American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-12-06

the Executive. members OF Congress and tn
heads of Drpartments from Influences prcir
dicial to good administration. The rules, IL
they have hitherto been enforced, have re
suited bencficinlly, as is shown ty. tn
and their subordinates in the Depart
mcnts' AND liz ,h that r npnio" ess c"n
of December of the same year similar view
are expressed and an appropriation for con
tinuing the work of the Commission again al
vised. The appropriation was not made, and
Commission was suspended, leaving the Conl
mission itself still in existence without the
means therefore of causing qualifications to
be tested in any systematic manner, or of Sc
curing for the. public service the advan
l recommended in my annual message ol
December 1877. the making of an appruprid
Commission. In the meantime, however
competitive examinations, under many EN-.
barrassments, have been conducted within
limited spheres in the Executive Departments
In Washington, and in number of the GUS
tom,houses and post-oihces OF the prln-
to fur rihss les, 'ne theft Effects and in
to be as salutary as they are stated to
predecessor. think the economy. purity and
efficiency OF the public service would be great
wherever practicable, throughout the entire
Civil Service of the Government, together
with ample provision for their general super
vision, in order to secure Consistency and uni
form Justice.
Reports from the Secretary of the interior,
from the PostmasteT-Gencral,f from the Post
master in the City OF New York, where sueh
examinations have been FOR some time OH trial
and also from the Collector Of the Port, the
Naval Officers and the surveyor in that city,
and from the Postmasters and collectors in
several of the other large cities show that the
rinl nr mht to tbe pi1tc
service. The reports show that the re-
suits have been sautary in a marked degree,
and that a general duplication, 9f similar
t.AIi .p IN
ofiiccrs in the tityn New forf especially
bear decided testimony to the utility of open
competitive examinations in their respective
Offices, showing that these examinations. and
to e the e service thr6nsh them. have had a
marked incidental effect upon the persons pre-.
in the service ad paEtieatly h.o,
est in the WORK, and Il desire to extend nc.
occupied, and thus the morale OF the entire
force has been r.iised The examinations have
been attended by many citizens. who have had
an opportunity to thoroughly investigate the
scope and character of the tests, and the
method of determining the results. and those
Methods emnIoyed' and several Of them have
publicly attestcd their favorable opinion.
Upon such considerations L deem IT
ton aontained IN my annual message Of
December, 1877, requesting Congress to make
ton of the work Of the Civii-service Commits
sion. Economy will be promoted by author
izing moderate compensation to persons In
labor upon or under the Commission as the
Executive may direct. am convinced that
forced for admission to the public serv-
,"sG abuses .nd as 5s%sSal' and W'h a
,ial interference with the proper exercises of
he appointing power will in large measure
ibuspS which the attention of Congress-
should be asked in this connection Mere par.
isan appointments and the constant peril of
'emOval without cause very naturally lead to
In absorbing aud mischevious political activity
IN the part of those thus appointed, which not
,nly interferes with the due discharge of Off
,ial duty, but is incompatible with the freedom
If elections. Not without warrant in the view of
several of my predecessors in the Presidential
)fice and directly in accordance with the law of
81 already cited, l endeayored, by regulation
made on the 22d of June. 1877, to put some
limits to such abuses. 1t may not
larry, to define with precision the proper limit
If political action on the part of Federal ofli-
;ers. But while their right to hold and freely
Express their opinions cannot be questioned,
I is very plai.I that they should neither be
Flowed 10 devote to other subjects
harge of their official duties, nor to use the
of their Office to enforce their own
opinions, or to cocrce the political action OF
ustce and public policy quite analogous to
hose which forbid the use of official lower
Iue oppression OF the private cII1Zen
lose upon the Government the duty of pro-
Getting its officers and agents from arbitrary
.xactions. In whatever aspect considered,
he practice Of max ing levies for party pur-
'oses upon the salaries of officers is highly de
noraliZing to the public service and discredit-
be- as ee ~ any otSer Citizen sh 6
i've his own money in aid of his
pinions or his party. he shout d also be as
rec as any other citizen to refuse to make !
UGH gifts. If salaries are but a fair compen-
alton for the time and labor of the officers, it
gross injustice to levy tax "a, upon them; n
nay bear the tax, the excess is an indirect |
obbery of the public funds. l recomm end. |
therefore,, such n revision and exte nsion of |
he present statutes Us shah secure to those in
very grade of official life or public employ |
lent the protection with which a great and |
heightened Nation shall guard those who are |
aithful in its service
FOREIGN RELATIONS. s-,.s 81
ontinned peacefui With Great Britain |
here are sun unsettled questions, growing |
ices, and tho action Of provincial authors
les deemed TO be in derogation of rights SCI
nred by treaty to American fshernieii. The
nited States Minister in London has been
! view of the damages received by American
linens at Fortune Bay on the 9th day of Janu-
by the British Government, and
a early reply is anticipated. Upon the COM
ton, the subject of our participation in the
rovincial fisherfcs- as regulated by treaty.
Ill at once be brought to the attention of
lie British Government with view to
irly and permanent settlement of the whole
iestion, which was only temporarily adj
listed by the Treaty of Washington. Efforts
I'VE been made to obtain the removal
restrictions found injurious to the
of cattle To the United Kingdom.
,me correspondence has also occurred with
gard to the rescue and saving of life and
'operty upon the lakes, which has resulted in
tons Of the Dominion Govern ment on this
inject, in the interest of humanity and COM
In accordance with the joint resolution of
e last session of Congress, Commissioners
ere appointed to represent the United States
ALA, one of which is now in progress at sgd
y, and the other to be held next
essed by our merchants and manufacturers
terested in the important and growing trade
tn Australia that an increased provision
ton of our industries at the Melbourne Ex-
bition of next year, and the subject is re-
ectfully submitted to your favorable con-
The assent of the Government has been
ven to the landing ON the coast of Massa-
usctts of II new and independent transat-
ntic cable between France Thy way of the
'ench Island of St. Pierre and this country,
bject to any future legislation of Congress
re allowing this connection with our shores
be established, are such us 10 secure
competition with any existing or
ture lines of marine cable, and pre-
1de amalgamatiOn Herewith, and to pre-
dc Tor entire equality Of rights. 10 our
pvernmcnt and people with those of
ancc in the use of the cable, and prevent
" exclusive possession Of the privilege us
corded by Frsulce tOthe disadvantage of any
ture cable communication between France
ID the United States which may be projected
III accomplished 10y our citizens. An i'm
rtant reduct ion of the present rates of con-
unicatipn with Europe, felt to he too burder-
me To the interests of our commerce, must
'cesSarily How from the establishment of this
mpeting line. The attention of Congress |
~ drawn to the propriety of some general !
2ulation by Congress of the whole subject
trausmarinc cables 10y my predecessor in
; message of December Z, 1873. and I re
ectfully submit to your consideration the
portance of Congressional action i'll this