, 1877-03-17
CIVIL SERVICE.

| ask the attention Of the public to
the paramount necessity ofreform in our
civil service-a reform not merely as to
certain abuses and practices of so-called
official patronage which have come to
have the sanction of usage in the several
departments of our government, but
change in the system of appointment
itself; reform that shall be thorough,
radical and complete; return to the
principles and practices of the founders
the government. They neither expected
nor desired from public officers any par
tisan service; they meant that public
officers should owe their whole service to
the government and the people; they
meant that the officer should be secure
in his tenure as long as his personal
character remained untarnished and the
performance of his duties satisfactory /;
they held that appointment to office was
not to be made or expected merely as
reward for partisan services, nor merely
on the nomination OF members of Con
gress as being entitled in any respect to
the control of such appointments. The
fact that both political parties of the
country, in declaring their principles
prior to the election, gave prominent
place to the subject of reform in our
civil service, recognizing and strongly
urging its necessity iu terms almost
identical in their specific import with
those I have here employed, must be &C.
cepted as conclusive argument in behalf
of these measures. 1t must be accepted
as an expression of the united voice and
will OF the whole country.
THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM SIX YEARS.
The President OF the United States, of
necessity, owes bis election to the suf
frages and jealous labors OF a political
party, members of which cherish with
ardor and regard of essential importance
the principles Of their party organiza.
tion; but he should strive to be aIwavs
| mindful of the fact that "he serves his
party best who serves his country best"
In furtherance Of the reform we seek,
and as IN other important respects a
change of great Importance, recon-.
mend an amendment to the Constitution
prescribing term of six years for the
Presidential office and forbidding a re-
election.
FINANCIAL.
With respect to the financial condi.
tion of the country, shall not attempt
an extended history of the embarrsss.
ment and prostration which we have
suffered during the past three years
The depression in all the varied COM
mercial and manufacturing interests
throughout the country which began in
September, 1878, still continues. 1t is
very gratifying, however, to be able to
say that there are indications all around
US of q coming change to prosperous
times. Upon
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
Intimately connected as it is with this
topic, may be permitted to repeat here
the statement made in my letter OF &C
ceptance. In my judgment the feeling
of uncertainty, inseparable from an ir.
redeemable paper currency, with its nuc-
tuations Of values, is one of the great
obstacles to return to prosperous times.
The only safe paper currency is one
which rests upon coin basis, and is at
all times promptly convertible ints coin.
l adhere to the views hitherto expressed
by me in favor of Congressional legisla-
tion in behalf of an early resumption of
specie payment. And I am satisfied not
only that this is wise, but that the in.
terests as well as the public sentiment
of the country imperatively demand it.
Passing from these remarks upon our
relations with other lands, we are re-
minded by international complications
abroad, threatening the peace of Europe,
that our traditional rule of non-inter-
ference in
AFFAIRS OF FOREIGN NATIONS
Has proved Of great value In past times, and