this announcement I acted upon the view, which I had always maintained
and still maintain, that a public officer should be as absolutely free
as any other citizen to give or to withhold a contribution for the aid
of the political party of his choice. It has, however, been urged, and
doubtless not without foundation in fact, that by solicitation of
official superiors and by other modes such contributions have at times
been obtained from persons whose only motive for giving has been the
fear of what might befall them if they refused. It goes without saying
that such contributions are not voluntary, and in my judgment their
collection should be prohibited by law. A bill which will effectually
suppress them will receive my cordial approval.

I hope that, however numerous and urgent may be the demands upon your
attention, the interests of this District will not be forgotten.

The denial to its residents of the great right of suffrage in all its
relations to national, State, and municipal action imposes upon Congress
the duty of affording them the best administration which its wisdom can
devise.

The report of the District Commissioners indicates certain measures
whose adoption would seem to be very desirable. I instance in particular
those which relate to arrears of taxes, to steam railroads, and to
assessments of real property.

Among the questions which have been the topic of recent debate in the
halls of Congress none are of greater gravity than those relating to the
ascertainment of the vote for Presidential electors and the intendment
of the Constitution in its provisions for devolving Executive functions
upon the Vice-President when the President suffers from inability to
discharge the powers and duties of his office.

I trust that no embarrassments may result from a failure to determine
these questions before another national election.

The closing year has been replete with blessings, for which we
owe to the Giver of All Good our reverent acknowledgment. For the
uninterrupted harmony of our foreign relations, for the decay of
sectional animosities, for the exuberance of our harvests and the
triumphs of our mining and manufacturing industries, for the prevalence
of health, the spread of intelligence, and the conservation of the
public credit, for the growth of the country in all the elements of
national greatness--for these and countless other blessings we should
rejoice and be glad. I trust that under the insp