Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,

events and official acts Of the last
eight years. 1t was my fortune or
misfortune to be called to the Office OF
Chief Executive without any previ-
Gus political training. From the age
of seventeen 1 had never Witnessed
the excitement attending a Presiden-
tial campaign but twice antecedent to
my own candidacy, and at but one oil
them was eligible as voter. Under
such circumstances it was reasonable
to suppose that errors of judgment
must have occurred, even had there
not have been differences Of opinion
between the Executive, bound by an
oath to strict performance of his
duties, and writer's and debaters
must have arisen. 1t is not necessar.
lily an evidence of blunder on the
part of the Executive because there
are these difference of views. Mis-.
takes have been made, as all can see
and admit. But it seems to me of.
tenor in the selections made
Of assistants appointed to aid
in carrying out the various
duties of administering the govern.
mcnt, in nearly every case selected
without personal acquaintance with
the appointee, but upon recommend.
atoms of the representatives chosen
directly by the people. 1t is impos-
sible, where so many trusts are to be
allotted, that the right parties should
be chosen in every instance. History
shows that administration from the
time of Washington to the present
have not been free from these mis-
takes.
But leave comparison to history,
claiming only that l have acted in
every instance from a conscientious
desire to do what was right, constitu.
tiOnal, within the law, and for the
very best interests Of the whole peo-
pie. Failures have been errors OF
judgement, not Of intent.
My civil career commenced too, al
a most critical and difficult time. Less
than four years before the country
had emerged from conflict such n
no other nation had ever survived
Nearly one half of the states had re.
VOTED against the government and OF
those remaining faithful to the Union
large percentage of the population
sympathized with the rebellion and
made an enemy in the rear almost a!
dangerous as the more honorable en-
envy in front. The latter committed
errors of judgement, but they main
tanned them openly and courageously
the former received the protection o.
the govt. they would see destroyed
and reaped all the pecuniary advant-
age to be gained out of the then ex
listing state of affairs, many of then
by obtaining contracts, and by swim
ding the government in the delivery
of their goods. Immediately on tn,
cessation of hostilities, the then nobl.
President fell
A MARTYR TO HIS PATRIOTISM
at the hands of an assassin, The in
tervening time to my first inaugura'
ton, was filled up with wranglingl
between Congress and the new Elk
ecutive as to the best mode of recon
struction, or, to speak plainly, as t.
whether the control Of the govern
ment should be thrown Immediately
into the hands of those who had 81
recently and persistently tried to de
stroy it, or as to whether the victor
should continue to have an equa
voice with them in this control.
RECONSTRUCTION
as finally agreed upon, means this
and only this, except that the lat
slave was enfranchised, giving an in
crease, as was supposed, to the Uniol
loving and Union supporting votes o
the free. In the full sense of tn,
word, they would not disappoint thi
expectation, hence at the beginning o
my first administration, the work o
reconstruction was much embarrass
ed by long delay.
| Virtually commenced it wa
the work of the Legislative
branch Of government. My provinc
was wholly in approving their acts
which l did most heartily, urging tn
legislatures the states that had no
yet done SO, to ratify the 18th amend
ment to the constitution. AnOthe
danger also threatened us, a foreig
war. The last difficulty had to b
adjusted and was adjusted without
war and in manner highly honor
able to all parties concerned.
| The country was laboring under q
} enormous debt. contracted in the sup
preston of rebellion and taxatiO
; was SO oppressive as to discourag
/ production.
Taxes have been reduced within I'll
last seven years nearly $500, OOO, COX
the national debt has been reduce
in the same time ever $435, OOO, 900 b
refunding the 6 per cent. bonded del
for bonds bearing and ~ per cen
interest respectively. The annual il
terest has been reduced from owe
$3.50, OOO, 600 in 1869, to but little owe
} 500, OOO,O 900 in 1876.
THE BALANCE OF TRADE HAS BEEN
Il CHANGED
from $l3O,0O0,OO0 against the Unite
States in 1869, to more than $4,000
600 in our favor in 1876. It is conf
IDENTITY believed that the balance I
, trade in favor Of the United Stat.
will increase and not diminish, an
that the pledge of Congress
TO RESUME SPECIE PAYMENTS
i'm 1879, will be easily accomplishe,
even in the absence of much desire
legislation on the subject.
i A policy has been adopted towar
the
INDIAN TRIBES
inhabiting large portion of tt
territory Of the United States, whic
+ has been humane and has substantial
> ly ended Indian hostilities in Il
E whole land except in q portion ,
Nebraska, Dakota, Wyoming an
!, Montana territories. In the
Il BLACK HILLS
regions and approaches thereto no
! tilities have grown out of the avar
ciousness of the white man who h,
!, violated our treaty stipulations in h
, search for gold. The question migl
be asked why the government HI
not enforced obedience to the tern
of the treaty prohibiting the occup,
ton of the Black Hills region by Il
whites. The answer is simple. tt
first emigrants to the Black Hill
, were removed by troops, but rrmol
and fresh discoveries Of gold took il
: to that region increased numbers
Gold has actually been found in pa,
ing quantities and an effort to remo1
, the miners would only result in IL
S desertion of the bulk of the troo,
that might be sent there. All diff
Guilty in this matter has, howeve
+ been removed, subject to the Apr,
val of Congress, and treaty mad
ceding the Black Hills and approach
S es to the settle ment of citizens.
VI The subject Of Indian policy an
treatment is SO fully set forth by Il
Secretary of the Interior and II
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, an
my views are SO fully expresse
J therein that refer to these report
) records and recommendations as m
own.
The relations of the United Stat
$ with
I'll FOREIGN POWERS