Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-12-05

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Is our intrinsic money, there Il I va.
cd question for scientific reasoninr
and historical experience to deter,
mino how far and BY what methods !
practicable equilibrium can bt
maintained which will keep both
metals in circulation in their appro.
pirate spheres Of common use. Ar
absolute equality of commercial val.
ne free from disturbing fluctuation
Is hardly attainable, and without
III an unlimited legal tender
for private transactions assigned
to both metals would tend to drive
out Of circulation the dearest coinage
and disappoint the principal objec,
proposed ny Liquidation. In this view
lapprehend, therefore, that the two
conditions OF near approach To
equality Of commercial value between
the gold and silver coinage of tho same
denomination, and Of limita.
ton Of the amounts for which
the silver coinage is 10 be q
legal tender, are essential to
maintaining both in circulation. II
these conditions can be successfully
observed the issue from the mint OF
silver dollars would afford material
assistance TO the community in the
transition to the redemption of paper
money aud would facilitate the re-
sumption of specie payment and its
permanent establishment. Without
these conditions fear only mischief
and misfortune would flow from
a coinage of the silver
dollar with the quality of an unlimit-
ed legal tender, even in private trans
actions. Any expectation of tempo-
rary ease from an issue of silver
coinage, to pass as legal tender at q
rate materially above its commercial
value, is, ! am persuaded, q delusion.
Nor can I think that there is any sub
stantial distinction between an orig
inal issue of silver dollars, at a nom
inal value, and the restoration
of the silver dollar at rate
which once was, but has ceased to be.
its commercial valne certainly the is.
sue of our gold coinage, reduced in
weight materially below it's legal
tender value, would not be any the
less present debasement of the coin
age, by reason of its equalling or
even exceeding in weight good
coinage, which at some past
time had been Commensurate
equal to the legal tender value as
al uuod - thn vnS, s..un =. .
mending that the regulation Of any
silver coinage, which may be author
lied by Congress, should observe
these conditions of commercial value
and limited legal tender, am row
erned by the feeling that every posi-
BILE increase should be given to
the volume of metallic money
which can be kept in circulation and
thereby every possible aid offered to
the people in the process of resuming
specie payments. It is because of nv
conviction that disregard of these
conditions would Illustrate the good
results which are derived from the
proposed coinage, and embarrass
with new elements of confusion and
uncertainty the business of the coun-
that urge upon your attention these
considerations. I respectfully rec
ommend to Congress that in
any legislation providing for a
silver coinage and imparting
to It the quality of legal tender, there
be impressed on the measure q firm
provision exempting the public debt,
heretofore iesued and now outstand.
ing from payment either of principal
or interest in any coinage of less value
than the present gold coinage of the
country.
CIVIL SERVICE
The organic ,tion of the Civil seryice
Of the country has for a number of
years attracted more and more
of public attention So general has
become the opinion that the method
OF admission to it and the conditions
of remaining in II. are nnsound, that
both the great political parties have
agreed in the most explicit declara.
tons, OF the necessity ofrcform and in
the most emphatic demands for it. /
have finally considered these declara-
tions and demands to he the sxpres.
sion of the sincere convictions of the
intelligent masses of the people
upon the subject, and that they
should be recognized and followed
by earnest and prompt action on the
part Of the legislative and executive
departments of the government. In
pursuance of the purpose indi-
Gated before my accession to
office, ! endeavored to have
my own views understood, and upon
my Inauguration my accord with pub
lie opinion was stated in terms believ-
ed to be plain and unambiguous. NY
experience in the executive duties has
strongly confirmed my belief in
the great advantage the country
would find in observing strictly the
plan of the constitution which impos-
es upon the executive the sole duty
and responsibility of the selection of
these federal officers, who by law are
appointed, not elected, and which in
like manner assigns to the Senate
the complete right to advise
and consent to or to reject the nomi-
nations made; whilst the House of
Representative stands as the public
censor Of the performance of official
duties, with the prerogative of inves-
tigation in all cases of deriliction.
The blemishes and imperfections in
the civil service may, as / think, be
traced in most cases, to q partial con-
fusion of the duties assigned to the
several departments of 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
and most cordial understanding with
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives. The political difficulties in the
selection of numerous officers for
posts of widely varying responsible
ties are acknowledged to be very
great. No system can be ex-
pected to secure absolute
freedom from mistakes, and the be-
ginning Of any change of custom is
likely to be more embarrassed in this
respect than at any subsequent peri
cd. 1t is here that the constitution
seems the most to prove its claim to
the great wisdom accorded to it. It
gives to the executive the assistance of
the knowledge and experience of the
the Senate which, when acting upon
nominations as to which they may be
disinterested and impartial Judges,
seems as strong a guarantee
Of freedom from errors of importance
as is perhaps possible in human af-
fairs. In addition to this l recog-
nize the public advantage Of
making all nominations as nearly
as possible impersonal in the
sense Of being free from
mere caprice, or favor. In
these directions and in those Offices
in which special training Is of great
ly increased value, l believe such q
rule as to the tenure of office should
obtain as may induce men of proper
qualifications to apply themselves in
dustriously to the task OF becoming
lproficients.
Bearing these things in mind, have
endeavored to reduce the number of
changes in subordinate places, usual
ly made upon the change of the gen.
oral administration and ohon ,,o,.