The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-12-08

FeI-r C4tssea. ef III .s.s.aie as3 H1ss
II L<yrese stafires.

y AssFFeef sSstfstNs
In submitting my eighth and las. an
nnai Aessaxe 10 Congress. II seems
prcp~r that | should refer u and IN
some d,-gree retapitalate the ercnts and
official acts of the past eight years
REVIEW Or HIS ADMINISTRATOR
II wa. NV fortune ar misfortune -
ic called t. hc officc o. Caief ExoeG-
tive withsat any ,.rsvsess iso.it'sa. tEaiis-
ing From t;ir AZ. IL seventies had
never eysa q. .itnessra tbs excitement
attending = political campaign bat
twice snt@edent 10 my Own candida y.
aud at bat ore OF them was eligible
as = voter. and aiaer ss!ch circams'a1-
ees il is Reasonable to suppose that er-
rors OF Judgment must have occurred.
Even had they not, differences Of opin-
ion tetween the executive, bound by
al oath 10 the strict performance of his
duties. and writers and debaters MUS,
have arisen II Is not necessarily evil
dence Of a blunder on the part Of an
executive because there are these sisf.
ferences of views. Mistakes have been
made, as all can see. and as l sdmi, !;
but it seems TO me oftener in selections
made of assistants appointed TO aid in
carrying out the various duties of ad-
ministsring the government. who are
in nearly every case selected without
any persosal acquaintance with the aP-
pointee. but upon recommendations Of
the Representatives chosen directly by
the people. II is impossible where 50
many trusts are to be allotted that the
right person should be chosen in every
instance. History shows that no ad-
ministration from the time Of Wash
ington 10 the present has been free
from these mistakes But / leave COM
parisons TO history. claiming that
nave acted ia every instance from
conscientious desire 60 do whatever was
right, constitutionaiiy, within the law.
aud for the best interest OF the whole
people. Failures have been errors of
Judgment, ana not intent. My civil
career commenced, too. IL. a most criti-
cal and difficult time. Less than four
years before the country had emerged
from conflict such as no other nation
had ever survived. Nearly one balf Of
tho States had revolted against the
government. and Of those remaining
faithful 10 the Union large percent
age Of the population smpathized with
the rebellion and made an enemy in
rear almost as dangerous A. the more
honorable enemy III the front. The
latter committed errors of Judgment,
-<~>A.-~-~-~-s-~.~s--~~a. s-~- ~~~Ay ~..1
eoars9oausly the former received the
protection of the government they
would see destroyed and reaped the
pecuniary advantage to be gained out
Of the then existing state OF affairs,
many Of them by obtaining contracts
and swindling the government in the
delivery of their goods. Immediately
on the cessation Of hossilities the than
noble President who had carried the
country 81 far through its pcrils fell
martyr 10 his patriotism ut the hands
OF an assassin. The intervening time
to my first Inauguration was filed up
with wranglings between Congress and
the new executive A. 10 the best mode
of reconstruction. or, 10 speak plainly,
IA to whether the control of the gov
eminent should be thrown immediately
in,a the hands Of those who had so re-
Gently and porsis,ently tried To destroy
it. or whether the victors should con
tinue to have all equal voice with them
in this control Reconstruction. as
finally agreed upon, means this aud
only this. except that the late slave
was enfra nchised. giving asa an increase,
a. was supposed, to the Union loving
and nion-supportlng votes rs, II
free in this full sense of the word. they
would not disappoint this expectation
Hence, at the beginning of my fist ad-
miaistration the work OF reconstruction.
much embarrassed by the long delay.
virtually commenced Ii erred, IT
was wholly in approving those acts,
which ! did most heartily. arging the
Legislatures of States that bad not yet
done so. To ra,ifv the fifteenth amend
mens TO the constitution The country
was iaboring under an enormous debt,
contracted in the suppression of the
rebellion aud taxation was - oppres-
sive as to discourage production. An
other danger also threatened us; a
foreign war The last difficulty had
tn ~ adjusted and was adjusted with
out q war, aud in IA manner hignly hon.
oratle to all parties concerned.
Taxes have been reduced within the
/ last seven wears nearly $500. Nn. .eso
and the national debt has been reduced
| in the same time over Siso 900, ,on
BY reiunding the SIX per cent. bonded
! debt for bonds beariny > and IL, pe'
cent. interest respectively, the annual
| inferes, has been reduced from over
! $i3o, ,ooo, 900 in 1869 Ia little ov.'
/ $ioo .oO0 goo in 1870. The lAlauee .oI
/ trade has i,een changed from over Slio.-
uoo. 600 against the United States Ir
1899. ta uore than size. .tsnGo ia oul
iaves IN 1876 Ii l. confidently be
lievei tina. the halance of trade III tAvo'
of the United States will Increase ana
nos diminish, and the pledge Of Con
gr.ss TO resume specie payments IN i>1'
will be easily accomplished, even In ih'
absence III mnch desired legislation os
the subject,
\ policy has h.en adopted towards
the Indians lnhabitlng - large porfios
Of the territory Of the Cnite'l State
/ which has l.sen humane, and has sab
s.anslaly ended Indian h'esiliiles II
the whole land. except in portion G
Nehrask., Dakota. Wyoming and Mon
,ana the Black Hills nesiou and 'h
spproaches thereto -- hc-iili,ies tha
have grown eat oi the avaTsce OF I'd
bite mAn. v ho has violated our treat.
stipulation In bis ssarca for gold Th
question NIGH, be asked ~hy the ees
erun,ens does not eafofee olseNir"ncc 4