Propositions of National Interest Rejected
THE year of grace, 1872, was a "Presidential year"--a year when the Chief Magistrate of the Republic is chosen--and that subject naturally occupied much of the public attention during the summer and fall; yet there were, besides, projects of a national character, of great interest, presented for consideration. One of these was a proposition to place the telegraph system of our country under the control of the National Government, and make it a part of the postal system of the United States. Another project was the enlargement of the land-locked navigation, by means of canals, from the extreme eastern portion of the Union to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Mississippi River to various ports on the Atlantic coast. The governor of Virginia proposed that the State debts should be assumed by the National Government--an act that was wise and just when our Government first went into operation, for the State debts had been incurred chiefly by expenditures during the war for independence, for the general good. The present State debts have all been incurred for the benefit of each State separately. These various propositions failed to secure the popular favor.
By an act of Congress a large tract of the public domain, about forty miles square, lying near the head-waters of the Yellowstone River, on the northeastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, was set apart for a public park. It is withdrawn from sale, settlement and occupancy, and is dedicated to the "pleasure and enjoyment of the people of the United States."
Early in the year 1872, several political national conventions were held for the purpose of nominating candidates for the Presidency. The first was that of the "Labor-Reform Party," held at Columbus, Ohio, in February, when David Davis of Illinois, one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, was nominated. Mr. Davis declined, and finally Charles O'Conor of the city of New York was nominated by that party. In April, a "Colored National Convention" was held in New Orleans; but they refrained from nominating a President. A movement, begun in Missouri in 1870, for an union of Democrats and so-called "Liberal Republicans," culminated, in the spring and summer of 1872, in the fusion of these two political elements. A convention of "Liberal Republicans," assembled at Cincinnati on the first of May (1872), and nominated the late Horace Greeley for President, and B. Gratz Brown of Missouri for Vice-President. The regular Republican Convention assembled at Philadelphia on the 5th of June, and nominated President Grant for re-election, and Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts for Vice-President. On the 9th of July the Democratic Convention assembled at Baltimore, and adopted the nominees of the "Liberals" (Messrs. Greeley and Brown) by an almost unanimous vote. The Opposition party expected much strength from the coalition; but Grant and Wilson were elected, the majority of the former being much greater than he received in 1868.
Distinguished visitors came to the United States in 1872. An imposing embassy of twenty-one persons came from Japan to make inquiries about the renewal of former treaties between the two governments; but, not having sufficient delegated power to make such renewals, the matter was not then settled. Relations between the United States and Japan are cordial in the extreme; and the commerce, politics, and society of the two nations are rapidly becoming more intimate with each other. The same year the Grand Duke Alexis, son of the Emperor of Russia, made a tour through our country, and was graciously received everywhere.
President Grant's second term of office began on the 4th of March, 1873. It was an intensely cold day at the National Capital; but the inaugural ceremonies were performed, as usual, in the open air, at the east front of the Capitol. Chief-Justice Chase administered the oath of office; and it was one of the latest public acts of that distinguished jurist. His health had been failing for some time, in consequence of a paralytic stroke in 1872, and he died two months after these imposing ceremonies. The Senate immediately confirmed President Grant's nominations of constitutional advisers, which were as follows: Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State; William A. Richardson, Secretary of the Treasury; William W. Belknap, Secretary of War; George A. Robeson, Secretary of the Navy; Columbus Delano, Secretary of the Interior; john A. J. Creswell, Postmaster-General; and George H. Williams, Attorney-General. Changes in the personnel of the cabinet afterward took place, and only Mr. Fish retained his position during the eight years of President Grant's administration.
The third session of the Forty-second Congress closed on the 4th of March, 1873, at noon. Among the numerous acts passed during that session was one to abolish the grades of Admiral and Vice-Admiral in the United States navy. Another abolished the Franking privilege; and another fixed the pay of certain officers of Government and members of Congress. The salary of the President of the United State was raised from $25,000 a year to $50,000, payable in monthly installments. The salary of the Vice-President was fixed at $10,000; of the Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court, $10,500, and the Associate-Justices, $10,000 each. That of the heads of the several departments, and of the Attorney-General, was fixed at $10,000; of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, $10,000; and of Senators and Representatives, $7,500 each, a years, and no allowance made for traveling expenses, the mileage system having been abolished.