Year: 1879

and uniform justice. Reports from tn
secretary of the interior, from tn
postmaster-general, from the post
master in the city of New York
where such examinations have beer
from the collector of the port. the nava
officer and the surveyor in that city
and from the postmasterS and collector
in several of the other large cities, show
that the competitive system, where ap
piled, has in. various ways contributed
to improve the public service. The re
ports show that the results have beer
salutary in marked degree, anil tina
the general application of similar rule
cannot fail to be of decided benefit t.
the service. The reports of the govern
ment officers in the city of New Yorl
especially, bear decided testimony to th'
utility of open competitive examination
in their respective offices. showing tha
these examinations, and the excellen
qualifications of those admitted to tn,
service through them. have had
marked incidental effect upon the per
sons previously in the service, and par
fticularly upon those aspiring to promo
ton. There has been, on the part O
these latter, an increased interest in The
work, and desire to extend acquaint
ance with it beyond particular desk
and thus the morale Of the entire fore,


has been raised. The examinations
have been attended by many citizens,
who have had an opportunity to
thoroughly investigate the scope and
character oftEe tests and the method OF
determining the results, and those visi-
tors have, without exception approved
the modes employed, and several of them
have publicly attested their favorable
opinion upon such considerations" I
deem it my duty to renew the recon-
mendation contained in my annual mes
sage of December, 1877, requesting Con-
gress to make the necessary appropria-
tion for the resumption of the work of
the civil service commission. Economy
will be promoted by authorizing mod
crate compensation to persons in the
public service who may perform extra
labor upon or under the commission, as
the executive mar direct. &a ~ .


I am convinced that if q Just and def
mite test of merit is enforced for admis-
sion to the public service and in making
promotions, such abuses as removal
without good cause and partisan and
official interference with the proper ex-
ercise of the appointing power. will, in
large measure, disappear. There arc
other administrative abuses to which
the attention of Congress should be asked
in this connection. Mere partisan ap-
poiLtment and the constant peril OF re-
| l1,st k,,r LIN 10o
to an absorbing and mischievous politi-
cal activity on the part Of those thus
appointed, which not only interfercs
with the due discharge of official duty,
but is incompatible with the freedom Of
elections. Not without warrant, in the
view Of several of my predecessors in
the presidential Office, and directly in
accordance with the law ofls7l, already
cited, endeavored, by regulation made
on the twenty-second of juno, 1877, to
put some reasonable limits to such
abuses.


1t may not be easy, and it may never.
perhaps, be necessary. to define with
precision the proper limit of political
action on the part OF federal officers.
But while their right to hold and freely
express their opinions cannot be qucs-
toned, it Is very plain that they should
neither be allowed to devote to other
subjects tho time needed for the proper
discharge of their official duties. nor to
use the authority Of their Office to in
force their own opinions, or to cocrte
the political action of those who hold
different opinions. Reasons of justice
and public policy quite analogous to
those which forbid the use of official
power for the oppression Of the private
citizen impose upon the govern
ment the duty of protecting its
officers and agents from arbitrary
exactions. In whatever aspect consid-
cred, the practice of making levies tor
party purposes upon the salaries Of
officers is highly demoralizing to the
public service and discreditable to the
country. Though an officer should be
as free rs any other citizen to give his
own money in aid of his opinions or lis
party, he should also be as free rs any
| other citizen TO refuse to make sucl
gifts. If salaries are but fair compen-
sation for the time and labor of the Off
GERS, it is gross injustice to levy tax
upon them. If they are made excessive
in order that they may bear the tax, the
excess is an indirect robbery Of the pub
lie funds. recommend, therefore, such
revision and extension of present
statutes as shall secure to those in every
grade of official life or public employ
ment the protection with which great
and enlightened nation should guard
those who are faithful in its service.





Our relations with foreign countries
have continued peaceful. With Great
Britain there are still unsettled questions,
growing out fthe local laws of the mari
time provinces and the action of provin-
cial authorities, deemed to be in deroga-
ton of rights secured by treaty to Ameri-
can fishermen. TheUnited States minister
in London has been instructed to presen.
Il demand for Sl05, ,3o5.02. in view of tn =
damages received by American citizen
1T Fortune Bay on the sixth day o.
January, 1878. The subject has been
taken in consideration by the British
government, and an early reply is anti
cipated. Upon the completion Of the ne
cessary preliminary examination, the
subject of our participation in the pro-
vincial fisheries, as regulated by treaty,
will at once be brought to the attention
of the British government, with a view
to an early and permanent settlement
of the whole question, which was only
temporarily adjusted by the treaty of
Washington. Efforts have been made
to obtain the removal of restrictions
found injurious to the expectation of
cattle 10 the United Kingdom. Some
correspondence has also occurred with
regard to the rescue and saving of life
and property upon the lakes, which has
resulted in important notifications OF
the previous regulations of the Do
minion government on the subject in
theinterest of humanity and commerce.
In accordance with the joint resolution
of the last session of Congress. COM
missioners were appointed to represent
the United States st the two inter-
national exhibitions in Australia, one
OF which is now in progress at Sidney,
and the other to be held next year at
Melbourne. A desire has been expressed
by our merchants and manufacturers
interested in the important and growing
trade with Australia that an increased
provision should be made by Congress
for the representation Of our industries
at the Melbourne exhibition of next
year, and the subject is respectfully sub.
mittcd to your favorable consideration.


The assent Of the government has
been given to the landing on the coast
of Massachusetts Of Il new and inde-
pendent transatlantic cable between
France, by way Of the French island of
St. Pierre, and this country, subject to
any future legislation of Congress on the
subject. The conditions imposed, be-
fore allowing this connection with our
shores to be esta blished, are such as to