ould be secured by the transfer or appointment; and any person
who has for three years last preceding served as a clerk in the office
of the President of the United States may be transferred or appointed
to any place in the classified service without examination.

Approved, November 27, 1885.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

EXECUTIVE ORDER.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, November 28, 1885_.

_It is hereby ordered_, That the Department of Agriculture, the
Government Printing Office, and all other Government offices in the
District of Columbia be closed on Tuesday, December 1, 1885, the day of
the funeral of the late Thomas A. Hendricks, Vice-President of the
United States.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE.

WASHINGTON, _December 8, 1885_.

_To the Congress of the United States_:

Your assembling is clouded by a sense of public bereavement, caused by
the recent and sudden death of Thomas A. Hendricks, Vice-President of
the United States. His distinguished public services, his complete
integrity and devotion to every duty, and his personal virtues will find
honorable record in his country's history.

Ample and repeated proofs of the esteem and confidence in which he was
held by his fellow-countrymen were manifested by his election to offices
of the most important trust and highest dignity; and at length, full of
years and honors, he has been laid at rest amid universal sorrow and
benediction.

The Constitution, which requires those chosen to legislate for the
people to annually meet in the discharge of their solemn trust, also
requires the President to give to Congress information of the state of
the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall
deem necessary and expedient. At the threshold of a compliance with
these constitutional directions it is well for us to bear in mind that
our usefulness to the people's interests will be promoted by a constant
appreciation of the scope and character of our respective duties as they
relate to Federal legislation. While the Executive may recommend such
measures as he shall deem expedient, the responsibility for legislative
action must and should rest upon those selected by the people to make
their laws.

Contemplation of the grave and responsible functions assigned to the
respective branches of the Government under the Constitution will
disclose the partitions of power between our res