The Morning herald., 1876-12-06

Executive, because there are these differ
ences of views. Mistakes have been made
as all can see, I admit, but 1t seems 10 m
oftener in the selections made of assist
ants appointed to aid In earring ou
various duties of administering tt
the government, in nearly
every case selected without personal &C
quaintanee with the sppointee, but upol
recommendations of the representative
chosen directly by the people. 1t il impos
s1ble, when 80 many trusts are to be allot-
ted, that the right parties should be chossI
In every instance. History shows that nc
administration, from the time of Washing
ton to the present, has been free from these
but leave comparisons to history, claim
Ing only that have acted in every instance
from conscientious desire to do what Wal
right and Constitutional within the law and
for the very best interests of the whole peo-
pie. Failures have been errors of judgment
not OF intent.
MY civil career commenced, too, at . most
critical and difficult time, ltes than four
years before the country had emerged from
| conflict such as no other nation had ever
sustained. Nearly one-half of the States
| had revolted against the Government, and
now these are remaining faithful to the
Union. A large percentage of the popula-
tion sympathized with the rebellion, anu
made an 'enemy in the rear" almost as
dangerous as the most honorable en-
emy In the front. The latter COM
mitted errors of judgment, but they
maintained them openly and coursgeously.
The former received the protection of the
government they would seek to destroy,
aPd reaped all the pecuniary advantages
TO o'5e gained ut of the then existing state
OF affairs, many of them by obtaining con-
tracts and by swindling the governmsnt In
the delivery of their goods. Immediatly on
the cessation of hostilities, the then noble
President who had carried tho country 90
far through its perils fell martyr to his
patriotism at the hands of an assassin. The
intervening time to my first Inauguration
was filled up with wranelings between Con
gress and the new Executive as to the best
mode of reconstruction.
Or, to speak plainly, Is to whether the
control of the government should be thrown
Immediately into the hands of those who
had 80 recently and persistently tried to de-
stroy It, or whether the victors should con-
tinue to have an equal voice with them in
this control. Reconstruction, a. finally
agreed upon, means this only, except that
the late slave was enfrsnchised, giving
an increase, as was supposed, to tho Union
loving and Union-supporting votes. If free
in the full sense of the word they should
not disappoint this expectation. Hence,
at the beginning Of my first admins.
tration the work OF reconstruction much
embarrassed by the long delay, virtu-
ally commenced. it WAS the work of the
legislative branch of the government, my
province was wholly in approving their acts,
which did most heartily, urging the Leg
islature of the State ,tnat had not done so, to
ratify the fifteenth amendment to the Con-
stitution. The country was laboring under
an enormous debt contracted In the sup
preston of the rebellion, and taxation was
SO oppressive as to discourage production.
Another danger also threatened us, a foreign
war, the last difficulty had to be adjusted
without war.
Taxes have been reduced within the last
seven years nearly $500, 900 900, and tho
national debt has been reduced in the same
time $435, ,00O,0 900. By refunding the six
per cent. bond debt for bonds bearing five
and four and half per cent. interest, re-
spectively, the annual interest has been re-
duced from over $3.50, 900 in 1860 to
$lO0, 900, 900 in 1875. The balance of trade
has been changed from over $3.50, ,000, 900
against the United States IL 1859, now more
than one hundred and twenty millions of
dollars in our favor In 1875, 1t Is confidently
believed that the balance of trade In favor
of the ULitsd States will increase, not d.
minish, and that the pledge of Congress TO
resume specie payment in 1879 will be easily
accomplished, even in the absence of much
desired further legislation on the subject.
A policy has been adopted towards the
Indian tribes inhabiting large portion OF
the Territories of the United States, which
has been humane and has substantially
ended Indian hostilities in the land, except
in q portion of Nebraska and Dakota,
Wyoming and Montana Territories.
In the Black Hills region and approaches
thereto hostilities have grown out of the
avarice of the white man, who has violst ed
our treaty stipulations In his search for
gold. The question might be asked why
the government has not enforced obedience
to the terms of the treaty prohibiting the
occupation of the Black Hills BY whites.
The answer is simple. The nrst Immigrants
to the Black Hills were removed by troops,
but rumors of rich discovering of gold took
many to that region.
The subject Of the Indian policy and treat
ment is 90 fully set forth BY the Secretary
of the Interior and the Commissioners Of
Indian Affairs, and my views are 90 fully
expressed therein that refer to their re-
ports and recommendations a. my own.
The relations of the United States with
foreign powers continue on friendly foot
ing. Questions have arisen from time to
time In the foreign relations of tho govern.
ment, but the United States have beon hap.
ply tree during the past tan ysArs from