President Hayes sent in his final Message to Congress on
December 4th. He congratulates the Union upon its prosperity, an account of which we have given elsewhere, and which is cer- tainly marvellous ; advises that negro suffrage should be made real by Federal protection ; urges Civil-Service reform on the basis of competition, and appointments by the Executive with- out control of the Senate; and recommends that polygamy should be suppressed in Utah, if necessary by disfranchising the Mormons. He alludes to the Fisheries question with Great Britain, and recognises that the new Government has "shown a disposition towards friendly agreement," by accepting a sort of arbitration in the matter of Fortune Bay, and by arranging for a conference on the general interpre- tation of the fishery clauses of the Treaty of Washington ; and hints that, subject to the neutrality and sovereignty of Columbia over the Isthmus, which is guaranteed by the Union, the Panama Canal project may be carried out without further American opposition. He suggests subventions in aid of direct steam communication with Mexico and South America, and states the revenue of the Union at £66,600,000, and the • expenditure at 253,400,000. Finally, he urges the withdrawal of "the dollar of our fathers" in favour of a dollar worth, as bullion, its equivalent in gold; and endorses a curious proposal, which we do not profess to understand, for making General Grant by statute "Captain-General of the Army." The Message is throughout sensible and calm, though penetrated by
a certain tone of exultation. Mr. Hayes, it will be remembered, does not quit office till next March.
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