Litchfield enquirer., 1881-03-10
important duty which awaits them in this oeDeficent work.
SECTIONAL RECONCILIATION.

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 Sections and races should be forgotten and partlsanship unknown. Let our people find l g new manager in the divine oracle which de- clares that "A little child shall lead them. " for our little children will soon control the hest interests of the republic. My country meyn we do not now differ in our judgment concerning the controversies of the past gener- ation. and fifty years hence our children will not be divided in their opinions concerning our controversies; they will surely bless their | fathers Ged that the Union was preserved. l that slavery was overihrown. and that both races were made equal before the law. We | may hasten or we may retard, but we cannot prevent the final reconciliation. Is it not pos | sihle for us now to make a truce with time by | anticipating it's inevitable verdict. Enter prises of tEe highest importapces 10 our moral l and material well being offer ample scope for the employment of our best powers. Let all our people. leaving behind them the battle | field of dead issues, move forward and in the ] strength of liberty and the restored union in l the grandest victories of peace.
 l. NATIONAL FINANCES.
 The prosperity which now prevails is with out parallel in our history Fruitful sea- sons have done much to secure it, but they have not done all The preservation of pub
 
 successfully attained by the administration of my predecessor. has enabled the people to secure the blessings which the seasons brought by the experience of commercial nations In all ages 1t has been found that gold and silver affords the only safe foundation for a mone- tary system. Confusion has recently been created by variations in the relation of the metals, but confidently believe that arrange ments can be made between the leading con- mercial nations which will secure the general use of both metals. Congress should provide that the compulsory coinage of silver now re- quired by lay may not disturb our monetary system by driving either metal out of circu- lation. If possible such an adjustment should be made that the purchasing power of every coined dollar shall be exactly equal to it's debt paying power In all the markets of the world. The chief duty oi the national government in connection with the currency ofthe country IS to coin money and declare it's value. Grave doubts have been entertained whether Con- gress IS authorized by the constitution to make any form of paper money legal tender. The present issue of limited state notes has been sustained by the necessities of war, but such paper should depend for it's value and curren- cy upon its convenience in use and it's prompt redemption in coin at the will of the holder, and not upon it's compulsory circulation. These notes are not money, but promises to pay money. If the holders demand it, the promise should be kept. The refunding of the national debt at lower rates of interest should be accomplished without compelling the withdrawal of the national bank notes and thus disturbing the bsiness of the country. 1 venture to refer to the position 1 have occu- pied on financial questions during d long ser vice in Congress, and to say that time and ex- perience have strengthened the opinion which l so often expressed on these subjects The finances of the government shall suffer no det- riment which it may be possible for my ad ministraton to prevent.
 AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES.
 The interests of agriculture deserve more at tention from the government than they have yet received. The farms of the United States afford homes and employment for more than one half our people and furnish much the largest part of all our exports. As the gov ernmeut lights our coast for the protection of mariners and the benefit of commerce, it should give to the tillers of the soil the best lights of practical science and exper.ence. Our m anufacturers are rapidly making us in- dustrially independent, and are opening to cap- ital and labor new and profitable fields of en- ployment. Their steady and healthy growth should still be maintained. Our facilities for transportation should be promoted by the con- tinued improvement of our harbors and great interior water ways and by the increase of our tonnage on the ocean.
 INTER- OCEANIC CANALS.
 The development of the worlds commerce has led to urgent demand for shortening the sea voyage around Cape Horn by constructing ship canals or railways across the Isthmus which unites the two continents. Various plans to this end have been suggested and will need consideration, but none of them has been sufficiently matured to warrant the United States in extending pecuniary aid. The subject, however, is one which will inn mediately engage the attention of the govern ment with view to a thorough protection to Amegican interests. We will urge no narrow policy, nor seek peculiar or exclusive privi leges in any American route, but in the lan- guage of my predecessor, believe it to be the right and duty of the United States to assert and maintain such authority over any inter oceanic canals across the Isthmus that connects North and South America as will protect our national interests
 THE MORMON QUESTION
 The constitution guarantees absolute religi- ous freedom. Congress IS prohibited from mak- ing any law respecting an established religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof The territories of the United States are subject to the direct legislative authority of Congress- hence the general government is responsible for any violation of the constitution in any of them It IS therefore areproach to the gov l ernnent that in the most populous of the ter ritories the constitutional guarantee is not en- joyed by the people, and the authority of Congress IS set at naught. The Mormon church not only offeuds the moral sense of | mankind oy sanctloning pOlygamy but pre- vents the administration of justice through the ordinary instrumentalities of law. In my judgment it is the duty of Congress, while l respecting to the utmost the consclentious con- viction and religious scruples of every citizen, to prohibit within it's jurisdiction all criminal practices, especially of that class which de- stroy the family relations and endanger social order Nor can any ecclesiastical organiza- | tion be safely permitted to usurp in the small. | est degree the functions and powers of the na- | tianal government.
 THE CIVIL SERVICE. The civil servlce can never be placed on a l satisfactory basis until it is regulated by laws l for the good of the service itself. for the pee lection Of those who are e trusted with the ap- | pointing power against the waste of time and ! obstruction of public business caused by the | lnordinate pressure of place, and for the pro- lection of lncumbeuts against intrigue and wrong. 1 shall at the proper time ask Con- gress to fix the tenure of the offices of the sev- eral executive departments and to define the grounds upon which removal shall be made during the terms for which incumbents have been appointed. l CONCLUSION. l Finally, acting always within the authority and limitations of the constitution, invading neither the rights of states nor the reserved rights of the people, it will be the purpose of my administration to maintain the authority