Year: 1871

against all indorsers of persons for pub


lie place, would insure great caution In
making recommendations. A salutary
lesson has been taught the careless and
the dishonest servant in the great num-
Der of prosecutions and convictions in
the last two years. 1t is gratifying to
notice the favorable change which is
taking place throughout the country in
bringing to punishment those who have
proved recreant to the trusts confded
to them, and in the elevating to public
Office none but those who possess the
confidence of the honest and virtuous,
who, it will always be found, comprise
the majority of the community in which
they live. In my message to Congress
one year ago, 1 urgently recommended
reform in the civil service of the
country. In conformity with that re-
commendation, Congress, in the ninth
section of an act making appropriations
for sundry civil expenses of the govern
ment and for other purposes, approved
March 3, 1871, gave the necessary au-
thority to the Executive to inaugurate
civil service reform, and placed upon
der the authority of said act, convened
board of gentlemen eminently quail
fed for the work, to devise rules and
regulations to effect the needed reform.
Their labors are not yet completed, but
it is believed that they will succeed in
devising a plan which can be adopted
to the great relief of the Executive, the
heads of departments and members of
Congress, and which will rebound to the
true interest of the public service. At
all events the experiment shall have
fair trial.


Under the provisions of the act of
~,
Territorial Government was organized
in the District of Columbia. Its results
have thus far fully realized the expecta-
tions of its advocates. Under the di
rection of the territorial off GERS, a sys-
tenn of improvements has been inaugu-
rated by which Washington is rapidly
becoming a city worthy of the national
capital, the citizens of the District hav-
ing voluntarily taxed themselves to a
large amount for the purpose of con-
trlbuting TO the advance of the seat of
government. 1 recommend liberal ap-
propriations on the part of Congress in
order that the Government may bear
its just share of the expense of carrying
out the various systems of improvement.


By the great fire in Chicago, the most
important of the government buildings
in that city were consumed. Those
burned hau alredOy DecOIuo 1uduedudGe
to the wants of the government in that
growing city, and looking to the near
future, were totally inadequate. l re-
commend, therefore, that an appropria-
ton be made Immediately to purchase
the remainder of the square on which
the burned building stood, provided it
can be purchased at fair valuation,
and provided the Legislature of Illinois
will pass alaw authorizing its condemna-
ton for Government purposes, and also
an appropriation of as much money as
can properly be expended towards the
erection of new buildings during the
fiscal year.


have thus hastily summed up the
operations of the Government during
the last year, and made such sugges-
tions as occur to me to be proper for
your consideration. l submit them
with confidence that your combined
action will be wise, statesmanlike and
in the best interest of the whole COM
munity. q. S. GRANT, President.


EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 4, 1871.