Year: 1877

and work irreparabie injury TO The public
credit. 1t was the great merit Of the act oI


March, i~6e, in strengthening pulIic credit


that 70 ra,no~ed al doubt as to the purpose


oI The United States TO pay their bonded


debt in coin. That act was accepted as O
pledge OF public faith. The government has


derived great benefit from it in the progress


thus far made in refunding the public debt


! at low rate OF interest, adherence to the wise


and Just policy OF an exact observance oI


the public faith. viii enable the government


rapidly to reduce the burden Of interest on


the national debt 10 an amount exceeding


S2OO0J,OO0 per annum, and enact an dggre


gate saving TO the United States of more


than 3 O0,0QO,O0e before tie bonds can be


fully n2II. n adapting the new silver coin.
| age 10 the ordinary uses OF currency in the
| everyday transaction Of life and preserving


the quality Of the legal tender to be assigned
70 It, Is consideration OF the FIRST importance
! should re so TO adjust the ratio between the
| silver and gold coinage, which now consti-
: tutes oar specie currency as 10 accomplish
I the desired end OF maintaining the circula.
| ton of the two metallic currencies, and keep
I ing mp the volume of the two precious
metals our intransic money. 1t is a mixed
question for scientific reasoning and histo>
| rical experience TO determine how far and
/ by what methods a practicable equilibrium
can be maintained which VIII keep both
metals IN circulation in their appropriate
/ spheres OF common use. An absolute
| equality Of commercial value, free from dis
/ turDing fluctuations, is hardly attanahle
and without Il au unlimited legal tender for
( private transactions assigned TO botn metals
would tend 10 drive out of circulation the
dearest coinage, and disappoint the priuci-


pal object proposed by the legislation in
view, i apprehend, therefore, that
the conditions OF near approach
to equality of commercial value
/ between the gold and silver coinage Of the
same denomination and OF q limitation of
2 VI oh "a lfI set to
/ be legal tender, are essential 10 mai aintain-


ing both in circulation. II these conditions


can be successfully observed the issue from


the mint OF silver dollars would afford mate


rial assistance TO the community in the


transition 20 the redeemRble paper money,


aEd would facilitate the resumption Of specie


payment aud its permanent establishment.


Without these conditions I fear that OILY


mischief and misfortune would follow from


coinage OF silver dollars with the creation


OF unlimited legal tender. Even in private


transactions any expectation of temporary


ease from an issue Of Silver coinage to pass as


a legal tender at a rate materially above its


commercial value is, am persuaded, delu-


sion, nor can ] think that there is auv sub


stantial distinction between an original issue


OF silver dollars at nominal value materially
above their commercial value, and the resto-


ration Of the silver dollar at q rate which
once was, but has ceased to be- its commercial
value. Certainly the sue OF our gold coin
age At a reduced weight materially below IT
legal tender value would be any the less q
debasemeut OF the coinage by reason of its
equalling or even exceeding IN wei ght good
coinage which, at some past time had been
commercially equal 10 the legal tender value
assigned to the new issue. In recommending
that Il regulation Of any silver coinage
which may be authorized bY congress should
observe these conditions Of commercial value
and limited legal tender. I am governed by


the eieelIng th-t every possible Increase should
be given 10 the volume Of metallic money


which can be kept in circulation, and thereby


every possible aid Afforded to the people in
the process Of resumlng specie payments ft
is because Of my Conviction tk at a disregard


of these conditions would Illustrate the good
results which are desired from the proposed
coinage, and embarrass with new elements
of confusion and uncertainty the business Of
the country, that / urge upon you attention
TO these considerations.


/ respectfully recommend to congress that
IN any legislation providing for silver coin
age and impartng 70 il the quality of q legal
tender, there De impressed on the measure a
hrm provision exempting the public debt
heretore issued and now outstanding from
the payment either Of principal or interestiu
any coinage of less value than the present
gold coinage Of the country.


The organization OF the civil service Of the


country has for o number Of years attracted


more and more Of public attention. So gen.


eraI has become the opinion that the method


OF admission to il and the conditions Of


remaining IN II are uusound, that both the


great political parties have agreed in a most


explicit declaration Of the necessity of reform,
and IN the most emphatic demands for it. /


have fully considered the declarations AID


demands TO be the expressions OF the sincere
conviction OF the intelligent masses of the
people upon the subject, and that they
should be recognized and followed by earnest
and prQ@pt action on the part of the legisN
latIve snd executive departments of the
government, in pursuance of the purpose
indicated. Before my accession to office, |
endeavored TO have my views distinctly
understood, and upon my Inauguration, my
accord with the public opinion was stated in
terms believed to be plain and Uuambiguous. |
My experience in the executive duties has I
strongly confirmed my belief in the great |
advantage the country would find in Observ- |
ing strictly the plan o. the constitution, which |
imposes upon the executive the sole duty |
and res possibility OF the selection of those |
Federal officers who, by law. are appointed /
not elected. In ike manner was assigned to /
the senate the complete right 10 advise and 1
consent TO, or TO reject, the nominations so /
made. Whilst the house of representatives |
stands es the public censor OF the performance |
of official duties, with the prerOgative of /
investigation, and providing in all cases Of |
derelictiOns, the blemishes and imperfectiOns |
in the civil service may. as l think, be traced /
in most cases to practical confusion of the |
duties assigned 10 the several departments Of |
the government. My purpose in this respect
has been TO return TO the system established |
by the fundamental law, and to do this with
the heartiest cooperation and most cordial
with the senate and house OF
The practical difficulties in
the selection Of the numerous officers for the
posts of widely-varYing responsibilities and
duties, are acknowledged to be very great.
No system can be expected to secure abso- |
II sf4E he
beginning of an attempted change OF custom
is quite likely TO be more embarrassed in this
than at any subsequent period. 1t is
here that the constitution gives to us the
most positive proof of It's claims to the great
wisdom accorded to it. 1t gives to the
executive the assistance OF the knowledge
and experience of the senate, which, when
acting upon nominations, TO winch they
may be disinterested and impartial Judges,
secures as strong a guarantee from freedom
human affairs. IN addition to this, l recOg-
nize the public advantage of making all
as nearly as possible, personal,
in the sense OF being free from mere caprice
or favor in these directions and to those
Offices in which special training is of greatly
increased value. | claim that such a rule as
to the tenure of Office shOnld obtain such in-
ducements as may induce men of proper
qualifications TO apply themselves indus
triOusly to the task of becoming proficient.
Bearing these things in mind, I have
to reduce the number of changes
in subordinate places, usually made up on
the change OF general administration and
shall most certainly cooperate with congress
in better system by such modes and rules
Of admission as the public service and pro-
motion within it may promise 10 be most
successful in making thorough competency,
efficiency aud character the decisive tests ia
these matters. l ask the renewed attention
Of congress to what has already been done
by the civil service commission, appointed in
pursuance of an act of congress by my prede-
cessor, TO prepare and revise the civil service
rules.


In regard to much of the departmental
service, especially at Washington, it NAV be
difficult to organize better system than that
which has thus been provided aud it is now
being used to a considerable extent under
nv direction. The commission has still a
legal existence, although tor several years
no appropriation has been made for defraying
its expenses. Believing that this commission
has rendered valuable agency in improving
the administration of the civil service, it is
nv purpose to transmit to congress as early
as practicable a report by the chairmsn OF
the commission, and TO ask your attention to
such measures on this subject as in my
opinion will further promote improvement OF
the civil service.


During the past year the United States
have continued TO maintain peaceful relations
with fOreign powers. The outbreak of war |