Richmond weekly palladium. [volume], December 09, 1875, Image 2

About Richmond weekly palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1875-1905

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THUBSDAY, DECEMBEB 9, 1875.
CLUBBISO RATES.
The Pxinm will be furnished la
connection with other paper at very
low rates. We have arrangements for
' the following, and will add others to the
list hereafter. The price are for both
papers one year, postage prepaid:4
Indinpoli Weekly Journal pd a "J
tkml nd U.wn.hip ip of Indian .
Cincinnati Weekly Cotnmercial -
4-hicao Weekly Inter-Ocean.........
CutcinnaU Weekly Oasette
DAILY PALLADIUM. ' T .
We have now perfected our aiTrange
ments for publishing a dally edition of
the Pajjladicm, commencing with the
new year. Having obtained exclusive
control ot the day dispatches, we will
be able to give the telegraphic news
from every quarter greatly In advance
of all competitors. We will spare no
offni-t meet the exoectations of the
citizens of Richmond who desire a flrst-
class daily. '.
Another $10,000 job has been "put
up" by the Democratic officials in New
York city the capture of Tweed.
Mb. Kerb is the third Indlanian call
ed to the Speakerehlp. The first was
John W. Davis, of Sullivan county, and
the second Schuyler Colfax. . T
Thk Daily Independent appeared on
Saturday morning last in a new dress,
and enlarged to a six column paper.
It has greatly improved its appearance
and shown good taste in adopting the
Palladium bead letter. '
A terrible explosion occurred on
Monday last, in the Swarthe Main Col
liery, Yorkshire, England,: by which
140 miners lost their lives. The explo
sion was caused by careless blasting
operations. . ..'.'.
Ex-Senator Carpenter, of Wiscon
sin, has given notice to the Chicago
Tribune that he intends to sue that pa
per for libel in charging him with com
plicity In the whisky frauds at Mil
waukee. Judge Blodgett, of the United
States Circuit Court at Chicago, a few
days ago fined a juror $100, and com
mitted him to jail for sixty, days, for
conversing with a witness ' about the
case on trial, contrary to ' the Instruc
tions of the court." "
Avebt, who has been on trial at St.
Louis as one of the principal agents of
the whisky ring at that city, has been
found guilty on one count of the indict
ment, the others having been declared
bad by the court. His sentence is re
served for the present.
We direct attention to the advertise
ment of the Cincinnati Gazette, which
appears 'in this paper. The Gazette 1b
too well known as a sterling family pa
per to need any further recommenda
tion from us. The agricultural matter
published regularly in the Gazette is
alone worth more than the subscrip
tion price.
The first move of the Democracy in
Congress was an unfortunate one, and
proved a failure. There are two claim
ants from the Fifth Louisiana District,
one with a certificate from Gov. Kel
logg, the other with a certificate signed
by McEnery. Fernando Wood moved
the reference of these certificates to
the Committee on Credentials, the
effect of which would have been to re
open the whole Louisiana difficulty,
adjusted by the Congressional com-jHittPe-agg
the Democratic members of
the Louisiana Legislature, Mr. Blaine
promptly ; met the question and ex
posed its purpose, when the motion
was voted down, and the re-opening of
that troublesome question prevented
for the present. '"!',J"1
The President has complied with the
request of Gen. Babcock and apppotnt
ed a court of inquiry into the charges
made against him,- in connection
with the St. Loais whisky frauds. This
court consists of Gen. P. H. Sheridan,
Gen. W. S. Hancoek, and Gen. H- Terry
and are to meet for the purpose of their
appointment at Chicago, on the 9th
Inst. Major Gardner, of the West
Point Military Academy, is detailed to
act as judge advocate. In the mean
time the President has suspended Bab
eock In bis duties as Private Secretary
This is purely a military , inquiry,' and
affects only the standing of the accused
la the army, and in no manner Inter
feres with the proceedings about to be
had in the civil courts, i '
English papers just received are
filled with accounts of the devastations
of the late floods throughout Europe,
go great a rainfall has not been known
for many years, in certain sections, es
pecially in the south of France, where,
as one paper says, "The streams
swelled rapidly, and the rush of the
water, overflowing the eountry in
strong currents, swept away houses,
agricultural produce, even the soil it
self, and human beings." In England,
the low, flat eountry in the south and
west has been for many weeks scarcely
free from a deluge; the rivers spread
out for miles over their banks, invading
fields, orchards, railways and villages.
In some places on the continent, the
loss of property has been very great.
and the loss of life was counted by
hundreds. ' 1
"Boss" Tweed, the ehampion Demo
cratic stealer of New York, has stolen
away from his keepers and is now at
large. This feat is supposed to have
been rXerformed on Saturday last, while
the Boss was out on a visit to his home
is eharge of one of the wardens of Lud-low-street
jail. Tweed it seems was so
great a rascal, and had stolen such
large sums of money that the keepers
of his prison give him unusual atten
tion and privileges. 1 The officer
charged with his custody explains that
he had been dining with Tweed at the
Boulevard, and afterward went with
him to the house of his son-la-law, on
Madison street, where Mrs. Tweed
makes her home. While there Tweed
asked permission to go alone up stairs
to -see his wife, of course this small
favor could not be denied so good a
- man, and he was permitted to go. In
a little while the officer sent one of
Tweeds sons to look after his father,
the son In time returned to say the
father was gone. The faithful officer
then rushed to the street, bat could
find no prisoner there, nor any one re
sembling Tweed. This . Is the whole
story as related by the official. If
Tweed had been only a common thief,
Instead of a great Democratic reformer,
he would no doubt have been strictly
guarded, and not allowed the privilege
of dining at leading restaurants or
-visiting among his friends.. But the
man who has held the Democratic party
of New York city, and very much of Its
wealth, in his pocket, could not be
treated as a common felon. A reward
of $10,000 Is offered for his arrest, but
as yyt no clue to his place of conceal
ment has been discovered. Dark hints
are rife of bribery And corruption in
.connection with his escape, but of
course such charges are unjust (toward
the faithful officials who have had Mm!
in keeping. i
Mb. BitAtMK and the other old officers
of the House were complimented with
the Republican vote for re-election,
but of course the Confederate vote was
too strong for them.
The North Indiana Conference, of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, will
meet In annual session, at Grace M. 'E.
Church, in this city, on the 22d of
March next. There will be in attend
ance,- probably -three- hundred - minis
ters and lay delegates, besides official
and other. visitors. Great interest Will
be added to the meeting of the confer
ence at that time, by the fact t that it
will be presided over by Bishop Harris,
who is well known fop his scholarly
attainments, and who has but' recently
returned from a missionary tour
through Japan, the East Indies, Pales
tine, and the continent of Europe.
Is the election of Mr. . Kerr to the
Speakership, the western Democratic
Inflationists have received another hu
miliation at the hands of the Demo
cratic party. Mr. Kerr was and is a
hard money Democrat, and as such,
was opposed by the inflationists of the
West almost unanimously. Indeed the
contest between him and Randall
turned almost exclusively upon this
issue, Xandall being the Inflation can
didate. ' The result of this election In
dicates pretty clearly the course the
Democracy, as a party, Intend to pur
sue, and the stand they Intend to take
upon this question. Western Demo
crats will ' therefore be compelled to
take back their loud demands for more
money, and submit to party discipline,
or withdraw from a party in ' which
they have no longer any voice or In
fluence. .Which will they do surren
der principles or party? :
'' ' GynebaIi Harrison, of Indianapolis,
has published a letter In which he pos
itively declines to allow his name to be
used In connection with the nomina
tion for Governor. Private considera
tions solely Induce him to take this
course, but he will not withhold his aid
and Influence in behalf of the Republi
can cause. He says: . ,"In the very im
portant campaign which our State Con
vention will inaugurate, I hope to have
some part; but you must allow me to
follow, and not to lead." " To many Re
publicans of Indiana this declination
will be a disappointment, for In many
localities Gen. Harrison was unques
tionably the first choice of the party
for Governor. The Journal in noticing
this letter, says; "His decision is final,
and It will be useless on the part of his
friends to urge a reconsideration." Un
der ' these circumstances Republicans
must look elsewhere for a candidate,
and It is fortunate they have got many
good men to select from. -
THE ORGANIZATION OF ' THE
:, HOUSE.
The. organization of the House of
Representatives, by the Democratic
members, was readily effected, and
very nearly In the manner heretofore
predicted. ' f The Confederate Demo
crate having a majority of the party
caucus, were enabled to control the
nominations, and did so to their entire
satisfaction. The Speakership had, as
a matter of policy, been conceded to
the North, but the majority of the re
malning offices were claimed and re
ceived by the South. The caucus in
which the selections were made, was
presided over by Mr. J. Q. C. Lamar,
of Mississippi, a southern fire-eater, of
the most pronounced stripe, who will
be the leader of the Democracy on the
floor of the House. His speech before the
caucus was mainly noticeable as fore
shadowing the course of the party on
the finance question, and this brings
small comfort to the inflation branch
of the Democracy. Mr. Lamar, speak
ing for the party, says, "our people are
suffering from the evils of an irredeem
able currency." and admonishes the
Democracy that It is their duty to so
act, "that nothing js done which would
impair the good faith of the pountry or
tarnish the public honor, or lower or
disturb the credit of our government,'
and; he continues, "to see that the na
tional credit and currency of this Dem
ocratic Republic are made equal with
that of any nation on the earth."
These declarations followed by the
nomination and election pf Mr. Kerr, a
hard money man, as Speaker, fixes the
position of the Democratic party, on
the currency question. .; , . .
.The newly elected Speaker Is a rep
resentative from Indiana, a strict par
tisan, and though possessing but few
of the peculiar qualifi cations required
In a presiding officer, is a man of very
considerable ability and thorough per
sonal integrity, Be will neither steal
nor permit stealing If he pan prevent
it, and if the House were freed from
the controllng influence of the Confed
erate Democracy, we might have much
to hope for from the management of
Mr. Speaker Kerr. But as it Is, while
Mr. Kerr fills the chair, Mr. Lamar will
be the guiding spirit of the House, and
southern supremacy its leading object
and aim. With the exception of Mr.
Thompson, of Ohio, as Sergeant-at-Arms,
the rest of the important offices
are filled from the South, Mr. Adams,
of Kentucky, Is made Clerk, Mr. Stu
art, of Virginia, is Postmaster, and Mr.
Fitzbugh, of Texas, Doorkeeper. The
latter was Sergeant-at-Arms of the
late Confederate Congress. Thus or
ganized the Democratic House Is pre
pared for work, but what it may ac
complish remains to be seen.
The small number of offices In the
gift of the House compared with the
multitude of applicants was a great
source of regret to the Democratic
members, it was referred to in feeling
terms by Mr. Lamar Jn his opening
speech In the caucus, and was the sub
ject of earnest conversation among
the members. Each of the 178 Demo
crats who have seats in the House, had
a little army of followers from his dis
trict, begging and importuning for
position of some kind. But If half the
members could provide for one friend
each, the other half could get nothing
whatever, and the pressure was terri
ble. A hungrier set of office hunters
had never beselged the doors of the
Capitol, than those who laid In wait for
Democratic members as they ventured
out from time to time. Their long fast
had made them actually voracious,
and they could only be compared to a
pack or half-starved wolves In pursuit
of prey. But If this pressure upon the
Democrats members rendered their
congressional life a burden to them,
almost before they had entered upon
it, they found consolation in another
quarter. The smiling, smirking lobby
ist, who has some job to get through
during the coming session, was ever
ready to soothe their sorrows with the
kindest attentions, and bid them drown
their grief in choicest wines and most
sumptuous dinners. Indeed, so fax
were these blandishments captivating
the new and unsophisticated members
that the old and shrewder ones become
alarmed, and gravely counseled mod
eration, or the "outer house" wouid
soon have had the new Congress com
pletely In its power, and the promises
so profusely made to the people would
have been forgotten beneath the In
fluence of these sirens of the lobby.
ut we win await results and judge
the present Congress by its fruits.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The considerable length of the Presi
dent's message, and the. late hour at,
which we received it, prevents any
lengthened i review this . week. We
place it n full before our readern,- and
each can form hlH own conclusions
npori It. It is a thoroughly business
like document, and discusses at length
the leading questions of the day, add
ing such Lsugggstiona aslpthe ,PxesU
dent seems right and proper. Upon
the finance question he takes strong
grounds In favor of .au early return . to
specie payments, and, while he will ap
prove every measure calculated, to
bring this about at the earliest day pos
sible, clearly intimates in advance his
disapproval of all legislation Intended
to retard it. Strong ground is taken in
favor of unsectarian schools, and a
recommendation, pressed with much
earnestness, In favor of a constitutional
amendment, making it the duty of each
State "to establish and forever main
tain free public schools, adequate to
the education of all the children in the
rudimentary branches within their re
spective limits. Irrespective of t sex.
color, birthplace or religion." Foreign
affairs are generally in a satisfactory
condition, peace and good feeling exist
ing on the part of other nations toward
our own. The Cuban insurrection re
mains as heretofore, and the President
does not yet see that it has risen to the
dignity of warfare, and therefore no in
terference is reccommended, either in
according belligerent rights or in any
other way. The centennial is referred
to and the statement made that most of
the nations will join with us in its cele
bration. The President himself sums up the
main points of the message as follows:
That the States shall be required to
maintain good public schools, in which
no sectional tenets shall ever be
taught; that Church and State shall re
main forever separate and distinct;
that polygamy and other licensed im
morality shall be driven out of the
country; and that laws be enacted to
secure a speedy return to a sound cur
rency, such as will command the re
spect of the world.
THE DEMOCRA TTO NOMINATION.
The future of the Democracy is some,
what foreshadowed by the action of
the party in the late organization of
the House. The Southern and Western
Democrats will undoubtedly unite to
shape the policy and dictate the nom
inations of the party. The two princi
pal planks of their platform will be
hard money and State rights. Upon
this platform they will place neither
Tilden, Hendricks, nor Allen. Tilden
has never had much strength either in
the South or West, and cannot hope
for a nomination from these now con
trolling sections of the country. The
election of Kerr to the Speakership
will be considered enough for the State
of Indiana, and was evidently arranged
to get rid of Hendricks, whose uncer
tain utterances upon the leading ques
tions have satisfied no portion of the
party. Allen of course is out of the
question, now that his Inflation views
are discarded by his party. A new man,
satisfactory to the South, may be se
lected, but of all those heretofore
spoken of in connection with the Dem
ocratic nomination for the Presidency,
Bayard, of Delaware, has, perhaps, now
the best showing, and Is rapidly grow
ing In strength. His known sympathy
with the South makes him popular In
the late confederate States, and may
secure him the united vote of that sec
tion.: In that event his nomination will
be assured. The Southern Democracy
will not care so much, for the man as
for his principles. ; What they term
State Rights is everything to ' them.
No man who Is not opposed to National
unity, and the. supremacy of the Gen.
eral Government, need hope for their
support. And as their power is now
acknowledged In the Democraticparty,
they will assuredly make it bo felt in
the ; National convention. - What ' was
lost to them' by the late war must be
regained, and thi will li the objective
point with them in all their future ac
tion. '
To gain these ends, the Democracy
of the South will, If necessary, yield
all the candidates to their Northern al
lies, but both candidates and party
must fully pledge themselves to sustain
Southern interests, as thp South un
derstands them. No faint hearted feujjr
port will be acceptable no uncertain
candidates will Be received. There
fore, the next Democratic ticket will
undoubtedly present to the country a
Northern man with Southern principles.
Poor Mr. Harris, of Maryland, he
who prayed so devoutly for the suc
cess of the rebellion, and mourned that
his prayer was not answered, and who,
in his disappointment, appealed to the
members of Congress to reward his
fidelity to the Host eause," by electing
him Sergeant-at-arms of the House, has
again met with disappointment. He
was not elected. Other Confederates
were given office, but he was passed
by as unworthy. , There were not
offices enough to go round, and poor
Harris gained no prize. It is sad, very
sad, but Harris was not alone in his
grief. Others, who boasted almost as
loudly as he did of their treason, were
left out In the cold, even by a Congress
controlled by Confederates. One of
these was a son-in-law of Toombs, and
another a Commissary of Subsistence
under Gen. Joe Johnston. So with
Major Banks and othsr rebel officers.
It was not because they were rebels
that they were defeated; this was their
leading merit. But the offices were so
few, and the claimants were so many.
Stuart, who is now'the Postmaster of
the House, was a rebel cavalry officer,
and Fitzhugh, the Doorkeeper, was
Sergeant-at-arms of the rebel Con
gress; so it was not because Harris and
the others had been rebels thftf. they
were refused a share of the spoils dis
tributed by the Democratic House. But
then there may be comfort for some of
them yet. The Texas rebel Doorkeeper
has the appointment pf a long list of
assistants, and these he can select
from his comrades In arms, and no
doubt will do so. Then it will be so
nice to find the capitol of the nation
guarded by these rebel Democratic
officials, who can refuse loyal men ad
mission, while they make way for their
rebel friends to pass in, to confer with,
their representatives,. The Republic
may sometimes be ungrateful, but
surely the Democratic party cannot be
charged with' being unfaithful to its
friends, even if it did not elect Mr.
Harris Sergeant-at-arms. ; It gave all
It could, and would have given more if
there had been more to give. '
A leading English paper says in its
review of the grain market, that in coiir
sequence of the unusually severe win
ter the price of wheat remains firm,
but that the large qantities In store
will prevent any material rise in price
before spring.
How. Geobob H. Wiujams, of Louis
iana, Is an applicant for the United
States Judgeship, recently vacated by
Durell. He is endorsed by the entire
bar of New Orleans, irrespective of
party! and is highly qualified for the
place.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
To t he Sctw U and Home of Bepnaentativet:
la, submitting: my seventh annual
message to Congress In this centen
nial year of our national existence as a
free and independent people, it affords
me great pleasure to recur to the ad
vancement that has been made from
the time of the Colonies; one huudred
years ago.
growth of the countrt.
W were then - a- people- numbering
only three millions; now we number
more thai. forty millions.' i Then our
industries were confined almost exclu
sively to the tillage - of the soli; now
manufactories absorb much of. the la
bor of the country. Our liberties re
main ; unimpaired. ' The bondsmen
have been freed from slavery. We
have become possessed of the respect
if not the friendship of all civilized na
tions. Our progress has been great in
all the arts, in science, commerce, navi
gation, mining, mechanics, law, medi
cine, etc., and in general education the
progress Is likewise encouraging. Our
thirteen States have become" thirty
eight, including Colorado, which has
taken the steps to become a State, and
eight Territories, including the Indian
Territory and Alaska, and excluding
Colorado, making a territory extend
ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. On
the south we have extended to the Gulf
of Mexico, and in the west from the
Mississippi to the Pacific. One hun
dred years ago, the cotton-gin, the
steamship, the railroad, the telegraph,
the reaping, sewing and modern print
ing machines, and numerous other in
ventions of scarcely less value to our
business and happiness were entirely
unknown. In 1776 manufactures
scarcely existed, even In name, in all
this vast territory. In 1870 more than
two millions of persons were employed
in manufactures, producing more than
$2,100,000,000 of produce an, amount
annually nearly equal to our national
debt. From nearly the whole of the
population of 1776 being engaged In
the one occupation of agriculture, in
1870 so numerous and deversifled had
become the occupations of our people,
that less than six millions of more than
forty millions were so engaged. The
extraordinary effect produced in our
country by a resort to such occupa
tions has built a market for the pro
ducts of fertile lands distant from the
seaboard and the markets of the world.
The American system of working vari
ous and extensive manufactories, next
to tee plow and the pasture, and adding
connecting railroads and steamboats,
has produced in our distant country
results not equaled by the intelligent
parts of other nations. The ingenuity
and skill of American mechanics have
been demonstrated at home and abroad
in a manner most flattering to their
pride; but for the extraordinary genius
and ability of our mechanics the
achievements of our agriculturists,
manufacturers and transporters
throughout the country would have
been impossible of attainment. The
progress of the miner has also been
great. Of coal our production was
small; now many millions of tons are
mined annually. So with iron, which
formed scarcely an appreciable part of
our products half a century ago. We
now produce more than the world con
sumed at the beginning of our National
existence. Lead, zinc and copper,
from being articles of imports, we may
expect to be large exporters of in the
near future. The'development of gold
and silver mines throughout the States
and Territories has not. only been re
markable but has had a large Influence
upon the business of all commercial
nations. Our merchants In the last
hundred years have had a success and
have established a reputation for en
terprise. sagacity, progress and integ
rity unsurpassed by the people of older
nationalities. .This good name Is not
confined to their homes, but goes out
on every sea and Into every port where
commerce enters. With equal pride we
can point to our progress in all of the
learned professions.
' THE EDUCATIONAL QUESTION.
As we are now about to enter upon
the second Centennial, commencing our
manhood as a nation, It is well to look
back upon the past and study what will
be best to preserve and advance our
future greatness. From the fall of Ad
am, for his transgression, to the pres
ent day, no nation has ever been free
from threatened dangers to its pros
perity and happiness. We should look
to the dangers which threaten us and
remedy them so far as It Is In our pow
er. , We are a republic, whereof one
man is as good as another before, the
law.: : Under such a form it is of the
greatest importance that all should be
.possessed of education and intelligence.
They ought to cast a vote with a right
understanding of Its meaning. A large
association of ignorant men cannot for
any considerable period oppose a suc
cessful resistance to tyranny or op
pression from the educated few, and
must inevitably sink in acquiescence to
the will of intelligence, whether direc
ted by the demagogue or by priestcraft
Hence the education of the mass be
comes of the first necessity for the
preservation of our institution, They
are worth possessing, because they
have secured the greatest good to the
greatest proportion of population of
any form of government yet devised.
. All other forms of government approach
it just in proportion to the general dif
fusion of education and independence
of thought and action. As the primary
stepi therefore, to. our advancement In
all that has made our progress in the
past century, I suggest for your earn
est consideration, and most earn
estjy recommend that a constitutional
amendment be submitted to the Legls
latures of the several States for ratlfi
cation, making It the duty of each of
the States to establish and forever
maintain free public schools, adequate
to the education of ail the children in
the rudimentary branches within their
respective limits, irrespective of sex,
color, birthplace or religion, forbidding
the teaching in said schools of religi
ous, atheistic or pagan text books, and
prohibiting the granting of any school
funds or school taxes, or any part there
of, either by legislative, municipal or
other authority, for the benefit of any
other object of any nature or kind,
TAXATION Oy CHURCH PROPERTY,
In connection with this important
question I would also call your atten
tion to the importance of correcting an
evil that, if permitted to continue, will
lead to great trouble In our land before
the close of the nineteenth century. It
is the accumulation of vast amounts of
untaxed church property, Jo 1$4Q I
believe the church property of the
United States, which paid no tax, mu
nicipal or State, amounted to about
$83,000,000. In 1860 the amount had
doubled; In 1875 It Is about $1,000,000,
000. By 1900, without check, it is safe to
say this property will reach a sum ex
eeedlng $3,000,0(10,000,. So vast a 6um,
receiving all the protection and benefits
of government, without bearing its pro
portion of the burdens and expenses
of the same, will not be looked on ac
quiescently by those who have paid
taxes. In a growing country where
real estate enhances so rapidly, with
time, as in the United States, there is
scarcely a limit to the weajth that may
be acquired by corporations, religious
or otherwise, if allowed to retain real
estate without taxation. The con tern
plation of so vast a property as here al
luded to, without taxation, may lead to
sequestration, with constitutional au
thority, and through blood. I would
suggest the taxation of all property
equally, whether church or corporation.
exempting only the last resting place
of the dead, and, possibly, with proper
restrictions, church edifices.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
Our relations with most of the for
eign powers continue on a satisfactory
and friendly footing. Increased Inter
course, extension of commerce, and
cultivation of mutual interests hare
improved our relations with a large
majority of the powers of the world,
rendering practicable the peaceful so
lution of tiuestions which from time to
time arise, leaving few which demand
extended or particular notice. The
correspondence of the Department of
State with our diplomatic resresenta
tives abroad is transmitted herewith.
I am happy to announce the passage
of an act by the General Cortes of
Portugal, proclaimed sinoe the adjourn
ment of Congress, for th abolition of
servitude in the Portugese colonies.
It is to tie hoped that such legislation
may be another step toward the great
consummation to be reached, when no
man shall be permitted directly or In
directly, under any guise, excuse or
form of a law, to' hold his .fellow-man
in bondage. I am of the opinion, also,
that It Is the duty of the United States,
as contributing toward that end, and
required by the spirit of the age In
which we live, to provide, by suitable
legislation, that no -citizen of the
United States shall hold slaves as prop
erty In any other country, or be inter
ested therein.
CHILI.
Chill has made reparation in the case
of the whale-ship. Good Return, seized
without sufficient cause, upward ;of
forty years ago. Though she had
hitherto denied her accountability the
denial was never acquiesced in by this
government, and the justice of the
claim has been so earnestly contended
for that It has been gratifying that she
should have at last acknowledged it.
COLOMBIA.
,The arbitration in the case of theUni-,.
ted States steamer, Manitij". fr the sei
zure and detention of which the Gov
ernment of the Unite.! States of Col
ombia was held accountable, has de
cided In favor of the claim. This de
cision has settled a question which has
been pending for years, and which,
while it continued open, might more or
less disturb the good understanding
which it is desirable should be main
tained between tha republics.
HAWAII.
A reciprocity treaty with the King of
the Hawaiian Islands was concluded
the same month. As it contains a
stipulation that it shall not go into ef
fect until Congress shall enact the
proper legislation for the purpose,
copies of the instrument are herewith
submitted in order that, if it should le
the pleasure of Congress, the neces
sary legislation upon the subject may
be adopted. x
THE VIRGINIUS CASE.
In March last an agreement was
made through Mr. Cushing, our Minis
ter in Madrid, with the Spanish gov
ernment, for the payment by the latter
to the United States of the sum of
$80,000 in coin, for the purpose of the
relief of the families or persons of the
ship's company, and certain passen
gers of the Virginius. This sum was
to have been paid in three installments
of two months each. It is due to the
Spanish Government that I should
state the payments were fully and
speedily anticipated-by that govern
ment, and that the whole amount was
paid within but a few days more than
two months from the date of the agree
ment, a copy of which is herewith
transmitted.
In pursuance of the terms of the ad
justment' I have directed the distribu
tion of the amount among the parties
entitled thereto, including the ship's
company and such of the passengers
as were Americans. Payments are
made accordingly on application of
the parties entitled thereto.
THE CUBAN QUESTION.
The year has furnished no evidence
of an approaching endof the ruinous
conflict which has been raging for sev
en years in the neighboring island of
Cuba. The same disregard of the laws
of civilized warfare and of the just de
mands of humanity, which have here
tofore called forth expressions of con
demnation from the nations of Chris
tendom, have continued to blacken the
sad scene. Desolation, ruin and pillage
are pervading the rich fields of one of
the most fertile and productive regions
of the earth, and the incendiary's torch,
firing plantations and valuable fac
tories and buildings, is the agent mark
ing the alternate advance or retreat of
the contending parties. The protract
ed continuance of the strife seriously
affects the interests of all commercial
nations, but those of the United States
more than others, by reason of closer
proximity, its larger trade and Inter
course with Cuba, and the frequent
and Intimate personal and social rela
tions which have grown up between its
citizens and those of the island.
Moreover, the property of our citizens
in Cuba is large, and is rendered inse
cure and depreciated in value and in
capacity of production by the contin
uation of the strife, and the unnatural
mode of its conduct. The same is true,
differing only In degree, with respect
to the interest and people of other na
tions; and the absence of any reason
able assurance of a near termination
of the conflict must of necessity soon
compel the States thus suffering to
consider what the interests of this
people and their duty toward them
selves may demand.
. I have hoped that Spain would be
enabled to establish peace in her col
ony, to afford security to the property
and the Interests of our citizens, and
allow legitimate scope to trade and
commerce and the natural productions
of the island, Because of this hope,
and from an extreme reluctance to In
terfere, In the most remote manner, In
the affairs of another a4jj friendly na
tion, especially of one whose sympathy
and friendship the struggling infancy
of our own existence must ever re
member with gratitude, I have patient
ly and anxiously waited the progress
of events. Our own civil conflict is
too recent for us not to consider the
difficulties which surround a govern
ment djt,racte by a dynastje rebellion
at home at the uine time that it has
to cope with a separate insurrection in
a distant colony. But whatever causes
may have produced the situation which
so grievously affects our interest, it
exists with all its evils, operating
directly upon this country and its peo
ple. Thus far all the resorts of Spain
have prqved abortive, and time hs not
marked an improvement in the situ
ation. The armed bands of either side
now occupy nearly the same ground as
in the past, with the difference, from
time to time, of more lives sacrificed,
property destroyed, anc wider extents
of fertile and productive fiftds and
more valuable property constantly and
wantonly sacrificed tq the Incendiaries
ofeachJ'
In contests of this nature, where a
considerable body of people who have
attempted to free themselves of the
control of the superior government
have reached such a point in the occu
pation of territory, in power, and in
general organization as to constitute,
in fact a body politic, having a govern
ment in substance tfs well as In name,
possessed of the elements of stability,
and equipped with machinery for the
administration of an internal policy
and the execution of its laws, and pre
pared and able to administer justice,
at home, as e)l as (n its dealings, with
other powers, it is within the province
of those other powers to recognize its
existence as a new and independent
nation, In suoh pastes other nations
simply deal with an actually existing
condition of things and recognize as
one of the powers of the earth that
body polities which, possessing the
necessary elements, has in fact become
a new power, in a word, the creation
of a new State is, a fact to establish
the condition of things essential. To a
recognition of this fact, there must
be a people occupying a known terri
tory, united uidei tome known and
defined form of government, acknowl
edged by those subject thereto, by
which the functions of government are
administered by the usual methods,
competent to mete out justice to citi
zens and strangers, to afford remedies
for public and for private wrongs, and
able to assume the relative Interna,
tional obligations, and capable o per.
forming the corresponding internation
al duties resulting from its acquisition
of the rights of sovereignty; and power
should exist, complete In Its organiza
tion, ready to take and able to main
tain its place among the nations of the
earth, While conscious that the in
surrection in, Cuba has. shown a
strength anq endurance whieh make it
at least doubtful whether It be in the
power of Spain to subdue it, it seems
Unquestionable that no such civil or
ganization exists which may be recog
nized as an independent government,
capable of performing Its obligations
and entitled to be treated as one of the
powers of the earth. A recognition
under such circumstances would be In
consistent with the facts, and would
compel the power soon to support by
force the government to which it had
really given its only real claim of ex
istence. In my judgment the United
States should adhere to the policy and
the principles which have heretofore
been its sure and safe guides in like
com eats between revolted polonies
and their mother country, and acting
only upon clearest evidence, should
avoid any suspicion, of imputation. A
recognition of the independence of
Cuba being, in myopinion, impractic
able and Indefensible, the question
which next presents itself is that of a
recognition of belligerent rights in tho
parties of the contest.
In a former message to Congress, I
had occasion to consider this question
and reaohed the conclusion that the
conflict in Cuba, dreadful and devasta
ting as were its incidents, did not rise
to the fearful dignity of war. Re
garding it now, after this lapse of time,
I am unable to see anv notable success,
or any marked or real advanoe on the
part of the Insurgents that has essen
tially changed the character of the con
test. It has acquired greater age, but
not greater or more formidable propor
tions. It is possible that the acts Of
foreign powers, and even the acts of
Spain herself, or tnU veey nature, i
might be pointed to in defense of such
recognition ; but, as in its past history, j
the United States should careiuuy
avoid the false lights which might lead
it into the mazes of doubtful law or
questionable propriety, and adhere rig
idly and sternly to the rule Which lias
been its guide, and doing -"only that
which is right and honest andf good.
report.. The question of according or
of withdrawing the rights of lellier-ljjun,au
eney must be judged in evwry ease" in
view of the particular attending facts.
Unless justified by necessity it is al
ways and justly regarded as an un
friendly ac t, and a gratuitous demon
etration ot' moral OTpportrto the TetetreiK.oura,,Mllnt t(f the government.
lion. It is necessary, and it is required,
when the interests aad rights i An
other government, and of its people jipuxX-of Uml &Mtu-etn
areso far affected by a pending "civil Tshows a gratifying pri
conmct as to require a aennition 01 its
relation to the parties thereto. But
this conflict must be one which will be
recognized In the sense of international
law as belligerence. The mere exist
ence of contending armed bodies, and
their occasional conflicts, ,; - do
not constitute war in the . sense
referred to. Applying to the existing ,
condition of affairs in Cuba the tests
recognized by publicists and writers on
international law, and which have been
observed by nations of dignity, honesty
and power,. when free from sensitive,
selfish, or unworthy motives, I fail to
find in the insurrection the existence of
such a substantial political organiza
tion, real, palpable and manifest to the
world, having the forms and capable of
the ordinary functions of government
toward Its own people and to other
States, with the courts for the admin
istration of justice, with a local habita
tion, possessing such organization of
force, such material, such occupation
of territory as to take the contest out
of the category of a mere rebellious in
surrection, or occasional skirmishes,
and place it on the tolerable footing of
war, to which a recognition of bellig-:
erency would aim to elevate It. The
contest, moreover, Is solely on land.
The Insurrection has not possessed
itself of a single seaport whence it may
send forth its flag, nor has it any means
of communication with foreign powers,
except through the military lines of its
adversaries. No apprehension of any
of those sudden and difficult complica
tions which a war upon the ocean is
apt to precipitate upon the vessels,
both commercial and national, and up
on the consular officers of other pow
ers, calls for the definition of their re
lations to the parties to the contest.
Considered as a question of expediency,
I regard the accordance of belligerent
rights still to be as unwise and prema
ture as I regard it to be at present in
defensible as a measure of right. Such
recognition entails upon the country
according to the rights which flow from
it, difficult and complicated duties, and
requires the action from the- contend
ing parties of the strict observance of
their rights and obligations. It con
fers the right of search upon the high
seas by vessels of both parties. It
would subject the carrying of arms and
ammunition of war, which now may be
transported freely and without inter
ruption in the vessels of the United
States, to detention and possible seiz
ure. It would give rise to countless
vexatious questions; would release the
parent government from responsibility
for acts done by the insurgents, and
would Invest Spain with the right to
exercise the supervision recognized by
our treaty of 1795, over our commerce
on the high seas, a very large part of
which, in its traffic between the Atlan
tic and Gulf States, and between all of
them and the States upon the Pacific,
passes through the waters which wash
the shores of Cuba.- The exercise of
this supervision could scarce fail to
lead, if not to abuses, certainly to col
lisions, perilous , to the peaceful rela
tions of the two States. - There can be
little doubt to what result such super
vision would, before long, draw -this
nation. It would be unworthy of the
United States to inaugurate ttie possi
bility of suoh result , by measures of
questionable right or expediency, or by
any indirection. ,
Apart from any question of theoreti
cal right, I am satisfied that while the
accordance of belligerent rights to the
Insurgents In Cuba might give them a
hope and inducement, to protract the
struggle, it would be but a delusive
hope, and would not remove the evils
which this government and its people
are experiencing, but would draw the
United States Into complications, which
it has waited long and already suffered
much to avoid. The recognition of in
dependence or belligerency being thus.
In my judgment, equally Inadmissable,
it remains to consider what course shall
be adopted, should the conflict not soon
be brought to an end. by the acts of the
parties themselves, and should the evils
which result therefrom, afflicting all
nations, and particularly , the . United
States, continue. . In such event, I am
of the opinion that other nations will
be compelled to assume the responsi
bility which devolves upon them, and to
seriously consider the only remaining
measures possible mediation and in
tervention. ,. . -.
Owing, perhaps, to the large expanse
of water separating the island from the
peninsula, the want of harmony, and of
personal sympathy between the inhab
itants of the : colony and those sent
thither to rule thPlU. anl want of adap
tation of the ancient colonial system of
Europe id the present times, and to the
ideas which the events of the past cen
tury have developed, the contending
parties appear to have within, them
selves no depository of common confi
dence, to suggest wisdom when passion
and excitement have their Sway, and to
assume the. part of peacemaker.'. In
this view, in the early days of the con
test, the good offices of the United
States as mediator wew tendered, In
good faith, without any selfish purpose,
in the interest of humanity, and in sin
cere friendship - for both parties, but
were at the time declined by Spain,
with the declaration, nevertheless, that
at a future time they would be Indis
pensable. No Intimation has been re
ceived that in the opinion of Spain that
time has been, reached; and yet -the
strife continues, with its dread horrors
and all Its Injuries to the interests of the
United States and of o(h.ep nations.
Each party seeius quite capable of
working great injury and damage to the
other, as well as to all the relations and
interests dependent upon the existence:
of peace In the Island; -but they seem
Incapable of reaching any adjustment,
and both have, thus far, failed of achiev
ing a success whereby one party shall
possess and control the Island to the
exclusion of the other. Under these
circumstances, the agency . of others,
either by mediation or intervention,
seems to be the only alternative which
must, sooneror later, be invoked for the
termination of the strife. . At the same
time, while thus (repressed, I do not
recommend the adoption of any meas
ure of Intervention. I shall be ready at
all times, and as an equal friend of both
parties, to respond to a suggestion that
the good offices of the United States
will be acceptable to aid in bringing
about a peace honorable to both. It is
due to Spain, no far as this government
is concerned, that the agency of the
third power to which I have adverted
shall be adopted only' as a last expe
dient. Had it been the desire of the
United States to interfere in the affairs
of Cuba, repeated opportunities for so
doing have been presented within the
last few years; but we have remained
passive and performed our w hole duty,
and all International obligations to
Spain, with friendship, fairness, and fi
delity, and with a spirit of patience and
forbearance which negatives every pos
sible suggestion of a desire to inter
fere, or to add to the difficulties with
which she has been surrounded.
The Government , of Spain has re
cently submitted to our Minister . at
Madrid certain proposals which, it is
thought, may be found to beAhe basis,
if not the actual submission, of terms,
to meet the requirements of the par
ticular griefs of which the Government
has felt iteelf entitled ; to complain:
These proposals have not yet reached
me in their full-text. On their arrival
they will 1 taken in' careful examina
tion, and may, I hope, -lead to a satis
factory adjustment of the question to
which they refer, and remove the pos
sibility of future occurrences, suoh as
have given rise to our just complaints.
It Is understood, also, that renewed ef
forts are being made to introduce re
forms in the internal administration of
the island. Persuaded that a proper
regard for the interests of the United
States and of its eitizens entitled to
relief from the strain to which it has
been subjected by the difficulties f the
question, and the wrongs and losses
which arise from the contest in Cuba,
and that the interests of humanity de
mand the cessation of the strife before
the whole island shall be laid waste and
larger sacrifices of life be made, I shall
feei it ray duty, should my hfltpes of a
satisfactory adjustment and , of the
early restoration of peace and the re
moval at future causes of complaint be
unhappily dissapointed, to make a
further communication to Congress at
some period not far distant aud during
the .present session,, recommending
what may then seem to me to be necessary.
THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
I transmit herewith the report of the
Commissioner of Agriculture together
with the reMrts of the commissioners,
the board of audit, and board of health
of tb District of Columbia; to alt of
whieh I invite your attention. The
,r Agriculture has act oiuphh
tnl much :lii disseminating useful
knowledge to the agriculturist, and
also introducing new ami useful pro
ductions adapted to our soil and cli-
iJUiJ.lCjtLudia-toa'UiijLtlitiA;ouUiiU4d.
! Tlie reprt jof the Commissioners of
f Education,1 which aceompauies the re-
y f -the- Interior
gratifying progress in educa
tional matters. -
'MEXICAN DEPREDATIONS. . . j
In nearly every annual message that
I have had the honor of transmitting
to Congress I have eaUVd attention .to
the Free Zone, so called, several years
since established by the Mexican Gov
ernment in certain of the States of that
republic adjacent to our frontier, which
remains in full operation. It has al
ways proved materially . injurious to
honest traffic, for it operates as an in
centive to traders in Mexico to supply.
without customs charges, the .wants of
the inhabitants on. this side of the linev
and prevents the same wants from be
ing supplied by merchants of the Uni
ted States, thereby, to a considerable
extent, defrauding our revenue and
checking honest commercial enterprise.
Depredations by armed bands from
Mexico on the people of Texas, near
the frontier, continue; though the main
object of the incursions is robbery,
they frequently result in the murder o(
unarmed and peaceably disposed per
sons, and in some instances even the
United States post-offices and mail
communications have been attacked.
Renewed remonstrances upon this sub
ject have been addressed to the Mexi
can Government, but without much ap
parent effect. The military force of this
government at its disposal for service In
that quarter is quite inadequate to ef
fectually guard the line, even at those
points where the incursions are usually
made. An experiment of an armed
vessel on the Rio Grande for that pur
pose is on trial, and it is hoped that if
not thwarted by the shallowness of the
river and other natural obstacles, It may
materially contribute to the protection
of the herdsmen of Texas. :
THU.MKXICAN' CLAIMS,
The proceedings of the joint commission,
un'ler the convention between the United
States and Mexico, of the 4th of July, 18t8,
on the subject of claims, will noon be
brought to a close. Tlie result of tUenw pro
ceedings will then be communicated to
C'ougress.
' VEXEZUKLAN CLAIMS,
t I am happy to announce that the Venei
uelan (icivcrnmeiit has, upon further con
sideration, practically abandoned its objec
tion to pay tlie L'liited States that share of
the revenue which some years since it al
lotted toward the extinguishment of claims
of foreigners generally, lu thus consider
ing its determination that government has
hliuwn a just sen s.i of self-respect, which
cannot fail to reflect credit .upon it in the
eyesof nil disinterested persons elsewhere,
it is to be regret ted that Its payments on
account of claims of citizens of the United
States are still so meaner in amount, and
that the wtlpulations of the treaty in regard
to the sums to be paid and the places where
the payments were to take place should
have Ih'oii signally disregarded.
TKKATIES.
Hinee my last message, the exchange has
beeu effected of the ratification of a treaty
ol corainerueaud navigation with Belgium,
and of a convention wilh the Mexican He
public for the further extension of the joint
commission respecting claims; with the
Hawaiian Islands for commercial reciproc
ity, and wil h the Ol toman Empire for ex
tradition, all of which have been duly pro
claimed. THE ALABAMA CLAIMS. , .
The Court of Commissioner of the Ala
bama claims has prosecuted its important
duties very assiduously aud very satisfac
torily. It convened and was organized on
the 22d day of July, 174, aud by the terms
of th ael tinder which it was created was
to expir- one year from thai day. The act
provided, however, that should it le found
impracticable to complete the work of the
court before the expiration of the year, the
President might, by proclamation, extent
the time of its duration to a eriod not
moil- than six months beyond the expira
tion of one year. Having received satisfac
tory evidence that it would lie impractica
ble to complete I he work within the time
originally tixed, I issued my proclamation,
a copy of which is presented herewith, con
tinuing the duration 01 the time of the
court for a eriod of six months front and'
after the 2M of July last. The report made
through the clerk of t,hp court, communi
cated herewith, snows the condition of the
calendar on the 1st of November last,' and
the large aiuouut. of work which has been
accomplished. Thirteen hundred and
eighty-two claims have leeii presented, of
which six-hundred- and eighty-two had
been disposed of at the date of report. I
am informed that one hundred and seventy
cases were decided timing the month of
November. Arguments arc lieing made
and decisions given in tlie remaining enses
with all the despatch consistent with proper
settlement of the uestions, subiuitt d.
Many of these claims are in behalf o'
mariners, and depend on the evidence of
murine, whose alienee has delayed -the
taking and return of necessary evidence
It is represented by some that it wilj le im
practicable for the court to finally dispose
of all the cases liefore It within the present
limit l Its duration. Justice to all parties
claimant, who have leen at large expense
in preparing their claims, and obtaining
the evidence In their support, suggests ft
short extension, lo enable tlie court to dis
pose of all the claims which have been pre
sented. I recommend the legislation which
may be deemed proper to enable the Ooirt
to complete the work Ief0e Jt,
I recommend that Miine suitable provi
sion he made, by the creation of a sjiecial
court, or Uy conferring t c necessary juris
diction upon some appropriate tribunal,
for the consideration and determination of
the claims of alie a against the tiovern
meut of the United states, which have
arisen within some reason a hie time, or
which may hereafter arise, excluding nil
claims barred by treaty provisions or other
wise. It lias leen found impossible to give
proper consideration to thoso claims by the
Kxecutive department of th government.
Such a tribunal would afforti au oppor
tunity to aliens, ottipr than British - sub
jects, to preneiu claims on account of nets
commute'! against their persons or prop
erty durinir the tebellion, as also to those
subjects of (jreat Britain who- claims have
arisen suosenent to the Hth of April, 18(15,
and could not be presented to the late com
mission, organized pursuant to tlie pro
visions of the Treaty of Washington.'
OCF.A3 TKLKOKAl'II. ,
. The electric telegraph has become an es
sential and indispensable aent in the trans
mission of business and social messages.
Its operation on laud and within particu
lar States is nec.-ssaril v under cont rol of the
jurisdiction within which it operate. , Tlie
noes on iie timi seas, uowever, are not
subject to the imnicnlar control of any one
government, In USifl) a succession was grant
ed by the French government to a company
which proposed to lay a cable from the
shores of France to the United Lukes. At
tiiat time there vras a telegraphic connec
tion between the United Status and the con
tinent of tmbie, through the po sessions of
t;reat Britain at either end of the line, and
under the control of an association which,
at a large outlay of capital, and at great
risk, demonstrated tiie practicability of
maintaing such means of communication,
i he cost of corresondcuce by this agency
was ereat, po sibly not too large, at the time,
lor a proper remuneration for the costly en
terprise. It was, however, a heavy charge
upon the means of communication which
progress in the social and commercial in
tercourse of toe woild found to be a neces
sity, and the obtaining of this French con
cession showed that other capital than that
already invested was readv to enter into
competition with an assurance of adequate
returns for the outlay. Impressed with the
conviction thai, the interests, not only of
the United States, but of the world at large,
demauded or would demand, the multi
plication of such means of communication
between separated continents, 1 was desir
ous that the propose,! connection should be
made, but certain provisions of this con ces
sion were deemed by me to lo olyectioiia
ble, particularly cuie which gave tor a long
t nu of years the exclusive right of tele
graphic communication bv submarine ca
ble belweeu the shores of "France and the
United suites. 1 could not- concede that
any power should claim the right to land a
cable ou the shore of the United States, and
at the same time deuy to the United States
or to its citizens, an eqnal right to land a
cable -on its shores. The riaht to control
connections for the laying of a c ible with
in the jurisdictional waters of the Unit
ed States, to connect our shores with those
of any foreign state, pertains exclusively to
the I nited States, under such limitations
aud conditions as i 'ongress may impose In
the absence of legislation bv Congress I was
unwilling, on tiiMoue haiid,to vield to a
foreign State the right to s ty its grant -es
might land on our shore, while it denied a
similar right in our p ople to land on their
shore, and on the otlu r, 1 wjis reluctant to
ueny ionic interests ,.f world ami of
civiiixaiioii me laciiiucs ol such communi
on iou as were proposed. 1 therefore with
held any resistance to the landing of any
cable, on the condition that the offensive
monopoly feature of the concession be
abandoned, :md that the rtuht of an v cable
wit ten may i,e established by authority of
mis Koeriinieii m tanti on freneh territo
ry, and io connect with French lau I lines,
and enjoy the necessary facilities or priv
ilges incident to the use thereof, upon as fa-'
vol able terms as any oilier company, be
conceded. An a, result thereof, the company
in question renounced their exclusive priv
ileges as the representative of France, and
were Informed t h it, understanding ttiis-re-UiKiuishmeitt
to be construed as granting
them enure reciprocity, and the several fv
cilities which had been demanded, the op
s tuition to the landing of the cable was
withdrawn. The cable un.ler this French
t-oiic -asion, was luimeu In the mouth of
juif, tr., ami nas utt-n au emcient and val
uable agent of cq nmunicatio i between tills
country ,tud oilier continents. It noon
passed under the control of those who had
the management of the cable connecting
ireat Britain w ith this coi.tinen , ami thus
whatever benefit to the public might have
iunred from the cotuM-titioii between the
two linea was lost. Having greater facil
ities, an a iditiona line, ami n l.lltiniiul u.
flinty against iutl lent to them, bv fiese
liicrenseu lacmues ami this additional se
curity, together with the combined mntntl
of capital, gave the two companies greater
power to prevent future combinations of
oilier lines and limit the control of tele
graphic communication h"tween the two
continents to those poNscssiug . luesulready
laid.
Within a few months the 'Pulled Htate
Illrect Cable Company has laid a cable con
necting the United States directly with
J real Britain. So soon as the cable win re
ported to be in working order the rates of
the existing consoiitiaieti companies weie
greatly reduced. Soon, however, a break
was annoumed In this new cable, and Im
mediately Mnt ttof the other line, which
had haaa twdua wwere again raised. This
ca'ilo, Veing no repair. si, tlie ratm npix-ar
not IO be rediWWi by either line from tlioao
f ormAtiy cltnraY by the other company.
Th e re to rcMOli to believe lh.il large
ni(iiitt of -ewltal, both at bom and
bro4-,ra rn-Jy to mwk profitable Invest
ment t he advancement of this i -ful and
uumt Olf Ub0T-Wnn ' interMnime and
correspondence. They await, however, I lie
assurance of the mean and conditions on
which they may is safely made tributary
lo the public good. As these cable tele
irriinli connect separate States, there ar
i nufkiwunicMiwi tngaiilJtatlon Mdmm-i
trol, which prooauiy can oe ueto. ii imh.
solely, settled by upnvootions' betwees lite
respective Mtahm., 1 a Uu atMtfnoe, hotever,
of international conventions on the aub-
lieet.
Jecl, municipal Mglxtanosi may secure
imnv imintM which aooear to me linpor-
taut.'il not IndHirs-nsftMe.for lhe protec
tion of the public against the extortions'
which i.ay result from a monopoly of th
right ol operating cable telegram, or from
a combination between several lines.
First, no line should be allowed to land on
the shores of the United States under the
concession from another power which does
not admit the right of any other line or
lines formed In tlie United State to Ian d
ami freely connect with and operate
through land lines. Seoimd, no line should
be allowed to land on the shores of the
United States wb leu is not,1 by treaty
stipulation with the government from
whose shores It proceeds, or by prohibition
In its charter, or otherwise, lo the satlslac-
tion of this government, pmnioiiea irom
consolidating or amalgamating with any
o- her telegraph line, or combining there
with for the purpose of regulating and
maintaining the coil of telegraphic com
munication. Third, all lines should lie
bound to give precedence In the transmis
sion of the official massages ol the govern
ments ot the two countnes net ween wmeii
ft mav he laid. Fourth, a Dow should be
reserved to the two governments, - either
conjointly or to, each,' as regards the
message- d ijspa&ched from Its shores, to fix a
limit 'Mt-i-c)Mrge to be maintained for
transmission ol messages. I present tbis
subiect to flie consideration or congress in
the meantime, and, unless Congress other
wise directs. I shall not oppose the landing
of any telegraphic cable which compiles
wilh and assents to the points above enu
merated, but will feel It my duty to . pre
vent the landing oi any wnicn ao not con
form to the first and seeond points, as
stated, and which will not stipulate to con
cede to this government the precedence in
the transmission or its omciai messages,
and will not enter Into satisfactory ar
rangements in regard to its charges.
' NATUBAIiIZATION AND EXPATRIATION.
Among the pressing and' Important
subjects to which, in my. opinion, the
attention of Conjrress should be direc
ted, are those relative to fraudulent
naturalization and expatriation., ihe
United States, with .great liberality,
offers its citizenship to all who, in good
faith, comply with the requirements of
the law. These requirements are as
simple aud upon as favorable terms to
the emigrant as the high privilege to
which he is admitted can or should per
mit. I do not propose any additional
requirements to those which the law
now demands, but the very simplicity
and want of necessary formality in our
laws have made fraudulent naturaliza
tion not infrequent, to the discredit and
injury of all honest citizens, whether
native or naturalized. Cases of this
character are continually being brought
to the notice of the government by our
representatives abroad, and also those
of persons resident in other countries.
Most frequently these, if they have re
mained in this country long enough - to
entitle them to become naturalized,
have generally not much . overpassed
that period, and have returned to the
country of their origin, where they now
reside, avoiding all duties to the United
States, by their absence, and claiming
to be exempt from all duties to the
country of their nativity aud of their
residence, by reason of : their alleged
naturalization. It is due to this gov
ernment itself, and to the great class
of naturalized citizens who entirely,
both In name and in fact, become citi
zens of the United States that the high
privilege of citizenship .should not be.
held by fraud, or in derogation of the
laws or of the good name of every hon
est citizen. On many occasions It has
been brought to the knowledge of the
government that certificates of natural
ization are held and protection or in
terference claimed by parties who ad
mit that not only they were not within
the United States at the , time of pre
tended naturalization, .but that they
have never resided In the United States.
In others the certificate and record of
the court show on their face that the
persona claiming to be. naturalized had
not resided at the time t in the United
States.. In others it is admitted upon
examination that the requirements of
the law have not been complied with.
In some cases even, such certificates
have been matter of . purchase. These
are hot isolated cases, oecuring at rare
intervals, but of , common occurrence,
and which are reported from all quar
ters of the globe. Such occur rwiivos
cannot And do not fail to reflect upMu
the government and injure all hout
citizens, , Such a fraud being discov
ered, however, there is no practicable
means within the control , of the gov
ernment by which the. record of nat
uralization can be vacated. The cer
tificate can be taken up, as It usually is
by diplomatic and consular representa
tives of the government to whom it
may ' have been presented. - There is
nothing to prevent the person claim
ing to have been naturalized from ob
taining a new certificate from the court
in place, of that which has : been taken .
from him. The evil has become so
great, and of such frequent occurrence,
that I cannot too strongly reoeommend
that some effective uiea.su res be adop
ted to provide a proper remedy for the
vacating ot any records fraudulently
obtained and of punishing the guilty
parties to tlie transaction. In this
connection I refer also to the question
of expatriating and the election to na
tionality. The United States was fore
most in holding the right of . expatria
tion, and was principally . instrumental
in overthrowing the doctrine of, per
petual allegiance.. Congress , has de
fined the right of expatriation to be a
national, inherent right of all people;
but while many other nations have
laws providing what formalities - shall
be necessary to work a change of al
legiance, the United States has enacted
no provisions of law and has In no re
spect marked out how and when expa
triation may be accomplished by its
citizens. . Instances are brought to the
attention of the government where
citizens of the United States, either
naturalized or native born, have form
ally become citizens, as subjects of
foreign powers, but who, nevertheless,
in the absence of any provisions of
legislation on , these questions, when
involved in di(Iiculties,or when it seems
to be their interest to claim to be citi
zens of the United States and demand
the intervention of a government which
they have long since abandoned, and
to which for years they have rendered
no service, nor held themselves in any
way amenable. In other eases, natur
alized citizens, immediately after nat
uralization, returned to their native
country, have become engaged iu busi
ness, have accepted office, engaged in
pursuits, .content with their American
citizenship, aud evinced no intent to
return to the United States, until called
upon to discharge some duty to the
country where they are residing, when
at once they assert their oitfcsenship
and call upon the representatives of the
government to aid them in their ore
tensions. It is but justice to bona fide
eitizens that no doubt should - exist on
such questions, and that . Congress
should determine, by enactment of law,
how expatriation will be accomplished
ana change of citizenship - be estab
lished. I also invite your attention to the
necessity of regulating by law the
status pf American women who may
marry ioreigners, and of denning more
fully that of children born in a forelmi
country of American parents who mav
reside abroad, and also of some further
provisions regulating . or giving legal
err ect to marriages, of American citizens
contracted in foreign : countries. . The
correspondence submitted herewith
shows a few of the constantly occur
ring questions, on these points present
ed to the consideration of the govern
ment. These are four subjects to en
gage the. attention . of Congress on
which more delicate relations are de
pending. , , " ;
SEW STATE DEPARTMENT BUIUMNO.
' In the month of July last the build
ing erected for the Department of State
was taken possession of and occupied
by that department. I am happy to
say that the archives and valuable pa
pers of the government In the posses
sion of that department are now safely
deposited and properly cared for.
, THE TBEASrBT.
The report of the. Secretary of the
Treasury shows the receipts from cus
toms for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1S74. to have been $163,103,833.6, and
for the fiscal vear ending June 30, 1875,
to have been 157,167,722.35, a decrease
for the last , fiscal year of $5,936,111.34;
receipts from internal revenue for the
vear ending June. 1874, were $103,409,
784.90. and for the year ending June 30,
1875, $1 1 0,007,493.58 dnerease, $7,597,708.
6X. sThe report also shows a complete
history of the working of the department
for the last year, and contains recom
mendations for reforms, and for legis
lation, which I concur in, but cannot
comment on so fully as I should like to
do, if space would permit; but will con
fine myself to a few suggestions which
I look upon as vital to the beat Inter-'
est rrf the whole people, comJag with
in the purview of the treasury.
. apaciE Kxax'XFTioif.
I mean specie resumption. Too
u rm aanot no laui upon this uuea
tion, and I hope Congress may foe In-5
duced, at the earliest day practicable,
to insure the consummation of the act
of Congress at Its last session, to bring
about specie resumption on and after
the first of January, 187, at furthest.
It would be a great blessing If this
could be consummated at an earlier
day. Nothing seems to me more cer
tain than that a foil, healthy and per
manent reaction cannot take ptaee in
favor of ' the industries and financial '
welfare of the country until we return '
to a - meaeure of values - recognized -throughout
the civilized world. While
this standard, the world's recognized
standard, specie becomes a commodity
like the products of the soil the sur
plus seeking a market wherever there
is a demand for It. Under our present
system we should want none, nor would
we have any were It not that custom's
dues must be paid In coin, and because
of the pledge to pay the interest on
the public debt In coin. The yield of
precious metals would flow out for the
purchase of foreign productions, and '
leave the United States hewers of wood
and drawers of water, because of the
wise legislation on the subject of
uumivu vjr utv iiauuiio wiiu wuuur w
have dealings. I am not prepared to
say that I can suggest the best legis
lation to secure the end most speedily.
It will be a source of great gratifica
tion to me to be able to approve any
measures of Congress looking effectu
ally toward securing resumption. Un
limited inflation would probably bring
about specie payments more speedily
than any legislation looking to the re
demption of legal tenders in coin; but
it would be at the expense of honor.
The legal tenders would have no value
1 1 ...11 v Tll.l :
ucvunu r.-LLiuiif iiieeiii. lutuiuuen. or.
properly speaking, repudiating them.
They would buy nothing after , debts
are all settled. There are a few meas
ures whieh seem to be important in this
connection which I commend to your
consideration. A repeal of so much of
the legal-tender acts as makes these
notes receivable for debts contracted
after a date to be fixed in the act it-
self, not later than the 1st of January,
1877. We should then have quotations
at real values, not fictitious ones. Gold'
would no longer be at a preminm, but
currency at a discount. A healthy re
action would set iu at once, and, with
the desire to make the currency equal
with what it purports to be, the mer
chants, manufacturers, and tradesmen
of every calling could do business on a
fair margin of profit, the money to be
received having an unvarying value.
Laborers and all classes who work for
stipulated pay or salary would receive
more, because extra profits would no
longer be charged by the capitalists to
compensate for the risk of a downward:
fluctuation in the value of the currency..
Second, that-the Secretary of the
Treasury be authorized to redeem say
not to exceed $2,000,000 monthly of legal-tender
notes by issuing, in their -stead,
long bonds, bearing interest at
the rate of 3.65 per cent, per annum, of
denominations varying from $500 to
$1,000 each. This would in time re
duce the legal-tender notes to a volume
that could be kept afloat without de
lUBUViUK 1 CUCUilfUtril UM H KV 9UIUO 0UU -
denly. Third, that additional power be
given to the Secretary of the Treasury
to accumulate gold for the final re
demption of the currency, by increas
ing revenues and curtailing expenses,,
or both. It is preferable to do both
and I recommend that a reduction of
expenditures be made whenever it can
be done without impairing the govern
ment obligations or crippling the due
execution thereof.- One measure for
Increasing the revenue, and the only
one. T think, la the restoration of the
duty on tea and coffee. These duties
would add probably $18,000,000 to the
present amount received for imports, '
and would in no way increase the
prices paid for these articles by the
consumers. ' These articles are the
products of foreign countries collecting
revenue from exports, and as we, the
largest consumers, reduce they pro
portinately Increase them. With this
addition to the revenue, many duties
new,: collected, and which give but an
insignificant return for the cost of col
lection, might be remitted, and to the
direct advantage of consumers alone.
I WOU.VI 9entipn those articles which
enter baio manufactures of all sorts. -
All t..l1 1.. tt.. o..Ah .llnlod ... , -
flirertlv to the coat of the article when
manufactured here, and must be 'paid:
for bv the consumers. The duties not
only come from the consumers alone,,
but act as a protection to foreign man
ufacturers oi tne same oompietea ar
ticle in our own and distant markets..
:'!-, t FRAUDULENT CLAIMS. ii :.?..;
I - will suggest or mention another-
subject bearing upon the problem of
, , , , , . . . i
now w euaoie iu Dwremry oi uie
Treasurv to accumulate balances. It
is to devise some better method of '
verifying claims against the govern-,
ment than at preeent exists through:
the Court of Claims, especially those
claims growing out of the late, wr.
Nothing is more certain tbfl, that, a ;
lanre nercentaire of the amounts .passed '
and paid are part or wholly fraudulent,
or are far in excess of the real losses .
sustained. The large amount of '
losses proven on good testimony, ac
cording to existing laws, by affidavits ;
of fictitious and unscrupulous persons ;
to have been sustained on small farms .
and plantations, are not only far be
yond the possible yield of such places.
out as every one Knows wno nas expe- -
nence in tilling tne sou, auu wno nas
visited the scenes of the spoliations,
are in many instances more than the
individual claimants were ever worth,
including their personal and real es
tate. 1 .;-.'..- .,
The report of the Attorney-General,
which will be submitted to Congress at
an - early day, will contain a detailed '
history of the awards made and or
claims pending, of the class here re
ferred to. ...
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of "War,
accompanying this message, gives a
detailed account of the army opera
tions Pot the year just passed, the ex
penses for maintenance, etc., with
recommendations for legislation, to
which I respectfully invite your atten
tion. To some of these I invite special
attention. First, the necessity of
making $60,000 of the appropriation
for the Subsistence Department avail
able before the beginning of the next
fiscal year. Without this provision.
UUUl?B M (IVU1W UiaMUlH llvlll DU-
ply posts must either go without food,
or the existing laws must be evaded.
It hi not attended with cost to the
Treasury. Second, his recommenda
tion of an enactment of a system of
annuities for families of deceased offi
cers, by voluntary reductions from the
monthly pay of officers. This, again,
is not attended with burden upon the
Treasury, and wouid. fcr the future,
relieve much distress, which every old
army officer has risked la the past, of
officers dying suddenly, or being killed
leaving their families without even the
means of reaching their friend, It for.
tunate enough to have friends to aid
thenu Third, a repeal ot the- law abol
ishint mileage aad a return to the old .
ssHk. Fourth, the trial with torpe
does under the corps of engineers, and
appropriation for the same. Should,
war ever occur between the United;
States and any maritime power, torpe
does will be among if not the most ef
fective and cheapest auxiliary for the
defense of harbois, and even in ag
gressive oiierations, that we can have..
Hence it is advisable to learn, by ex
periment, their beat construction and
application, as well as effect. Fifth, a
permanent organization for the signal
service corps. This service has now
: 9 hAuM &a well
become a necewmij " " . -- -
as war, under the advancement made
by the present able management.
,r the atuiroi) nation
for compiling the omciai records of the
war, etc. . .
THK KAVT. -
The condition of our navy at tills
time is a subject of satisfaction. It
does not contain, it is true, any of the
.nr ironclads, which make
so much of maritime strength of some
other nations, but neither our Conti
nental situation nwourrrwu
... should have a large
nulnbeV of ships f this character
whUhe situation and the nature of
" ,.Hni.e to make those of
oilier nations httle dangerous to us un
der any circuaistancw. , , ' "
contain, however, a considerable num
. " . ,' ... i . Xt the monitor class.
wm SougTnot properly cruisers..
Ire powerful and effective, for harbor
defensl for operation near our own
ueiense, iw i sinsrle-turret-
snores. - - v .
ed ones, fifteen In number, have been
substantially reouiK. rTr rT
m - j imn their halls
beams rctuac . -
Suthe'ned, d theU d
machinery wummu r-