Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1876-12-06
n ELAE G r APH1C-
4 O'Clock. q. m.
iHE PRESIDENTS me- 5SAGB.
10 tie Senate and House Of hep

a IL submitting my eighth ana last
ANNUAL message to congress, u seems
proper thatI should reter TO, aud in
some degree recapltulate the events
and Official acts Of the past eight
31ars IL WAS my fortune or m'sior-
time to be called 10 the Office OF chief
executive without any previous pt,-
1Ic4t irsinIug From the nge-el u
had never even Witnessed the ex-
cilement attending a presidential
campaign but twice aniecedent 10 my
own candidacy, and III but one of
them WAS | eligible AS voter. Un-
der such circumstances il is but reas-
enable TO suppose ThHt-rrrors OF
judgement must have occurred.
Even had they not, differences OF op-
inion between the executive, bound
by an oath to the strict performance
of his duties, and writer's aud debaters,
must have arisen. 1t is not necessari-
II evidence Of blundee on the part of
the executive because there are these
differences Of views. Mistakes have
beer, made rs sll can see admit, but
Il seems 10 me oftrner in The selec-
tions made Of assistants appointed to
mid IN carrying out the VARIOUS duties
of administering the government,
Who were in nearly every case select
"a with out . personal acquaintance
With the appoin,ee, but upon the
Recommendation OF the representative
chosen directly by the people.
1t is impossible, when so many
trusts are 10 be allotted, that the
right parties should be chosen in
every instance. History shows that
I'll administrations, from the time ol
Washington to the present, have not
been free from these mistakes, but !
invite comparison with history, CLAIM
ing only that have ac,ed IN every
instance from CONSCIENTIOUS desire
10 do what WAS right and const,,u-
tional and Tor the best interest OF the
whole people. Failures have beeu
errors Of judgement, not Of intent
RKTRosPKcT1yE.
My civil career commenced too .,
most critical and difficult time, less
than four years befor the country had
efaetged from : conflict, such as nc
other nation ever survived. Nearly
one half Of the states hsd revol,ec
against the government >and Of ,hos.
remaining faithful to the Union u
81. large percentage Of the populal,or
sympathized with the rebellion aHt
made an enemy in the rear Ms danger
' Gus as the more honorable enemy ii
sse front. The latter committed error
OF Judgment, but they maintained
them openly and conrageonsly; tn
former received the protection OF ih
government they would destroy AM
reaped vi the pecuniary advantages I
be gained out Of the existing state c
AFFAIRS, many Of them, by ob,aininI
contracts aud by swindling the gov
ernment in the delivery Of their good,
Immediately on the. cessation o
hostil,ties the then noble presiden,
who had carried the country se fa
through its per,ls, fell martyr TO hi
patriotism IT the hands of an assassin
The intervening time to my 6rst ii
auguration was filled with vrangline
between congress aud the new exect
tive - to the best mode Of fcconstru,
ton, or to speak plainly, as to vhe,l
er the control OF the governmel
should be thrown into the hands
those who had SO recently and persi
tently tried to destroy it, or wheth'
the vistors should continue to haval
equal voice with them in the cortrt
Reconstruction ~ finally agreed {
amounted 70 this, the late slave y
cnfranchised giving an increase,as -
5s supposed, to the union loving u
So union supporting votes OF tho f.
people in the fullest sense Of tho wo'
and with confident hope that tn.
would dot disappoint this expectAtie
hence at the beginning Of my sdmi
istratiou the work OF reconstructis
was much embarrassed by tho lol
delay. When virtually commend
it was the work of the legis
tive branch. Of the governnel
My province was wholly in approvir
their acts which did most heartil
urging the legislatures Of the sta,
tha, had not yet done SO, to rat
W the fifteenth amendment TO the oe
sli,utlon. The country was labori
under an enormous debt contracted
the suppression Of the rebellion, Ia!
tion was 30 oppressive Ms to Disco
age production. Another danger q
threatened us-a foreign war. !
last officially WAS adjusted Wit
cut . war in : manner highly hon
able to all parties concerned.
FINANCIAL.
"A The interest ON the debt has b,
reduced within the last seven ye
nearly dit1sA hundred millions Of d
lars, and the national debt hAs b,
reduced in the ssme ltime, oxer &
-. c