Year: 1877




that the regulation of any silver coinat


which may be authorized by Congre
should observe these conditions of con
mercial value and limited legal tende
1 am governed by the feeling that ever
possible increase should be given to th
volume of metallic money which can
kept in circulation, and thereby ever
possible aid afforded to the people in til
process of resuming specie payments
1t is because of my firm conviction ths
a disregard of these conditions woul
| Illustrate the good results which are dt
sired from the proposed coinage an
embarrass with new elements of cor
fusion and uncertainty the business {
the country that urge upon your al
tention these considerations.


EXEMPTION OF THE PUBLIC DEBT.


I respectfully recommend to Congress
that in any legislation providing for
silver coinage and imparting to it tn
quality of legal tender there be impress
ed upon the measure firm provision
exempting the public debt heretofore is
sued and now outstanding from pay
ment either of principal or interest il
any coinage of less commercial valu
than the present gold coinage of th,
country. .f.n


THE CIVIL SERVICE,


The organization of the civil service
OF the country has for number of years
attracted more and more of the public
attention. So general has become the
opinion that the method of its admission
and the conditions of remaining in il
ARE unsound that both the great poll
tical parties have agreed in the mos
explicit declarations of the necessity Of
reform, and in the most emphatic de.
mands for it. 1 have fully believed these
declarations and demands to be the ex-
preston of a sincere conviction of the
Intelligent masses ofthe people upon the
subject, and that they should be re
cognized and followed by earnest and
prompt action on the part of the legisla-
tive and executive departments of the
government in pursuance ofthe purpose
indicated.


Before my accession to office I en-
deavored to have my own views dis
tinctly understood, and upon my inau-
guration my accord with the public O.
pinion was stated in terms believed to
be plain and unambiguous. My expert
ence in the executive duties has strong
ly confirmed the belief in the great adj
vantage the country would find in OBJ
serving strictly the plan of the constitu-
tion which imposes upon the executive
the sole duty and responsibility of the
selection of those federal officers who by
law are appointed, not elected, and
which, in like manner, assigns to the
Senate the complete right to advise and
consent to or to reject the nominations
80 made, whilst the House of Represen-
tatives stands as the public censor of the
performance of official duties, with the
prerogative veofinvestiRation of and prosecu-
tion in all cases of dereliction.


The blemish and imperfections in the
civil service may, as think. be traced
10 most cases to praoti cal confusion of
the duties assigned to the several depart
ments 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 under
standing with the Senate and House Of
The principal diff
hculties in the selection of numerous
officers for posts Of widely varying re-
ssponsihiiities and duties are acknow-
lodged to be very great. No system can
pc expected to secure absolute freedom
from mistakes, and the beginning of any
attempted change of custom is quite
likely to be more embarrassing In this
respect than any subsequent period.
1t is here that the constitution seems
TO me to prove Its claim to the great
dnd 10
executive the assistance of the know
ledge and experience of the Senate,
which, when acting upon nominations
to which they may be disinterested and
judges, secures as strong
of freedom from erroys of i'm
p0rtance as is perhaps possible in human
affairs. In addition to this, I recognize
the public advantage of making all
as nearly as possible, i'm
in the sense of being free from
mere caprice or favor in the SELECTION
And in those offices In which special
training is of greatly increased value. I
believe such rule as to the tenure of
Office should obtain as NAV induce men
OF proper qualifications to apply them
selves industFiously to the task of be-
coming proficients.


1
to reduce the number of
changes in subordinate places usually
made upon the change of the general
and shall most heartily
cooperate with Congress in the better
systematizing of such methods and rules
of admission to the public service and
of promotions within it as may promise
to be most successful in making thor
OnOh of
acter the decisive tests in these matters.
I 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
predecessor to prepare and revise civil
service rules.


In regard to much of the departmental
service, especially at Washington, it
may be difficult to organize better sys-
tem than that which has thus been pro
vided, and it is now being used to con-
extent under my direction
The commission has still a legal exis-
tence, although far several years no ap-
priatien has been made for defraying its
expenses. Believing that this commis-
sion has rendered valuable service and
Will be a most useful agency in i'm
PAONAhS tHC duIulu4StftACIOu VI tle
civil service, ! respectfully recon-
mend that suitable appropriation,
to be Immediately available, be made to
enable 1t to continue its lahoYs.


1t is my purpose to transmit to Con-
gress as early as practicable report by
the chairman of the commission. and
to ask your attention to such measures
ON this subject as in my opinion will
further promote the Improvement of the
civil service.





TAXATION.


The estimated revenue for the next
fiscal year will impose upon Congress
the duty of strictly limiting appropria
tions, including the requisite sum fol
maintenance of the sinking fund, with
in the aggregate estimated receipts
While the aggregate of taxes should not
be increased, amendments might be
made to the revenue laws that would
without diminishing the revenue, re-
lieve the people from unnecessary bur-
dens. A tax on tea and coffee is shown
by the experience, not only of our own
country, but of other countries, to bt
easily collected without loss by under
valuation or fraud, and largely borne in