Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-12-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

effects which have followed from the policy
of non. interference and from the withdrawal
of the troops. In these practical fruits OF
his policy the President finds his complete
vindication. Tho discontinuance of the uso
of the army, he says, for the purpose OF up>
holding local government in two States OF
the Union was no less a constitutional duty,
under the circumstances, than it was necessary
for the restoration of local scf-governmcnt
and the promotion of national harmony. The
result has been thst the fatal collisions be-
tween the races which for several years had
been of frequent occurrence, have almost en-
tirely ceased, political turmoil and turbulanco
have disappeared, useful industries have been
resumed, public credit in the South has been
greatly strengthened, and the benefits of
revival of commerce between the sections are
moro fully enjoyed.
Passing next to financial topics, the Prcsi.
dent declares himself emphaticaIly in favor
of the resumption of specie payments. ANY
wavering in purpose or unstcadiness in meth
DDS" he declares, $50 far from avoiding or
reducing the inconvenience inscparable from
the transition from an irrcdcemabc to re-
deemable paper currency, would only tend to
increased and prolonged disturbance in val
ues and unless retrieved must end in serious
disorder, dishonor and disaster in the fnan-
cial affairs of the government and the people"
Closely allied with the question of specie
resumption is that of the readjustment Of our
NV bo IF
silver dollar, clothed by legislation with the
quality of legal tender to a greater or less
extent This, the President reasons, would
properly be matter Of legislative discretion
and expediency solely, if it were not compli>
Gated by considerations growing out Of the
existence Of the public debt and the obliga-
tions of national honor. "The obligation of
the public faith, says the President, "traOs-
cends all questions Of profit or public advan>
tsge otherwise" lie therefore recommends
that in any legislation providing for silver
coinage and imparting to it the quality OF
legal-tender an exception DO made in favor
of the public debt heretofore issued and now
outstanding, and which shall rot be paid,
principal or interest, in any coin of less
commercial value than the present gold coin
of the country.
Apart from these considerations Of public
faith, as affecting the public creditor, TIE
President expresses his utter distrust and
disbelief in any commercial ease or relief to
be obtained from the issue Of silver coin
age as unlimited lcgal-tendc Unless the
two conditions arc rcalzod-Grst, of a near
approach to equality of commercial value be-
tween the gold and silver coinage of the
same denominations and second, of a limi-
tation of the amounts for which silver is to
be a legal-tcndcr, the President does not be-
lieve that both can long be kept in circula~
ton but that the cheaper currency will in
evitably drive out of circulation the dcnrcr.
Without these conditions he "lears that only
mischief and misfortune would flow from
coinage of silver dollars with the quality of
unlimited legal>tendcr, even in private trans
actions"
the message next takes u7 the subject of
civil service reform The President repeats
somewhat vaguely and a: length, the senti-
ments expressed in his letter OF acceptance
upon this subject, and concludes By recon-
mending 4 revival Of the commission ap-
pointed by his predecessor to digest rules
for the regulation of the civil service of the
country.
The foreign relations Of tho United States
present nothing Of special interest at this
time, not even in the case Of Mexico. The
President anticipates no trouble growing out
of disturbances on the Rio Grande, with an
adequate military force our side of the
river to prevent raids and punish outlaws.
y brief summary is given of the report of
the Secretary of tic Treasury, and the sec
retarys recommendation that tax Of ten
cents a pound on tea and two cents pound
on coffee should be imposed, in lieu Of
number Of petty and annoying internal
revenue taxes which yield less amount of
revenue, is concuTrcd in.
The services rendered by the army last
summer, upon the application of the authori-
ties of several States, in aid of the suppress
sion of domestic riots and Disturbances, are
briefly alluded to.
The necessity for change in the policy
of the government in the treatment of tho
Indians is forchly presented. The acknowl-
cdgment is frankly made that many, if not
most of our Indian wars, have had their
origin in broken pledges and acts of injus>
tice on the part of our own people and gov-
erument and the slow advance made by the
Indians in civilization is largely, therefore,
our own fault. The passage Of a law ad-
hitting to the benefits of tho homestead act
and the privilege of citizenship Indians who
may be willing to sever their tribal rca>
tions is recommended, as we'll as a moro just