The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


ulate, the events and official acts Of the pas
eight years. 1t was my fortune, or misfOr'
tune, to be called to the Office Of Chief Elk.
ecutiye without any previous political train.
ing. From the age Of seventeen had never
even witnessed the excitement attending 9
to my own candidacy, and at but one Of them
was eligible as voter. Under such cir.
cumstances, 1t is but reasonable to suppose
that errors of Judgment must have occurred.
Even had there rot been 3 difference OF
opinion between the Executive-boundb by
an oath to the strict performance of his
duties-and writers and debaters, they
must have arisen. 1t is not par-
eesarily an evidence of blunder
on the part of the Executive because there
are these differences Of views. Mistakes
have been made, as all can see, and ad-
init; but 1t seems to me oftener in the selec-
lions made OF assistants appointed to aid in
carrying out the various duties of admins.
tering the Governmental nearly every
case selected without a personal acquaint-
ance with the appointee, but upon the rec
concentrations of the representatives chosen
by the people. 1t is impossible, where 50
many trusts are to be allotted, that the right
parties should be chosen in every instance.
History shows that the Administration
from the time Of Washington to the pres
ent, has not been free from mistakes; but
leave comparisons to history, claiming that
/ have acted in every instance from q con-
scientious desire to do what was right and
constitutional. within the law, and for the
very best interests Of the whole people.
Failures have been errors Of judgment, not
of intent.
MY CIVIL CAREER
commenced at a most critical and difficult
time. Less than four years before the
country had 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 re-.
maining faithful to the Union a large per-
centage of the population sympathized with
the rebellion and made an enemy in the rear,
almost as dangerous as the more honorable
enemy in the front. The latter committed
errors Of judgment. but they maintained
them openly and cOurageously. The former
received the protection of the Government
they would see destroyed, and reaped
all the pecuniary advantage to be
gained out Of the then existing state of az
fairs, many OF them by obtaining contracts
and by swindling the Government in the
delivery Of their goods. Immediately on
the cessation of hostilities the then noble
President, who had carried the country so
far through its perils, fell martyr to his
patriotism, at the hands of an assassin.
The intervening time to my first inaugural
ton was filled up with wrapglings between
Congress and the new Executive as to the
best mode of reconstruction to speak
plainly, as to whether the control of the
Government should be thrown Immediately
into the hands of those who had recently
and persstently tried to destroy It, or
whether the victor should continue to have
an equal voice with them in this control.
RECONSTRUCTION,
as finally agreed upon, means this, and
only this, except that the late slave was en-
franchised, giving an increase, as was SUD.
posed. to the Union-loving and Union sup
porting votes Of the free. In the full sense
Of the word, they would not disappoint this
expectation /; hence. at the beginning of
my first administration the work of recon.
struction was much embarrassed by the long
delay. Virtually commenced, it was the
work Of the legislative branch of Govern
ment. My province was wholly in approx
ing their acts, which did NEST heartily,
urging the Legislatures OF the States that
had not done SO to ratify the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution. The
country was laboring under an enormous
debt, contracted in the suppression of the
rebellion, and taxation was SO oppressive as
TO discourage protection. Another danger
also threatened us-a foreign war. The
last difficulty had to be adjusted, and was
adjusted, without war, in a manner highly
honorable to all parties concerned.
TAXES
have been reduced within the last seven
years nesrly $500, GOO, 600; the national debt
has been reduced in the same time over
S435, COO. 900. By refunding the six per
cent. bonded debt for bonds bearing five
and four and n half per cent. interest, re.
spectiyely, the annual interest has been re-
duced from one hundred and thirty millions
OF dollars, in 1863, to but little over one
hundred millions of dollars in 1876. The
balance OF trade has been changed from
over one hundred and thirty millions against
the United States, in 1869, to more than one
hundred and twenty million dollars in our
favor in 1876. 1t is confidently hoped that
the balance Of trade in favor Of the United
States will increase, not diminish, and that
the pledge of Congress to resume specie
payments in 1879 will be easily accom-.
plished, even in the absence of the much
desired further legislation on the subject.
INDIAN POLICY.
A policy has been adopted toward the In
dian tribes inhabiting large portion of the
territory Of the United States which has been
humane, and has substantially ended hos
tilities in the whole land, except in a por-
ton Of Nebraska and Dakota, Wyoming
and Montana Territories, the Black Hills
region and approaches thereto. Hostiities
there have grown cut of the avarice of the
white man, who has violated our treaty
stipulations in his search for gold. The
question might be asked, why the Govern
ment has not enforced obedience to the
terms of the treaty prohibiting the occupa-
tion of the Black Hills region by the |
T viii The answer is simple. The
Hills were removed by troops, but rumors |
and fresh discoveries Of gold took into that |
region increased Numbers. Gold actually
had been found in paying quantity, and an |
effort to remove miners would only result |
In the destruction of the bulk of our troops |
not nTerhf ha 49,. a.
All difficulties in this matter have, however,
been removed, subject to the approval OF |
Congress, by a treaty ceding the Black |
Hills and approaches to settlement by citi- |
zens. The subject of Indian policy and |
treatment is so fully set forth by the Secre- |
tary OF the Interior and the Commissioner |
OF Indian Affairs, and their views so fully |
expressed therein, that l refer to their re. |
ports and recommendations as my own.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
The relations of the United States with
foreign powers continue on q friendly foot |
ing. Questions have arisen from time to |
time in the foreign relations of the Govern. |
ment, but the United States have been hap. |
PLY free during the past year from the com. |
plicattOns and embarrassments which have
surrounded some of the foreign powers. |
The diplomatic correspondence submitted |
herewith contains information as 10 certain |
of the matters which have occupied the |
Government. The cordially which attends |
our relations with the powers of the earth |
has been plainly shown by the general par.
ticipation Of foreign nations in the Exhibi. |
ton which has just ceased, and by the exer-
tons made by distant powers to show this /
United States, in commemoration Of the |
Centennial Of the Nation.s The Govern. |
ment and people Of the United States have |
not only fully appreciated this exhibition of |
kindly feeling, but it may be Justly and |
fairly expected that no small benefits will |
result both to ourselves and other nations |
from better acquaintance and a better an. |
probation OF our mutual advantages.
DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATIONS,