Middletown transcript. [volume], December 19, 1868, Image 1

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MIDDLETOWN, NEW CASTLE COUNTY, DELAWARE, SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 19, 1868.
YOL. I,
NO. 51.
\
(Original JJocfrg.
TO IILIK EYES.
Written/or the Middlctovn Tnmecript
BY GXHMSL.
TO LÜARA.
me thy rosy lips, my child,
Let look me in thine eye I
ts this blue orb as coy, ns mild,
Serene ns Hungary's sky.
And with thee face to face so near
Thine eye, though dark, seems blue and clear.
Reach
When Neptttnc sweeps the ocean's planes,
Awakes its billows' ire.
And Jove sends down his lightning-rains,
Tempestuous arrow-fire;
When fire with water is intermixed
And day-light dusky dark betwixt :
Bow great is nature thus displayed I
Rut thinking of that tear
Which first to me thy lore betrayed
When heart to heart
near;
Then I have fur more to admire,
Thine eye's clear water mixed with fire.
Reach me, therefore, thy lips, my child,
To kiss their rosy hue,
To Hud iu them, pure, mtdufiled,
ents ever
thee face to face So near,
Knjoym
And with
Thine eye, though dark, sedius blue and clear ;
Cincinnati, Dec. 1868.
popular Stairs.
WILD MADGE.
"Cousin, where did you pick up that
homely little elf that was scrubbing the
stoop when I came in ?"
" Hush, Paul, she will hear you.
came here one night almost frozen and in
a starving condition, so mama took her in,
aad lets her work for her board. We call
her wild Madge."
"A good name upon my word. Why
it's as good as a dose of salts to look at
her. " I nin seriously inclined to fall in
love with her beautiful phiz. What would
you advise mo to do, coz ?"
"I would advise you to stop making fun
ofthat child. So we will change the sub
ject, if you please."
Paul Reynor was a young man of por
liaps twenty-two or three years, who, hav
ing an abundant share of this world's goods,
was inclined to ignore those less favored
by fortune, and consequently his prond
and overbearing manner rendered him dis
agreeable to those whom he termed his in
feriors.
That he was handsome we will admit—
at least so thought Madge, as she watched
him come up the walk, his curly looks
Mowing in the wind. Very grand he
looked to her unsophisticated eyes, and
she stepped aside with a feeling of awe as
he passed, stopping to listen to his voice
as.it sounded through the open window of
the room above. But when she heard the
,fir»t sentence that passed his lips she stood
spell bouud, drinking in every word >
uttered : and very pale was that pale little
face as she turned again to Iter work, won
dering if she really was such an ugly little
elf as he called her.
When work was done Bhe quietly slipped
away to her little garret bed-room and ta
king a piece of glass that she had found,
from her pocket, eagerly scanned the fea
tures before her, aud truly they were not
very pretty.
Rhe was, perhaps, fourteen years of age,
and though at first glance we would term
her decidedly homely, after a moment's
study there was something peculiarly in
teresting in that little face. Certainly the
eyes were too large and wild looking, and
as the wild orbs rolled hither and thither
they had a strange weird expression. 'The
features were small and pinched, and the
complexion what might be called muddy,
while very black, straight hair, cropped
close around her head, comprised the pic
ture that Madge was gazing at so earnest
ly, and it did not please her apparently,
for with a long drawn sigh she laid the
glen aside, and sitting by the window,
muttered :
" No, I don't hate him for saying so,
for he don't know how it hurt me : anri
besides I am just as homely as he sç;d
and worse, too. But -' uat of Rt i'àni
only a we- servant!
rising, "f wish f might be
( 9 .«y, wjd have people fo.ye me—and
M H, fqql- she said, brqjigjqg her little
und down on the window-sul.
She
' ' O dear !" she
V* If I am
jhomely, I can be better than a mere
drudge !" and in her childish faoe there
C w a look of high womanly resolve, in
itive of a high and noble intellect.
During'his visit Paul seemed to take spe
cial pains to worry and provoke poor
'Madge : and many y joke did he thought
lessly crack at her egpeuse, never think
ing it worth his while to speak q civil, or
.pleasant word to life poor waif, till she
.'grew to shun him as she would à serpent ;
'and, tq cap the eliipax.. the day before he
yres to return hope, as he wqj riding to
ward the house, bn horseback, seeing
Madge in the yard and thinking it a good
tunc to show his authority, he ordered her
to open the gate.
»»Why dont you run, yon ugly whelp?"
Take that, for not obeying a gentleman's
orders with better grace !" so saying he
gave her a cut across the neck whiclt made
lier start and turn pale, but in a secornl
the hot blood mounted to her face, and her
large eyes flashed defiance us she watched
Hi tfififi ; of sight, his mocking laugh still
'ringing or cars when with n wail, she
sank into the grass, her little form
convulsed with ebbs.
' Nine years passed away , and the scene
opens •before «I -in one of t^c most stylish
yiqKccf of our metropolis.
Tbe drawing-rooms are filled with
wealth and beauty, iu houor of the return
of the hostess' adopted daughter after a
lengthy sojourn in foreign parts.
"Zounds! Will, who is that splendid
girl surrounded by the group of gen
tlemen yonder ? Decidedly the handsom
est woman I ever saw. She fairly takes
one's breath away and What an eye she
has ! Superb ! magnificent ? But tell
me who she is, I am dying to know."
" Upon my word, Paul, you are rather
fidgetty. I nad an idea you were impreg
nable to the charms of womankind in gen
eral."
" Stop your nonsense, Will, and answer
"Why, that is our hostess' daughter,
MiBS Raleigh ! and I don't wouder at your
admiration, for she is decidedly the hand
somest woman of my acquaintance."
" Can it be possiblo ? Why, I under
stood she was a mere foundling whom Mrs.
llaleigh had taken out of ohurity."
"You are right; she was; but it was
found she possessed talents of a very high
order, so Mrs. Raleigh educated her, and
adopted her as her own. I would advise
you not to devour her with your eyes, for
you perceive she has other admircrB be
sides yourself."
The first opportunity that offered, Paul
Raynor, for he it was, sought and obtain
ed an introduction. When his name was
announced a slight smile played over her
features for a moment, but quickly passed,
and she greeted him with' her accustomed
grace.
If he was charmed at a distance, he was
completely enthralled when listening to her
witty and animated conversation. Nev
er had he seen a woman wh o had so com
pletely captivated him. A careless glance,
from her eye would send the blood surging
through his veins like wildfire, and he
would listen to her lightest word with rap
ture.
Weeks and months passed. Miss Ral
eigh was the acknowledged belle of socie
ty,— was ever surrounded by admirers,
ever ready to do her bidding,
brainless fops, but noble und gifted
aud women who appreciated her for her
beautiful and richly cultivated mind.
Rut among them all none worshipped
with more fervor than Paul,
perior to the women of li;s aequaiutauee ;
aud from her he caught a glimpse of a
higher and nobler life of which he hud not
dreamed before. To wiu her for his owu,
at the earliest possible moment, he
fully determined ; but though she had al
ways welcomed him us a friend, she had
never given him reason to think ho occu
pied a place in her heart.
One evening he determined to call and
offer himself.
"Of course she will accept
liloquized. "There is not a lady of my
acquaintance but would jump at the
chance. Yet somehow I feel rather tim
id ; I never can look straight in that eye
of hers without wiqciug, But, pshaw!
how foolish ! Of course she will be de
lighted."
Miss Raleigh was at home, and it
happened she was alone. After a few mo
ment's conversation he made known the
object of his call offering her his heart,'
hand and fortune.
While he spoke her eyes were east down
but when he finished she raised them to
his face aud replied.
"I am sorry this has happened for your
sake. I would not willingly wound your
feelings, sir, but I am obliged to decline
your offer."
You refuse me. May I ask your reasons ?
"Allow me to relate a little anecdote,
sir. Once there was a poor and friendless
child whom Providence cast among stran
gers, where she became the family servant.
Shortly after a young man, a relative of
the family, arrived, and during bis stay
delighted to worry the child on account of
her uncouth appearance. That shecould for
give ; but pne day he ordered her to open
the gate for him, and as she did not obey
with sufficient alacrity he raised his whip
and struck her."
She paused, and looking him in the
face, ' ul[u if he recognized the
"Yes, I remember that, but I don't
sec—"
"Wejl, I yjll sbojr yo»j. That friend
less child whom they cajled wild Madge
and Madeline Raleigh are one apd the
same persog. 'J'tyat, sir, is one reason for
my refusal. A m"<? who would willing
ly injure the feelings of a child for his sel
fish pleasure I could not trust my future
am al
ready engaged. I wijlj you good even
: ~g, sir."
Paul Raynor left the house in a dream.
He could not recognize in the beautiful
creature the ignorant child whom he had
spurned, and who had made him a wiser,
if not a better map Madeline soon after
married a pure and noble man; one whom she
loved and respected with her whole heart.
mo.
Not mere
She was su
me, he so
scene.
f
iness with. Besides which
At a recent meeting of the French
Academy of Sciences, there was exhibited
a mass of ice, eight incites thick, and
twenty feet Jong and broad, frozen artifi
cially, in a few moments, by a new pro
cess, and one capable of supplying blocks
three feet in thickness eqqajly yell. The
refrigerative salt was tlfo qitr^te of am
monia, and the method consisted ip freez
ing the water into the shape or hollow
cylinders, with walls about four-tenths of
an inch thick, and of varying diameter,
so that one could he slipjied inside the
other up to almost any desired extent.
When thus brought into opposition they
readily freeze together, especially with the
addition of some water, and produce a
solid mass. ■
jpoctrg.
HOME.
There is a spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot, than all the rest.
Where man, creation's tyrant, casts aside
His sword and sceptre, pageantry and pride,
While in his softened looks benignly blend
The sire, the son, the husband, brother, friend;
Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife
Strew with fresh flowers the narrow way of life I
Around her knees domestic duties meet,
And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet.
From the Neto York Ledger.
Rag-Tag and Boll-Tall Fashions.
When I say that the street-dress of the
majority of respectable women of New York
to-day is disgusting, I but feebly express
my emotions. I say the r espectaUe wo
men, and yet, save to those who know
them to be such, their appearance leaves a
wide mark for doubt. The olown at a
circus wears not a more stunning or parti
colored costume ; in fact, his has the ad
vantage of being sufficiently "taut,"—to
use a nutical phrase—not to interfere with
locomotion ; while their's—what With dis
gusting humps upon their backs, and big
rosettes upon their sides and shoulders,
and loops, and folds, and buttons, and tas
sels, and clasps, and bows upon their
skirts, and striped satin petticoats, all too
short to hide oftcu clumsy ankles,—aud
more colors and shades of colors heaped
upon one poor little fashion-ridden body
than ever were gathered in oue rainbow—
and all this worn without regard to tem
Tuture, time, or place—I say this pre
sents a spectacle which is too dishearten
ing even to be comical.
One cannot smile at the young girls
who are, one day,—Heaven help them !—
to be wives and mothers. Hues and
mothers ! I say to ntyself, as I see the throat
and neck with only the protection of a gold
locket between itself and the cold autum
nal winds. Wives and mothers ! I say,
as I see them ruining their feet and throw
ing their unkles out of shape, in the vain
endeavor to walk on heels like corks, fas
tened far into the middle of the sole of
their boots ; aud those boots so high upon
tho calf of the leg, and so tightly buttoued
across it, that circulation is stopped, aud
violent headaches follow. Wives and
mothers ! 1 say, as 1 sec the heating and
burdensome pauier tackled on the most
delicate portion of a woman's frame, to
make still surer confirmed iuvalidisms.
What fathers, husbands, brothers, lover
can be thinking about, to be willing that
the wotueti they respect and love should
appear in publio, looking like women
whom they despise, is a marvel to me.
Why they do not say this to them, and
shame them into a decent appearance—if
their glasses cannot effect it—I do not
know. Oh, the relief it is to meet a lady,
instead of a ballet-girl ! Oh, the relief it
is to see a healthy, firm stopping, rosy,
broad chested, bright-eyed woman, elad
simply with a dress all of one color, and
free from bunches and tags ! I turn to
look at such an one with true respect, that
site has the good sense and courage and
good taste to
beuofitiug to those poor wretched women
whose business it is to advertise their per
sons a free field without competition. If
I seem to speak harshly, it is because I
feel earnestly on the subject. I had hoped
that the women of 1868 would have been
worthy of the day iu which they live. I
had hoped that aU their time would not
have been spent in keeping up with the
chameleon changes of fashions too ugly,
too absurd for toleration. It is because I
wunt them to be something, to do some
thing higher and nobler than a peacock
might aim at, that I turn heart-siok away
from these infinitessimal fripperies thut
narrow the soul und purse, and leave noth
ing in their wake but einptyness.
it necessary, in avoiding all
woman should look "strong-minded," as
tho bugbear-phrase goes. It is not ne
cessary she should dress like her grand
mother, in order to look like a decent wo
man. It is not necessary she should for
swear orpaq;eptetiöp , because it were bet
ter and more paspeofoble to liuvo it con
fined to festal and home occasions and less
to the
en to t
an omnibus driver in January, or catch
ing consumption with her throat protected
only by a gold locket !
Ob, how I wish that a bevy of young,
handsome girls, of good social position,
would inaugurate a plain lady-like cos
tume for street and church wear, I say
young and handsome, because if an old
woman does this, the little chits toss their
heads and say, "Oh she has had her day,
and don't care noy—apd we want Ours."
Now fbat's perfectly natural, and right,
too, tbftt you should have your youth ;
that yoq should, as girls say, "make the
most of yourselves ;" but in doing so don't
you think it would be well not to lessen or
cheapen yourselves ? and I submit, with
all deference to your dressmakers and
mammas, that every one of you who ap
pear in publie in the manner I have des
cribed, are doing this very tfiipg —are de
filing womanhood, apd fire bringing it in
to derision and contempt, whether you
iieve it or not. Fanny Feus.
ear un the street iij a dress
Nor is
this, that a
publie promenade. She is notdriv
ho alternative of muffing herself like
of
a
!..
;
To Cnn* JToarsenkjs. —Tako the white
of two eggs and beat them ; two spoon
fuls of white sugar; grate in a liftle nut
meg, then add a pint of lukewarm water.
Repeat the prescription, if necessary, and
it will cure the most obstinate case of
hoarseness in & s|>ort tim«.
Tbe Firm Sabbath School.
The York True Democrat stateB that it
may not be generally known that Lancas
ter county is entitled to the credit of hav
ing established the first Sabbath School
ever known to the civilised world ;
"Ludwig Hacker, one of the leaders of
the Seventh day Baptists, at Ephrata, in
this county, was the father of this now sa
cred and wide-spread Institution. The
school was started by this learned' Divine
in 1740, in the old monasteries belonging
to the society of which he was a member,
and continued to be held, uninteruptedly,
until the year 1777, when the progress of
the Revolution occasioned its suspension
for about five years, when it was again
resumed. The battle of Brandywine had
been fought, and at the request of General
Wahington, the monasteries were conver
ted into a hospital for tho reoeptlon of the
alok and the wounded of our army.
During the time the soldiers were there
the school was not held; the state of things
being such as to render it Impracticable.
We are proud, however, to recognize it
aliistorlo faot and thus oonfote a prevail
ing error, that this school, established by
Ludwig Hacker, was the first known in
this country or Europe, Afterwards, in
the year 1782, Robert Ralkes established
a Sunday seliool at Gloucester, England,
and since that time they have spread fhr
and wide, bringing the young and inno
cent to the feet of the Saviour and exert
ing their auxiliary influence iu evangeliz
ing the world. The remains of Ludwig
Hacker have long since slept under a weep
ing willow tree, in the quiet grave-yard
near the ruins of the old monasteries where
lie spent his life in the worship of God,
and in doing good among the young and
old of his fellew men. A plain marble
slab, bearing his name and his age, marks
the piaoe of his sepulture. He needs
prouder monument. As long as the
sweet voiccB of the dear little treasures
that have been confided to our keeping,
continue to awaken the stillness of
churches and altars at each returning Sab
bath day, the name of this good man will
be remembered and revered. He was the
first on this green earth to take little chil
dren by the hand, and.learn them to lisp
the name of their Saviour, and hy his
plain, simple, but parental instruction, di
rect them on their way to heaven.— Lan.
Intel.
our
A Story from Paris. —A Paris letter
tells the following story of a Twelve Night
Fete in that city: " A wealthy family in
the aristocratic boulevard MaleBherbes,
were amusing themselves seeking the
king's portion, or the ring in the festival
cake, when a lady of the company says to
the hostess: " I wish my portion to be
given to the poorest little boy you can
find in the street." The servant was dis
patched on this freezing night, and not far
from the house he found a ragged urchin,
trembling with eold and hunger. He
brought him up, and ordered him into the
gay saloon, where a thousand lights glit
tered, and a sparkling fire gladdened the
eyes of the poor little fellow. Dumb
founded and surprised, he drew the portion
which the benevolent lady had promised,
and as luck would have it, the little fellow
found the " ring," (heaps they use in
Paris instead,) and of oourse he was
"king." They all shouted out that being
a king he must choose a queen. He was
asked so to do, and looking around the
company he chose the very lady who had
proposed to cede her portion of the cake.
He was asked why he chose her. He said,
"I don't know ! she looks the most like
mother!" "Mother! whose mother?"
" My mother !" "I never knew her, hut
was stolen away from her, and here is her
portrait ?" With this he drew from out
his ragged coat a likeness which proved to
be that of the very lady herself, who, in It
aly, had her children stolen from her, and
now he turns up a poor little ragged Sa
voyard, dragging along a miserable exist
ence in Paris, while the mother, by an in
tuition, perhaps, felt that in the air near
to where she was, was oue so dear to her.
TfiK E C 4W*TU*-— Offris remarkable Aus
tralian tree, attaining a height of nearly
five frundred feet, exceeds in this respect,
the far-famed ''big trees" of California.
Attention has lately been directed to the
great economic value of the tree, its ex
treme rapidity
of its filtfc, adaptation to Arid and waterless
regions of the warmer portions of the
globe ; and the Italian Government is at
present engaged in introducing it into that
kingdom, hoping thereby to restore a for
est vegetation to the denuded aUmmits and
ridges of the mountain chains. It has al
ready been tried in Algiers, where a tree
fifteen years old shows the volume and all
the qualities of an oak of one hundred, and
a seed planted three years ago has now
furnished a tree four feet in oircumfercnoo
at the base. The leaves exhale a delight
ful fragrance, and are said to exercise a
The
of growth, the compactness
decidedly anti-miasmatic effect,
bark of the tree is hard and very rich in
tannin.
The fountain of true politeness is a good
and generous heart. It consists less ip
exterior manners, than the spirit developed
in conduct in the intercom se of sooiety.
-r
Let every ministe», while he is preach
ing, remember tbaf God is ope pf hfo
hearers.
The divoroes in Vermont far five years
have numbered one to every five njarria
— . I
gcs.
Ät and
lumor.
it
of
in
of
in
in
No Such Men Now. —"Danel Web
ster," remarkod old Colonel Gnmper, as
he trimmed a quid of nlggerhead and fas
tened it securely between two decayed
teeth In the left side of his mouth, "Dan
el Webster was a great man. There
warn't nothin mean about him, I've bern
him talk, but twa'nt his talk so much as
his ginerosity that tuck me. He bad a
kinder careless way like, that kept him
from getting riob. He never seemed to
think what things cost. I was a coming
up the Hudson river along with him opoe,
in the morning Danel Webster and me
was washing our feces and slicking our
hair in the cabin, and ho took out his
tooth brush and brushed his teeth. I
didn't see no other tooth brush around, so
I borrowed his'n, And after I used It I
handed It back to him, and what do you
think? Why Danel Webster just slung
that tooth brush right into the river. And
I s'poso next day he went and hought a
new one. That's all ho eared about mon
ey. Thore ain't no suoh men ns Danel
Webster living now," concluded the Colo
nel meditatively, as he spirted a stream of
tobacco juice iuto the fire-place at the eth
er end of the room.
Ole Bull was once seeing the sights at
Donnybrook Fair, when he was attraoted
by the sound of a very loud violin in a
tent. He entered and said to the player ;
"My good friend, do you play by note?"
"The divil a note, sir."
"Do you play by ear, then?"
"Never an car, your honor!"
"How do you play, then?"
"By main strength, be jabors !"
A Blunder. —In an old English print,
the following ridiculous blunder was caused
in tho whole edition, by the ointuission of
the letter c at the beginning of a word in
the third lino, which was printed as fol
lows ;
"When the Inst trumpet soumleth,
We sluiU not all die ;
But we shall he hanged
in the twinkling of up eye."
Accjdknt vs. Misfortune.— Pomp—
"Cuff, can you tell me the difference be-,
tween an accident und misfortune ?" Cuff—
" Give it up, Pomp, Can you?" Pomp—
"If you should fall into the river, that
would be an accident ; if somebody should
puli you out, that would be a misfortune."
in
to
be
in
to
''Hiram, my hoy," said a tender father
to his son "you must be more careful of
yourself, yoq have not the constitution of
"Don't you believe it; I've got
the constitution of a horse. Dang it, if I
don't believe I've got the constitution of
the United States."
When Sir William Hamilton annauqeed
in the Royal Irish Academy his discovery of
the central sun—the star in which our orb
of day and planetary attendants revolved,
a waggish member exclaimed : "What our
sun's sun ? Why, that must be a grand
sun !"
"Mike," said a bricklayer to his hod
man, <'if you meet Patrick tell him to
make haste as we are waiting for him,"
"Sure and J will," replied Mike; "but
what will I tejl him if I don't mate him ?"
A country magistrate being called upon
to marry a cnqpfo, and not being familiar
with the usual cereutopy, said ; " I pro
nounce you man and Wife, and may God
bave mercy on your souis. Amen."
" My dear doctor," said a lady, "I suf
fer a great deal with my eyes,"
"Be patient, madame," he replied,
"you would probably suffer a great deal
more without them."
The fact that a cat has three tails is thus
logically proven :
"No cat has two tails; a cat has one
more tail than no cat ; therefore a cat has
throe tails."
at
al
all
a
Singular and Plural. —If a pair of
stockings are a hose, is a single stocking
a hoe ? If a pair of glasses are spectacles,
is one a spectacle ? And if so, is it not a
bad show for a sight ?
"Women were born, so fate declares,
To smooth our linen and our cares ;
And 'tis but just, for by my troth,
They're very apt to ruffle both."
A conscript being told that it was sweet
to die for his oountry, excused himself on
tbe ground, that he never did like sweet
things.
Why is wheat like a baby ? Because it
is first oradled, then threshed, and thou
becomes the flour of the family.
in
A Connecticut " merchant placed the
follow in
to be a
about T time."
ip
g notice over hjs door when about
sbsent one afternoon: "B back
What is the difference between a oat
and g document. Ono has olaws at the
end of its paws, and the other has pauses
at tfie epd of its clauses.
hfo
Some descendant of Solomon has wisely
remarked that those who go to law for
I damages are sqre to get them.
Abstract of tbs President*« Message.
The last of tho messages of President
Johnson, is like all the other communica
tions to Congress from tho same source—a
vigorous, luminous, and comprehensive
er. At the very threshold the
President calls the attention of Congress to
the disorganized condition of the country
under the various laws which have heen
passed upon the subject of reconstruction,
which, he declares, after a fair trial, have
failed, and there seems to be no good rea
son why they should remain longer on the
statute book. The views of the President
upon this subject are in tho main those
which he has stated on former occasions,
and arc expressed in a tone of great em
phasis and earnestness. The consistency
and steadfastness with which President
Johnson, from the beginning to the end of
his administration, has adhered to his
views upon the constitutional question in
volved in reconstruction, challenge admi
ration from all whose judgement is not
clouded hy party
and will be remem
tinguishing and honorable characteristics
of tho man and his administration. Al
though he oan have no hope of influencing
Congress to a change, yet thq utter failure
so fhr to realize the happy results which
were to flow from its legislation naturally
confirms the President in his original con
victions on the subject,
In regard to the tenure-of-office hill, the
President urges that its repeal is demanded
by the best interests of the country. He
also regards the army appropriation act of
March 2, 1867, as containing provisions
which interfere with his constitutional
functions as commander in chief.
The condition of the finances is next
considered, and it is stated that' compared
with the growth of our population, thq
publio expenditures have reached an
mount unprecedented iu our history.
The facts which go ta show this arc of
great interest, and worthy the special at
tention of the reader. These considera
tions are employed to illustrate the neces
sity of retrenchment ip ajl branches; of the
publio service. The receipts of internal
revenue and customs are said, during the
past three years, to have gradually di
minished, and the continuance of extrava
gant ezpeuditures will involve ps ip na
tional bankruptcy, or else make au in
crease of taxation inevitable. jioforcnco
is made to the report of the Secretary of
thé Treasury, which 8 h°W» th»i tbe re
ceipts for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1868, wore $405,638,083, and that the
expenditures for tho same period were
$377,840,284, leaving ip (fie treasury a
surplus of $28,297,798, jt ip estima
ted that the reoeipts during the present
fiscal year ending Jupe, 30, I86'd, will be
341,392,868, apd the expenditures
336,182,470, showing a small balance of
5,240,398 in favor of the gqyerpm.eut.
or the fiscal year ending June 30, 1870,
it is estimated that the receipts will amount
to $327,000,000, and tho expenditures to
$303,000,000, leaving an estimated sur
plus of $24,000,000.
In this connection the President refers
to our public indebtedness, which ha? ac
cumulated with such alarming rapidity,
and which, from a debt of sixty-four mil
lions just prior to the out-break of the late
war, had risen at its couelusiop tq $2,
873,992,009.
The Secretary of the Treasury shows
that on the first day of November, 1867,
this amount had been reduced to $2,491,
504,450 ; but at the same time his report
exhibits an iucrease during the past year
of $35,655,102; for the debt on the 1st
day of November last is stated to have
been $2,527,129,552. It is estimated by
the Secretary that the returns for the past
month will add to our liabilities the fur
ther sum of eleven millions—making a to
tal increase during thirteen months of for
ty-six and a half millions.
The President renews his recommenda
tion in his message of December 4, 1865,
to devise a polioy to begin to effect a re
duction of the publio debt, and make pro
vision for tho payment of our obligations
as early as may be practicable. He
states that various plans have been pre
payment of the publiu debt,
und that, however, they may have varied
as to the time and mode in which itvhould
be reduoed, there is a general concurrence
as to the propriety of a reduction in the
present rate of interest. The exorbitancy
of the existing rate has led to an inquiry
respecting the consideration which the gov
ernment actually received for its bonds,
and the coucluBion is becoming prevalent
that the amount it obtained in real money
was three or four hundred per cent, less
than the obligations which it issued in re
turn
itate
prejudice and passion,
bered hereafter as dis
posed for the
Whilst the national credit should be sa
credly observed, the President says we
should not forget what is due to the mass
es of the
sumed that the holders of our securities
have already r^ocived upon their bonds a
larger amount than their original invest
ment, measured by a gold standard. Up
on this statement of facts, he says, it would
seem but just and equitable that the six
per cent, interest now paid by the govern
ment should be applied to the reduction of
the principal in semi-annual instalments
which, in sixteen years and eight months,
would liquidate the entire national debt.
Six per cent, in gold would at the present
rate be equal to nine per cent, in curren
cy, and equivalent to the payment of the
debt one and a half time in a fraction less
than seventeen yoars,
dent thinks, would afford the public cred
itors a fair and liberal compensation for the
use of their capital.
In reference to the condition of the cir
le. He-thinks it may be as
ThU, the Presi
culating medium, the President merely re
iterates, substantially, that portion pf his,
lust annual message wjlich relates to that
subject. The anomalous condition of out.
currency is held to, be in striking contrast
with that which was originally designed,
Equal and exact justico requires that ulf
the creditors of the government should be
paid in a currency possessing a uniform,
value, which can only be accomplished by
the restoration of the ourrency to the stan
dard established by tl;e constitution. Facta,
derived from our commercial statistics are
next deduced to show the feasibility of 1
making our currency correspond with the,
constitutional standard. It is urged that
the time has come when the government
and the national banks should be required to.
take the most efficient steps and make all
necessary arrangements for a resumption
of specie paymeuts. The President adds ;
" Specie payments haying been resumed
by the government and bank., ull notes or.
bills of paper issued by either of a less
denomination than twenty dollars should
be excluded from circulation, so that the
people may have the benefit aud conveni
ence of a gold and silver currency wliich^
in all their business transactions, will be
uniform in value ut home or abroad."
The president next makes reference tq
the report of the Secretary of the Interior,
including the operations of the land office,
pension office, patent office and the Indian
bureau. In regard to the Indian tribes,
the President says that the treaties witl^
various of them have been concluded, and
that he cordially sanctions the stipulations,
which provide for necessary lands for them,
whore they may he encouraged to settled
habits and industrial pursuits.
The President next makes reference tq
the reports of the Secretaries of War, Navy.
and the Postmaster General.
Our foreign relations are said to ba
friendly, exoept that in regard to Para-,
guay, the controversy between the Presi
dent of that country and Mr. Wash burg
has led to instructions to our newly ap
pointed minister to Paraguay, Mr. McMa
hon, to proceed In Asonqsian and investi
gate (he whole matter, and the rear admiral
of our squadron oq that station Iras beep di
rected to attend the peyv minister with pro-,
per naval force to sustain such just de-,
mauds as the occasion may require.
Our relations with Mexico during the
past year are said to have been marked by
au increasing growth of mutual confidence.
Negotiations are said to be pending with a,
view to the survey aud construction pf a.
siiip canal across the
under the auspices qf
The President'has been reluctantly obliged
to ask explanation and satisfaction for na
tional injuries eoyuuitUxi by the President
of Hayti.
Reference is made to the acquisition of
Alaska, which it is said was made with thq
view of extending national jurisdiction and
republican principles in the American
hemisphere, and as a step in the same di
rection a treaty was jnade for the purchase
of St. Thomas, wh\ch remains under con
sideration ip the $ejn\te,
The President holds that comprehensive
national policy would sanction the acquit
sitiou and incorporation into our federal
Union of the adjacent continental and insu
lar communities as speedily as it can be
done peacefully and lawfully, an idea
which will take upon the popular mind.
Iu this connection tbe President says:
' ' Jt capnot be long before it will become
necessary for this government tq jepd some
effective aid to the solution of tire polit
cal aud social problem» which arc continu,
ally kept before the world hy the two res
publics of tbe island of St. Domingo, and
which are now disclosing themselves more
distinctly than heretofore ip the island of
Cuba. The subject is commended to your
consideration with all the more earnestness
because I am sutisfied that the time bps
arrived when even so direct a proceeding
as a proposition for the annexation of the
two republics of the island qf St. Uquùllgfl
would not oply receive the consent of thq
people interested, but would also give sat-;
isfaction to all other foreign nations."
With the increased facilities for intop 5
communication, the President thinks that
political system nan bn successfully ap
plied ta au area mete extended than our
coutiueut,
Reference is next made to treaties with
the Hawaiian kingdom, with Germauy and
Bavaria, regarding the rights of natural
ized citizens, and to the important ques
tions romaiuing open hetween the United
States and England for adjustment. Iq
reference to these last, the President ex-,
presses the hope that he shall be able tq
lay before the Senate during the present
session protocols calculated to bring these
controversies to an end.
Tbe President renews the recommenda
tion of his last message iq relation tq
amending the constitution for the election
of President and Vice-President for a sin
gle term, and by a direct vote of the pei -
pie, &c. and oloses with the expression of
a hope, that the counoels of Congress will
be so guided as to preserve the Union and
restore prosperity and happiness tq ffie
people. "
The weakest living creature by oopcen
trating his powers on a single object, pap
accomplish something ; the strongest, by
dispersing bis oyer many, may fail to no,
oomplish anything. The drop by oontin ;
ual falling, bore« its passage through thq
hardest rock.
A Maine editor says a pumpkin i
State grew so large that eight men could
stand around it ; which statement was on
ly equaled by that old Hoosier who saw a
flock of pigeons fly so low that he could
shake a stick at them.
istfipivis Parieq
the United States.
our
t
id that