In my message to Congress one year ago I urgently recommended a reform in the civil service of the country.  In conformity with that recommendation Congress, in the ninth section of “An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government, and for other purposes,” approved March 3, 1871, gave the necessary authority to the Executive to inaugurate a civil-service reform, and placed upon him the responsibility of doing so.  Under the authority of said act I convened a board of gentlemen eminently qualified for the work to devise rules and regulations to effect the needed reform.  Their labors are not yet complete, but it is believed that they will succeed in devising a plan that can be adopted to the great relief of the Executive, the heads of Departments, and members of Congress, and which will redound to the true interest of the public service.  At all events, the experiment shall have a fair trial.

I have thus hastily summed up the operations of the Government during the last year, and made such suggestions as occur to me to be proper for your consideration.  I submit them with a confidence that your combined action will be wise, statesmanlike, and in the best interests of the whole country.

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 48:  See pp. 134-135.]

[Footnote 49:  See pp. 135-136.]

[Footnote 50:  See pp. 136-138.]

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 4, 1871.

To the House of Representatives:

In compliance with section 2 of the act making appropriations for the consular and diplomatic expenses of the Government for the year ending June 30, 1871, approved July 11, 1870, I herewith transmit the names and reports of and the amounts paid to consular agents of the United States.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 1871.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I transmit herewith to Congress a report, dated November 8, 1871, received from the Secretary of State, in compliance with the requirement of the act of March 3, 1871, making appropriations, among other things, for the increase of expenses and compensation of certain diplomatic and consular officers of the United States on account of the late war between France and Prussia.  The expenditures therein mentioned have been made on my approval.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 1871.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I herewith transmit to Congress a report, dated the 4th instant, with the accompanying papers,[51] received from the Secretary of State, in compliance with the requirements of the eighteenth section of the act entitled “An act to regulate the diplomatic and consular systems of the United States,” approved August 18, 1856.

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 51:  Report of fees collected, etc., by consular officers of the United States for 1870, and tariff of consular fees prescribed by the President October 1, 1870.]