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The Nation

The Nation image
Parent Issue
Day
8
Month
December
Year
1876
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

To the Sonate and House of Btapresentativca: In submitting my eigbth and laat animal message to Congreso, it seemn proper that I ahould refer to and ín aome degree recapitu late the events and official acte of the past eight yeara. It waa my fortuno, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Cbief Exocutive without any previous political training, Prom the age of 17, 1 had never even witneBBed the excitement attending a Presidential campaigu but twice antecedent to my own caudidacy, and at but one of thom waB I ohgible as a voter. Under sueh circumstances, it ia but reasonable to 'suppose that errorsof judgment must have oceurred; even had they not, difference of opinión between the Executive, bound by an oath to. the atrict performance of bis dutiea, and writers and debaters must have ariaen. It is not necessaiüy evidonco of a blunder on the part of the Executive beciiuse there are these differences of views. Mistakes have been made, as all can see, and I admit it, but. it aLims to me, oftener in the seiectiops made of aaaistanta appointed to aid in carrying out the various duties of administering the Government, in nearly tvery case selected without a general acquaintanco with the appointce.bnt upon the recommendations of tlie Representativos chosen directly by the people. It ia impossible where bo many trusta are to be aüotted that the right partiea should be choeen in every instanoe. Hietory shows that the Aciministration, from the time of Washington to the present, has not been free from these mistakes, but I leave compartBona to history, claiming only tbat I have aoted in every instance from a conecientious desire fco do what was right, constitutional. within the law, and for the very best intereats of the people. My failuros have lxen errors of judgment, not of latent, RetroBpeotlve. My civil caieev commenced, too, at a raott critical and uiffieult time. Lees than foar yeara beforo the country bad emerged from a conflict such as no other nation had ever survived. Nearly one-half of the States had revolted against the Government, and of those remaining faithful to the Union, a larpe percentage of the populatiou svmpathized with tho rebellion and made an enemy in the rear almoat as dangeroiw as the more honorable enemy in the front. The lat ter eommitted errora of judgment, but they maintained them openly and courageously. The f ormer received the piotection of the Government they would see destroyed, and reaped all the pecuniary ad van lage to be gained out of the then existing state of affaire - many of them by obtaining contracta and by swindhng the Government in the dtlivery of their gooüs. Immediately on the cessattou oL hoatilities, the then noble President, vvho had carried the country so far through its perils, feil a martyr to hia patnotism at the handa of an 8Sassin. Reoonstmction. The intervening time to my first inauguraiou was fiiled np with wranhcg between Oongress and the new Executive as to the best mode of reconstruction. Or, to speak plaiuly, as to whether the control of the Government hould be thrown immediately into tho hands f thoae who had bo recently and peraistently ried to deatroy it, or whether the viotcra should continue to have equal voice with them in this control. Beconslniction, as finally agreed upon, means thia, and only this, except that the late slave was enfrancuised - giving an increve, aa was supposed, to the Umonloving and Union-supporting votea. If free in the fnll sense of the word, they would not disappoint this expectation, henee at the beginning of my tirut adminietfation the work of reconstructioc, much embarraased by the long deiay, virtu&lly commenced, It was the work of the legislativo brauch of the Government. My previuce waa wliolly tu approving its acts, which I did most hesrtily, urging the Legislatures ef States that had not vet done eo to ratify the Fifteenth amendment to the CooBtitution. The country waa laboring under an 6normoua debt, contracted in tha euppression of the rebellion, and taxation wse so oppressive as to discourage productiou. Another danger alao threatened us - foreign war. The last difficuJty had to bo adjusted, and was adjusted without a war, and in e, manner highjy honorable to all parties concerned. National Finalices. The taxes havo been reduced -ivitliin the last seron years nearly $300,000,000, and the Dational debt bas been reduced in the same time over $435,000,000 by refundüig the 6 per cent. bonded debt for bonds bearing 5}, 5 and i}4 por cent. interest respectively. The annual interest has been red'aced from over f 130,000,000 in 1869, to bot little over $100, 000,000 in 187G. The balanoe of trade has been ohanged from over $130,000,000 against the United States in 1869, to more than $120,000,000 in our favor ia 1876. It is conSdently believed that the balance of trade in favor of the United 8tates will increase, not diminian, and that the pledge of Congress to resume specie pnyments in 1879 will be easily accomplish6d, even in the absence of much deaired further Utgislation on the subject. The Indian Pollcy. A policy has been adopted toward the Indlan tribes inhabiting a large portion of the territory of the United States which has been humane and haa substantially ended ludían hostilities in the whole land, ezoept in a portion of Sebraeka and Dakota, Wyoming and Montana TerritorieB, the Black Hijls rogion and approaches theroto. Hostilities there have grown out of tbe avarice of the white man, who hae violated our treaty stipulationa in hia search for gold.The queation might be aeked why the Government has not enforced obedience to tlie terma of the troaty probibiting the occupation of the Black Hills regiou by the whites. The answer is simple. The firat "einigrants to the Blaok Hills were removed by troops, but rumors and fresh discoveries of gbld took into that región incroased numbers. Gold has actualiy ;been fouud in paying quantities, and an effort to remove the minors would only result in the desertion of the bulk oí tha troops that might be sent there to remove them. All ' flcnlty in tuis matter ba?, however, been removed, subject tothe approval of Congress, by a treaty cedmg the Black Huía and ita approaohei to settlenicnt by cltizens. The subject of the Indian policy and treatment ia so fully et torth by the Secretary of ' the Interior and the Comtnissioner of Indian Aff .irs, and my viowd are so fully expressed therein that I. refer to their reporta and recommecdationa as my om. Our Foreign Relations. The relations of tbe United States with foreign powers continue on a fneudly footiug. Questions hayearigen from time to time iu the foreign relations of the Government, but the United States has been happily free durigg the past year from the compneations and emCarrasBruents whioh have eurrouDded aome of the foreign powers. Tbe diplomatic correspondence submitted here A'ith coutains inf ormation as to ce tain of the matters which havo ocenpjed the atcention of the Govürnmeiit. The cordiality which attendg our relations mth th3 powera of the earth haa been plainly Bhown by the general participaron of foreign nations in the Eïiiibition which has just cJoíed, and by the exertionsmade byüistant poivtirs to show their interest iu and friendly feehuga owsrd the CJuited Statfg iu commomoration of the Centennial of the nation. The Government and people of the United Statee have not only fully appreeiated this exhibition of kindlv feeling, but it may be justiy and fairly expectei that no small boueüts will reiiilt bcth to ourselvert and other nations, from a better acquaintance and a better appreciation of our mutual advantages and mutual wante. The Diplomatic Service. Congress, at its laat seaeion, saw fit to reduce tlie amount uèoally appropriated for foreign intercourse by vithholding appropriaticus for representativea of the United Btates in certara forf ign countriea, and for cortón salar oflictia, and by reducing the amounts nsnatly appropriated for oertain other diplomatic posts, and thus neceseitating a chango iu the grade of representatiues. For these , reasona, immediately upon the pasf age of the . bilí making appropriationa for the diplomatio í and consular aervice íor the present forcé, atructioua wtro issutd to the representatives of . the Unitod States at Bolivia, Ecuador and j lombia, and to tbe consular oflicers for whom i no appropriation had bean made, to cloae their , respective legationa and consulates and ceaae i from the performance of their duties, and in , bke munner s.eps were immediatoly taken to , substituto Charges d' Affaire for'Mínwtera Resident at Portugal, Denmark, Greece, . erland and Paraguav. Vi'hile thoroughíy improased with the wisdom of sound ecouomy in the foreign service as in other branches of the Government, I canuot escape the conclusión that in some 1 sfcaDces the witaholding of appropriations will prove an expensive economy, and that the small retrenchmcnt secured by a change of grade in certain diplomatic poets is not an adequate coneideration for tbe loes of influence and importanoe whieh will attend out' foreign representatives ander this reduetion. I am of the opinión that a re-examination of the subjeot will cause a chaüge in some instanoeB in tho oonclusiong reacbod on these aubjecta at the last HosHion of CosgreeB. The Alabama Clalma. The Court of Commiseioners of the Alabama (JlaimB, whoae functiona ware contmuedbj an act of tbe last eession of Congrens until the lat day ef January, 1877, bas carried on itt labors with diligence and general satisfaction. By a report trom the Cleik of the Court transniitted herewith, bearing date November 14, 1876, it appears that during cbe time now allowed by law the court will have dieposed of all the claims presented for adjudication. Tbis report aleo contains a statement of the general resulta of the labors of the court to datethereof It ?s cause for fiatisfaction that the method adopted for the satisfaction of the classes of claims submitted to the court, which are of long standing and juatlyeutitled to early consideration, ahould have proved succeesful and acceptable. The Northwest Boundary. It ia with satiefaotion tbat I am enabled to state that the work of the joint commission for detormiuing the boundary line between the United States and the British Possessiona from the northwest angle of the Lake of tbe Woods to the Rooky mountains, commenoed in 1872, has been completed. The final agreement of tho Commisaioners, with the mapa, have been duly sigued, and the work of the commission is complete. The fixing of the boundary upon th Pacifio ooast by tbe protocol of Maroh 10, 1S73, purauant to the award cf tbe Emperor of Germany by article thitty-four of the treaty of Washington, with the determinatien of the work of thia oommiasion, ad justa and fixps the entire boundary between the United States and the British posaeesions, excent aa to the portion of territory ceded by Kussia to tbe United States under the treaty of 1867. The work intrusted to tho con)niiB6ioners and the ofücers of the army attaehed tj the Commission, has been well and satisfactorily performed. The original of the final agreement of the Commissioners, Bigned upon the 29th of May, 1876, with the original list of astronómica! stations observed, the original offioial liat of monuments marking tho international boundary line, and the maps, records and general reporta relating to the Commission, have been deposited in the Department of State. The official report of tbe Commissioner on the part of the United States, with the report of the Cbief Astronomr of the United States, will be Submitted to Congress within a short time. BxtradHion. I reserve for'a separate communication to Congre&s a statement of the condition of the questions which lately arose with Great Britain respecting the surrender of fugitiva crimínala under the treaty of Í842. turkey, The Ottoman Government gave notice, under date of January 15, 1874, of its desire to termínate the treaty of 1862, conceming commerce and navigation, pursuant to tho provisions of the tweaty-second article thereof. Under tbia notice, the treaty terminated upon the 5th day of June, 1876. That Government bas invited negotiations towards the conclusión of a uew treaty. By the act of Congress of Mareh 23, 1874, the President was authorized, when he shoul'l receive satisfactory information that the Ottoman Government or that of Egypt had organized the new tribunals likely to secure to the oitizens of the Unitecl Stites the sanie impartial justice enjoyed onder the exereise of judicial functions Dy the diplomatic and consular ofticera of the United States, to suspend tho operatioa of the act of June 22, 1860. and to accept for the oitizsna of;the United States the juriediotionof the new tribuuala. Satisfactory inforiüation having been received of tbe organization of such new tribunala in Egypt, I caused a proelamatlon to b istued on the 27th of March laat, sus-pending the operahon of the act of Jnae 22, 1860, in Egypt, aooording to the provisious of tlio act. A êopy of the pr' clamation aceümpanies tbis Message. The United Sc&tea has uníted with the ether. powers in the organtzation of tbese courta. It is hoped tbat the juriüdiotional qnestious whioh have arisen may be roadily aajusted, and that this evidence in judicial cases may be hindered by no obstecles. The Icïawaiian Treaty The necessary legislation to carry into effect the convention reepecting commercial reciprocity concluded with the Hawaiian is'anda, in 1875, having been had, the proolamatiop to carry it into effeot, aa provided by the act approved Aug. 15, 1876, was duly isaued upou the Tuefcday of September last. A copy thereof accompanies tbia Meaaage, Alexico. The commotiona whiob have besn prevalent in Mexico for some time uaet, which unhappily seem io be not yet wholly quieted, have led to eomplaints of citizena of tne United States of injuries by persions in authority. It ia hoped, üowever, that these will ultima'tely be adjusted to the aatisfaótion of botb. the Governments. The frontier of the United Statea in that quarter hae not been exempt from aota of violence either by citi- zens of one republic or tboee of the other. The frequeDCy of these acte I supposed to be increased, and their adjustroent made more difficult by the considerable oharigea in the course of tho lower part of the Eio Grande river, which river is a part of the boundary between the two countnee. These chacges havo placed on either side of that river portions of land which, by existing conventiona, belong to tbe jurisdiction of the Govornment on the opposite side of the river. The Bubject of the adjustment of thia cause of i üculty is under consideration between the two i republics. Ct)lomlia. The Government of, the United States of Colombia has paid tbe award in tbe case of : the steamer Montijo, aeized by the authorities of that Government some years since, and the amount has beea transferred to the claimants. Mexicau Claims. It is with satisfaction that I am able to ani neuuce that the joint commission for the i adjustmen of claims between the Uuited ; States and Mexico, under the convention of i 18.8, the duration of wbich has been severa 1 ; timea extended, has brought its labore to a close. From tbe report of the agent of the j United States, which accompanies the papers : transmitted herewith, fit will Lojseen that wilhI in the time limited Ly the commiasion 1,017 i claimis on the part of citizeus of tbe United i States against Mexico were referred to the : commispion. Of these claims 831 were disi missed or diëallowed, and on 186 cases awards t were made in favor of the cUimants i against the Mexicm republic, amounting in 1 the aggregate to $4,125.622.20. Within tne I sanie period 993 claims on the part of citizeua of the Mexioan ropnblic agamst tho Uuited i State wero referred to the commiasion. Of ■ thf-se claima 831 were diamüsaed and diaallowod, ; aud i;i Ifi7 cauta awards were made in favorof i claimants against tht Unitel Statts, amounling : in the aggregateto 515,049,811. Bythetsrma i of the coiivention the amount of these awarda ia to be deducted from the amuunt i awardcd in favor of our citizena against j Mexioo, and the balance only to be i paid by Mexico to the United Slatee, leaving the Unitei States to make I provisiona for their proportion of tho awards i in favor of ita owu citizena. I invite your at: tention to the legislation which will be necea ■ 1 1 sary to provide for the payment. In this con. nection I am pleased to be aole to expresa the acknowledgraentB due to Sir Edward Tnornton, i the umpire of tbe Commiesiou, who has given to the oonsideration of a iarge number of claims aubmitttd to him much time, unweaiied patienco, and that fairueea and inteliigence which are well known to belong to the accomplishcd representative of Gient Britain, and wbicb are likewise recognized by the repreaisntaüve in thia countiy of the repnblic of Mexioo. Venezuelan Claims. Monthly payments of a very amall part of the amount due by the Government of Venezuela to the oitizens of the lattcr against that G-overnment continue to be mude witL reaaonEiblo punctuality. ïliat GoV6ri:mnt haa propobed to chauge the syatem which it hae nitherto pursuod in this roapect by issuing bouda for part of the amount of the several slaima. Thepropoailion, however, could not, it ia snppoeed, properly be accepted. at leastwithout tbe consent of the holders of c rtiücates of the indebiedueaaof Venezuela. These re ao much depressed that it would be difliouit, if not impoBsible, to asceriain their disposition n th ■ tubject. Kxpn trlatlon and Naturallzatlon. In former mesaagea I have called tho i Kon of Congres to the uecessity of legialation mth regard to fraudulent natqraiizatiob and j the subject of expatriation aad the election of nalionnlity of the number of páraona of foreigu birth geeking a home in the United Staten; the eaee and facility with whfoh the honest emigrunt may, aftor the lape of a reasonabln time, become posaosaed of all the privileges of oitizenship of the United States, and the frequent occasion wbioh indnce suoh adopted citizens to return to the country of their birtb. Undr the aubject of naturalizatiou, the safeguarda whioh experieuce haa proved neceasary for the protection of the honeat, naturalizad citizens are of paramount importanoe. The Tery ainoplioity in the requirementa of the law on this queation afford opportunity for fraud, and the want of uniformity in the proeeedings and records of the vaiioua oourte, and in the forma of the certifioatea of naturalization iasued. afford a constant source of difliculty. I euggest no additional requiremeiite to the acquieition of citzonship, beyond those nowexisting; but I invite the earneat attention óf Congress to the neceaaity and wiadom of sorno provisions regarding uniformity in the records and cortiBoatee, and provkling against the frauda wbioh freqnently taue place, and for the vaoating of a record of naturalization obtained iu fraud. These provisions are needed in aid and for the proteotion of the honest citizen of foreign birth, and for the want of which he ie made to auffer not unfrequently. The United States has inaisted upon the right of expatriation, and haa obtained, after a lODg struggle, an admisaion of the prinoiple contended for, by acquiescenoe therein on the part of many 'foreign Dowera, and by the conclusión of treatiea on this aubjeot. It ia, however, but Justice to the Government to which such naturalizad citizens have formerly owed allegiance, as wo!l as to the United States, that certain fixod and deflnite rulea should bo adopted, governing auch caeee, and providing how expatriation may be acoomplished. While emigrante in largo numbers beoome oitizens of the Ui'.itcd States, it is also true that persons, both native-born and naturalized, onoe eitizens of the United States, either by formal acts or as the effect of a series of faets and oircumstances, abandon their citizensliip aDd eeaee to be entitled to the protection of tho United States, but continue on convenient ocoasion to asseit a claim to protection. In the absence of provisions on these questions, and in tbis conneotion, I again invite your atténtion to the aecessity of legislation conoerning the m&rriages of American citizons contracted abroad, and concerniug the tatus of American women who may marry foreigners, and of children born of American parents in a foreign country. The delicate and complicated qnestions continually oecurripg with reference to naturalization, expatriation and the status of Buch persons as I have above referred to, induce me to earnestly du'eot your atténtion again to these subjecte. Court of Claims. In üke manner, I repeat my recommendation that aome mean be provided for the hearing and determination of the jnst and existing claims of aliena upon the Government of the United States, within a reaaonable limitation, and of suoh as may hereafter arine. While, by exieting proviaiona of law, the Court of Claims may in certain cases be reaorted to by an alien claimant, the absence of any general proviaiona i goveruing all euch cases, and the want of a tribunal killed in the dispoeition of suoh caaes j upon recognized, flxed and settied principies, i either providea no remedy in manj' deaerving oases, or oompela a oonsideration of Buch claipis by Congresa or the Executive Departmenta of the Government. It is believed that other Governments are in advauoe of the United States upon this tion, and that the praotioo now adopted is I tirely unsatisf&otory. The Centennial State. Congress, by an act approved the 3d of Maren, 1875, authonzed the inhabitants of the Terntory of Colorado to form a State ment, with the name of the State of Colorado, aud thereia provided for the adiuission of said State, when formed, into the Union, upon an equal footing with the origiual States. A constitution having been adopted and ratifled by the people of that State, and the acting Governor having certified to me the facts : aa provided by said act, together with a copy i of such oonstitution and ordinances as are provided iu said act, and the provisions of said act of Oengress having been duly complied with, I isaued a proclamation upon the lat of i August, 1876, a copy of which is hereto ! nejted. The Keorgnnjzation of the Axmy. The report of the Secretary of War shows that the army has been actively employed, during the year, in subduing, at the rtquoat of the Indian Bureau, certain wild bands of tho Sioux Indian nation, and in preserving peace at the South during the eleotion. The commission cocstituted under the act of Jnly 24, 1876, to oonaider and report on the whole objfcct of the reform and reorganization of the whole army, couvened in Auguat laat, j and has collect d a largo maas of statistics and ! opinioi-s beariug on the subject beforo it. These wre now under consideration, and their report is progresuing. I am adyised, though, by the President of tho commiesion that it will be impracticable to comply with the olause of the aot requiring the report to be presented through me to Congress on the first day of the seasion, as there bas not vet been time for that mature deliboration which the importanco of the subject demande. Thereíoie, I ak that the time for making the report ba extended to the 29th Say of Januarv, 1877, in aooordacco liith the resolución of Auuat 15. 1876, Tho army regulations preparec! uüder tho act of MurcU 1, 1875, have not been promulgated, but aro held until after the report of the abofe-meniioned commiBaion hall have been received ind aoted upon. By the act of August 13, 1876, the oavalry feroe of the army was in3reased by 2 500 men, with a proviso that they should be disoharged on tlio expiration of hoetilities. Under thia authoritj-, the cp.valry regiments have been atrongtlienod atíd a portiou of thom are r.ow in the field purauirg the remnants of the Indiaus with whom theyhave been ongaged duricg the summer. The Var Department. The estimetes of he War Department aie mado upon the basis of the number of men luthorized by law, and their rtquïremonts, as ihown by years of experience, and also with the pnrp'ose oí a part of the bureau offiuera to provide for all contingencies thut may arise ïuiiug the timo for which the estimates are jiade. Exclusi'e of the eugiueera' ostiruates, presented in acoordance with the acts of Conr83 calling for surveya and eatimates for the improvement at variona locaü;iea, the estimatts now preeented re about 6,000,000 in excess of ;he appropria'ions for the years 1874-75, and L875-7tí. This iucrease íh aisked in oïder to previde for the inereased cavahy force, ihould thoir services be necessary ; to prose;ute commenced work upon important public auildings ; to provide for the armament of Fortifications and the manufacturo of small irmw, and to replenish the workmg-Btock m :he supply departments. The appropriation for the laet-numed have for the past few oars been ho limited tbat tho accumulationn n store will be entircly exhausted during the resent year, and it will be neceasary to at 3nce begin to replenish them. I invito your special atténtion to the following recommendationa of the Secretary of War: Fjrst, that the claims, under the act of the áth if Juiy, 1864, for snpplie taken by the army Juring tho war, be removed f rooi the offices of :he Quartermaster and Oommissary Generáis ind transferred to the Southern Claims Commission. These claims are of a preeiaely 'imilar nature to those now before the Southsrn Claims Commisnion and War Debt Bureau, uid they have not the clerical force for their sxamination, uor proper macliiuery for iuvesti;ating the loyalty of the olaimauts ; second, that Congresa sanction the scheme of an anuuity fun'l for tbe beneüt of the families 3f decaased ofliceiv, aud that it alao provide for the permanent organization of the regular service, both of which wcre recommended in my last annual moaeage ; third, tbat tho m;).iiut'acturlng operations of the Orduance Department be eoucentrated at throe arsenals and an armory, and that the remainitig aiHenals be sold and tbe proceede upplied to this object by the Ordnance Department. Kiver and Harbor Improvements. The appropriations for river and harbor roprovementa for tho ourrent year were $5,015,000. With my approval, the Socretaiy of War directod that of thia amount f2,000,500 should be expendod, and no nèw workfl ■ihould be begun, and none proaecuted which were not of national importaneo. Subse(juently thia amount waa ïncreased to $2,237,BOC, and the woiks are now progressing on thia basis. Tiie improvement of the South pass of the Mis8ÍÉiHÍppi river, under James B. E&ds and his sociateB, ia progressing favorably. At tho preaeut time there ia a chamiel of 20 3-10 fett ■ i depth betweeu the jütties and the mouth of the pass, and 18}L feet at tho head of tbe pass. Neither chuinel, however, ha the width required before paymenta can bo made by the United States. Acommission oí civil engineer orïïoera ia now examining these works, and their roports will be presentes as soon ns received. the ïïavy. The report of the Saoretary of the Navy shows that branch of the service to be in a ooudition as effoctive as it ia posaible to keep it with the me&ns that the appropriations give to the department. It ia, of eoUr.è, impossiblo to rival the costly and progreasivo eetablishments of the groat Éuropean powers with the oíd material of our návy, to whieh no incrfease haa been authorized aince tlie war, exoept the eight amall oruisers built to supply the plaoe of others which had gohe to deöay. Tot the most has been done that was possible with the means at commund, and, by tjubstantially rebuildmg eome of our old Bhipa with durable material, and eompletely repairiug and refitting our monitor neet, the navy bas been gradually eo brought up that, though it does not maintain its relative position among the progressive navies of the world, it is now m a condition more powerful and eflective than it ever has been in time of peace. The complete repairs of our flve heavy iron-clads are enly delayed on account of the inadequacy of the appropriations made last yoar for "the working bureaus ef the department, wbich wefe actúally lesa in anaount than thoee made bofore the war, notwithstandiog the greatly-enhanced price of labor and niaterials, ai.'d the inerease in the cost of the naval service growing out of the universal use and great expense of steam mac inery. The money necessary for these repairs should be provided at once, that they may be completed without iurther unneoessary dolay and expense. 'When this is done, all the strength that there ia in the navy will be developed and useful to its full oapneity, and all will be powerfül for tho purpose of defonese, and alao for offensivo actioc, ehould neoessity for that arise within a reuaonablo distanoe from our shores. The fact that our navy is not more mcdorn and powerfnl than it ie, bas been mede a cauae of eomplaint againat the Secretary of the Navy by persons whp, at the samo time,, criticise and complain of bis endeavora to briug tae navy that we have to its best and most effioient condition; but the good sense of the country will underetand that it ia really to bid piactioal action that we have at this tune any effecüve navy foroe at conunaud. The Fostofflce Department. The report of the Postmaster General showa an excess of expenditures (excluding tbe expenditures on account of previoua years) over tbe receipts for the fiscal year onding June 30, 1876, of $4, 151, 988 66. The estimated expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, are $30,723,432.43 ; estimated reverme for the same period is $30,645,165, leaviug au estimated oxcess of expenditures, to be appropriated as a deficiency, of $6,078,267.43. Tne Postmaster General, hke hia predecesaor, is convinced that a chango in the basis of adjüëting the salaries of Poatmasters of the fourth-class is neceasary for the good of the service, aa well as for the intereste of the Government, aud urgently recommenda that the compeneation .of this class of Postmaaters above-mentioned be basod upon the buamoes of their respective offices as aeeortained from the sworn returns to the Auditor of atamps canceied. A few Postruaatera in the Southern States have expreased great apprehenaion for their personal safety, on account of their connection with the postal aervice, and have spccially requeated that their roports of apprchended danger should not be made public, lest it aheulj result in a loea of their lives, but no positivo teatimony of interf6renee ha been submitted except in tbecaae of a mail mossenger at Spartanburg, in Bouth Carolina, who reportcd tUat he had been violentíy driven away while in charge of the mails, on account of his political affiliauoEB. An assiatant superintendent of the railway I mail aervice investigated this case, and ed tb at the mesBenger had ciisappearea f rom hi post, leaving bia work to be performed by a substituto. The Poütffiaster General tliiuka this cae is sufflciently auggeativeto juatify him in recommending tbat a moro eeere puniabmentaboold bo provided for the offensajof aesaulting any person in charge of the mails or of retardiug or otberwise obatructing them by threats of persona! irjury. A very gratifying result is presented in the fact that the deficienoy of this depaitment dnriug the last fiBoal year was reduced to $4,081. 790.18, as against $6,169,938.88 of the precading year. The dilference can be tmced to the large increase in its ordinai-y receipts, wbich greatly exneeded the estimates therefor, and a sligbt deciease in ite expenditurea. The ordinary receipts of tbe Postoflice Department ior the past seven fiscal years have increased at an average rate of over 8 per cent per annum, while tbe increase of expenditures for tbe aamo period haa been about 5% per cent per annum, and the decrease of tbe deficiency in the revenue has been at the rate of neaily 2 per cent per annum. ARricnltaral' Department, The report of tbe Commissioner of Agriculture aoci,mpanying this message, wül be found one cf .great interest, marking, as it does, the great progresa of the laat centivry in the variety of producá of the soil ; iu the increased knowledge and sMll in the labor of producing, aaviug and manipulating tho same, to prepare thom for tho use of ma.n ; iu the improvtmenta cf BiEchinery to aid the agriculturist in his labor, and in a knowlodge of the eeientific subjectancceseary to a thorough aystem in economy in agrcaltural produotion, nsmely, chf-mistry,' botany," entomology, etc, A atudy of this report by thO3e intereated in agricultura, and deriviug their support from it, will find it of value in pointiug out those articles wbiob are raised in greator quantities than the needs of the woiid re quire and must sell, theiefore, for less than the cost of prodnction, and those which comrnand a profit over coat of production, becauüo there is not an over-production. I cali especial attention to the need of the departmont for a new gallery for thfl recepiion of the exkibits returned from the Centenuial Eihibiticn, including the exhibits donated bv very many foreign nations, and to the reeommendations of the Commistíioner of Agriculture generally. District of Colambla. 'Tbo reports of tbe District commissions nd the Board of Health are just received, too late to read them and to make recommendations thereon, and aro herewith aubmitted. The Centennial. Tbo International Eshibition held in Philaiielphia tbis year in comuaemqration of ilio lOOth annivereary of American independencu lsa provbu a great success, and will no doubt be of enduring advantago to tao country. It tuis Bhown great progresa in the arts, sciences and niechanical sltüi uiade in a single century, uid demouetrated that we are but a little beliind tbe oidor nations in any one branch, whilo in sorae wo scarcely have a, rival. It has served, too, not only to bring peoplo and producta of skill and labor frem all p&rta of the world togother, but in bringing together peoplo frora all sections of oiir own couniry, whiob m-.ist prove a ! great bjnefil" in the infrrrnation impaxted and pride of o mitry engendered. It has been suggested by scientists interested in and conuected with tbe Smi.hsonian Instituto, in a cemmunication herowitb subtnitted, tbat the Govoruinent exhibit bo removed to the capital and a suitable building be ercefcd or purchaaed for its uccommodation as a pf-rmanent exhibit I earueatiy recommend this, and, believing that Congress would second this view, I directéd that all tho Govcrnmont exhibits at, the Contennial Exhibitionshculdremaiu where they are, txoept auch as roigbt be injured by remnining in a building not iutended as a proection in inclement weather, or sucb as may be wauted by the department furnisbing them, untü tho quc-siion of pennanont exhibition ia ixted on. Althonh the moaej's appropriated by Cougress to enable the partioipatiou of the several exeautive depintmenia in thp International Exhibition of 1876 wero not sufiicieut to cari'y out tbe undertoking to tbe j fvdl 6Xtont at iir.st coutemplated, it givca me pltBBure to refer to the very efficiënt and creditable manner iu which the boards appointed from these several departments to próvida an oxhibitiou on the part of the Government havii (üecharged their duties with the funda placed at theil command. Without a precedent to guiiio hem in the preparntion of uch a dinplay, the uccess of their l&bors was amply atte-ited by the Bustained attention which the oontents of the Government building atlracted during the period of the Exhibition, from both foreigu and native poople. I am strongly improescd with the value of the ! colleotion made hy tbe Government for the putposes of the Exhibition, illustratiijg as it does the general resources of tbe country, the etatistical and practical evidencoaof our growtb as a naüon, aud tbe uae of (be mercantile arts and tbe applicatioim of acience in the adminiatration of tbe . affaira of tbe Government. Mauy nations have voluntarily contributed thnir exhibita to the United States, to Dcrease the interest in any permanent exhibition that Congress may provide for. For this act of generosity they shoukl receive the thanks of the people, ant I respectfully HUggest that a resolution of Congress to that effect be adopted. The Electoral System. The attention of Congress oauDOt be too earnestly called to the necesmty of throwiug some greater eafeguards over the method of ohooBiug and deolaring the eleetion of a President. Ouder the pesent syatem there eeems to be no provided remedy for oontostiiig the eleotion in any one State. Th9 remedy is partially, no doubt, in the enlightenment of the electora. The oompulsory support of the freo schools, and the disfranchisement of aU who cannot read or write the English language, after a fixed probation, wonld meet my heartv approval. I would not make this apply, however, to those already votera, but I would to all becoming bo after the expiration of the probation fixed upon. Foreigners coming to tuis country to become citlzens, who are educated in their own language, would acquire the requisito knowlodge of ours during the necessary residence to obtain naturahzation. If tüey did not take enough interest in our language to acquire sufficient knowledge of it to enablo them to study the inatitutions and laws of tho country intelligently, I would not confer upon them tho rïght to make such lawa nor to Bolect those who do. Santo Domingo. I append to this Menssg9, for convenieut referenco, a synopsia of administrativo evente, and of all tho recomniendatiens to Congress made by me durin the last seven yearn. Time may ehow soroe of the recommendations not to have been wiaely cono6ived, but I believe the larger part will be no discredit to tho admiuitration. One of those recommeEdations met with the ULited opposition of one political party in the 8enate, and with a strong opposition from the other, namely, the treaty for the annexation of Santo Domingo to the United States, to which I ahall speeially refer, maintaining, as I do, that if iny vicwa had been concurred in. the country would be in a more prosperous condition to-day, both politicsiïy and flnsncially. Banto Domingo is fertile, and npon lts aoil may be grown jiiat thoae tropical producto of whioh the Unitei States uses eo much, and which are produced and prepared for tho market now by slave labor almost exclusively, namely : sugar, coffee, dyewooda, mahogany, tropical fruits, tobáceo, etc. About 75 per cent of the exporta of Cuba are consumed in the Unitei Staten A large percentage of the exjrorts of Brazil alao flnd the same market. Thcsa are paid for almoet exoluiively in coin, iegifelatioc, particularly in Cuba, being nnf avorable to a mutual exchange of the products of each country. Flour ahipped from the Mieaissippi river to Havana can yass by the yery entrance to the city on its way to a portion of Spain, then pay a duty fixed upon articles to be reexporied, transferred to a Spaniah vessel, and brought back almost to the poinc of starting, paymg a second duty, and Btill leave a profit over what wouid be received by direct shipment. All that is pro duced in Cuba could be produced m j-into Domingo. Being a part of the United Statea, commerce between the iwlaud and the main land would bef ree. Tbere would beno export dutiea on her shipments, nor import duties on thoae coming here. There would be no import duiies upon the auppliea, machinery. eto,, going from the States. The effect that would have been prodneed upon Cuban commerce with these advautagea to a rival ia obaervable at a glacce. The Cuban question would have been settled long ago in favor of Free Cuba. Hundreda of American vesBela would now be advantageously uaed in trausporting the yaluable woods and other productB of the soil of the Island to a market and carrying supplics and emigrant to it. The island ia but sparsely settlod, while it has an area suflicient for the prpfitable employment of several miliions of people,' and tho soil would have Boon fallen into the handa of United States capitaliatB. The producta are ao valuable in commereo that emigration there would have been encouraged. The emancipated i race of the South would have found there a congenial home, where their civil righta would not be disputed and where labor would be much sought after, and the poorest among them could have found the means to go there. In caaes of great oppreaaion and onielty auch as has been practiced upon them in many placea within the last eioven yeara, whole communities would have aought,"refuge in San Domingo. I do not auppoae the whole race would have gone, nor ia it deeirable that they should go. Their labor is desirable, indispensable almost, where they now are. but the posseaaion of the territory wquld bave left the negro maater of the eituation by enabling him to demand hia rights at home on pain of sending him clsewhere. I do not present these views now aa a recommendation of the renewsl of the subjeot of annexation, but I refer to it to vindicate my previous aotion in regard to it. Citizen Grant. With the preaent Congress my official life terminates. It is not probable that publio affairs will ever again reoeive attention from me further than as a citizen of the Republio, always taking a áeep intereet in the honor, inteerity and prosperity of the whole land. rSJgtoeï) F.XECUTiVE Mansion, Deo. 5, 187C.

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Michigan Argus