ives:_

I transmit herewith, for the information of Congress, a copy of the
annual report of the Government directors of the Union Pacific Railway
Company, under date of the 19th instant.

The copy of the report referred to accompanies the message to the House
of Representatives.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 27, 1883_.

_To the Senate of the United States:_

I transmit herewith a report of the Secretary of State, furnished
in response to the resolution of the Senate of February 26, 1883,
requesting information touching an alleged joint agreement between the
ministers of the United States, of Great Britain, of France, and of
Italy now serving in Peru.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 1, 1883_.

_To the Senate of the United States:_

Having approved the act recently passed by Congress "to regulate and
improve the civil service of the United States," I deem it my duty to
call your attention to the provision for the employment of a "chief
examiner" contained in the third section of the act, which was the
subject of consideration at the time of its approval.

I am advised by the Attorney-General that there is great doubt whether
such examiner is not properly an officer of the United States because of
the nature of his employment, its duration, emolument, and duties. If he
be such, the provision for his employment (which involves an appointment
by the Commission) is not in conformity with section 2, Article II of
the Constitution. Assuming this to be the case, the result would be that
the appointment of the chief examiner must be deemed to be vested in the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, since in
such case the appointment would not be otherwise provided for by law.
Concurring in this opinion, I nominate Silas W. Burt, of New York, to
be chief examiner of the Civil Service Commission.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

PROCLAMATIONS.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas by the eighth section of an act entitled "An act to encourage
the holding of a World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in
the year 1884," approved February 10, 1883, it was enacted as follows:

That whenever the President shall be informed by the said board of
management that provision has been made for suitable buildings, or the
erection of the same, for the purposes of said exposition, the President
shall, throug