ature to the river and harbor bill, No. 3822,
I deem it my duty to announce to the House of Representatives my
objections to some features of the bill, and the reason I sign it.
If it was obligatory upon the Executive to expend all the money
appropriated by Congress, I should return the river and harbor bill
with my objections, notwithstanding the great inconvenience to the
public interests resulting therefrom and the loss of expenditures from
previous Congresses upon incompleted works. Without enumerating, many
appropriations are made for works of purely private or local interest,
in no sense national. I can not give my sanction to these, and will take
care that during my term of office no public money shall be expended
upon them.

There is very great necessity for economy of expenditures at this
time, growing out of the loss of revenue likely to arise from a
deficiency of appropriations to insure a thorough collection of the
same. The reduction of revenue districts, diminution of special agents,
and total abolition of supervisors may result in great falling off of
the revenue. It may be a question to consider whether any expenditure
can be authorized under the river and harbor appropriation further than
to protect works already done and paid for. Under no circumstances will
I allow expenditures upon works not clearly national.

U.S. GRANT.

WASHINGTON, _August 14, 1876_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

In announcing, as I do, that I have attached my signature of official
approval to the "Act making appropriations for the consular and
diplomatic service of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1877,
and for other purposes," it is my duty to call attention to a provision
in the act directing that notice be sent to certain of the diplomatic
and consular officers of the Government "to close their offices."

In the literal sense of this direction it would be an invasion of the
constitutional prerogatives and duty of the Executive.

By the Constitution the President "shall have power, by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds
of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and, by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint, ambassadors, other
public ministers, and consuls," etc.

It is within the power of Congress to grant or withhold appropriation
of money for the payment of salaries and expenses of the foreign
representatives o