
Recommends a Reduction of the
Tariff on the NeCessa-
ries of Life.
Tavurs the rv1ruant1p0U ship
Railway Across the
Isthmus.
A Plea for the Education and
Civilization OF the
Indians.
Our Relations with Foreign
Powers in Satisfac-
tory Condition.
TOlygGmy Denounced and Civil
Service Reform COM
mended.
Tavurs the rcIruantoPcU ship
Railway Across the
Isthmus.
A Plea for the Education and
Civilization Of the
Indians.
Our Relations with Foreign
Powers in Satisfac-
tory Condition
F0lygGmy Denounced and Civil
Service Reform COM
mended.
A rn1prrr no Mh. nENhAtcKs.


10 ttc CODGre1S of che UNSted States: Your
nssemLly is clo6rdc0 by a sense OF public
lcr Hytla, at ctoSed by the recent and sudden
yl' a "A al IiicaaeS A. Hendricks Vice President
"a thc Uaiyed States. His distinguished public
SEN p.s, his complete integrity Ns,d devotion to
Svssy duty, end his personal virtues, will find
Lthor lie record in his euahtfy's history. Ample
ont repeated ptoofa ar tho esteem and conf
t'lce In VII ch e wus held by his fellow-coun-
r. III, were "a 'nifosted by his election to Of
ces II tbo most important trust and highest
titinsy, "nu, " length, full of years and honors
lac Sss W leid at rest amidst general sorrow
4-% ue,-odiC ton.
CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY.
nc Constitution, which requires those chosen
70 legisluto for tho people to annually meet in
the discharge ot their solemn trust, also re-
Guires the President to give to Congress infor~
nation OF the state of the Union and recon-
mend TO its consideration such measures as no
shall deem necessary and expedient. AT the
threshold OF n compliance with these constitu-
uona directions, il is we'll for as 10 bear in mind
that our usefulness to tho peoples interests will
Le 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 eXpedieAh the responsibility for
Legislative action faN5t 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 G2cernment under the Constitution will dis
close the partition Of power between our re-
spec Give departments and their necessary indie.
sne Io "a emit seu vaf, n spun. Of
comity and cooperation which is essential to
the proper fulfllment of the patriotic obliga-
tions which rest upon us as faithful servants Of
the people, The jealous watchfulness Of our
constituencies, great and small, supplements
their suhrage and, therefore, in the tribunal
they establish every public servant should be
judged
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
1t gratifying TO announce that the rotations
of the United States with all foreign powers
continue to be friendly. Our position, after
nearly century OF successful constitutional
af.,f foff1 Irf
our engagements, the avoidance Of complica-
tions with other nations, and consistent and
amieable attitude toward the strong and weak
alike, furnish proof OF political disposition
which renders professions of goodwill unneces-
sary. There are no questions of difficulty pend
ing with any foreign Government.
THE IsTHMUs CANAL.
The interest of the United States in prac-
ticable transit for ships across the strip Of land
separating tho Atlantic from the Pacific has
been repeatedly manifested during the last half
century My Immediate predecessors caused to
be negotiated with Nicaragua a treaty for the
construction, by and at the sole cost of the
United States, Of n canal through Nicaraguan
territory, and laid before the Senate. Pending
the action Of that body thereon, I withdrew the
treaty for re-examination. Attentive considera-
tion of it's provisions leads me to withhold it
<-s.-, -es,:h,aiasinn To the Senate.
Maintaining as do the policy Of the Presi-
dents rom Washington's day, which prescribe
enlarging entangling alliances with foreign
states, do not favor a policy Of acquisition Of
new and distant territory, or the incorporation
progress are vital and organic, and we must be
conscious Of that irresistible tide of commercial
expansion which, as the concomitant of our
active civilization day by day, is being urged ons
ward by those increasing facilities of production,
transportation, and communication to which
steam and electricity have given birth.
address ourselves mainly to the development
of the vast resources of the great area COM
mitted to our charge, and to the cultivation Of
the arts of peace within our borders, though
1ealOuglV alert in nroVpntfn0 the AmQriCan
Hemisphere from being involved in the politi-
cal problems and complications Of distant gov
mend propositions involving paramount privi-
leges Of ownership or rights outside of our own
territory, when coupled with absolute and un-
limited engagements to defend territorial in
tegrity OF the state where such interests lie.
SHIP RAILWAY.
While the general project of connecting the
aged, am of opinion that any sche1ne TO that
end, TO be considered with favor shall be free
from the features alluded TO- The Tehuantepec
route is declared by engineers of the highest re-
pute and by competent scientists to afford an
entirely practical transit for vessels and car
goes by means Of a ship railway from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. The obvious advantages
Of such n route, IL 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 coast Of North and South
America, are deserving of consideration.
Whatever highway may be constructed across
areas OF the world, must be for the worlds ben
eft-a trust for mankind to be removed from
the chance Of domination by any single power,
nor become point OF invitation Of hostilities or
prize for warlike ambition. An engagement
combining the construction ownership and oper-
alton OF such work by this Government, with an
offensive and defensive alliance for it's protection
with the foreign states whose responsibilities
and rights we would share, is, in my Judgment,
inconsistent with such dedication 10 universal
and neutral use, and would, moreover, entail
measures for its realization beyond this
scope OF our national policy or present means.
The lapse OF years has abundantly confirmed
the wisdom and foresight OF those earlier ad-
ministrations, which, long before the conditions
Of maritime intercourse were changed and en-
larged by the progress Of the age, proclaimed
tho vital need Of interoceanic traffic across the
commercial isthmus and consecrated IL in ad-
vance to the common use Of mankind by their
positive declaration and through the formal
obligation Of trade. Toward such realization
the efforts Of my administration will be applied,
ever bearing In mind the principles on which 1t
must rest, and which were declared In no un-
certain tones by Mr.. Cass, who, while Secretary
of State in 1853 announced that what the
United States want I'm Central America, next TO
the happiness Of the people, is the security and
neutrality Of the inter-oceanio routes which
may be laid through IL"
TRANscoNTINENrAI RAILWAYS
The construction of three transcontinental lines
Of railway, all In successful operation, wholly
within our territory, and uniting the Atlantic
and the Pacific Oceans, has been accompanied
by results Of q most interesting and impressive
nature, and has created new conditions, not In
the routes OF commerce only, but In political
geography, which powerfully affect our relations
toward, and necessarily increase our interests
In, any Taneishthmian route which may be
opened and employed for the ends Of peace and
traffic, or In other contingencies, for uses inim-
transportation is factor in the cost Of CON-
sodities scarcely second 10 that Of their produc-
Jon, and weighs - hssviiy upon the consumer.