Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

srcoud session of the Forty-ninth Congress
begins with the statement that our govern
ment has consistently maintained its rela-
tions Of friendship toward all other powers
and of neighborly interest toward those
whose possessions are contiguous TO our own
The cruel treatment of the inoffensive
Chinese. Mr.. Cleveland regrets to say, has
been repeated i'm some of the Western states
and territories. and acts of violence against
those people beyond the power of the local
constituted authorities to prevent and diff
ficult to punish, are reported even in distant
Alaska Much of this violence can be trac-
ed to race prejudice and competition OF la
Dor. which cannot, however, justify the
oppression of strangers whose safety is
guaranteed by our treaty with China equal
! " with the most favored nation. In open
ing our vast domain to alien elements the
purpose of our lawgivers was to invite as
sanitation and not to provide an arena for
endless antagonisms The paramount duty
of maintaining public order and defending
the interests of our own people may require
| the adoption Of measures of restriction, but
| they should not tolerate the oppression of
/ individuals of special race.
The sympathy between the people OF the
| Uuited States and France, born during our
struggle for independence and continuing
TODAY. has received fresh impulse in the
completion and dedication of the statue of
Liberty Enlghtening the World in New
York harbor the gift of Frenchmen to
Americans.
The points at issue in the much-vexed
question of the Canadian fisheries have not
made satisfactory progress toward ADJUST
ment. The President is sincerely DESTROYS
that the friendly relations with Canada
should he maintained which our "propin-
guilty. community of language and occupa-
ton and similarity of political and social in
stitutions" call for but the action Of the Of
fcals Of that country during the past sea
son towards our fishermen has been such as
to seriously threaten their continuance
Although disappointed in his efforts to Sc
cure a satisfactory settlement of the fishery
question. negotiations are still pending with
reasonable hope that before the close of
the present session of Congress announce
ment may be made that an acceptable CON
clusion has been reached.
One of the Presidents recommendations
i'm regard to our foreign relations is that
suitable help be extended to the weak re
public of Liberia to enable its people to re-
sist the encroachments of their stronger
neighbors 1T cannot be forgotten he
saws. that this distant community is an
offshoot of our own system, owing its origin
to the associated benevolence of American
citizens whose praiseworthy efforts to ere
ate a nucleus of civilization in the Dark
Continent have commanded respect and
sympathy everywhere especially in our
own country Although a formal protec-
torate over Liberia is contrary TO our tradi-
tional policy. the moral right and duty OF
the United States to assist in all proper
WAYS in the maintenance of its integrity Is
obvious and has been consistently announced
1. Ill M
that in the reorganization of our navy @
I small vessel. no longer found adequate Il
our needs. be presented to Liberia to be EN-
ployed in the protection of its coastwis'
revenues
The President remarks with satisfaction
upon the development Of beneficial and i'll
innate relations with Mexico which has TAX
en- place but regrets that owing to the
Cutting incident, they are also the subjec
of friendly ,solcitude. On this point hi
says
In compliance with resolution Of the Senate
Z | communicated to that body ON August ;, last
and also to the House Of Representatives the cor
rt.spundence in the case Of 4. X. Cutting. an Am
d, erican citizen then imprisoned IN Mexico charge
l with the commission Of penal offence in TeXa
4 of which a Mexican citizen was the object. Ate
n demand had been made for his release, the charg
-. against him was amended so as to include viola
! ton Of Mexican laws within Mexican territory
: This joinder of alleged offences one within an
the other exterior to Mexico. induced me 10 Otut
a special investigation of the case. pending whic
z Mr.. Cutting released. The incident has, nov
= ever. indicated pretenson whereby any otenc
a committed anywhere by foreigner. penal in tn
~ plac. of its commission and of which a MeXica
Is the object may If the offender be found in Mes
leo, be there tried and punished in conformity W.T.
"A. Mexican laws This jurisdiction was sustained b
. | the courts of Mexico in the Cutting case, and al
II proved by the executive branch of that govern
k inent upon the authority of a Mexican statute
The appellate court. in releasing Mr. Cutting, de
cided that the abandonment OF the complaint b
the Mexican citizen aggreved by me alleged ciln
l. "a liheous publications.. removed the basis OF III
ther prosecution, and also declared justice 70 haN
" been satisfied by the enforcement of a small pal
a of the original sentence. The admission OF such
Z, prpteusion would be attended with serious result
y invasive of the jurisdiction Of this govelnmeI
= and highly dangerous to our citizens in foreg
lie lands: therefore have denied it, and protestt
D. against its attempted exercise as unwarranted !
n. the principles of law and international usages "
/, After remarking at some length on ou
rs relations with Spain and the several Sout
,e American countries, and recommendln
h. some changes in the management of our d
4 plomatic relations with all foreign com
tries. the message continues =
The Finances.
a The report of the secretary of the treasury e
hibits in detail the condition of the public inanc
le and Of the several branches of the government
+ lated To his department
o. The ordinary receipts of the government Tor u
fiscal year ended June 30, 1886, We're $685., 439 ~
- a. OF this amount Slg2, H5 Oh Al was receive
+ from customs, and SIG hb s3b - from intern
revenue. The total receipts as here stated we
Sl314gO2O. IS greater than for the previous yea
es hut the increase from customs was Sll, Biu4.l
is and from internal revenue 81 4U 2lO94, making
-. gain in these items for the last year OF Sl3,6l
' ;g5. o. a falling off in other resources reducing d
e. total increase to the smaller amount mentiOne
The expense, at the different custom houses
II collecting this increased customs revenue was le
vi than the expense attending the collection of Su
st revenue for the preceding year by S4,bUH and q
n increased receipts of internal revenue were c.
If ected at a cost TO the internal revenue bureau
Slh5g44 30 less than the expense of such collec
for the previous year
h., The total ordinary expenses of the governme
" for the fiscal year ended June 30 1886, were S24
y 49, lSs 5O-being less by Sl1,isS,i9' than such
of penditures for the year preceding, and leaving
al surplus in the treasury at the close of S3a5B, 81
q" So as against 500 463 77l2i at the close of the p
ne vious year, being an increase in such surplus
j. $50. 492, Sl72g.
~ For the current year to the end of June 30, Is
-. the ascertaned receipts up to Oct, l, 1886, wi
d such receipts estimated for the remainder of t
m year amount to S3j6OOO,OOO The eXpenditul
-. ascertained and estimated for the same period O
an S266 OOO0 600 indicating an anticipated surplus
the close of the year of S90,OOO,OOO
,se The sum paid upon the public debt during I
No fiscal year ending June 30, 1886 was S4i SOL O3
NC The books of the treasury show the amount Of c
lst bonded interest-bearing Indebtedness outstandi
on the first day of November, 1886, to be sll'
+o- 443,ll2.
"a The surplus Revenue.
~ In my last annual message to Congress attt
l'e ton was directed to the fact that the revenues
las the government exceeded its actual needs ant
$50 taken To relieve te Peopfe ION 1r IN :,
re of the pressing importance Of the subject de-
It's it my duty To again urge its consideration l
income of the government by its increased volu
and through economies in its collection is n
hip more than ever in excess of public necessiti
m, The applcatiOn of the surplus to the payment
49, such portion of the public debt as is now at
IN option, subject to eXtinguishment, II continued
tn, the rate which has lately prevailed would ret
% the class of Indebtedness within less II
~ one year from this date Thus continuation
20" our present revenue system would result IN the
ceipt of annual income much greater I'll
an necessary 10 meet the government expenses "
VI no Indebtedness upon which it could be appli
OF We should then be confronted with a vast qua
BILE ty of money, the circulating medium of the p
IN pie, boarded in the treasury when IL should bt
:" their hands, or We should he drawn into waste
ma public extravaganza with all the coTupting
ional Decentralization which follows IN its tri
- But it is not the simple existence OF tins suTI
ON and its threatened attendant evils, which furu
ne, the strongest argument against our present 50
ed of federal taxation. It's worst phase Is the Eek
900, ton of such a surplus through ptrNefslOn
CT the relations between the people and their COVE
me ment, and dangerous departure from the n
mt which limit the right of federal taxation.
~ Good government, and especially the COVE
ment of which every American citizen boasts,
md for its objects the protection of every per
me within its care, in the greatest liberty consist
with the good order of society, and his perfect
curity in the enjoyment OF his earnings with
nth least possible dminution for public needs. w
rec more of the peoples substance is eXacted thru
III the form of taxation than is necessary to the
anu obligation of the government and the expense
nm its economical administration such eNaction
left comes ruthless eXtOrtion and violation OF
ler, The indrect manner in which tbese eSactions
made has tendency 10 conceal their true cha
.L ter and their extent But have arrived
'nn stage of superiiuous revenue which has arou