I hereby direct the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the collectors of customs at the several ports of entry that upon being satisfied that such visitors come as guests, in pursuance of the aforesaid invitation, they shall permit the entrance of such foreign soldiers into the United States, with their personal baggage, uniforms, arms, and equipments, without payment of customs duties thereon, and without other formality than such as may be necessary to insure the reexportation of said uniforms, baggage, arms, and equipments.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 24, 1887.

By direction of the President the undersigned is charged with the sad duty of announcing the death, on the 22d instant, at 4 o’clock p.m., at his residence, Chicago, Ill., of Elihu B. Washburne, an illustrious citizen, formerly Secretary of State of the United States.

Mr. Washburne rendered great service to the people of the United States in many and important capacities.  As a Representative from the State of Illinois in the National Legislature, and subsequently as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to France, his career was marked by eminent usefulness, in which abilities of a high order were applied with unsparing devotion and fidelity in the performance of the trusts of public power.

His private life was unstained, his public service unquestionably great, and his memory will be cherished with affection and respect by his grateful countrymen.

On the day of his funeral this Department will be closed for all public business, and be draped in mourning for ten days thereafter.

The diplomatic and consular officers of the United States in foreign countries will be directed to make proper expression of the public sorrow experienced by the death of Mr. Washburne.

T.F.  BAYARD, Secretary of State.

THIRD ANNUAL MESSAGE.

WASHINGTON, December 6, 1887.

To the Congress of the United States: 

You are confronted at the threshold of your legislative duties with a condition of the national finances which imperatively demands immediate and careful consideration.

The amount of money annually exacted, through the operation of present laws, from the industries and necessities of the people largely exceeds the sum necessary to meet the expenses of the Government.

When we consider that the theory of our institutions guarantees to every citizen the full enjoyment of all the fruits of his industry and enterprise, with only such deduction as may be his share toward the careful and economical maintenance of the Government which protects him, it is plain that the exaction of more than this is indefensible extortion and a culpable betrayal of American fairness and justice.  This wrong inflicted upon those who bear the burden