The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-12-14
PRESIDENTS MRBSAGR.

PR&lDRNI'B MRBSAGR.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.
To ~ Sesats and House. Of Representatives
In submitting my eighth and last annual
message TO Congress, 1t seems proper that
shoull refer to, and in some degree re
cspitulate the events and efficiai acts Of
the past eight years.
PERSONAL POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.
II Vas my fortune or misfortune to be
called to the Office Of Chief Executive
without any previous political training
From the age Of II had never even wit
messed the excitement attending Presi.
dentlAl campaign. But twice anteceden,
TO my own candidacy, and ut but one oil
those elections, WAS ]. eligible - . voter
Under such circumstances, 1t 10 but reason.
able to suppose that errors OF judgment
must have occurred, even had not differ
euces of opinion, between the Executive
bound BY an cath to the strict performance
of his duties, and political writers and de
bat0rs have arisen.
MISTAKES INEVITABLE.
II is not necessarily evidence of blum.
der on the part of the Executive, because
there are these differences of views. Mis-.
takes have been made as all can see, and
admit but It seems to me oftener in selec-
lions made Of assistants, appointed to aid
In carrying out the various duties Of ad-
1ninistering the government; in nearly
every case selected without personal &C
quaintance with the appointee, but upon
recommendations Of the representatives
chosen directly by the people, 1t is i'm
possible, where 90 many trusts are TO be
aalotted, that the right parties should be
chosen tn every instance. History shows
that no administration, from ihe time OF
Washington to the present, has been free
from these mistakes. But leave com.
PARSONS 10 history, claiming only that I
have acted In every instance from con.
Acientious 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 judgement,
not of intentions.
TIRE POLITICAL PAST REVIEWED.
NY civil career commenced ut q most
critical and difficult time. Less than four
years before the country had emerged from
y 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, .
large percentage Of the population sympa-
thized with the rebellion and made an
enemy in the rear almost as dangerous as
the more honorable enemy in the front.
Tho latter committed errors of judgment,
and they maintained them openly and
cOurageously. The former received the
protection of the government they would
zee destroyed, and reaped all the pecunia-
AIRY advantage to be gained out OF the then
existing state of affairs, 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, foil
martyr to his patriotism, at the hands OF
an assassin.
THE RECONSTRUCTION CONTESTS OF
1S66-'69
The intervening time to my first IN
auguratien, was filled up with wrang-
Iings between Congress and the new
executive, az to the best mode of recon-
struction, or, to speak plainly. as to
whether the control OF the government
should be thrown Immediately into
the hands of those who had SO recently
and persistently tried to destroy it, or
whether the victors should continue to
have an equal voice with them in this
control. This last was decided to be
right. Reconstruction, as finally agreed
upon, means this and only this. except
that the late slave was enfranchised,
giving an increase as was supposed to
the Union loving and Union-support-
ing votes. II free, In the full sense of
the word, they would not disaPpoint
this expectation.
RECONSTRUCTION UNDRR GRANT.
Hence, at the beginning OF my FIRST
administration, the work OF recon-
struction, much embarrassed by the
long delay, has virtually commenced.
1t was the work of the legislative
branch OF the government. My prov
ince was wholly in approving their
acts, which did most heartily, urging
the legislatures of states that had not
done so to ratify the fifteenth amend
ment of the constitution. The country
was iaboring under an enormous debt
contracted in the suppression OF rebel
ion, and taxation was SO oppressive as
to discourage production. Another
danger threatened US, foreign war.
The last difficulty had to be adjusted
and was adjusted without war and in
. manner highly honorable to all par
ties concerned
OTHHR RESULTS SECURED.
Taxes have been reduced within the
last seven years nearly three hundred
millions OF dollars and the national
debt has been reduced in the same time
over four hundred and thirty five mil
lions of dollars. By refunding the six
per cent. bonded debt for bonds bearing
1--WE and four and one>half per cent in
terest respectively, the annual interest
has been reduced from over one hum
dred and thirty millions of dollars in
1860 to but little over one hundred mil
lions of dollars in 1876. The balance Of
trade has been changed from over one
hundred and thirty millions, against
the United States in 1860, to more than
one hundred and twenty millions Of
dollars in our favor In 1876, 1t Is con-
fidentIy believed that the balance of
trade in favor of the United States will
increase, not diminisht and that the
pledge of Congress to resume specie
payments in 1879, will be easily accom-
plished, even in the absence OF much
desired legislation on the subject
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
A policy had been adopted towards the
Indian tribes inhabiting q large portion OF
the territory Of the United States which has
been humane and has substantially ended
Indian hostiltlcs n the whole land, ex-
cept in Nebraska, Dakota. Wyoming and
Montana Territories, the Black Hills re.
glen and approaches thereto. Hostilities
there have grown ont OF the avarica OF the
white man, who has violated our treaty
stlpulations IN bis search for gold. The
cusstion might be asked why the govern
mont has nat enforced obedience to the