The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1883-12-15

sNN ei hiheiitS afe foWtftess
to prevent.
The annual report of the Civil
Service Commission, which will
soon be submitted TO Congress,
will doubtless AFFORD the means OF
a more definite Judgment than
am now prepared to express as to
the merits of the new system.
am persuaded that its effects have
thus far proved beneficial. Its
practical methods appear to be
adequate for the ends proposed,
and there has been no serious diff
heulties in carrying them into eff.
feet since the 10th of July last. No
person, so far as | am aware, has
been appointed to the public ser.
vice in the classified portions
thereof, at any of the departments
or at any of the postoifices and
custom districts above named, ex
cept those certified by the com.
mission to be the most competent
on a basis of the examinations held
in conformity TO the rules.
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION.
At the time when the present
executive entered upon his Office,
his death, removal, resignation or
inability to discharge his duties
would have left the government
without q constitutional head. 1t
is possible, of course, that a simi.
lar contingency may again arise
unless the wisdom of Congress
shall provide against its recur.
renee. The Senate at its last ses.
siop, after full consideration, pass.
ed an act relating to this subject
which will now, trust, commend
itself to the approval Of both
houses of Congress. The clause
of the constitution upon which
must depend any law regulating
Presidential succession presents
also for solution other questions
of paramount Importance. These
questions relate to the proper in.
depreciation of the phrase, "lna.
bility to discharge the powers and
duties Of said ofllce,' our organic
law providing that when the Pres.
ident shall suffer from such inabil.
ity the Presidential Office shall de-
yolve upon tho Viee-President,
who must himself, under like cir.
eumstances, give place to such Of
flcer as Congrese may by law
appoint to act as President. /
need not here set forth the nu.
merous and interesting inquiries
which are suggestec by these
words of the constitution. They
were fully stated in my first com.
munication TO Congress and have
since been the subject of frequent
deliberations in tina: body. 1t is
greatly to be hoped that these mo.
mentous questions will find speedy
solution lest emergencies may
arise when longer delay will be i'm.
possible and determination, albeit
the wisest, may furnish cause for
and alarm.
APPROPRIATIONS OF PUBLIC
MONEYS.
For the reasons fully stated in
my last annual message, | repeat
my recommendation that Congress
propose an amendment to that the
provision ofthe constitution which
prescribed the formalities for the
of law whereby in re-
spect to bills for the appropriation
of public moneys, the executive
may be enabled while giving his
approval to particular items, to
his votes to such others
rs do not commend themselves to
his judgment.
CIVIL RIGHTS.
The fourteenth amendment to
the constitution conters the rights
Of citizenship upon all persons
born or naturalized in the United
States and subject TO the jurisdic.
lion thereof. 1t was the purpose
sf this amendment to insure to
of the colored race the
'ull enjoyment of civil and political
rights. Certain statutory pro.
visions intended to secure the en-.
Forcement Of those rights have
Deen recently declared nnconstitu.
iional by the supreme court. Any
egislation whereby Congress may
awfully supplement the guaran.
.ees which the constitution affords
or the equal enjoyment by all the
,itizens of the several States of |
,very right, privilege and lmpu.
iity of citizenship will receive my
inhesitating approval.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Washington, ID. G. Dec. 4, 1883. |
Washington's ancestor, Col. Jno.
Washington, came over to this !
,ountry in 1860 in a vessel owned |