1348 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



and requiring ability and character to fill properly, is 

 one to Which your attention is invited. But few of 

 the officials receive a compensation equal to the re- 

 spectable support of a family, while their duties are 

 such as to involve millions of interest. In private 

 life, services demand compensation equal to the ser- 

 vices rendered. A wise economy _would dictate the 

 same rule in the Government service. 



I have not given the estimates for the support of 

 Government for the ensuing year, nor the compara- 

 tive statement between the expenditures for the year 

 just passed and the one just preceding, because all 

 these figures are contained in the accompanying re- 

 ports, or in those presented directly to Congress. 

 These estimates have my approval. 



More than six years having elapsed since the last 

 hostile gun was fired between the armies then ar- 

 rayed against each other, one for the perpetuation, 

 the other for the destruction of the Union, it may 

 well be considered whether it is not now time that 

 the disabilities imposed by the fourteenth amend- 

 ment should be removed. That amendment does 

 not exclude the ballot, but only imposes the disabil- 

 ity to hold offices upon certain classes. When the 

 purity of the ballot is secure, majorities are sure to 

 elect officers reflecting the views of the majority. I 

 do not see the advantage or propriety of excluding 

 men from office merely because they were before the 

 rebellion of standing and character sufficient to be 

 elected to positions requiring them to take oaths to 

 support the Constitution, and admitting to eligibil- 

 ity those entertaining precisely the same views, but 

 of less standing in their communities. It may be 

 said that the former violated an oath ? while the latter 

 did not. The latter did not have it in their power to 

 do so. If they had taken this oath, it cannot be doubt- 

 ed they would have broken it as did the former class. 



If there are any great criminals, distinguished 

 above all others for the part they^ took in opposition 

 to the Government, they might, in the judgment of 

 Congress, be excluded from such an amnesty. This 

 subject is submitted for your careful consideration. 



The condition of the Southern States is, unhappily, 

 not such as all true patriotic citizens would like to 

 see. Social ostracism for opinion's sake, personal 

 violence or threats toward persons entertaining po- 

 litical views opposed to those entertained by the ma- 

 jority of the old citizens, prevent immigration and 

 the flow of much-needed capital into the States lately 

 in rebellion. It will be a happy condition of the 

 country when the oid citizens of these States shall 

 lake an interest in public affairs, promulgate ideas 

 honestly entertained, vote for men representing their 

 views, and tolerate the same freedom of expression 

 and ballot in those entertaining different political 

 conviction. 



Under the provisions of the act of Congress ap- 

 proved February 21, 1871, a Territorial government 

 was organized in the District of Columbia. Its re- 

 sults have thus far fully realized the expectations of 

 its advocates. Under the direction of the Territorial 

 officers, a system of improvement has been inaugu- 

 rated, by means of which Washington is rapidly be- 

 coming a city worthy of the nation's capital. The 

 citizens of the District having voluntarily taxed them- 

 selves to a large amount for the purpose of contrib- 

 uting to the adornment of the seat of Government, I 

 recommend liberal appropriations on the part of Con- 

 gress, in order that the Government may bear its just 

 share of the expense of carrying out a judicious sys- 

 tem of improvements. 



By the great fire in Chicago, the most important 

 of the Government buildings in that city were con- 

 sumed. Those burned had already become inade- 

 quate to the wants of the Government in that growing 

 city, and, looking to the near future, were totally in- 

 adequate. I recommend, therefore, that an appro- 

 priation be made immediately to purchase the re- 

 mainder of the square on which the burned building 

 tood, provided it can be furnished at a fair valua- 



tion, or provided that the Legislature of Illinois will 

 pass a law authorizing its condemnation for Govern- 

 ment purposes ; and also an appropriation of as much 

 money as can properly be expended toward the erec- 

 tion of new buildings during this fiscal year. 



The number of immigrants ignorant of our laws, 

 habits, etc., corning into our country annually has 

 become so great, and the impositions practised upon 

 them so numerous and flagrant, that I suggest Con- 

 gressional action for their protection. It seems to 

 me a fair subject of legislation by Congress. I can- 

 not now state, as fully as I desire, the nature of the 

 complaints made by immigrants, of the treatment 

 they receive, but will endeavor to do so during the 

 session of Congress, particularly if the subject should 

 receive your attention. 



It has been the aim of the Administration to en- 

 force honesty and efficiency in all public offices. 

 Every public servant who has violated the trust 

 placed in him has been proceeded against with all 

 the rigor of the law. If bad men have secured places, 

 it has been the fault of the system established by law 

 and custom for making appointments, or the fault of 

 those who recommend for Government positions per- 

 sons not sufficiently well known to them personally, 

 or who give letters indorsing the characters of office- 

 seekers without a proper sense of the grave responsi- 

 bility which such a course devolves upon them. 



A civil-service reform which can correct this abuse 

 is much desired. In mercantile pursuits, the busi- 

 ness-man who gives a letter of recommendation to a 

 friend, to enable him to obtain credit from a stranger, 

 is regarded as morally responsible for the integrity 

 of his friend and his ability to meet his obligations. 

 A reformatory law which would enforce this princi- 

 ple against all indorsers of persons for public place 

 would insure great caution in making recommenda- 

 tions. A salutary lesson has been taug_ht the care- 

 less and the dishonest public servant in the great 

 number of prosecutions and convictions of the last 

 two years. 



It is gratifying to notice the favorable change which 

 is taking place throughout the country in bringing to 

 punishment those who have proven recreant to the 

 trusts confided to them, and in elevating to public 

 office none but those who possess the confidence of 

 the honest and the 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 I urgent- 

 ly recommended a reform in the civil service of the 

 country. In conformity with that recommendation, 

 Congress, in the ninth section of " An act making 

 appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Gov- 

 ernment, and for other purposes," approved March 

 3, 1871, gave the necessary authority to the Execu- 

 tive to inaugurate a civil-service reform, and placed 

 upon him the responsibility of doing so. Under the 

 authority of said act, I convened a board, of gentle- 

 men eminently qualified for the work, to devise rules 

 and regulations to effect the needed reform. Their 

 labors are not yet complete, 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, andmembers of Congress, and which 

 will redound to the true interest of the public service. 

 At all events, the experiment shall have a fair trial. 



I have thus hastily summed up the operations of the 

 Government during the last year, and made such sug- 

 gestions as occur to me to be proper for your consid- 

 eration. I submit them with a confidence that your 

 combined action will be wise, statesmanlike, and in 

 the best interests of the whole country. 



U. S. GEANT. 



EXECUTIVE MAKSION, December 4, 1871. 



The Treaty of Washington. 

 The following is the text of the Treaty of 

 Washington : 



