, 1876-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
lCont;ssaed from Second paqe.]
while in charge of the mails on account of
his political affiliations. The assistant
superintendent of the railway mail service
Investigated this case, and reported that
the messenger had disappeared from his
post, leaving his work to be performed by
q substitute. The Postmaster General
hthinks This case is sufficiently suggestive
to justify him in recommending that
severe punishment should be provided for
the otfenses Of assaulting any person in
charge of the mails, or of retarding or
otherwise obstructing them by threats of
personal injury.
Avery gratifying result is presented in
the fact that the deficiency of this depart
ment, during the last fiscal year, was
reduced to 81, ,O81 100 IS, as against &c.
!69.93S IS of the preceding year. The
difference can be traced to the large in
crease of its ordinary receipts, which
greatly exceeded the estimates therefor.
and slight decrease in its expenditures.
The ordinary receipts of the Postofice
department. for the seven past fiscal years,
have increased at an average rate of over s
FoA SSAAo. PSA oAAAuAA, Wu1lC tA0 1uCICtsSc VI
expenditures for the same period has been
about 5 per cent. per annum, and the
decrease of deficiency in the revenues has
been at the rate Of nearly 2per cent. per
annum.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The report of Commissioner of Agri-
culture accompanying this message, will be
found one of great interest, marking. as it
does, the great progress in the last centu-
ry in variety of products of the soil, in
increased knowledge and skill in the labor
of producing, saving and manufacturing
the same, to prepare them for the use of
man, in the improvement of machinery to
aid the agriculturalist in his labors, and
knowledge of scientific subjects necessary
to a thorough system of economy in
agricultural productions, namely, chemis-
ry, botany, entomology, etc. A study of
this report by those interested in agricul-
ture and deriving their sustenance from it
will render it of value in pointing out
those articles which are raised in greater
quantity than the needs of the world re-
quire, and which must sell, therefore, for
less than the cost of production, and those
which command profit over cost of pro-
duction because there is not an overpro-
duction. I call special attention to the
need of the department for new gallery
for the reception of the exhibits returned
from the Centennial exhibition, including
exhibits donated by many foreign nations,
and to the recommendations of the Com
missioner of Agriculture generally.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The reports of the district commission
ers and the board of health are just recei-
we'd too late to read them and to make rec
concentrations thereon, and are herewith
submitted.
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The International Exhibition, held in
Philadelphia this year, in commemoration
of the one hundredth anniversary of
American Independence, has proven
great success and will no doubt be of en-
during advantage to the country. It has
shown the great progress in the arts,
science, and mechanical skill made in
single century, and demonstrates that we
are but little behind the older nations in
any one branch, while in some we scarcely
have rival. It has served to not only
bling people and products of skill and
labor from all parts of the world together,
in bringing together people from all sec
tions of our own country, which must
prove great benefit in the information
impaired and the pride of country engen-
dered. It has been suggested by scien-
fists interested in and connected with the
Smithsonian Institute, in communion
ton herewith submitted, that the Govern
ment exhibit be removed to the capital
and suitable building erected, or pur-
chased for its accommodation, as per-
manent exhibit. I earnestly recommend
it. and believing that Congress would
second this view, I directed that all gov
ernment exhibits at the Centennial Exhib-
itien should remain where they are, ex-
cept such as might be injured by remain
ing in building not intended as protec-
ton from inclement weather, or such as
may be wanted by the department. fur
nishing them, until the question of per-
manent exhibition is acted upon. Al
though the moneys appropriated by Con-
Rress to enable the participation of the
several executive departments in the inter-
national exhibition of 1876 were not suffi-
cient to carry on the undertaking to the
full extent at first contemplated, it gives
me pleasure to refer to the very efficient
and creditable manner in which these sew
eral departments, to provide an exhibition
on the part of the government, have dis
charged their duties with the funds placed
at their command, without precedent to
guide them in the preparation OF such
display. The auccess of their labors was
amply attested by the sustained attend
ance which the contents OF the govern
ment attracted during the period OF the
exhibition from both foreign and native
people. I am strongly impressed with
the Value of the collection made Dy the
government for the purposes OF the exhlD,
ition, illustrating as it does the genera
resources of the country. and statistical