Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-07
AGREES WITH ALL HIS CABINET
Upon All Sorts of Subjects and All
Recommendations,
AND EXCITEs LOYAL GRATITUDE
Of the People that He Accepted the
Cffice For Only One Term.

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House Of
Representatives: L congratulate you on the
continued and increasing prosperity of our
country. BY the favor of Divine Providence
we have been blessed during the past year with
health, with abundant harvests, with profit
able employment for all our people and with
contentment at home and friendship with
other nations.
The occurrence of the twenty-fourth election
of schief magistrate has afforded another oppor-
tunity to the people of the United States to ex.
hibit to the world significant example of the
transmission of the power and
authority of the government from
public servants, whose terms of Office
are about to expire, to their newly chosen sue
cessors. This example cannot fail to impress
profoundly the thoughtful people of other
countries with the advantages which republi-
can institutions afford. The immediate, gen.
eral and cheerful acquiescence of all good citi.
zens in the result of the election gives gratify-
ing assurance to our country and its friends
throughout the world that the government
based on the free consent of an intelligent and
patriotic people possesses elements of strength,
stability aud permauency, not found in any
other form of government.
sUFFTAGE.
Continued opposition to the full and free en-
jOyment of the rights of citizenship conferred
upon colored people by the recent amendments
TO the constitution still prevails In several of
the late slave-holding States. 1t has, perhaps
not been manifested in the recent election TO
any large extent by acts of violence or intini-
datlon. 1t has, however, by fraudulent prac-
tlces IN connection with ballots, with regula-
tions as to the places and manner of voting and
with counting the returns and canvassing The
votes cast, been successful in defeating
the exercise of the right preservative of all
rights, the right of suffrage, which the cousti-
tuition expressly cOnfers upon our enfral Lhised
citizens. 1t is the desire of good people of the
whole country that sectionalism as fact or in
politics should disappear. They prefer that
no section of the country should be united in
solid opposition to any other
section. The disposition to refuse
prompt and hearty obedience to
the equal rights amendments to the consti-
tuition is all that now stands in the way of
complete obllteration of sectional lines in our
political contests. As long as either of these
amendments is fagrantly violated or disre-
garded is is safe to assume that the people who
placed them in the constitution embodying
the legitimate results of the war for the I'm
ion, or who believe them to be wise and neces-
Esry, will continue to act together
and to insist that they shall be
ODeyeQ. Inc paramount question,
still is as to the enjoyment of the right by every
American citizen who has the requisite qalifi.
cations to freely cast his vote, and have it hon.
estly counted. With this question rightly set
tied the country will be assured the conten-
tions of past bygones will indeed be BY
cones, and political and party issues with re-
spect to economy and efficiency of administra-
tiOn, internal improvements, the tariff, domes-
tic taxation, education, finance and other i'm
portant subjects will then receive tE.r full
share of attention. But resistance to and
nullihcstion of the results of the war
viii unite together in resolute purpose for
their support, all who maintain the authority
of the government and the perpetuity of the
Union and who adequately appreciate the
value of the victory achieved. This deter
mination proceeds from no hostile sentiment
or feeling to any part OF the people of our
country, or to any of their interests. The
inviolability of the amendments Is rest upon the
fundamental I, principles of our govern
expressions Of the will of the
people of the United States. The sentiment
that the constitutional rights of all our citi-
zens must be maintained does not grow weaker
1t will continue to control the government of
the country. Happily, the history of the late
election shows that in many parts of the coun-
try where opposition to the fifteenth amend
ment has heretofore prevailed, it is diminish
ing, and is likely to cease altogether if firm and
we'll considered action is taken by Congress- I
Senate, which have the right to judge of the
elections, returns and qualifications of
their own members, will see to it
that every case of violation of the letter or
spirit of the fifteenth amendment is thorough
ly Investigated, and that no benefit from such
violation shall accrue to any person or party.
1t will be the duty Of the executive, with suf-
hcient appropriations for the purpose, to prose-
cute unsparingly all who have been engaged in
depriving citizens of the rights guaranteed to
them by the constitution.
1t is moi, however, to be forgotten that the best
and surest guarantee of the primary rights of
citizenship is to be found in that capacity for
Eelf-protection, which can only belong to a peo-
ple whose right to universal suffrage is SUP.
ported by personal education, The resources
at the commsnd of local and State authorities
are in many cases wholly inadequate to furnish
free instruction to all who need it. This is
especially true, where before emancipation the
education of the people was neglected or pre-
vented in the interests of slavery. / am firmly
convinced that the subject of popular education
deserves the earnest attention of the people of
this country, with view to wise and compre-
hensive action by the government
of the United States. L Respectfully
recommend that Congress by suitable legisla-
tion and with proper regulations supplement
the local educational funds in the several
States where the grave duties and responsibili.
ties of citizenship have been devolved on un-
educated people, by devoting to the purpose
grants of the public lands, ard if necessary, by
appropriations from the treasury of the United
States; what else the government can fairly do
to promote free popular education ought to be
done. Wherever general education ia found
peace, virtue and social order prevail and civil
and reiIgious liberty are secured.
CITI SERVICE REFORM.
In my former annual messages have asked
the attention of Congress to the urgent neces-
sity of a reformation of the civil service sys
tenn of the government. My views CONCERNING
the dangers of patronage or appointment fol
personal or partisan considerations have been
strengthened by my observation and expe
rence in the executive Office, and believe thes,
dangers threaten the stability of the govern
ment. Abuses so serious in their nature can
not be permanently tolerated. They tend tt
become more alarming with the enlargement o
the administrative service, as the growth OF
the country in population Increases the mum.
her of officers and pacemen employed. Th
reasons are imperative fer the adoption of
fixed rules for the regulation of appointments
promotions and removals by establishing
uniform method having exclusively in vieV
in every Instance the attainment of best quail
hcations for the position in question. Such ,
method alone is consistent with the equal right
of all citizens and the most economical and eff
hcient administration of the public business.
competitive examinations in aid of impartia
appointments and PROMOTIONS have been con
ucteo Tor some years past in several of th
ecutlve departments, and by nv direction
TINS system has been adopted in the custom
houses and postotices of the larger cities o.