Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-12-08

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ness Of the country, that urge upon your I
tention these considerations. respectful
., recommend 70 Congress that In any legislsti'
Y. providing for silver coinage and impArting
y the quality Of legal tender there b. impress.
on the measure trm provision o1empting II
~ public debt heretofore iasued and now on
e' standing from payment either of principal
y interest In any coinage Of less value than Il
= : present gold coinage Of the country.
n CIVIL sgRvios EEsoRM.
J. The organization OF the civil servicc Of u
}, country has for q number Of years attrscto
q more aud more Of public attention. No gener,
!. has become tho opinion that tho methods {
s admission 10 II, and the conditions Of remain
! Ing In II, are unsound, that both the grcs
! political parties have agreed IN the most 81
y rlicit declarations Of the necessity Of reform
/ and In the most emphatic demands for 1t.
! have fully believed these declarations aud dc
yiction OF the intelligent masses Of the peopl
! upon the subject, and that they should b
recognized and followed by earnest and promp
/, action on the part Of the Legislative and eXecu
tive departments Of the government In pur
susnce Of the purpose indicated before my 20
, cession TO office endeayored TO have my owl
views distinctly understood, and, upon my In
was stated In terms believed TO be plain ant
. . unsmbiguous. My experience IN the eYecutiv,
duties has strongly confirmed the belief in tn,
great advantage the country would find in oh
serving strictly the plan Of the constitution
which imposes upon the executive the solo
duty and responsibility Of the selection OF those
federal officers who, by law, are appointed, no,
elected, and which, In like manner, assigns to
the Senate the complete right 10 advise and
consent to or to reject the nominations 80 made,
while the House Of Representatives stands st
tho public censor Of the performance Of official
I.k.- H.
and prosecution In all cases OF dersliction.
The blemishes and imperfections in the civil
service may, Is think, b traced in most cases
to practical confusion Of the duties assigned
to the several departments Of the government.
My purpose in this respect has been to return
to the system established by the fundamental
law, and TO do this with the heartiest CO.
the Senate and House of Representatives..
The practical difficulties In the selection Of
numerous officers for posts of widely varying
responsibilities aud duties arc acknowledged to
be very great. No system can be expected to
secure absolute freedom from mistakes, and
custom is quite likely to be more embarrassed
in this respect than any subsequent period. 1t
Is here that the constitution seems to me to
prove its claim to the great wisdom accorded
1t. 1t gives to the executive the assistance
OF the knowledge and experience Of the Senate
which, when acting upon nominations as to
which they may be disinterested and impartial
Judges secures as strong guarantee Of free
dom from errors OF importance as ia, perhaps,
| possible in human affairs.
III addition to this. recognize the public ai-
vantage Of making oil nominations, as nearly
as possible, impersOnal, In the sense Of being
FREQ from mere caprice or favor in the selection,
is of greatly increased value. Ibelieve such
rule as to the tenure Of Office should obtain az
may induce men Of proper qualifications TO
| apply themselves industriously to the task of
becoming proficient. .,. 81
Bearing these things in mind, have endea-
vored to reduce the number Of changes in sub
| ordinate places usually made upon the change
Of the general administration, and shall most
heartily cooperate with Congress with the bet
ter systematizing Of such methods and rules Of
admission to the public service, and OF promo
ton within ii as may promise TO be most sue
efficiency and character the decisive tests in
these matters. tf....
ask the renewed attention of Congress to
what has already been done by the civil service
commission appointed in pursuance Of the act
Of Congress- by my predecessor to prepare and
revise the civi! service rules. In regard to much
Of the departmental service, especially at
Washington, it may be difficult to organize
better system than that which has thus been
provided, and it is now being used to a con-
siderable extent under my direction. The COM
mission has still legal existence, although for
several years no appropriation has been made
for defraying its expenses. Believing that this
commission has rendered valuable services and
will be most useful agency in improving the
administration of the civil service, respect
fully recommend that suitable appropriation,
to be Immediately available, be made to enable
it to continue its labors 1t is my purpose to
transmit to Congress as early as practicable
to ask your attention to such measures on this
subject as in my opinion will further promote
the improvement Of the civil service.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS
During the past year the United States have
continued to maintain peaceful relations with
foreign powers. The outbreak OF war between
Russia and Turkey though at one time at
tended by grave apprehension as to its effect
upon other European nations, has had no teh-
dency to disturb the amicable relations between
the United States and each of the two con-
tending powers An attitude Of just and i'm
partial neutrality has been preserved, and l
am gratified to state in the midst Of their hos
tilities, both the Russian and Turkish govern. |
ments have shown an earnest desire to adhere |
to the obligations of all treaties with the |
United States and to give due regard to the
rights of American citizens
BY the terms of the treaty defining the rights, |
immunitics and privileges of 3onsuls between |
Italy and the United States, ratified in 1868,
either government may, after the lapse of ten |
years, terminate the existence Of the treaty by |
giving twelve months notice of its intention. |
The government Of Italy, .vailing itself Of this
the treaty will, accordingly, end on the 18th |
Of September, 1878. 1t is understood, how
ever, that the Italian government wishes to |
renew it, in its general scope, desiring only
certain modidcations in some Of its articles.
In this disposition l concur, and shall hope
that no serious obstacles may intervene to pre-
vent or delay the negotiation Of 4 satisfactory
treaty.
THE GERMAN IMMIGRATION QUESTION.
Numerous questions in regard to passports
naturalization and exemption from military
service have continued to arise In cases o. i'm
migrants from Germany who have returned to
their native country. The provisions of the
treaty, Of February %, 1868, however, have
the legation Of the United States at Berlin has
been able to adjust all claims arising under it,
not only without detriment to the amicable re.
lations existing between the two governments,
but, It 10 believed, without injury or injus-
tice to duly naturalized American citizens. 1t
the North German Union in 1867 should now
be extended so AZ to apply equally to all the
states Of the empire Of Germany.
THE PARIS ExHIDlTIoN
Tts invitation Of the government Of France
to participate in the exposition Of the products
Of agriculture, industry and the tine arts to he
held ct Paris during the coming year, was sub.
mitted for your confederation at the extra ses-
sion. II 10 not doubted that it's acceptance BY
the United States and we'll selected exhibition
of the products Of American industry on that
occasion will tend to stimulate international
commerce and immigration, ~ well as to pro-
mote the traditional friendship between the two
,ountries.
ANaLo-ANK1IcAS sxrRADITIoN.
A question arose some time since % TO the
proper meaning Of the extradition articles of
The treaty Of 1912 between the United States
md Great Britain. Both governments, how
sver, are now in accord in the belief that the
question 10 not one that should be allowed to
Illustrate the ends Of justice, or to disturb the
between the two nations. No
serious difnculty has arisen in accomplishing
he extxaditi0n Of criminals when necessary.
II 10 probable that all points Of disagreement
will in due time be settled, and il need be
more explicit declarations be made in . new
treaty. . . .Aa. u
INTERNATIONAL TRADEMARKS
A treaty for the protection Of trademarks
bas been negotiated with Great Britain. which
has been submitted to the Senate for its con.
sideration.
MEXICAN AFFAIRS.
The revoution which recently occurred in