Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-12-09

Fett0lc Citizens Of the Senate
and House Of Representatives.:
In submitting my eighth and last annual
Message to Congress, it seems proper that
! should refer to and in some degree re-
capitulate the events and official acts OF
the past eight years.
REVIEW OF HIS ADMINISTRATION,
1t was my fortune or misfortune to be
called to the Office of Chief Executive
without any previous political training.
FROM the age of seventeen, l had never
even witnessed the excitement attending a
political campaign but twice antecedent to
my own candidacy, and ut but one of
them was eligible as voter, and under
such circumstances it is but reasonable to
suppose that errors of judgment must have
occurred. Even had they not, differences
of opinion 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 necessarily evil
dence of blunder on the part of an exe>
cutlve because there are these differences
of views. Mistakes have been made, as all
can see, and as admit but it seems to
me oftener in selections made of assis.
tants appointed to aid in carrying
out the various duties of administer.
ing the government, who are in nearly
every case selected without a personal &C.
quaintance with the appOintee, but upon
recommendations of the Representatives
chosen directly by the people. 1t is i'm
possible where 50 Nany trusts are to be al.
iutteu that the right parties should be
chosen In every instance. History shows
that no administration from the time of
Washington to the present has been free
from these mistakes. But leave compar-
isons to history, claiming only that have
acted in every Instance from a conscien.
tiOus desire to do whatever was right, con.
stitutiOaal. within the law, and for the
best interest OF the whole people. Fail
ures have been errors of judgment not of
intent, My civil career. commenced, too,
ut most critical aud difficult time. Less
than four years before the country had
emerged from conflict such rs no other
nation had ever survived. Nearly one.
half of the States had revolted against the
government, and of those remaining faith
1ul to the Union largo percentage of the
population syMpathized with the rebellion
and made al enemy In the rear almOat as
dangerous US the more honorable enemy
in the front. The latter committed errors
Of judgment, but they maintained them
CpSuiy AuN SouA oSCouSiy tuC 1O1LucI IT,
ceived 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 by swindling
the government in the delivery of their
goods. Immediately on the cessation of
hOstilities the then noble President who
had carried the country so far through its
perils fell q martyr 10 his patriotism ut the
hands of an assassin. The intervening
time to my first Inauguration was filled
up with wranglings between Congress and
the new executive as to the best mode of
reconstruction, or, to speak plainly, Us to
whether the control of the government
should be thrown imme diatelly into the
hands of those who had so recently and
persistently tried to destroy it, or whether
The victOrs should continue to have an
equal voice with them in this control Re-
construction, as finally agreed upon,
means this aud only this, except that the
late slave was enfIanchished, giving an in.
crease, as was supposed. to the UniOn.lOv-
ing and UniOn-supporting votes; as, if
free in the full sense of the word, they
would not disappoint this expectation.
Hence, at the beginning of my first ad-
ADMINISTRATION the work of reconstruction
much embarrassed by the long delay, vir.
tually commenced. II erred, it was
wholly in approving those acts, which |
did most heartily, urging the Legislatures
OF the States that had not yet done so, to
ratify the fifteenth amendment to the con-
stitution. The country was laboring uu-
der an enormous debt contracted in the
suppression of the rebellion, and taxation
was so oppressive as to discourage produc,
ton. Another danger also threatened us !;
a foreign war. The last difficulty had to
be adjusted and was adjusted without q
war, and In manner highly honorable to
all parties concerned.
| Taxes have been reduced within the last
seven years nearly $500, OOO. 900, and the
national debt has been reduced in the same
time over $435, 600, 900. BY refunLing the
six per cent bounded debt for bonds bear.
ing 8 and A per cent. interest respectively.
the annual interest has been reduced from
over $3.50, 00O, 900 in 1859 to little over
$10O, OO0, 600 In 1876. The balance of trade
has been changed from over 314O. OOO. OOO
against the United States in 1869 to more
than $12O, O0O, 900 In our favor in 1876. II
Is confidently believed the balance of trade
In favor Of the United States will increase
and not diminish, and the pledge of Con
! gress to resume specie payments in 1879
will be easily accomplished, even In the
absence Of r1uch desired legislation on the
subject.
A policy has been adopted toward the
Indians inhabiting large portion of the
territory Of the United States which has
been humane, and has substantially ended
| Indian hOetllltfea In the whole land az