, 1876-12-16
The E'rcsi,i"nt'- Message.

Owing to the extreme length Of the
message, and Il press Of other motrcr
we are unable to give that document in
uII. We, however, give the leading por.
tions Of it, as follows:
In submitting my eighth and last 0nuual
message tu Congress, it seems proper that
. -ho1Id refer To and ir some degree rrcapiu-
/ late the events and official act, Of the past
eight years.
Il wa, my fortune or misfortune ~ he called
/ to the office of Chief Executive without any
| previous, political training. From the ace Of
seventeen had never even Witnessed the cy.
/ ctrmvnt Attending n political campaign but
/ twice untcccdrnl to my own NludldlcN and
/ Ut bat one of them was | eligible HS voter,
/ and under >urh circumstances it /, bat reason
able to suppose that errors Of Judgment must
/ have occurred. Even had they not difference
1 Uf opinion between the Executive, bound hy
oath 10 strict performance Of his duties and
writers and dvhItCr> must have arisen. II j.
not necessary evidence Of "A blundcr on the
part Of an Executive because there are these
difference, ofvicws Mistake. have been ENdc,
u, all can see, and rs | admit; but itsocms to
me Oitrnrr in selections made of assistants ap.
pointed to and in carrying ont the various du.
I
in nearly every case selected without per.
-onal acquaintance with the HppOintcc, but
upon recommendations of the Repre-,
chosen directly 10y the people Its impOsrl.
| blC where - many trusts are to he allotted
that the right party should be chosen in every
instance History shows that no NdminiStu-
liuu from the time of Washington to the pre-,
rnl has been free from these mistakes, But |
leave comparisons to history claiming only
lAut have acted In every instance from
con, cirurou- desire to do whatever was right,
constitutional, within the law, and for the in.
trro-ts Of the whole people
"tUilurcs have been errors Of Judgment not
Of intent. NV cyi career commenced, too,
at most critical and difficult time LESS than
four year, before the country had emerged
. from Il conflict such as no other nation had
ever survived Nearly ouc.mlf Of the State,
had rryoIlcd against the Government, and of
thO,r rruniniug faithful tc the Union Il large
percentage Of the population symplth2rd
with the rebellion and made an enemy in lhn
rear almost us dangcruu, rs the more hunuu. |
blc enemy in the front The latter commit
ted errors Of Judgment, Int they mliuumrd |
them openly and cuuTgcuu-y; the former
received the protection OF the Government
they would see destroyed and rcaprd the pr.
cuumry advantage Ia hc gained out the then |
existing state of ainr-. many uf them Dy oh. |
tanning contract, and by sWuung the Gov !
eminent IN the delivery Of their goods. Ian |
mrdGrcly on the cessation Of hustiiiiicS the |
then noble President who had carried the |
country 50 far through 1t, prriis fell a MARTYR |
to hi, patriotism at the hauds uI an assassin, /
The Intervening timc to my ir.l inauguration /
was ii.led up with Wrng.m.s between Ton |
grps~ and thr'uUW Executive us to the best |
mode of reconstruction, or, to speak plainly, |
IT. 10 whether the control Of the Government |
should be thrown Immediately into the band,
Of those who had 50 recently and pcrsi~trntly .
tried to destroy 1t, or whether the victor,
should continue 10 have an equal voice with
them in lt- control Reconstruction, ;l- final.
ly agreed upon means this and Ouv Lhis rN.
Ccpt tMt the late slave WA cufVuch~cd, giv.
ing an increase Us wao supposed To the Union.
loving and Union supporting votes U.s. II free
in the full sense Of the word, they would not
dsuppOmt this expectations H6Ncr, vi the
beginning Of my administration the work Of
reconstruction, much embarrassed by the long
delay, virtually commenced II | erred, il
WAS wholly in approving those acts, which
did most heartily urging the Legislatures Of
States that had not yet done 50 to rtif, the
fifteenth amendment to the constitution, The
country was lubOriUg under an enormous debt
contracted In the suppression Of the rebellion,
and taxation wNs So oppressive as to discour-
aye production. Another danger also threat.
Cned us a foreign war. The nst difficulty
had TO be adjusted and was adjusted withuuta
war, and IN manner highly honorable to all
parties concerned
Taxes have been reduced within thC past
seven years nearly $500, 600 600, and the M
tOnnl debt has been reduced in the same time
over Si35 600, 900. BY refundmg the six per
cent bonded debt for bonds bearing and ~
per cent. interest respectively, the annual in
tcrcst has been reduced from over $l3U, 600,
600 in 1863 70 n little over 800 coo, 600 in 1876
The balance Of trade has been changed from
over llO,OOO,OOO against the United States in
1869 to more than 10 600 in our favor in
1875, 1t Is confidently believed the balance Of
trade in favor Of the United States will in
crease and not diminish, and the pledge of
Congress to resume specie payments in 1879
Will be easily accomplished, even in the ub.
scnce Of much desired legislation on the sub
jcct."
After alluding to our foreign relations,
the army and navy, and the Indian pol
icy of the Government, all of which he
pronounces in satisfactory condition,
General Grant thus expresses his deter
mnaton to retire from public Ike:
"Wth the pr ,ent Congress my official life
terminates. 1t Is not probable that public af.
fairs viii ever agrin receive attention from me,
further than Ns citizen of the Republic, al.
ways taking deep interest in the honor, and
integrity, and prosperity OF the whole land"
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