The American Congress met on the 4th inst., and ou
the 6t11 inst. received President Arthur's first Message. It is not very satisfactory. The President, though still undecided, swerves towards the Conkling party. He desires, he says, to appoint Civil servants for fitness, and to punish them only for mis- conduct; but he does not think the English system of per- manence in office as yet suited to America. He will, however, " support any law of competitive examination." He is quite aware that no such law will pass the Senate without outside pres- sure, and his Message only means that everything will go on as before. For the rest, he is in favour of additions to the Army and a reconstruction of the Navy ; of the abolition of most internal duties ; of the reduction of the duties on alcohol and tobacco ; and of " protection,"—that is, bounties on the shipping trade. These are the recommendations of the Protectionists, who are anxious to reduce the revenue and increase expenditure, lest the Customs duties should be reduced. The prosperity of the Revenue is indeed astonishing. The Secretary of the Treasury reports that the surplus this year exceeds £720,000,000 sterling, while the immigration reached 650,000, and believes the Debt may be paid off in another ten years,—enough to make Mr. Gladstone ill with envy. Mr. Folger does not, however, re- commend paying it off, but is inclined to think some work should be left to another generation, and that taxation should be reduced on this. He advises that the coinage of silver should stop, as else the Union will receive in cheap money and pay in dear money.
