New-York tribune., 1876-12-06

variaby sustained bad appointments here'
too. is a suggestion of a much-Deeded REFORM
in the civil service which ought to have weight
as being not merely the notion OF theorlst
but the result of eight years practical ex'
perience in the Executive office.
1t is not strange, when we consider fresiueu'
Grants character and history how he was taken
from a position which was the culmlhluoh
and cOnsummation OF successlui milony
career-a place of almost undlsturDed repoSe
and the highest honor-and placed In an ONCE
full of annoyances and difficulties for when
he had no training, and which exposed HIM 10
the largest criticism, and how he has been ham
nrred and harassed, betrayed by friends and
beset Nv foes.-it is not strange that under
sroh circumstances he should devote con-
siderable norton of his last annual message to
something like vindication OF his admihistia-
top The sad thing about it is that he
sbould be obliged to admit so much In
the way of mistake and failure, ana
should 90 out of Office with an apology. Ihe
accumulation in which he INDUCES is not
grand review in lofty periods OF the stately
steppings of the nation i'll its royal progress J;
il il apologetic rather confession OF weak
ness and appeal for charitable judg-
ment. We gladly concede his claim
that he has "acted in every instance
"from n conscientious desire to do what was
"r;ebt. constitutional, within the law, and for
"tbe very best interests of the whole people,"
We do believe his failures nave peeh
"errors of Judgment and not of intent" Fol-
lowing the enumeration Of the difficulties when
beset mis- administration at the outset, ana lis
admission that mistakes have been made, ~ the
claim that during seven years there has been
n large reduction of the National debt and OF
Federal taxes. and change in our favor In
the balance of trade. No one will deny the
business of the claim or refuse his ad-
minstration the credit it deserves there
for. His references to foreign relations
and domestic affairs contained III 'ne
body of the message are for the most part
merely formal being abstracts or summaries
of departmental reports, without any specihc
recommendations. He takes special pans,
however. to pus in good word for
Secretary Robson, who he thinks has
been unfairly criticised, but TO whose
practical action he thinks it is due " that we
"have at this time any effective navy force at
command" Concerning the Presidential
somewhat at length, he says practically moth
ing. contenting himself with recommend
ing the adoption of an educational test
as qualification for electoral measure
which commends itself strongly to the good
sense of the people. As to the present DIS
puted election and the questions arising out OF
il, he is entirely silent. The closing para
graphs of the message are devoted, slnghlariy
enough, to resatcncnt OF the az
cument in favor of the Santo Domingo scheme,
rot os he says. as n recommendation for the
renewal of the subject OF annexation, but 10
yindicate his previous action IN regard 10 IL.
There could be no better illustration oi the
Presidents amazing obstinacy OF character.
The Santo Domingo scheme was probably one
of the worst blunders of his administration.
II divided and in the end almost destroyed the
party, but 1t had passed ont of people, minds
and might have been forgotten, had not the
President in the last paragraph OF his last an
Dual message thus strangely revived II. just
as he goes out of sight he lifts his head above
the wave and says, "Nevertheless-Santo
:" Domingo"
The message is that of n man who is tired
of pnblic life and weary of political strife. II
il a confession that his civil career has not
been success, and plea for charitable judg-
ment. or at least for division of the blame. IL
is only just to say of him that his military
services entitled him to the country's graft
tude. and that, if his civic career was fail
IRE, it was only his misfortune, while 1t was
the peoples fault. Let us take our share oil
the blame of it, and remember with satisfac-
ton that at least in one instance-llis veto OF
the Imitation bill-his administration was alike
honorable to himself and serviccable to the
country.
THE TPElSURY-NPECIE PAYMENTS