alive nor represented, and in many other cases if alive they can not be found. Fraudulent claims would often outrun honest applications and innumerable and bitter contests would arise between claimants. Another difficulty in the way of doing perfect justice in the operation of this plan of reimbursement is found in the fact that the money to be appropriated therefor was contributed to the Federal Treasury for entirely different purposes by a generation many of whom were not born when the direct tax was levied and paid, who have no relation to said tax and can not share in its distribution. While they stand by and see the money they have been obliged to pay into the public Treasury professedly to meet present necessities expended to reimburse taxation long ago fairly, legally, and justly collected from others, they can not fail to see the unfairness of the transaction. The existence of a surplus in the Treasury is no answer to these objections. It is still the people's money, and better use can be found for it than the distribution of it upon the plea of the reimbursement of ancient taxation. A more desirable plan to reduce and prevent the recurrence of a large surplus can easily be adopted-one that, instead of creating injustice and inequality, promotes justice and equality by leaving in the hands of the people and for their use the money not needed by the Government "to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States." The difficulties in the way of making a just reimbursement of this direct tax, instead of excusing the imperfections of the bill under consideration, furnish reasons why the scheme it proposes should not be entered upon. I am constrained, upon the considerations herein presented, to withhold my assent from the bill herewith returned, because I believe it to be without constitutional warrant, because I am of the opinion that there exists no adequate reasons either in right or equity for the return of the tax in said bill mentioned, and because I believe its execution would cause actual injustice and unfairness. GROVER CLEVELAND. PROCLAMATION. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas public interests require that the Senate should be convened at 12 o'clock on the 4th day of March next to receive such communications as may be made by the Executive: Now, therefore, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, do hereby proclaim and declare that an extraordinary occasion requires the Senate of the United States to convene at the Capitol, in the city of Washington, on the 4th day of March next, at 12 o'clock noon, of which all persons who shall at that time be entitled to act as members of that body are hereby required to take notice. Given under my hand and the seal of the United States, at Washington, the 26th day of February, A. D. 1889, and of the Inde[SEAL.] pendence of the United States of America the one hundred and thirteenth. By the President: T. F. BAYARD, Secretary of State. GROVER CLEVELAND. EXECUTIVE ORDERS. To the Civil Service Commission. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, December 5, 1888. GENTLEMEN: The efficiency of the public service, in my opinion, ren ders it necessary to include in the classified service and subject to examination the employees in the railway mail service. The difficulties in the way of this movement can, I believe, be overcome by carefully prepared rules and regulations. I have this day directed the Postmaster-General to so revise the classification of his Department as to include these employees in one or more classes; and in furtherance of my purpose I have to request that, after conference with the Postmaster-General, you will prepare the necessary modifications of the present rules and regulations to meet the proposed extension. Yours, very truly, GROVER CLEVELAND. UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, The PRESIDENT. SIR: The Commission recommends that Special Departmental Rule No. I be amended by adding to the exceptions from examination therein declared the following: "10. In all the Departments: Bookbinders." Very respectfully, A. P. EDGERTON, CHAS. LYMAN, United States Civil Service Commissioners. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, December 6, 1888. The above proposed amendment is hereby approved. GROVER CLEVELAND. Amendments to General Rules II, III, IV, Departmental Rules V, VIII, Customs Rule III, and Postal Rules II, VI, are hereby made and promulgated as follows: GENERAL RULE II. In line I strike out the word "three" and insert in place thereof the word "four." At the end of the rule insert the following: "4. The classified railway mail service." The rule as thus amended will read: There shall be four branches of the classified civil service, as follows: 1. The classified departmental service. 2. The classified customs service. 3. The classified postal service. 4. The classified railway mail service. GENERAL RULE III. In section 9, line 2, after the word "service," insert the words "and the classified railway mail service." The section as thus amended will :ead: 9. Every applicant for examination for the classified departmental service and the classified railway mail service must support the statements of his application paper by certificates of persons acquainted with him, residents of the State, Territory, or district in which he claims bona fide residence; and the Commission shall prescribe the form and number of such certificates. In section 10, line 1, after the word "or," insert the words "procured by his;" strike out all after the word "connivance" in line 1 to and including the word "and" in line 3, and in place of the words stricken out insert the words "or any;" strike out all after the word "consent” in line 4 to and including the word "examination" in line 5; strike out the words "for refusing" in line 6; change the period to a comma at the end of line 6 and insert after the comma the words "or to certify him for appointment, or for his removal after appointment." The section as thus amended will read: 10. A false statement made by an applicant, or procured by his connivance, or any deception or fraud practiced by an applicant, or by any person on his behalf with his consent, shall be good cause for refusal to examine such applicant, or to mark his papers after examination, or to certify him for appointment, or for his removal after appointment. GENERAL RULE IV. In section 2 strike out the letter "a," in brackets, in line 2; change the period to a semicolon at the end of line 4; in line 5 strike out the letter "b," in brackets, and strike out all after the word "has" to and including the word “has" in line 7, and write the section as one paragraph. The section as thus amended will read: 2. The Commission may refuse to certify an eligible who is so defective in sight, speech, or hearing, or who is otherwise so defective physically as to be apparently unfit to perform the duties of the position to which he is seeking appointment, or an eligible who has been guilty of crime or of infamous or of notoriously disgraceful conduct. DEPARTMENTAL RULE V. In section 2, paragraph 6, after the word "service" in line 3, insert the words "or the classified railway mail service;" in paragraph 7, line 1, strike out the word "and," and after the word "postal" in the same line insert the words “and railway mail." The section as thus amended will read: Local boards.-These boards shall be organized at one or more places in each State and Territory where examinations for the classified departmental service or the classified railway mail service are to be held, and shall conduct such examinations; and each shall be composed of persons in the public service residing in the State or Territory in which the board is to act. Customs, postal, and railway mail boards.—These boards shall conduct such examinations for the classified departmental service as the Commission may direct. DEPARTMENTAL RULE VIII. In section 1, clause (c), line 1, after the word "post-office," insert "or to the classified railway mail service;" in line 2, after the word "from," strike out the words "such an office" and insert "a classified post-office or the classified railway mail service." The clause as thus amended will read: (c) From the Post-Office Department to a classified post-office or to the classified railway mail service, and from a classified post-office or the classified railway mail service to the Post-Office Department, upon requisition by the Postmaster-General. In section 2, line 6, after the word "been," insert "in the classified railway mail service or." The section as thus amended will read: 2. No person may be transferred as herein authorized until the Commission shall have certified to the officer making the transfer requisition that the person whom it is proposed to transfer has passed an examination to test fitness for the place to which he is to be transferred, and that such person has during at least six months preceding the date of the certificate been in the classified railway mail service or in the classified service of the Department, customs district, or post-office from which the transfer is to be made: Provided, That no person who has been appointed from the copyist register shall be transferred to a place the salary of which is more than $900 per annum until one year after appointment. CUSTOMS RULE III. In section 2, clause (c), at the end of line 1, insert "and the classified railway mail service." The clause as thus amended will read: (c) Conduct such examinations for the classified departmental service and the classified railway mail service as the Commission may direct. POSTAL RULE II. In section 5, at the end of clause (e) of that section, strike out the period and insert a comma, and after the comma the following: Provided, That superintendents of mails shall be selected from among the employees of the railway mail service. The clause as thus amended will read: Superintendents designated by the Post-Office Department, and reported as such to the Commission, Provided, That superintendents of mails shall be selected from among he employees of the railway mail service. POSTAL RULE VI. In section 1, clause (a), after the word "another" in line I of that clause, strike out the comma and insert a semicolon, and after the semicolon the following: From any classified post-office to the classified railway mail service, and from the classified railway mail service to any classified post-office. In clause (b), after the word "post-office" in line 1, insert "or from the classified railway mail service," and in line 2, after the word "postoffice," insert "or to the classified railway mail service." In section 2, line 6, after the word "certificate" insert "in the classified railway mail service or." The rule as thus amended will read: 1. Transfers may be made as follows: (a) From one classified post-office to another, from any classified post-office to the classified railway mail service, and from the classified railway mail service to any classified post-office, upon requisition of the Postmaster-General. (b) From any classified post-office or from the classified railway mail service to the Post-Office Department, and from the Post-Office Department to any classified post-office, or to the classified railway mail service, upon requisition of the Postmaster-General. 2. No person may be transferred as herein authorized until the Commission shall have certified to the officer making the transfer requisition that the person whom it is proposed to transfer has passed an examination to test fitness for the place to which he is to be transferred, and that such person has been at least six months next preceding the date of the certificate in the classified railway mail service or in the classified service of the Department or post-office from which the transfer is to be made. Approved, January 4, 1889. GROVER CLEVELAND. RAILWAY MAIL RULES. RAILWAY MAIL RULE I. The classified railway mail service shall include all the officers, clerks, and other persons in that service classified under the provisions of section 6 of the act to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States, approved January 16, 1883. RAILWAY MAIL RULE II. I. To test fitness for admission to the classified railway mail service the following examinations shall be provided: Clerk examination.—This examination shall include not more than the following subjects: (a) Orthography. (b) Copying. |