Tidings of the death of Winfield Scott Hancock, the senior major-general
of the Army of the United States, have just been received.
A patriotic and valiant defender of his country, an able and heroic
soldier, a spotless and accomplished gentleman, crowned alike with the
laurels of military renown and the highest tribute of his
fellow-countrymen to his worth as a citizen, he has gone to his reward.
It is fitting that every mark of public respect should be paid to his
memory.
Therefore it is now ordered by the President that the national flag be
displayed at half-mast upon all the buildings of the Executive
Departments in this city until after his funeral shall have taken place.
By direction of the President:
DANIEL S. LAMONT,
_Private Secretary_.
In the exercise of the power vested in the President by the
Constitution, and by virtue of the seventeen hundred and fifty-third
section of the Revised Statutes and of the civil-service act approved
January 16, 1883, the following rule for the regulation and improvement
of the executive civil service is hereby amended and promulgated, as
follows:
Rule XXII.
Any person in the classified departmental service may be transferred
and appointed to any other place therein upon the following conditions: