Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-12-14
MESSAGE.
Annual Message of President
Grant.
A Brief but Comprehensive Re
view Of the Departments
of Government.
Our Relations with Foreign
Powers.
Fraudulent Naturalization, Etc.
MESSAGE.
Fraudulent Naturalization, Etc.

% the Senate dnd House Of representatives
In submitting my eighth and last
annual message to Congress, it seems
proper that | should refer to, and in
some degree recapitulate, the events
and official acts of the past eight
years. 1t was my fortune, or misfor-
tune to be called TO the office of chief
executive without any previous politi-
cal training. From the age of seven.
teen | had never even witnessed the
excitement attending Presidential
campaign, but twice antecedent to
my own candidacy, and at but one of
them was l eligible as voter. Under
such circumstances, it is but reason
able to suppose that errors of jadg-
ment must have occurred even had
they not, differences of opinion be-
tween the executive bound by oath to
strict performance OF his duties, and
writers and debaters, mast have arisen.
1t is not necessarily an evidence of
blunder on the part of an executive
because there are these differences of
views. Mistakes have been made, as
all can see, and | admit, but it seems
to me oftener in selections made of
assistants appointed to aid in carry
inc out the various duties of admins.
terlng the government, in nearly every
case selected without personal ac-
quaintance with the appointees, but
upon the recommendations of the rep
resentatives chosen directly by the
people. 1t is impossible where so
many trusts are to be allotted, that
the right parties should be chosen in
every instance. History shows that
administrations from the time of
Washington to the present have not
been free from these mistakes; but l
leave comparisons to history, claiming
only that | have acted in every in
stance from a conscientious desire to
do what was right, constitutional,
within the law, and for the very best
interests of the whole people. Fail
ures 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 re-
volted against the government, and
of those remaining faithful TO the
Union, large percentage of the pop
ulation sympathized with the rebel
lion, which made an enemy in the
rear almost as dangerous as the more
honorable enemy in the front. Thf
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 advantages 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. Immedi-
ately on the cessation OF hoStilities,
the then noble President who had car.
ried the country so far through its
pcrils, fell a martyr to his patriotism
at the hands OF an assassin. The in
tervcning time to my first inaugura'
ton was filled up with wrangling:
between Congress and the new execu
tive as to the best mode of construc.
non; or, to speak plainly, as &c
whether the control of the govern
ment should be thrown Immediately
into the hands Of those who had sc
recently and persistently tried to de
stroy it, or whether the victors should
continue TO have an equal voice with
them in this control. Reconstruction
as finally agreed upon, means this
aud only this, except that the late
slave was enfranchised, giving an in
crease, as was supposed, to the union
supporting votes. If free in the full
sense of the word, they would no
disappoint this expectation, hence a
the beginning of my first administra
ton the work of reconstruction wa'
embarrassed by the long delay. Vir
tually commenced, it was the work o
the legislative branch of the govern
ment My province was wholly il
apply III NuSh dSNc3 NhANu OiN
most heartily, urging the legislature.
of states that had not yet done so
10 ratify the fifteenth amendment t
the Constitution. The country wa
laboring under 40 enormous debt
contracted in the suppression of re
belIion, and taxation was SO oppres
sive as to discourage production. =
Another danger also threatened us
a foreign war The last difficulty ha,
to be adjusted, and was adjusted
without wa, and in manner highl.
honorable t. Ill parties concerned.
FINANCIAL.
Taxes have been reduced within
the past seven years nearly $500, 600,
600, and the national debt has beer
reduced in the same time over S435,
100000. By refunding the six pc
cent. bonded debt for loans bearins