Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-12-05
EVENING STAR.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

To the Se1la'e and Ho,lse Of Represen dtiues:
In submitting my eighth and last ANNA,
message To Congress- IL seems proper that
should refer to ard I'm some degree recapifu-
late the events and official acts of the past
eight years.
10 was my fortune, or misfortune, to be
called to the Office of Chief Executive with
out any previous political training. From
the age of seventeen, had never even wit
messed the excitement attending a Presi
DENTAL campaign but twice antecedent TO my
own Cand day, and at but one o
them was / eligible as voter. Under
such circumstances il is but reasonable
to suppose that errors of Judgment must have
occurred. Even had they lot, differences of
O ai1.iOn between the Executive, bound BY an
cab tn the strict performance of his duties
and writers and debaters must have arisen
II is not necessarily evidence OF olunder on
lie part of the Executive because there are
,hese differences of views. nj stakes have
been PIade, as all can see, and | admit, but,
IL seems to me, oftener IN the selections made
of the assistants appointed to aid in
carrying out the various duties of adj
minister ng the Nernment-in nearly
every Ease selected without q personal
acquairtance with the appOintee, but, upon
chosen directly by the people. 1t is impos-
s.ble where so many trusts are to be allotted
that the right parties shoCld be chosen in
ministration, from the time of Washington
To the present, has been free from these mis-
takes. But lea comparisons to h story,
Ga ming 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
Failures have been errors of judgment, not
of intent.
My civil career commenced too at a most
critical and difficult time Less than four
" airs before the country had emerged from a
conflict such as no other nation had ever sur
WV, q. Nearly one-half of the states had re-
volted against the government, and of those
remaining 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 honor
able enemy in the front. The latter commit
ted errors of judgment, but, they maintained
them openly ard 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 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, fell a mar
tyr To his patriotism at the hands of an assas-
sin. The intervening time to my first inau-
CuTation was filled up with wranglings be-
tween Cor gress and the new Executive as TO
The best mode of demonstration" or, TO
speak plainly, to whether the control of
The government should be thrown immedi-
ately into the hands Of those who had so re-
c, ntly and persistently tried to destroy il, or
whether the viCtOrS should continue To have
an equal voice with them in this control Re
construction, as finally agreed upon, means
This, and only this, except that the late slave
was enfranchised. giving an increase, as was
supposed, to the CniOn-lOving and Union
supporting votes. If free, in the full sense of
the word, they would not disappOint this ex-
pectation. Hence at the beginning of my first
administration, the work of reconstructiOn-
much embarrassed by the long delay-virtu-
ally commenced. 1t was the work of the
legislative branch OF the government. Ny
province was wholly in approving their acts,
which did most heartily, urging the legisla-
lures of states that had not vet done so to
ratify the fifteenth amendment to the consti-
tuition. The country was labOring under an
enormous debt contracted in the suppression
OF r. bellion, and taxation was so oppressive
as To d scOurage product on. Another
danger also threatened us-a foreign
war. The last difficulty had to be
adjusted, and was adjusted without a war
and In manner highly honorable 10 all
parties concerned.
seven years nearly three hundred millions of
dollars, and the national debt has been re-
duced in the same time over four hundred
and thirty five milliO OF dollars. By re-
IuI ding the six per cent. bonded debt for
bonds bearing five, ard four and one half per
cent interest, respectively, the annual inter
and thirty millions of dollars in 1869 to but
little over one hundred millions of dollars in
1916. The balance Of trade has been changed
from over one hundred and thirty millions
against the United States in 1863 10 more than
ole hundred and twenty millions Of dollars
In our favor In 1876.
II is confidently believed that the balance
of trade I'm favor of the United States will in
crease, not diminish, and that the pledge of
Congress to resume specie payments in 1879
will be easily accomplished, even in the abb
sence OF much desired further legislation on
the subject.
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 Indian
hostllitles IN the whole land, except in
and Montana Territoryies, the Black hills re-
gion and approaches thereto. Hostilities there
have grown out of the averice OF the white
man who has violated our treaty stipulations
in his search for gold. The question might be
asked: why the Government has not enforced
obedience 10 the terms of the treaty prohibit
ng the occupation of the Black Hills region
by whites? The answer Is simple. The first
Immigrants TO the Black Hills were removed
by troops, but rumors of rich discoveries OF
gold took into that region increased num-
bers. Gold has actually been found in pay
ing quantity, and an effort to remove the
miners would only result in the desertion of
the bulk OF the troops that might be sent there
TO remove them. All difficulty i'll this mat
ter has however been removed-subject to
the approval OF Congress-by a treaty cedfng
The Black Hills and approaches TO settlement
by citizens.
The subject of Indian policy and treatment
is so fully set forth by the Secretary of the In
terror and the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs and my views so fully expressed
ut rein IlaI Il REFER 10 tnelr reports and recon-
mendatiOns "a my own
The relations OF the United States with for
eign powers continue on friendly footing.
Questions have arisen from time to time in
the foreign relations Of the government, but
the United States have been happily free dur
Ing the past year from the complications and
enbarrassments which have surrounded
some OF the foreign powers.
The diplomatic correspondence submitted
herewith contains information as to certain
of the matters which have occupied the gov
eminent.
The cordially which attends our relations
with the powers of the earth has been plainly
shown by the general parti cipation OF for
elgn nations in the Exhibition which has Just
closed, and by the exertions made by distant
powers To show their interest in and friendly
feelings toward the United States In the COM
memoration of the Centennial of the nation
The government and people OF the United
states have not only fully appreciated this
exhibition of kindly feeling, but il may be
justly and fairly expected that no small ben
efits will result both to ourselves and other
nations from a better acquaintance. and a
better appreciation OF our mutual advantages
and mu ual wants.
Congress at its last session saw at to reduce
the amount usually appropriated for foreign
Intercourse by Withholding appropriations for
Represents tives of the United States in GER
tain foreign countries and for certain con-
sular officers, and by reducing the amounts
uSua lly appropriated for certain other diDlo-