The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-12-06

the better, is the enactment of a law repeating
the tax on circulation and permitting the banks
to issue notes for an amount equal to 80 per cent
of the market value instead of as now the face
value of their deposited bonds. agree with |
the Secretary in the beIiefthat the adoption OF
this plan would afford the necessary relief.
The trade dollar was coine d for the purpose
of traffic in countries where silver passed at Its
value ascertained by itsweight and fineness. 1t
never had a legal trade quality. Large numbers
une of our currency. by common consent their
circulation in domestic trade has now ceased
and they have thus become disturbing ele-
ment. They should not be longer permitted TO
embarrass Our currency system. l recommend
the treasury and the minis as bullion Mt a small
percentage above the current market price of
silver of like fineness.
Iagain call your attention to the present con-
dition of our extended seacoast, upon which are
SO many large cities, whose wealth and import
attack from modern -armored ships, against
which our existing defensive works could give
no adequate protection. Those works were
built before the introduction of modern heavy
| rifed guns into maritime warfare and if they
are not put in an efficient condition we may
easily be subjected to humiliation by hostile
power greatly inferior to ourselves. AS germane
to this subec call your attention to the i'm
Of Rer1ectlng our submarine TORPEDO
gress to report upon the method which should
be adopted for the manufacture of heavy ordi-
nance adapted to modern warfare has visited
the principal iron and steel works in this coun-
try and in Europe.
feel bound to impress upon the attention of
Congress the necessity of continued progress
in the reconstruction of the navy. The condi-
ton of the public treas ury as Ihave already in
timated, makes the present an suspicious time
for putting this branch of the service in state
of efficiency.
The Postmaster General devotes much of his
report to the consideration, in its various
poets, of the relations of the government to the
telegraph. Such reflection as have been able to
give to this subject since my last annual mes
sage has not led me to change the views which
then expressed, in dissenting g. from the recon-
mendation of the then Postmaster General that
the telegraph which it has always exercised
over the mail Admitting that it's authority in
the premises is as ample as has ever been claim
ed for it, it would not in my judgment, be
wise use of that authority to purchase or assume
construct others with q view of entering into
general competition with private enterprise.
The Utah commission has submitted to the
Secretary of the Interior it's second annual re-
| port. AS q result of its labors in supervising
The recent election in in that Territory pursuant
sons by that act disqualified to the number of
s!esout 124 40 were excluded from the polls. This
| fact however, affords little cause for congratu-
! lation, and fear that it is far from indicating
| any real and substantial progress toward the
| reason to believe that they are in sympathy
\ with the practices that this government is seek
| ing to suppress, and that its efforts in that
gard will be more likely to encounter their OPP
position than to receive their encouragement
| be erroneous, the law under which the commits
| sioners have been acting should be made more
/ eIeCtlVe by the incorporation OF some Such
stringent amendments as they recommended
as were included in bill No. 23S on the calendar
of the Senate at its last session.
am convinced, however, that pOlygamy has
| become SO strongly intrenched in the Territory
of Utah that it is proftless to attack it with any
| but the stoutest weapons which constitutional
| legislation can fashion. favor, therefore, the
repeal OF the act upon which the existing gov
4 eminent depends, the assumption by the ma
tional legislature of the entire political control
/ of the Territory, and the establishment of
commission with such powers and duties as
4 ha la nfaI tn hxr1 la 4 4a
Complaints have lately been numerous and
urgent that certain corporations, controlling i'll
carriage OF persons and merchandise over the
| great railroads of the country, have resorted in
| their dealings with the public to divers meas
ures unjust and oppressive in their character
While we cannot fail to recognize the impor-s
lance of the vast railway systems of the coun-s
try and their great and benefcent influences
upon the development. of our mater ial wea lthl
we should, on the other hand, remember that
no individual and no corporation ought to be
| invested with absolute power over the inter-
est of any other citizen or class of citizens.
The right of these railway corporations to fair
| and profitable return upon their Investments,
| and to reasonable freedom in their regulations,
must be recognized; but it seems only just that,
so far as Its constitutional authority will per-
nit, congress should protect the people at
largein their Interstate traffic against acts of
| injustice which the State governments are pow
| erleSS to prevent, se4 ats lFIa
| The commissioners who were appointed I'M
der the act of January iG, 1888, entitled IAN act
to regulate and improve the civil service OF the
United States.' entered promptly upon the dis
charge of their duties. A series of rules framed
| in accordance with the spiritof the statute
approved and promulgated by the President.
1 The annual report of the ciyil-Seryice COM
mission, which Will soon be submitted to Con-
gress 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.
At the time when the present executive en-
tered upon his Office his death, removal, resig-
dation,or inability to discharge his duties would
| have left the government without constitu-
| tional head. 1t is possible, OF course, that a
similar contingency may again arise unless the
| wisdom OF Congress shall provide against its re-
currence
| The clause of the constitution upon which
must depend any laws regulating the presi-
Dental succession presents also for solution
other questions OF paramount Importance
These questions relate to the proper interpreta-
| tfon of the phrase, Inability to discharge the
powers and duties of said office,Y our organic
| law providing that when the President shall
suffer from such inability, the presidential Of
| flee shall devolye upon the Vice President, who
must himself under like circumstances give
place to such officer as Congress may by law APP
1 forth the numerous and interesting inquiries
| Which are suggested by these words of the
st1tution. They were fully. stated i'll my first
communication to Congress and have since
| been the subject of frequent deliberations in
| that body.
| 1t is greatly to be hoped that these momentous
questions will find speedy solution, lest emer-
gencies may arise when longer delay will be inn
possible, and any determination, albeit the
wisest, may furnish cause for anxiety and
| alarm. CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
OFT nhnr2