National Republican., 1880-12-07
Ihn Mnasn un.

Every word uttered by the PRESIDENT
the Southern question is stall
wart In well chosen words he strongly
arraigns the enemies of constitutional
suffrage in the South for the sectionalism
which is the animating principle of the
Democracy. He declares that the people
who placed the several amendments in
the Constitution will see to il that they are
not allowed to be dead letter, and that
only when political rights are honestly rec
ognized in practice will new issues be al
lowed to displace this central object of
government. He expresses the hope that
the two Houses of Congress will rigidly
scrutinize the right of new claimants to
seats in cases where force or fraud is
alleged to have prevailed, and urges sufIi-
cient appropriations to defray expenses of
prosecuting offenders against the election
laws. The President concludes his refer
ence TO Southern affairs by recommend
ing liberal aid by the Government for ed
ucational purposes.
The President devotes considerable
space to the civil service, and with his
hAiNhi VII NlltAJ buDJNNb NS-
clares that there is strong and growing
sentiment among the people for ga COM
pIete divorce between Congress and the
Executive in the matter of appoint
ments." AS no appointments can be
made until the Senate confirms the
nominations thereto, as most of the offices
are created by Congress, and can by the
same power be abolished, as salaries are
regulated by Congress, and as the APP
pointment of many offices can be vested
by Congress in the courts or in the heads
of Departments, it would be difficult
for the parties to such a divorce to adjust
the questions of separate maintenance
and division of the offspring. We have
elsewhere good-naturodly attempted to
show the utter harmlessness Of this mild
idiosyncrasy of the President,
The President deals severely with the
subject of polygamy, reviews our relations
with foreign nations and touches on the
subject of foreign commerce. Spain is, as
he assures us, investigating the circum-
stances attending the firing into Ameri-
can vessels by some Of her cruisers last
summer; with what prospect of speedy
results we are not informed.
The reference to financial matters is ex-
tended and of course in sympathy with
Secretary Sherman's views in general.
He finds that resumption fails to capture
the greenbacks, but rather clogs the
Treasury with gold. The retirement of the
"a, l., lnI
also the increase of the weight of the sill
yer dollar.
Liberal treatment of the subject of Mis-
sissippi River improvements, an indorse-
ment of the Recommendation of the Adj
iutant-General concerning reorganiza-
ton of the militia in the States, good
words for steamship subsidies, general
statement of the necessities for increased
facilities in the judicial department, and
reorganization of courts, q lengthy repe-
tition of the points in Secretary Schurz's
report in relation TO Indian affairs, with
approval of his recommendations, glori-
ous prospect of success in Commissioner
lie Dues efforts at tea raising, will all be
found in the message itself, which is pre-
sented at length in our supplement.
The people of the District have cause to
congratulate themselves on the attention
given by the President to their interests.
lie urges the exclamation of the flats on the
river front, an increased supply of water
a union depot for the several railroads,
and liberal appropriations for the compile
ton of the Washington monument, the
erection of a Congressional library, and
for the various charitable institutions of
the city.
The recommendation of the President
thatthe Congress further show the Nations
grateful appreciation of the matchless
military services of General Grant by con-
ferring on him the title of Captain GEN
eral, with appropriate pay, is handsomely
done, and is another evidence of the knit
ting process which is going on to unite the
different elements of the Republican
party.
If he had omitted the rather lengthy
recital of the smaller details of the New
York custom-house we should have been
unable to find in the entire message any
thing to jar upon the sensibilitics of any
considerable Republican element; and,
as to that, the election of General Arthur
to the Vice-Presidency furnishes a suili-
cient antidote.
The document is unquestionably the
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