Arizona citizen., 1877-12-14
THE CITIZEN.
DECEMBER II, 1877,
Synopsis Of the Presidents Mes-
 sage.

prosperity and the pacification oi all sections of the country, to accom-
 plish which Is the most important of all national interests. He en- Cers at once upon the subject of his Southern policy, holding that its wis
 dom has already been made manifest.
 Its benefcent results which prove that
 the endeayor to harmOnize the differ ences and secure the peace and welfare
 of all parties in the South can no long CT be considered a mere experiment.
 He claims that the discontinuance of
 the army in upholdIng local selfgnv- ernment in two States of the Union
 was required both by existing circum- stances and out of due regard for con stitutiOnal rights anG duties. He urges protection of colored people by Con
 gress by constitutional means, and re- comments wise, just and humane leg islation by local governments in the Southern States.
 On the currency question, he eX-
 presses his confirmed conviction in ia
 vor Of resum ption, and that no legis-
 lation should be adopted to retard this result, as the inconvenience attending the return 10 specie payment would be only aggravated by delay, and would
 fall most heavily on the poorer classes.
 The message next considers civil service reform. The people have sig nified a desire for such reform. It is the duty of the Executive to appoint, the Senate to confirm, and the House of Representative to investigate ap- pOintments. The imperfectiOns in the civil service may in most cases be traced to a practical confusion of du- ties assigned to the several departments of the Government The President proposed to return to original princi- pies in the matter, and asks the coop eratlOn of Congress. Selections are Ot- ten difficult and mistakes likely 10 oe- cur, especially at the outset. He in tends to seek the advice of Senators in making appointments, but not to put matters in their hands. Such tenure of office should obtain as would lead officials to deserve a continuance of of flee by a faithful discharge of duties. This the President will seek to estab-
 Ish, and will cooperate with Congress in systemizing rules for the govern ment of the pubic service to that end He comments the work of the civil ser vice commission and recommends that an appropriation be immediately made to enable the commission to continue its service.
 The message then adverts to foreign relations. Hopes for a renewal of a consular treaty with Italy, now about expiring; recommends that the treaty of 1867 with North Germany be ex- tended to apply to the whole Empire of Germany; comments participation in the Paris Exposition; suggests a revision of the extradition treaty of 1S42 with Great Britain
 Regarding Mexican relations, the rec ogniuon of DiaZ has been delayed on account of the state of affairs on the border He hopes the assurances of the DiaZ government that the border raiders can and will be punished may be carried out The President does not anticipate any Interruption of friendly relations with Mexico, but looks with some sOlicitude upon the continuance OT border troubles, as exposing both countries to ebullitions of popular feel ing naturally unfaYOrable to complete amity. He is determined nothing shall te wanting on his part to promote al gcod understanding, but must ask the attention of Congress to actual occur TanCes on the border, that the lives and property of our citizens may be pro tected and peace preserved.
 The annual report of the Secretary Of the Treasury presents important questions. The revenue for the last fiscal year is greatly reduced from theI previous year, mainly il custom du- ties, caused partly by a falling of in imports and partly by a general declineI in prices of dutiable goods. Exports have largely increased, exceeding inn ports by about SjG6, 100000 The de crease in revenue will call for close economy in apprcprlations. While the aggregate of taxes should not be in-I creased, the revenue laws might bel amended to relieve the people without the revenue. The tax on tea and coffee is known by experienced tC be easily collected and largely borneI in the country of production. By the. substitution of such tax, ell internal, revenue taxation may be repealed eX- cept On whisky, spirits, tobacco and beer.
 The public credit is gaining, and the President trusts no act of Congress will cast a shadow upon its progress in re- funding the debt satisfactorily. Rec ommends suitable provision to enableI people to easily convert their savings
 into government securities.
 Our shipping interests should receive, as far as possible, the benefit Of our foreign commerce, and legislation upon the subject is suggested that will tend to that result.
 The army is commended for lis ser vices in the Nez Perces campaign and the July disturbances. The work inn posed upon the army by Mexican raids across the Rio GranIe is also referred to. The President cOncurs with thel of the Secretary of War that all companies of infantry bel recruited 10 at least fifty men and bat terIes of artillery to seventy-tive, with power in case of emergency to Increasel 10 one hundred and one hundred and twenty-five respectively,
 Referring 10 the reports of the Secre- tary of the Interior and the Commis- sioner of Indian Affairs, the President. announces that he will endeavor tO' preserve peace with Indian tribes by a. just and humane policy. Indians en- titled 10 sympathy have been driven from their lands and swindled in many cases, and most of our Indian wars had their origin in the injustice of whites. To improve them, we must keep faith with them. The President approves the policy outlined in the reports of the Secretary and Commissioner, and strongly recommends liberal provision for a fulfillment of agreements on thei mort ,f fba fr,r-lr-r, r,aar,f ,,-ffb fIa Tn, |