f the Government.

In the early days of the Government a sum in gross was appropriated,
leaving it to the Executive to determine the grade of the officers and
the countries to which they should be sent.

Latterly, for very many years, specific sums have been appropriated
for designated missions or employments, and as a rule the omission by
Congress to make an appropriation for any specific port has heretofore
been accepted as an indication of a wish on the part of Congress which
the executive branch of the Government respected and complied with.

In calling attention to the passage which I have indicated I assume that
the intention of the provision is only to exercise the constitutional
prerogative of Congress over the expenditures of the Government and to
fix a time at which the compensation of certain diplomatic and consular
officers shall cease, and not to invade the constitutional rights of the
Executive, which I should be compelled to resist; and my present object
is not to discuss or dispute the wisdom of failing to appropriate for
several offices, but to guard against the construction that might
possibly be placed on the language used, as implying a right in the
legislative branch to direct the closing or discontinuing of any of the
diplomatic or consular offices of the Government.

U.S. GRANT.

[For message of August 15, 1876, withdrawing objections to Senate bill
No. 779, see p. 388.]

WASHINGTON, _August 15, 1876_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit to the Senate, in answer to its resolution of the 24th
ultimo, a report from the Secretary of State, with its accompanying
statement.[111]

U.S. GRANT.

[Footnote 111: Aggregate number of civil officers in or connected with
the Department of State from 1859 to 1875, inclusive.]

VETO MESSAGES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 3, 1876_.

_To the House of Representatives_:

I have the honor to return herewith without my approval House bill No.
1561, entitled "An act transferring the custody of certain Indian trust
funds from the Secretary of the Interior to the Treasurer of the United
States," for the reasons set forth in the accompanying communication
from the Secretary of the Interior.

U.S. GRANT.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, _Washington, February 7, 1876_.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR: I acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 29th ultimo,
transmitting House bill No. 1561 and requesting this Department to