Show ONUAL ACTUAL MESSAGE MESSAGES OF mum DD E B luel HUES TO tn j OF TIM THE ferow of the senate and house souse of representatives the members of the forny forty sixth congress have assembled in their first regular session under circumstances calling for mutual congratulations eind and grateful gement led to the giver of all good goad for the large and unusual measure of national prosperity which we now enjoy the most interesting events v which aich have occurred in pub iio ilo affairs since my last annual message to congress are connected vital the financial operations of the government directly affecting the business interests of uhe tho country I 1 congratulate congress on the suc sue osseful execution of 0 the tho resumption aon ACT at the time fixed and in the manner contemplated by law the united states notes began to be redeemed ia coin since the first of january last list they have been promptly redeemed on presentation and in all business transactions public and private la in all parts of the country they are ary roe roc received elved and faid paid out as the equivalent of coin coln the demand upon the treasury for or gold and silver in exchange for united states notes hab haa been comparatively ively small and the voluntary deposit of coin ani and bullion la in exchange for notes hes haa b been een very large the excess of the pre preciou precious clou elou metals deposited or exchanged for united states notes nota over the amount of united states notes redeemed Is about the resumption of specie payments has been bean followed by a very groat revival of business with a currency equivalent in value to the money of the commercial world we are enabled to enter upon an equa competition with other nations in trade and production the increasing foreign demand for our manufactures fac tures and agricultural products has hai caused a large balance of trade in our favor which has been paid in gold from the nira fira of july last to november 15 to the amount of about NATIONAL DEBT since the res reb resumption 1 of specie payments there has been I 1 a marked and gratifying improvement of the public credit the bonds of the government govern me nt bearing beating only four jour our per pen cent interest have been sol bol sold bold dator daton at or above par sufficient jn in amount to pay off all of the national debt which was redeemable under the t he present laws the amount of interest saved annually by the process of refunding the debt since march let 1877 is the bonds sold eold were largely in small sum sand the number of our citizens no now W holding tho public securities is much greater than ever before Ts the amount of national debt which matures within less than two years is of which bear interest at the rate of five per cent ceni it is believed that this part of odthe the public debt can be refunded by the hsue issue of four pet pot cent ant bonds and by the reduction of interest which will thus be effected about can be annually saved to the treasury to secure this important reduction of interest to be paid by the united states further legislation Is required which it la li hoped will be provided by congress during the session TIIE TUB COINAGE of gold by rby tho the mints of the united states during the ladt last fiscal year was the coinage of silver dollars since the passage 0 of the act for that purpose up to november 1879 was of which have beeg been boen issued from the treasury and are now in circulation and aro are still in the possession of the government the of the proposition for the uniting of action between the united malted state states and the principal commercial nations oi europe to effect a permanent system for the equall equality ty of gold and silver fh in money of the dodd lehds me mo to to reco becom ni ar mend that congress refrain from new legislation on the general subject the great revival of trade internal and foreign will supply during the coming year its own instructions which may well be awaited before attempting experimental measures with the coin coln coinage 8 go I 1 would however strongly u urge rge upon congress the importance of authorizing the secretary of the treasury to suspend the coinage of silver dollars the present legal rates rateb the market value of the silver being uniformly and largely less than the market value of the gold dollar it is obviously impracticable to maintain them at par with each other it if both are coined without limit if the cheaper coin is forced into circulation it will if coined without limit soon become the sole bole standard of value and thus defeat the desired object which la Is a currency of both gold and silver which shall be of equivalent value dollar for dollar in the universally recognized mo money ney noy of 0 the world PAPER MONEY the retirement from circulation of united states notes with their capacity of legal tender in private contracts is a step to be taken in our progress towards a stable currency which should be accepted aa as the policy and duty of the government and the interest and security of the people it is my firm conviction that the issue of legal tender paper money based wholly upon the authority and credit of the government ern ment except in extreme urgency is without warrant in the constitution and a violation of sound financial principles the is sue of united states notes during the late civil war with the capacity of legal tender between private andly ideals was nol not authorized except as a means of hes jes rescuing cuing the country from imminent peril the circulation of these notes as paper money for any protracted period of time after the tho accomplishment of this purpose was not contemplated by the framers of the law under which they were issued they anticipated the redemption and with drapal of these notes at the earliest practicable period consistent with the attainment of the object for 1 which they thoy wc were re provided the pollay policy of thie the united states steadily adhered to from the adoption 0 of f the hwa haa been to avoid the creation of a national debt and when from necessity in time of war debts have been created they havo have been paid off anthe return of peace as rapidly aa as possible SINKING FUND with this view and for this purpose it is recommended that the existing laws for the me accumulation of a sinking fund buff sufficient lelent to extinguish the public debt within a limited period be maintained if any change of the objects or rates nates of taxation is deemed necessary ly Congressi congress it tiar IS suggested that experience peri ence hab has shown that a duty can be pla pia placed cedon on tea and coffee which will not enhance the price of those articles to the consumer and which will add adde several everil millions of dollars annually to the treasury THE suppression OF POLYGAMY the continue continued a liberate deliberate de violation by a large number of the prominent and influential citizens of the territory of ti utah tah of the laws of the united tates for the prosecution and punishment of polygamy demands the attention of every department part ment of the government this thia territory Ferri tory bas haa a population sufficient to entitle it to admission as a state and the general interest of the nation as well as the welfare of the citizens of the territory require its advance from a iberri territorial form of government to the responsibilities and privileges of a state this important change will however not be approved by the country while the citizens of utah in very ivery considerable number uphold a practice which is condemned as a crime erime by the laws of all civilized communities throughout tho the world the law for the suppression of this offense was enacted with great unanimity by congress more than 17 years ago agg but has remained until recently a dead letter in the ryot utah of the peculiar difficulties attending its enforcement tho the opinion wide jy prevailed among the citizens of utah that the law jaw was in contravention of odthe the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom this objection Js ji now removed theft the zhe supreme court oc of the united unite d stales states has decided the law naw to be within the legislative power of congress and binding 1 as a rule of action for all air who resau resided ed within the territories there ia is no longer any reason fordell for delay or hesitation in its ita enforcement it it should be firmly and ef executed if not sufficiently ot la in its provisions it should be amended amande dj and in aid uld odthe purpose in view I 1 recommend that more comprehensive and more mora searching methods for preventing as well as punishing this crime be provided if it necessary to secure obedience to io the law the enjoyment and of the rights and privileges of citizenship in the territories of the united states may bo withheld or withdrawn from those who violate or oppose the enforcement of the law on this subject POPULAR blants the elections of the pas occupied only aitu state officers has not failed to elicit in the polli political I 1 discussions which attended I 1 them all ail allover oven over twe tho country new and aul decisive evidence of the deep interest es t which the great body of citizens take in the progress of the country towards a more general and complete establishment at whatever colt cost of universal security and free dom in the exercise ol 01 the elective franchise while many topics of political concern demand great attention from our people both in the sphere of national and state authority I 1 find ino no reason to qualify the opinion I 1 expressed in my last annual message that no temporary or administrative interests ot of the government ern ment however urgent or weighty will ever dispel the zeal of our people in defense of the primary rights of citizenship and that the power of public opinion on will override all political prejudices and all sectional and state attachments in the demand that all over our wide territory the name and character of ora ofa a citizen of the united states shall mean one and the same thing and carry with them unchallenged security and respect I 1 earnestly a appeal to the intelligence and pa of all good citizens of every part of the country however much they may ho ibo divided in opinions on other political subjects to unite in compelling obedience to exist i ing laws aimed at the protection of cho the richt tight 1 I urge upon congress Cong resa reea to supply any detects defects in thebe theae lawa laws which ence has shown u and ud which it is in its power to remedy I 1 again invoke the operation cooperation co of the executive and legislative authorities of the states in this great purpose ie I 1 am fully convinced that if the public mind can ba be set beb at rest on this paramount question of popular no serious object will thwart or delay the complete pacification of the country or retard the general of prosperity REFORMING THE CIVIL SERVICE in a former message I 1 invited the attention of congress to the subject of reformation of the civil service of the government and expressed the intention of transmitting to congress as early as practicable a report upon this subject by the chairman of the civil service commission in view of the fact that during a considerable period the government of great britain has been dealing with administrative problems and abuses in various particulars analogous to those presented in this country and that in recent years yeara the measures adopted were understood to have been effective and in every respect highly satisfactory I 1 thought it desirable to have fuller information upon the subject and P cordingly accordingly requested the chairman of the civil service commission to make a thorough investigation for this purpose pose the result has been glyen given in an elaborate and comprehensive report the report sets forth the history of the partisan spoils system in great britain and of gho the rise and fall of the parliamentary patronage and of official interference with the freedom of elections it shows that after long trials of various kinds binda of examinations those which are competitive and open on equal terms to all and which are carried on under the superintendence per of a ongle single commission a on havo have with great advantage been established as the conditions of admission to almost every official place in the subordinate admirals ad administration of that country and of british Indi Ind aTho laThe completion of the report iaron owing to the extent of the lator ton ron involved in its preparation and the omission sion bion of congress to make any provision either for tho the compensation pensa tion or the expenses of the commission has been postponed until the present time it is herewith transmitted to Con congress gress greks while the reform measures of another government are of no authority for esthey are entitled to respect to the extent which their intrinsic wisdom and their to our institutions and social life may commend them to our consideration the views I 1 have heretofore expressed conc conr concerning arning the defects and abuses in our civil administration remain unchanged except in a far as an enlarged experience has opened my sense of the duty both of officers and of the people themselves to operate cooperate co for their removal the grave evils and peria of a partisan spoils system of appointment to office and office tenure are now generally recognized in the resolutions ot the great parties in the report of departments in the debates and proceedings of congress la in the messages of executives the gravity of these evils has been pointed out and the need of their reform has been admitted to command the necessary an ery measure of reform must be compatible with the existence of the great parties which are inevitable and essential in a free state when a people have approved a policy at a national election confidence on the part of the officers they have selected and of the advisers who in accordance with our political institutions should be consulted in the policy which it la Is their duty to carry into effect la Is indispensable it 11 is eminently emin en aly pro per that they should explain it be bo fore the people as well as illustrate its spirit in the performance of their official duties it need hardly be pointed out that very different considerations apply to the greater number of thom who fili nill fill the subordinate places in the civil service their responsibility Is 19 to their superiors in official position it is their duty to obey the legal instructions ot of those upon whom that authority is devolved and ther their best beat public service consists in the discharge of their functions irrespective of part izan politics their duties are the same whatever party is in power and whatsoever policy prevails As a i consequence it follows tau tat their tenure of office should not depend up upu upon a due cue ormay polley policy or the supremacy of any party but bo be by toy their I 1 capacity to serve the people moat most usefully quite irrespective of par bizan interests the same considerations erat ions that should govern the tenure should also prevail in the appointment discipline and removal of these subordinates the authority of appointment and removal is not a perquisite which may be used to aid a friend or reward a part parl partisan izau izan bau but is a trust to be exercised in the public interest under all the sanctions wech attend the obligation to apply the public funds only for public purpose every citizen has unequal an equal right to the honor and profit of entering the public service of his hla country the th i only just juat ground of discrimination ia Is the measure i e of character and capacity he bas baa to ma make ke that service most useful to the people except in cases where upon just and recognized principles aa as upon the theory of 0 pension |