The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-10-19

last, now due TO attorneys, clerks, COM
and marshals, and for rent
of court rooms. the support of prison
crs, and other deficiencies.
A part of the building of the Interior
Department was destroyed by fire on
the oath of last month. Some immedi-
ate repairs and temporary structures
have in consequence become necessary,
estimates for which will be transmitted
TO Congress Immediately, and an APP
preparation of the requisite funds is re-
spectiully recommended.
The secretary of the treasury will
communicate TO Congress III connection
with the estimates for the appropria-
lions for the support of the army for
the current fiscal year, estimates for
such other deficiencies in the different
branches of the public service as re-
quirc immediate action, and cannot,
without Inconvenience, be postponed
until the regular session.
take this opportunity, also, to in
vite your attention to the propriety of
adopting at your present session, the
necessary legislation to enable the peo-
pie of the United States to participate
in the advantages of the International
Exhibition of agricultural industry and
the fine arts which is TO be held at Paris
in 1878, and in which this government
has been invited by the government of
France to take part. This invitation
was communicated to this government
in May, 1876, by the minister of France
at this capital, and Il copy thereof was
submitted to the proper committees of
Congress at its last session. but no ac-
ton was taken upon the subject. The
Department of State has received many
letters from various parts of the coun-
try. expressing desire to participate
in the exhibition, and numerous appli-
cations of similar nature have also
been made at the United States legation
at Paris.
The Department of State has also re-
ccivcd official advice of the strong de-
sire on the part of the French govern
mcnt that the United States should par
ticipate in this enterprise, and space has
hitherto been and still is reserved in
the exhibition buildings for the use OF
exhibitors from the United States, to
the exclusion of other parties who have
been applicants therefor.
In order that our industries may be
properly represented at the exhibition
an appropriation will be needed for the
payment of salaries and expenses of
commissioners; for the transportation
of goods; and for other purposes in
connection with the object in view, and
as May next is the time fixed for the
opening of the exhibition, if our citizens
are to share the advantages of this III
tcrnational competition for the trade of
other nations, the necessity of immcdi-
ate action is apparent. TO enable the
| nitcd States to cooperate in the In
tcrnational Exhibition which was held
ut Vienna. in 1873, Congress then pas
scd joint resolution making an appro-
priation of 5000, 900 and authorizing the
president to appoint Il certain number
of practical artisans and scientific men,
who should attend the exhibition and
report their observations TO him. Pro-
vision was also made for the appoint
mcnt of Il number of honorary commits
sioncrs. have felt that prompt action
by Congress in accepting the invitation
of the government of France is of so
much interest Ia the people of this
country and so suitable to the cordial
relations between the governments of
the two countries that the subject might
properly be presented for attention at
your present session.
The government of Sweden and Nor
way has addressed an official invitation
TO this government 10 take part in the
International Prison Congress TO be
held at Stockholm next year. The pro-
blcm which the congress proposes tn
sludy-lIow to diminish crime-is one
in which all civilized nations have an
interest in common. and the congress
of Stockholm seems likely to prove the
most important convention ever held
for the study of. this grave question.
Under authority of joint resolution OF
Congress, approved Feb. lG, 1879, a
commissioner was appointed by my
predecessor TO represent the United
States upon that occasion, and the pris-
on congress having been at the earnest
desire of the Swedish government post
poned TO 1873, this commission was
renewed by me. An appropriation OF
eight thousand dollars was made in the
sundry civil service act of 1879 to meet
the expenses of the commissioner.
recommend the re-appropriation of that
sum for the same purpose, the former
appropriation having been covered into
the treasury and being no longer avail
able for the purpose without further
action by Congress. The subject is
brought to your attention at this time
in view of circumstances which render
il highly desirable that the commissions
er should proceed to the discharge OF
his important duties Immediately.
As the several acts providing for de.
tailed reports from the different depart.
ments of the government require theil
submission ut the beginning of tho
regular annual session, | defer unit
that time any further reference TO sub
jccts of public interest.
(Signcd.) II. b. HAYES.
Washington, Oct. ID, 1877.