160 



CONGEESS. (PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.) 



sustain the service. This is the more pleasing, because 

 our people enjoy now both cheaper postage, propor- 

 tionably to distances, and a vaster and more costly 

 service than any other upon the globe. 



.Retrenchment has been effected in the cost of sup- 

 plies, some expenditures unwarranted by law have 

 ceased, and the outlays for mail-carriage have been 

 subjected to beneficial scrutiny. At the close of the 

 last fiscal year the expense of transportation on star 

 routes stood at an annual rate of cost less by over 

 560,000 than at the close of the previous year ; and 

 steamboat and mail-messenger service at nearly $200,- 

 000 less. 



The service has been in the mean time enlarged and 

 extended by the establishment of new offices, increase 

 of routes of carriage, expansion of carrier-delivery con- 

 veniences, and additions to the railway-mail facilities, 

 in accordance wth the growing exigencies of the 

 country and the long-established policy of the Gov- 

 ernment. 



The Postmaster-General calls attention to the exist- 

 ing law for compensating railroads, and expresses the 

 opinion that a method may be devised which will 

 prove more just to the carriers and beneficial to the 

 Government ; and the subject appears worthy of your 

 early consideration. 



The differences which arose during the year with 

 certain of the ocean-steamship companies have termi- 

 nated by the acquiescence ot all in the policy of the 

 Government approved by the Congress in the postal 

 appropriation at its last session ; and the department 

 now enjoys the utmost service afforded by all vessels 

 which sail from our ports upon either ocean a service 

 generally adequate to the needs of our intercourse. 

 Petitions have, however, been presented to the de- 

 partment by numerous merchants and manufacturers 

 for the establishment of a direct service to the Argen- 

 tine Republic and for semi-monthly dispatches to the 

 Empire of Brazil ; and the subject is commended to 

 your consideration. It is an obvious duty to provide 

 the means of postal communication which our com- 

 merce requires, and with prudent forecast of results 

 the wise extension of it may lead to stimulating inter- 

 course and become the harbinger of a profitable traffic, 

 which will open new avenues for the disposition of 

 the products of our industry. The circumstances of 

 the countries at the far south of our continent are such 

 as to invite our enterprise and afford the promise of 

 sufficient advantages to justify an unusual effort to 

 bring about the closer relations which greater freedom 

 of communication would tend to establish. 



I suggest that, as distinguished from a grant or 

 subsidy for the mere benefit of any line of trade or 

 travel, whatever outlay may be required to secure 

 additional postal service, necessary and proper and 

 not otherwise attainable, should be regarded as within 

 the limit of legitimate compensation for such service. 



The extension of the free-delivery service as sug- 

 gested by the Postmaster-General has heretofore re- 

 ceived my sanction, and it is to be hoped a suitable 

 enactment may soon be agreed upon. 



The request for an appropriation sufficient to ena- 

 ble the general inspection of fourth-class offices has 

 my approbation. 



I renew my approval of the recommendation of 

 the Postmaster General that another assistant be 

 provided for the Post-Office Department ; and I in- 

 vite your attention to the several other recommenda- 

 tions in his report. 



The conduct of the Department of Justice for the 

 last fiscal year is fully detailed in the report of the 

 Attorney-General, and I invite the earnest attention 

 of the Congress to the same, and due consideration 

 of the recommendations therein contained. 



In the report submitted by this officer to the last 

 session of the Congress he strongly recommended 

 the erection of a penitentiary for the confinement of 

 prisoners convicted and sentenced in the United States 

 courts ; and he repeats the recommendation in his re- 

 port for the last year. 



This is a matter of very great importance and should 

 at once receive congressional action. United States 

 prisoners are now confined in more than thirty dif- 

 ferent State prisons and penitentiaries scattered in 

 every part oi the country. They are subjected to 

 nearly as many different modes of treatment and 

 discipline, and arc far too much removed from the 

 control and regulation of the Government. So far 

 as they_ are entitled to humane treatment and an op- 

 portunity for improvement and reformation, the Gov- 

 ernment is reponsiblc to them and society that these 

 things are forthcoming. But this duty can scarcely 

 be discharged without more absolute control and di- 

 rection than is possible under the present system. 



Many of our good citizens have interested them- 

 selves, with the most beneficial results, in the ques- 

 tion of prison reform. The General Government 

 should be in a situation, since there must be United 

 States prisoners, to furnish important aid in this 

 movement, and should be able to illustrate what may 

 be practically done in the direction of this reform, 

 and to present an example in the treatment and im- 

 provement of its prisoners worthy of imitation. 



With prisons under its own control, the Govern- 

 ment could deal with the somewhat vexed question 

 of convict-labor, so far as its convicts were concerned, 

 according to a plan of its own adoption, and with duo 

 regard to the rights and interests of pur laboring cit- 

 izens, instead of sometimes aiding in the operation 

 of a system which causes among them irritation and 

 discontent. 



Upon consideration of this subject it might be 

 thought wise to erect more than one oi these institutions 

 located in such places as would best subserve the pur- 

 poses of convenience and economy in transportation. 

 The considerable cost of maintaining these convicts 

 as at present, in State institutions, would be saved by 

 the adoption of the plan proposed ; and by employ- 

 ing them in the manufacture of such articles as were 

 needed for use by the Government, quite a large pe- 

 cuniary benefit would be realized in partial return for 

 our outlay. 



I again urge a change in the Federal judicial sys- 

 tem to meet the wants of the people and obviate the 

 delays necessarily attending the present condition of 

 affairs in our courts. All are agreed that something 

 should be done, and much favor is shown, by those 

 well able to advise, to the plan suggested by the At- 

 torney-General at the last session of Congress and 

 recommended in my last annual message. This rec- 

 ommendation is here renewed, together with another 

 made at the same time, touching a change in the man- 

 ner of compensating district attorneys and marshals ; 

 and the latter subject is commended to the Congress 

 for its action, in the interest of economy to the Gov- 

 ernment, and humanity, fairness, and justice to our 

 people. 



The report of the Secretary of the Interior presents 

 a comprehensive summary of the work of the various 

 branches of the public service connected with his 

 department ; and the suggestions and recommenda- 

 tions which it contains for the improvement of the 

 service should receive your careful consideration. 



The exhibit made of the condition of our Indian 

 population, and the progress of the work for their en- 

 lightenment, notwithstanding the many embarrass- 

 ments which hinder the better administration of this 

 important branch of the service, is a gratifying and 

 hopeful one. 



The funds appropriated for the Indian service foi 

 the fiscal year just passed, with the available income 

 from Indian land and trust moneys, amounting in all 

 to $7,850,775.12, were ample for the service under 

 the conditions and restrictions of laws regulating theiar 

 expenditure. There remained a balance on hand oa 

 June 30, 1886, of $1,660,023.30, of which $1,337,768.21 

 are permanent funds for fulfillment of treaties, and 

 other like purposes, and the remainder, $322,255.09 is 

 subject to be carried to the surplus fund as required 

 by law. 



