ich we hold in
the Treasury through the perversion of governmental powers. These things
can and should be done with safety to all our industries, without danger
to the opportunity for remunerative labor which our workingmen need, and
with benefit to them and all our people by cheapening their means of
subsistence and increasing the measure of their comforts.
The Constitution provides that the President "shall from time to time
give to the Congress information of the state of the Union." It has been
the custom of the Executive, in compliance with this provision, to
annually exhibit to the Congress, at the opening of its session, the
general condition of the country, and to detail with some particularity
the operations of the different Executive Departments. It would be
especially agreeable to follow this course at the present time and to
call attention to the valuable accomplishments of these Departments
during the last fiscal year; but I am so much impressed with the
paramount importance of the subject to which this communication has thus
far been devoted that I shall forego the addition of any other topic,
and only urge upon your immediate consideration the "state of the Union"
as shown in the present condition of our Treasury and our general fiscal
situation, upon which every element of our safety and prosperity
depends.
The reports of the heads of Departments, which will be submitted,
contain full and explicit information touching the transaction, of
the business intrusted to them and such recommendations relating to
legislation in the public interest as they deem advisable. I ask for
these reports and recommendations the deliberate examination and action
of the legislative branch of the Government.
There are other subjects not embraced in the departmental reports
demanding legislative consideration, and which I should be glad to
submit. Some of them, however, have been earnestly presented in previous
messages, and as to them I beg leave to repeat prior recommendations.
As the law makes no provision for any report from the Department of
State, a brief history of the transactions of that important Department,
together with other matters which it may hereafter be deemed essential
to commend to the attention of the Congress, may furnish the occasion
for a future communication.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
SPECIAL MESSAGES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, December 14, 1887_.
_To the Senate of the United St
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