Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-10-26
The Presidents Message.

The Presidents Message
The first sentence of the Presidents
very formal and businessllke message to
the Forty-hfth Congress will recall TO its
readers the exciting circumstances out
of which the necessity for an extraordi-
nary session arose, and will suggest
many grave questions on which the Ex-
exutive does not deem it necessary to
dwell. "The adjournment of the last
Congress-" says Mr.. Hayes, without
making appropriations for the support of
the army for the present fiscal year has
rendered necessary suspension of pay
ments to the officers and men of the
sums due them for services rendered
after the Both day of June last" He
then goes on to show in what peculiar
condition the army is. 1t is created by
law. Its rate of pay is fixed by law,
and the title of officers and men to re-
ceive their pay is established by law.
But by the failure Of Congress to appro-
pirate the money to satisfy this claim
nothing has been paid that was earned
after June 30 And the President asks
for an appropriation sufficient for the
support of the army for the current year
Mt it's present maximum numerical
strength of $4,000 men," leaving all
questions of reduction or Increase for
after consideration There is little doubt
that Congress will with reasonable
promptitude accede to the recommcnda-
ton of the President.
The fact that Mr.. Hayes can ask, with
every prospect of receiving, from Dem
ocratic House precisely what its prede-
cessor, also Democratic, refused to grant,
suggests, as we have said, the whole
series of questions which at the opening
of March we're unsettled, and which have
since received settlement at the hands
of the President, the merits and conse-
uuences of which are still matters of
earnest dispute. The failure of the last
Congress to appropriate money for the
army was due to the refusal of the House
to pass the bill without " rider" which
prohibited the use of the army to sup
port the then existing Republican Gov
ernments in the States of South Carolina
and Louisiana, condition to which the
! Senate declined-to aCcede. The portion
of the army then engaged in that work
has since been Withdrawn, and that OBJ
| lection no longer exists. In this single
act of the President lies all of what is
known as his "SoutheTn Policy" and ii
is a significant fact that, while he him
self maintains studied reserve on that
point, it is of so commanding aud lasting
importance that we cannot make to Con-
gress the simplest statement of the con
dition of the Government without bring
ing it to the surface. For the purpose
of determining the immediate action OF
Congress, it is unnecessary to consider
the Presidents course. The army has
earned the money which is asked for it
and, as Mr.. Hayes very justly remarks
has discharged its duty with fidelity
and courage, and without complaint,
while without pay, constantly anc
actively employed in arduous and dan
gerous service" The overdue obliga
tions of the country in this respect ough
to be promptly met without reference Il
the questions which seven months ag'
intarvened to prevent thnir discharge
But it is impossible, in looking back owe
the period during which we have sub
iected our most laborious and faithful
public servants to unmerited annoyanc,
and actual pecuniarv embarrassment, Il
} avoid rejecting on the sufficiency of tn,
motive of the last House in producin.
this state of things. To our minds,
does not seem that the Democratic part,
has anything to be very proud of in tn,
} history of that transaction
There are other items of deficiency Il
which the President is obliged to call tn
attention of Congress, which, also, re
fleet some light on the way in which tn
last House did its self-appointed work 0
cutting down expenses right and left
The navy requires $2,003, ,S61. OF thi
sum, by far the larger part-over two
} thirds-is needed for the pay of Off
GERS and enlisted men. Of the remain
der, $311 ,953 has been advanced by tn
{ fiscal agent of the United States in Lon
don for the support of the foreign sery
ice; $50, 900 is due to the hospital fund
and $150,000 for arrearages to officers
Nearly every dollar of this amount wa
easily ascertainable during the session q
the last House 1t was required for tn
payment of obligations created by law
and no more avoidable than the paymen
of the expenses of Congress or the sala
ries of its members. But, in order 3
+: make bigger show of economy, an
to add a couple of millions to the amour
= which the Democratic papers cOul
: boast had been saved" the Hous
!, stubbOrnly refused to vote the necessar
" sum. The officers and men on foreig
il stations might be left to the favor of "a
d accommodating fiscal agent, ready
Il trust that the next House would be NOR
decent and honest than the past ont
v while the sailors in the hospitals migl
| ha nf "a an
by hook and by crook to support then
u Such disgraceful incidents were of sma
4 consequence compared to the necessii
h of increasing the political capital OF
y desperate party In the same way, "
find that $262, 535 is needed to repay Il
u deficiencies in the expenditures OF Il
n United States courts. These, also, we
N perfectly ascertainable obligations, IL
}. posed by law, and recurring with unfai
c ing regularity But they were arbitra
ly set aside in the interest of "TildI
,e and reform"
of The only subject of Importance exec
=; the deficiencies above referred
y, brought to the attention of Congress
l. the President is the necessity OF an a
preparation to enable this country to Ia
q, part in the Paris Exposition next yej
h, We trust that there will be no hesitate
IN on this subject. Putting to one side
I'd questions of national courtesy-whi'
however, is not unimportant element
a it remains true that this country cot
m not make a better investment than of
n. 5000, 900 or so necessary to secure
proper representation at Paris. We ha
great deal to sell. We want custome
~ We now have an opportunity TO get the
"a "a 1t is for us to say whether we will acc'
~ it.--N Y. Times.
u Eyes have they, but they see no
potatoes, Ears have they, but they h
U.s. ot-cornstalks. Detroit Free Pre-