The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-06
HE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
REC<PITULATING THE EvENrs OF
ms ADMINISTR1TION,
Reconsfruction-Our Indian Policy-Perotss
Relations - Claims - Coiorn do-Arm sax
Navy-The Presidential Election ouestieu.

Nnvy-The Presidential Election Question
To TnE SENATE AND House. or REPRE-
sENrArfvEs; In submitting my eighth and iaa
annual message to Congress, II seems propes
that should refer to and, In some degree, reos
pitulate the events and oficial acts OF the pas
eight years. It WIS my fortune, or misfortune g
be called to the ONCE Of Chief Executive without
any previous political training. From the aye oi
II bad never even witnessed the excitement
attending a Presidential campaign, but twics
entecedent to my own candidacy, and at but
one OF tnem, was l ellzible as a voter. Undss
such circumstances, It is but reasonable to sup
pose that errors OF judgmont must have occurred
Even had they not, differences OF opinion bsr
tween the Executive, bound by an oath to the
strictest performance OF hts duties, and writer's
and debaters must have arisen. IL Is not neoes-
sarlly evidence OF blundsr on the part OF tbs
Executive because there are these differences
OF views. Mistakes have be N made, as all can
SEQ aud admit, but, 1t seems to mo. oftener In
the selections made OF the assistants appointea
TO aid In carrying out the various duties Of
administering tho Government. In nearit
every case selected without a persona
acquaintance witch the appointee. but upos
recommendations OF the representatives hoses
directly by the people. II Ia i'm possible whers
go many trusts are to be allotted that the right
parties should be chosen In every instance. His.
tory shows that administration from the tins
OF Washington to the present has been fres
from these mistakes, but leave comparisons to
history, claiming only that have acted In even
instance from a conscientious desire to do what
was rght-constitutional within tho law and foa
the very best interests OF the whole people;
failures have been errors OF judgment, not Of
interest NY civil career commenced. too, at .
most critical and difficult time. Less than fous
hafora ha haA
conflict such no other nation had ever sur.
vived. Nearly one-hslf OF the States had 70.
volted against the Government, and OF those
remaining faithful to the Union n large per-
centago OF tho population sympathized with the
rebellion, and made an "enemy In the rear.'
almost as dangerous the moro honorable
enemy In front. The latter coinmitte1 errors of
Judgment, but they maint lined them openly
and couraGeously; the former received the pro-
lection Of the Government they would see de-
stroyod. and reaped all the pecuniarr advantage
to be gained out OF the then existing state Of
aHlirs, many OF them by obtaining contracts
aud by swindllng the Government in the do.
livery of their goods.
Immediately on tho COS sation OF hostili.ies
the then noble President WAC had carried thu
country so far through It's peris fell martyr
to bis patriotism at tho bands Of an assassin
The Intervening time to my FIRST Inauguration
was Oiled up with wranglngs between Co ngresf
and the new Executive as to the best mode of
reconstruction" or, to speak plainly, as Il
whether the control OF the GOsernmcnt should
be thrown immediately into the hands Of those
who had so recently and psr,lstently tried 20
Ic.,rny f. n, ,yhs,h,r ,,'o r,o,nr, an,,I, u 80
tinue to have an equal voice with thom ia this
control.
RpcoysrRrcrIos
Reconstruction as finally agreed upon msAns
this' aud only this, except that the late slave
was enfranchised, giving an increase as was SUD
posed To the UnIon.l,ving.nd I-nio,- ,u,nor,,,.
'"s "'iu CORRESPONDENCE
votes. Al ireo Ia tue fu'i sehsc OF the word they
would not disappoint this expectation; hence nj
w - '"' "'s' ""i'"'su"''ou t"s
the long delay, virtually commenced IL wa
,be ,,,rL ~ enc Ill ,t,.. ,,...h -, -, -,
.n,,,'',', ~. t- o'",'o" o' 'he ooV-
ernueht. MY province was wholly IN approvinA
their sets whicl. did m,st hearfily. urgln, t,,a
tc,i.t,tnr.. Of S,,,os ~, no., 49,, ,a, -.
'~'S''''"'s VI o'''os 'ual "su not YET dohe a
TO riiiiy the Fifteenth Amendment TO the Con
stitution. The country WIS lsboring under n.
enortn ,is do r,nfr In 10 @ n,er ~ y.
rclcihon. and ,,xat,on - " 80 onnpassiv .. -
discourage prouuction Another donper alan
threatened Us foreign war. 1he I,st dificuitS
had TO be as lueted and wa. adlnsteJ without
war, ani IN q m nnor hIghly honorable Io ali
pattes concerned.
seven years nearly xSOon 90 and fhe nstIonJ
DEBT has been rcduc.d Ia the same time oves
sANiFIsN nv refundiHg the ak cent. bonlnd
asnt t lor Sonds bearing tve and four and one.
intersst hss rsrPev.lvon ins snnn1
in ls,l In hnt IA ,i. 80, .ia, ~ ,sTs
'The hal.rca -, ~ U'ei SiV"""uVV ~ io.9
from ever ara ntn M n'f 1eeh Vn inge2
Sto,.s In Isat ,n No. "s'''9' ~ IIee
ls,d II IL coTndentlv h,;o, =, si.o'oVo'yov ~
of trad, In fS'r ,t. ~ , 'eu tust ~ .ne oManos
crense, not din,inien. und tbSt the SIcs',a ~
Conureas Ia r,si,,,,o .,,,,, ". ~. piuuGo su %.
be silly accom- niished, ryen IN the absence "9 ~
much desir.d f,,rthor Iegsiat ,', m ~, @ "
A pullc, has haen udontaI ,nu, ,rt tba ia, ~
ttihr. inhahi,nc ,o ~" t - ~. Inui "a
of m. I-nited Sts,.s :, No, % ~, ~ n s,' teiaso.g
has sutstantiolIy endsd In5tn bnSt .
wh,l'. Land evrs,t m . r,rti.I,' ~ N,. ., ia % tnS
ID k"ta " ,om,ng and Mn"tar - rrits :pa ,
ut"rL ut,is r,',i,,,, a,,i a i'iiitutios, tns
IH-,ilttns f ~, NV, % %, ~, ~ 20 'ue'r'o. 40
~ ~, a. ,tt,, ma, ~ III W ~, ~, d, nv
stiiiiI,f,on. in nls s,,,nn f'D i" ~. ~ .iVa.v
tnn nj IA, bn .srod rr,, ~ ' 80, III, iu w. uN%es- %
MOI =, forc,t rIed,rnrs ~ 49,, ,, vtu,.0nt nas ~.
trr,tx rrniini,,n, thc c,,In,ti, M ~" ~ ii r. ~
I,lls r. .i,n u, "a ,ites M, ,s - r, - ~.
ms iinutiyr M 10 tlc n IL IliIi 49, , - "a
by Iroaps but rui0ra Of m, IA nt.ro,erics 81 liz
TOOK mo TINT rDeioo iurr.naeo nunnbcrs ~ n",1
has actually icon found m u,viry n,,snI,tv ,nd
an m rt 10 reuoy, the ,nincr. - nj MI % 80
suit IN tho dasertion of tho bulk ~ the tr,,,n.
that mlght be sent thNro ia ran,ova Nam All
dinlculty In INT. M tier has nowevor mean re-
moved subject to tie apurnv i Of 4 n,,ress hv.
ire ~ ceding the Black ilillsaud ann nYShcs "a
.ettltmeut IN en- izpus ho snninr, ~ ma In,,,ss
policy and treafulrnt i. "a fIliS So, r,,rIh -, ,s