The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1872.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2780, 15 January 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1872.

The Message of the President of the United States to the Congress possesses interest to New Zealand, increasing proportionately with our extended commercial relations. Unlike a « Queen’s Speech” at Home, which discloses as little as possible of the opinions of the Executive, a presidental message is commonly a statement of the external and internal condition of national affairs. If these are discussed at any length, the document is voluminous \ but President Gban

has not adopted a wordy affair this session. It is a cautious, condensed message, without ornament, containing the barest statement of facts, and suggesting necessary measures. After briefly referring to the fire at Chicago and its effects in developing national benevolence in the States and foreign countries on behalf of the sufferers, it is intimated that the relations of the States with foreign powers continue friendly—that the Alabama claims and boundary questions in dispute with Great Britain are likely to be amicably settled. On this point a sentence in the Message is worth notice, especially by those, of whom there are many, who think it a degradation for agnation to maintain peace by doing justice. President Grant says—

This year has been an eventful one, in witnessing two great nations speaking one language and having one lineage, settling, by peaceful arbitration, disputes of long standing, and liable, at any time, to bring these nations into hostile conflict. An example has thus been set, which, if successful in its final issue, may be followed by other civilised nations, and be the final means of returning to productive industry millions of men maintained to settle the disputes of nations by the bayonet and broad-sword. The peculiar relations of the States with each civilised power are then described. The chief points of interest in this portion of the message are, —that Italy and the United States agree by treaty, should war ensue between them, that “ property at sea shall be exempt “ from capture. The United States “ have spared no opportunity of incor- “ porating this rule into the obligations “ of nations,” It is a somewhat odd illustration of the nonsense crammed into the alarm columns of Home newspapers that Russia, whose alliance with the United States has been held up as boding something dreadful to our native land, is the only European state in which anything approaching the semblance of a misunderstanding took place. “The inexcusable course of the Russian Minister at Washington, rendered it necessary to ask his recall, and to decline to longer receive that functionary as a diplomatic representative. It was impossible, with selfrespect or with a just regard to the dignity of the country, to permit M. Catacazy to continue to hold interviews with this Government, after his abuse of Government officials, and during his persistent interference, through various means, with the relations between the United States and other powers. ” We may pass over the discussion of the relations of the States with other powers, excepting one recommendation pointing to the systematic fostering of extension of commerce : “To give importance and to add to the efficiency of onr diplomatic relations with Japan and China, and to further in obtaining the good opinions of these people, and to secure to the United States its share of the commerce destined to flow between these nations and the balance of the commercial world, I earnestly recommerd that an appropriation be made to support at least four American youths in each of those countries to serve as part of the official family of our Ministers thera. Our representatives would not even then be placed on an equality with the representatives of Great Britain and some other powers. As situated, our representatives in Japan and China have to depend for interpreters and translators upon the natives of those countries, who know our language imperfectly, or procure for the occasion the services of employes in foreign business houses, or the interpreters to other foreign ministers.” The President next recommends liberal measures for the purpose of supporting the American lines of steamers now plying between San Francisco and Japan and China, and the Australian line—“ almost the only remaining lines “ of ocean steamers.” The United States have ever been remarkable for avoiding heavy national debts. While the nations of Europe have allowed debts incurred for war to accumulate, no sooner has peace given the opportunity than the American Republic has invariably systematically repaid its own. During the civil war, the indebtedness incurred was nearly equal in amount to that owing by Great Britain for the past lifty years. Already the American debt has been much reduced, but the President recommends that moic time shall be taken to repay the balance, in order that certain taxes may be remitted which interfere with production and exchange. Under theunpretending head “ Modifications of the “ Tariff,” evident steps towards abolition of “ protection ” are suggested ; but public opinion is not sufficiently advanced yet for the mask to be thrown off and free trade boldly advocated. Socially the United States Government has had some difficult problems to solve. Although the Southern States have been subdued, secret rebellion has continued and nothing is more difficult than to deal successfully with secret combinations. So widely spread has been the disaffection in South Carolina, that in nine counties the Ku-Klux Society was guilty of frequent assassinations and scourgings. The Message states that “ thousands of “ innocent and well-disposed citizens “ were the sufferers by this lawless “ violence.” It was found necessary, therefore to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act, and one hundred and sixtyeight persons were arrested. Several hundreds more had been under arrest, but were released, as their guilt scorned to be Jess in degree than of those re-

tained in custody. The Message goes j on to say— 1 In Utah there still remains a remnant of barbarism repugnant to civilization, decency, and to the laws of the United States. Territorial officers, however, have been found who are willing to perform their duty in a spirit of equity and with a due sense of sustaining the majesty of the law. Neither polygamy nor any other violation of existing statutes will be pi raiitted within the territory of the United State s. It is not with the religion of the solf-st,led saints that we are now dealing, but their practices. 'I hey will bo protected in the worship of God according to the d.ctates £of their consciences, but they will not be permitted to violate laws under the cloak of religion. It may be advisable for Congress to consider what in the execution of laws against polygamy is to be the status of plural wives and their offspring ; the propriety of Congress passing an Enabling Act authorising the Territorial Legislature of Utah to legitimatize all born prior to a time fixed in the Act might be justified by its humanity to these innocent children. This is a suggestion only, and not a recommendation. The remaining suggestions of the Message point to some modification of the Land Laws of the States ; and, lastly, to a much needed reform in the Civil Service.