soon showed his appreciation of the responsibilities of
his new office. Knowing principles rather than persons, he subordinated
individual preferences and prejudices to a well-defined public policy.
While he was, as he always had been, a Republican, he had no sympathy
for blind devotion to party; he had "no friends to reward, no enemies to
punish;"--and he has been governed by those principles of liberty and
equality which he inherited. His messages to Congress have been
universally commended, and even unfriendly critics have pronounced them
careful and well-matured documents. Their tone is more frank and direct
than is customary in such papers, and their recommendations, extensive
and varied as they have been, show that he has patiently reviewed the
field of labor so sadly and so unexpectedly opened before him, and that
he was not inclined to shirk the constitutional duty of aiding Congress
by his suggestions and advice. An honest man, who believes in his own
principles, who follows his own convictions, and who never hesitates to
avow his sentiments, he has given his views in accordance with his
deliberate ideas of right.

The foreign relations of the United States have been conducted by
Secretary Frelinghuysen, under the President's direction, in a friendly
spirit and when practicable with a view to mutual commercial advantages.
He has taken a conservative view of the management of the public debt,
approving all the important suggestions of the secretary of the
treasury, and recognizing the proper protection of American industry. He
is in favor of the great interests of labor, and opposed to such
tinkering with the tariff as will make vain the toil of the industrious
farmer, paralyze the arm of the sturdy mechanic, strike down the hand of
the hardy laborer, stop the spindle, hush the loom, extinguish the
furnace-fires, and degrade all independent toilers to the level of the
poor in other lands. The architect of his own fortune, he has a strong
and abiding sympathy for those bread-winners who struggle against
poverty.

The reform of the civil service has met with President Arthur's earnest
support, and his messages show that every department of the government
has received his careful administration. Following the example of
Washington, he has personally visited several sections of the United
States, and has especially made himself acquainted with the great
problem of Indian civilization.

President Arthur's adminis