Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1879-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Congress upon the favorable clrcuHs'an
Cos under which they have met and giyln:
thanks to the givcr of all good for our I'm
usual national prosperity, the Prcsiden
congratulated Congress upon the success
of the rcsump ,ion act. TIE resumption o
specie payment has been followed by grca
revival of business With Il currency cqua
in value to the money of the commercial
world we arc able TO compete with othc1
nations in trade and production The for
clgn demand for our manufacture and pro
ducts has increased in our favor, tho amount
of which from July LIST, to Nov. 18th las.
was $50 100000 in gold. The credit of ou1
nation has been greatly improved. The
per cent Bonds have been sold at or above
par, and enough to liquidatc the debt which
WAS rcdccmablc at present. The saving O.
interests by the rcf,nding process since
March list 1879 amounted to $l429T, 1T
The national debt, which matues within
less than two years, amounts to $1o2,l2l,
700, of which $500, 100000 bear $ per cent
and the balance per cent interest.
The gold coinage by the minls during
tho year was SAC, 9SG9l2 The silver coin
age M to Nov LIST 1879 was So ,o0o, 500
which $l2,,00,3ii are in circulation ane
the balance still in the hands OF the GOV
eminent. 1t is urged upon Congress tc
authorize the Secretary Of The Treasury lt
SUSPEND the coinage Of silver dollars upol
the present legal ratio. 1t is the firm con
yiction of the President, tia! the issue o
legal tender paper money, based wholly
upon the authority and credit Of the gov
crnmcnt, except in extreme emergency, y
without warrant in the constitution and :
violation of sound financial principles
rhe policy of the United States has been t'
avoid the creation of q national debt, an'
when, Gom necessity, in time OF war, dr'A'
have been created, they have been paid OF
on the return of peace as rapidly rs posi-
Die.
THE SUPPRESSION OF rDLYGAMI.
The continued deliberate violation of thu
laws of the Tni,ul States IN the territory
Of Utah demands the attention of tho Gov
eminent. The territory of Utah has \ pop
ulntion sufficient to entitlc I to admission
AS a state, and its General interests, rs wei
as that of the nation require lis advance
from The territorial form TO the privileges %
state. This change however VIII not l'
approved Of by the country, Willie the CIT
liens of Utah uphold Il practice, which l.
condemned rs "A crime hy all civilized M
tons. The law tor the suppression o
polygalny was enacted! more than II years
AFRO but has until recently been Il dead let
,cr,whcn the Sup rmc Court OF the lnlte'
States decided the law To be within the
leg slA,ivc power of C"n@rrs and binding
1t should therefore I'VE firmly and effective
ly executed II necessary to secure obrdI
encc to the law, the exercise of tn" rights
and privileges Of citizen Of the (n'tc'
State, may be with. held from those, wh'
violate the law.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The grave evils and pcri!s Of a partisan
spoil. system OF appointment to "tilcc ah'
of office tenure are now generally rrcn%
nixcd. III the resolutions Of the great par
ties, in the report, Of the departments, il
the debates and proceedings Of Congress
in the messages Of executives these cil!
have been pointed out and the nccl of thc
reform have been admitted. The tenure o
office should not depend upon the prcva
lcncc Of any policy, or the supremacy q
any party, but should be determined b,
their capacity to serve the people mos
uscfulv, irrespective of partisan Interests
The authority to appoin, to office or re
move, is rot Il pcrqu>itc to he used in and
inc friend or reward y partisan, but is
trus, to be exercised in the public interest
Every citizen has an equal right to TIT
honor and profit of entering the public ser
vice of his country. The present system
of appointment does not secure the bcs
men and often not even fit men, tor tn
public places. a reform i'll the civI ser
vice will be hailed with approval by tn
whole people of the United States. ol
March 3rd, 1871, Congress passed an nc
"to regulate the civil service of the lnltc'
States and promote the efficiency thereof,
giving the necessary authority to the exec
utivc to institute Il civil service REFORM
Acting under the authority, Il number o
cminently competent persons were sclcc'c'
to take charge of tho examinations OF ap
plicants. This board of examinations ha
been known as the civil Service Commits
sion" For two years appropriations Wcr
made by congress for the expenses an'
conversation of the commission. Later
however, the appropriations were with
drawn, and as CO nscqucncc the activ
work OF the commission was suspendcd.-
Repeatedly recommendation have bccl
made to Congress to make the ncccssar,
appropriations, but without success. Kc
ports from the heads of the different dc
partmcnts show, that where examination
have been made, the public service ha
been greatly improved. Mere partisan ap
poin!nienis are not compatible with thu
freedom CT elections. 1t is therefore recon