Witness my hand and the seal of the United States, which I have caused to be hereto affixed.

[SEAL.]

Done at the city of Washington on the 3d day of November, A.D. 1893, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and eighteenth.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

By the President: 
  W.Q.  GRESHAM,
    Secretary of State.

EXECUTIVE ORDER.

AMENDMENTS OF CIVIL-SERVICE RULES.

UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, Washington, D.C.

Clause 2 of Departmental Rule VIII is hereby amended by inserting after the letter “d” in parentheses in line 2 the following:  “until after absolute appointment and,” and by striking out all after the word “transferred” in line 4 to and including the word “made” in line 7; so that as amended the clause will read: 

2.  No person may be transferred as herein authorized, except as provided in section 1, clause (d), until after absolute appointment and 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:  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.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, August 19, 1893.

The above amendments to clause 2 of Departmental Rule VIII and said rule as so amended are hereby approved.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, December 4, 1893.

To the Congress of the United States: 

The constitutional duty which requires the President from time to time to give to the Congress information of the state of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient is fittingly entered upon by commending to the Congress a careful examination of the detailed statements and well-supported recommendations contained in the reports of the heads of Departments, who are chiefly charged with the executive work of the Government.  In an effort to abridge this communication as much as is consistent with its purpose I shall supplement a brief reference to the contents of these departmental reports by the mention of such executive business and incidents as are not embraced therein and by such recommendations as appear to be at this particular time appropriate.

While our foreign relations have not at all times during the past year been entirely free from perplexity, no embarrassing situation remains that will not yield to the spirit of fairness and love of justice which joined with consistent firmness, characterize a truly American foreign policy.