The year that has passed since the submission of my last message to Congress has, especially during the latter part of it, been an eventful one to the country. In the midst of great national prosperity a financial crisis has occurred that has brought low fortunes of gigantic proportions; political partisanship has almost ceased to exist, especially in the agricultural regions; and, finally, the capture upon the high seas of a vessel bearing our flag has for a time threatened the most serious consequences, and has agitated the public mind from one end of the country to the other. But this, happily, now is in the course of satisfactory adjustment, honorable to both nations concerned. The relations of the United States, however, with most of the other powers continue to be friendly and cordial. With France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and the minor European powers; with Brazil and most of the South American Republics, and with Japan, nothing has occurred during the year to demand special notice. The correspondence between the Department of State and various diplomatic representatives in or from those countries is transmitted herewith. In executing the will of Congress, as expressed in its joint resolution of the 14th of February last, and in accordance with the provisions of the resolution, a number of "practical artisans," of "scientific men," and of "honorary commissioners" were authorized to attend the exposition at Vienna as commissioners on the part of the United States. It is believed that we have obtained the object which Congress had in view when it passed the joint resolution--" in order to enable the people of the United States to participate in the advantages of the International Exhibition of the Products of Agriculture, Manufactures, and the Fine Arts to be held at Vienna." I take pleasure in adding that the American exhibitors have received a gratifying number of diplomas and of medals. During the exposition a conference was held at Vienna for the purpose of consultation on the systems prevailing in different countries for the protection of inventions. I authorized a representative from the Patent Office to be present at Vienna at the time when this conference was to take place, in order to aid as far as he might in securing any possible additional protection to American inventors in Europe. The report of this agent will be laid before Congress. It is my pleasant duty to announce to Congress that the Emperor of China, on attaining his majority, received the diplomatic representatives of the Western powers in person. An account of these ceremonies and of the interesting discussions which preceded them will be found in the documents transmitted herewith. The accompanying papers show that some advance, although slight, has been made during the past year toward the suppression of the infamous Chinese cooly trade. I recommend Congress to inquire whether additional legislation be not needed on this subject. The money awarded to the United States by the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva was paid by Her Majesty's Government a few days in advance of the time when it would have become payable according to the terms of the treaty. In compliance with the provisions of the act of March 3, 1873, it was at once paid into the Treasury, and used to redeem, so far as it might, the public debt of the United States; and the amount so redeemed was invested in a 5 per cent registered bond of the United States for $15,500,000, which is now held by the Secretary of State, subject to the future disposition of Congress. I renew my recommendation, made at the opening of the last session of Congress, that a commission be created for the purpose of auditing and determining the amounts of the several "direct losses growing out of the destruction of vessels and their cargoes" by the Alabama, the Florida, or the Shenandoah after leaving Melbourne, for which the sufferers have received no equivalent or compensation, and of ascertaining the names of the persons entitled to receive compensation for the same, making the computations upon the basis indicated by the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva; and that payment of such losses be authorized to an extent not to exceed the awards of the tribunal at Geneva. By an act approved on the 14th day of February last Congress made provision for completing, jointly with an officer or commissioner to be named by Her Britannic Majesty, the determination of so much of the boundary line between the territory of the United States and the possessions of Great Britain as was left uncompleted by the commissioners appointed under the act of Congress of August 11, 1856. Under the provisions of this act the northwest water boundary of the United States has been determined and marked in accordance with the award of the Emperor of Germany. A protocol and a copy of the map upon which the line was thus marked are contained in the papers submitted herewith. I also transmit a copy of the report of the commissioner for marking the northern boundary between the United States and the British possessions west of the Lake of the Woods, of the operations of the commission during the past season. Surveys have been made to a point 497 miles west of the Lake of the Woods, leaving about 350 miles to be surveyed, the field work of which can be completed during the next season. The mixed commission organized under the provisions of the treaty of Washington for settling and determining the claims of citizens of either power against the other arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the period between April 13, 1861, and April 9, 1865, made its final award on the 25th day of September last. It was awarded that the Government of the United States should pay to the Government of Her Britannic Majesty, within twelve months from the date of the award, the sum of $1,929,819 in gold. The commission disallowed or dismissed all other claims of British subjects against the United States. The amount of the claims presented by the British Government, but disallowed or dismissed, is understood to be about $93,000,000. It also disallowed all the claims of citizens of the United States against Great Britain which were referred to it. I recommend the early passage of an act appropriating the amount necessary to pay this award against the United States. I have caused to be communicated to the Government of the King of Italy the thanks of this Government for the eminent services rendered by Count Corti as the third commissioner on this commission. With dignity, learning, and impartiality he discharged duties requiring great labor and constant patience, to the satisfaction, I believe, of both Governments. I recommend legislation to create a special court, to consist of three judges, who shall be empowered to hear and determine all claims of aliens upon the United States arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the insurrection. The recent reference under the treaty of Washington was confined to claims of British subjects arising during the period named in the treaty; but it is understood that there are other British claims of a similar nature, arising after the 9th of April, 1865, and it is known that other claims of a like nature are advanced by citizens or subjects of other powers. It is desirable to have these claims also examined and disposed of. Official information being received from the Dutch Government of a state of war between the King of the Netherlands and the Sultan of Acheen, the officers of the United States who were near the seat of the war were instructed to observe an impartial neutrality. It is believed that they have done so. The joint commission under the convention with Mexico of 1868, having again been legally prolonged, has resumed its business, which, it is hoped, may be brought to an early conclusion. The distinguished representative of Her Britannic Majesty at Washington has kindly consented, with the approval of his Government, to assume the arduous and responsible duties of umpire in this commission, and to lend the weight of his character and name to such decisions as may not receive the acquiescence of both the arbitrators appointed by the respective Governments. The commissioners appointed pursuant to the authority of Congress to examine into the nature and extent of the forays by trespassers from that country upon the herds of Texas have made a report, which will be submitted for your consideration. The Venezuelan Government has been apprised of the sense of Congress in regard to the awards of the joint commission under the convention of 25th April, 1866, as expressed in the act of the 25th of February last. It is apprehended that that Government does not realize the character of its obligations under that convention. As there is reason to believe, however, that its hesitancy in recognizing them springs, in part at least, from real difficulty in discharging them in connection with its obligations to other governments, the expediency of further forbearance on our part is believed to be worthy of your consideration. The Ottoman Government and that of Egypt have latterly shown a disposition to relieve foreign consuls of the judicial powers which heretofore they have exercised in the Turkish dominions, by organizing other tribunals. As Congress, however, has by law provided for the discharge of judicial functions by consuls of the United States in that quarter under the treaty of 1830, I have not felt at liberty formally to accept the proposed change without the assent of Congress, whose decision upon the subject at as early a period as may be convenient is earnestly requested. I transmit herewith, for the consideration and determination of Congress, an application of the Republic of Santo Domingo to this Government to exercise a protectorate over that Republic. Since the adjournment of Congress the following treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed: A naturalization convention with Denmark; a convention with Mexico for renewing the Claims Commission; a convention of friendship, commerce, and extradition with the Orange Free State, and a naturalization convention with Ecuador. I renew the recommendation made in my message of December, 1870, that Congress authorize the Postmaster-General to issue all commissions to officials appointed through his Department. I invite the earnest attention of Congress to the existing laws of the United States respecting expatriation and the election of nationality by individuals. Many citizens of the United States reside permanently abroad with their families. Under the provisions of the act approved February 10, 1855, the children of such persons are to be deemed and taken to be citizens of the United States, but the rights of citizenship are not to descend to persons whose fathers never resided in the United States. It thus happens that persons who have never resided within the United States have been enabled to put forward a pretension to the protection of the United States against the claim to military service of the government under whose protection they were born and have been reared. In some cases even naturalized citizens of the United States have returned to the land of their birth, with intent to remain there, and their children, the issue of a marriage contracted there after their return, and who have never been in the United States, have laid claim to our protection when the lapse of many years had imposed upon them the duty of military service to the only government which had ever known them personally. Until the year 1868 it was left, embarrassed by conflicting opinions of courts and of jurists, to determine how far the doctrine of perpetual allegiance derived from our former colonial relations with Great Britain was applicable to American citizens. Congress then wisely swept these doubts away by enacting that-- 
  Any declaration, instruction, opinion, order, or decision of any officer of this Government which denies, restricts, impairs, or questions the right of expatriation is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of this Government.
 But Congress did not indicate in that statute, nor has it since done so, what acts are to be deemed to work expatriation. For my own guidance in determining such questions I required (under the provisions of the Constitution) the opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments upon certain questions relating to this subject. The result satisfies me that further legislation has become necessary. I therefore commend the subject to the careful consideration of Congress, and I transmit herewith copies of the several opinions of the principal officers of the Executive Departments, together with other correspondence and pertinent information on the same subject. The United States, who led the way in the overthrow of the feudal doctrine of perpetual allegiance, are among the last to indicate how their own citizens may elect another nationality. The papers submitted herewith indicate what is necessary to place us on a par with other leading nations in liberality of legislation on this international question. We have already in our treaties assented to the principles which would need to be embodied in laws intended to accomplish such results. We have agreed that citizens of the United States may cease to be citizens and may voluntarily render allegiance to other powers. We have agreed that residence in a foreign land, without intent to return, shall of itself work expatriation. We have agreed in some instances upon the length of time necessary for such continued residence to work a presumption of such intent. I invite Congress now to mark out and define when and how expatriation can be accomplished; to regulate by law the condition of American women marrying foreigners; to fix the status of children born in a foreign country of American parents residing more or less permanently abroad, and to make rules for determining such other kindred points as may seem best to Congress. In compliance with the request of Congress, I transmitted to the American minister at Madrid, with instructions to present it to the Spanish Government, the joint resolution approved on the 3d of March last, tendering to the people of Spain, in the name and on the behalf of the American people, the congratulations of Congress upon the efforts to consolidate in Spain the principles of universal liberty in a republican form of government. The existence of this new Republic was inaugurated by striking the fetters from the slaves in Porto Rico. This beneficent measure was followed by the release of several thousand persons illegally held as slaves in Cuba. Next, the Captain-General of that colony was deprived of the power to set aside the orders of his superiors at Madrid, which had pertained to the office since 1825. The sequestered estates of American citizens, which had been the cause of long and fruitless correspondence, were ordered to be restored to their owners. All these liberal steps were taken in the face of a violent opposition directed by the reactionary slave-holders of Havana, who are vainly striving to stay the march of ideas which has terminated slavery in Christendom, Cuba only excepted. Unhappily, however, this baneful influence has thus far succeeded in defeating the efforts of all liberal-minded men in Spain to abolish slavery in Cuba, and in preventing the promised reform in that island. The struggle for political supremacy continues there. The proslavery and aristocratic party in Cuba is gradually arraigning itself in more and more open hostility and defiance of the home government, while it still maintains a political connection with the Republic in the peninsula; and although usurping and defying the authority of the home government whenever such usurpation or defiance tends in the direction of oppression or of the maintenance of abuses, it is still a power in Madrid, and is recognized by the Government. Thus an element more dangerous to continued colonial relations between Cuba and Spain than that which inspired the insurrection at Yara--an element opposed to granting any relief from misrule and abuse, with no aspirations after freedom, commanding no sympathies in generous breasts, aiming to rivet still stronger the shackles of slavery and oppression--has seized many of the emblems of power in Cuba, and, under professions of loyalty to the mother country, is exhausting the resources of the island, and is doing acts which are at variance with those principles of justice, of liberality, and of right which give nobility of character to a republic. In the interests of humanity, of civilization, and of progress, it is to be hoped that this evil influence may be soon averted. The steamer Virginius was on the 26th day of September, 1870, duly registered at the port of New York as a part of the commercial marine of the United States. On the 4th of October, 1870, having received the certificate of her register in the usual legal form, she sailed from the port of New York and has not since been within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. On the 31st day of October last, while sailing under the flag of the United States on the high seas, she was forcibly seized by the Spanish gunboat Tornado, and was carried into the port of Santiago de Cuba, where fifty-three of her passengers and crew were inhumanly, and, so far at least as relates to those who were citizens of the United States, without due process of law, put to death. It is a well-established principle, asserted by the United States from the beginning of their national independence, recognized by Great Britain and other maritime powers, and stated by the Senate in a resolution passed unanimously on the 16th of June, 1858, that-- 
  American vessels on the high seas in time of peace, bearing the American flag, remain under the jurisdiction of the country to which they belong, and therefore any visitation, molestation, or detention of such vessel by force, or by the exhibition of force, on the part of a foreign power is in derogation of the sovereignty of the United States.
 In accordance with this principle, the restoration of the Virginius and the surrender of the survivors of her passengers and crew, and a due reparation to the flag, and the punishment of the authorities who had been guilty of the illegal acts of violence, were demanded. The Spanish Government has recognized the justice of the demand, and has arranged for the immediate delivery of the vessel, and for the surrender of the survivors of the passengers and crew, and for a salute to the flag, and for proceedings looking to the punishment of those who may be proved to have been guilty of illegal acts of violence toward citizens of the United States, and also toward indemnifying those who may be shown to be entitled to indemnity. A copy of a protocol of a conference between the Secretary of State and the Spanish minister, in which the terms of this arrangement were agreed to, is transmitted herewith. The correspondence on this subject with the legation of the United States in Madrid was conducted in cipher and by cable, and needs the verification of the actual text of the correspondence. It has seemed to me to be due to the importance of the case not to submit this correspondence until the accurate text can be received by mail. It is expected shortly, and will be submitted when received. In taking leave of this subject for the present I wish to renew the expression of my conviction that the existence of African slavery in Cuba is a principal cause of the lamentable condition of the island. I do not doubt that Congress shares with me the hope that it will soon be made to disappear, and that peace and prosperity may follow its abolition. The embargoing of American estates in Cuba, cruelty to American citizens detected in no act of hostility to the Spanish Government, the murdering of prisoners taken with arms in their hands, and, finally, the capture upon the high seas of a vessel sailing under the United States flag and bearing a United States registry have culminated in an outburst of indignation that has seemed for a time to threaten war. Pending negotiations between the United States and the Government of Spain on the subject of this capture, I have authorized the Secretary of the Navy to put our Navy on a war footing, to the extent, at least, of the entire annual appropriation for that branch of the service, trusting to Congress and the public opinion of the American people to justify my action. Assuming from the action of the last Congress in appointing a Committee on Privileges and Elections to prepare and report to this Congress a constitutional amendment to provide a better method of electing the President and Vice-President of the United States, and also from the necessity of such an amendment, that there will be submitted to the State legislatures for ratification such an improvement in our Constitution, I suggest two others for your consideration: First. To authorize the Executive to approve of so much of any measure passing the two Houses of Congress as his judgment may dictate, without approving the whole, the disapproved portion or portions to be subjected to the same rules as now, to wit, to be referred back to the House in which the measure or measures originated, and, if passed by a two-thirds vote of the two Houses, then to become a law without the approval of the President. I would add to this a provision that there should be no legislation by Congress during the last twenty-four hours of its sitting, except upon vetoes, in order to give the Executive an opportunity to examine and approve or disapprove bills understandingly. Second. To provide by amendment that when an extra session of Congress is convened by Executive proclamation legislation during the continuance of such extra session shall be confined to such subjects as the Executive may bring before it from time to time in writing. The advantages to be gained by these two amendments are too obvious for me to comment upon them. One session in each year is provided for by the Constitution, in which there are no restrictions as to the subjects of legislation by Congress. If more are required, it is always in the power of Congress, during their term of office, to provide for sessions at any time. The first of these amendments would protect the public against the many abuses and waste of public moneys which creep into appropriation bills and other important measures passing during the expiring hours of Congress, to which otherwise due consideration can not be given. The receipts of the Government from all sources for the last fiscal year were $333,738,204, and expenditures on all accounts $290,345,245, thus showing an excess of receipts over expenditures of $43,392,959. But it is not probable that this favorable exhibit will be shown for the present fiscal year. Indeed, it is very doubtful whether, except with great economy on the part of Congress in making appropriations and the same economy in administering the various Departments of Government, the revenues will not fall short of meeting actual expenses, including interest on the public debt. I commend to Congress such economy, and point out two sources where It seems to me it might commence, to wit, in the appropriations for public buildings in the many cities where work has not yet been commenced; in the appropriations for river and harbor improvement in those localities where the improvements are of but little benefit to general commerce, and for fortifications. There is a still more fruitful source of expenditure, which I will point out later in this message. I refer to the easy method of manufacturing claims for losses incurred in suppressing the late rebellion. I would not be understood here as opposing the erection of good, substantial, and even ornamental buildings by the Government wherever such buildings are needed. In fact, I approve of the Government owning its own buildings in all sections of the country, and hope the day is not far distant when it will not only possess them, but will erect in the capital suitable residences for all persons who now receive commutation for quarters or rent at Government expense, and for the Cabinet, thus setting an example to the States which may induce them to erect buildings for their Senators. But I would have this work conducted at a time when the revenues of the country would abundantly justify it. The revenues have materially fallen off for the first five months of the present fiscal year from what they were expected to produce, owing to the general panic now prevailing, which commenced about the middle of September last. The full effect of this disaster, if it should not prove a "blessing in disguise," is yet to be demonstrated. In either event it is your duty to heed the lesson and to provide by wise and well-considered legislation, as far as it lies in your power, against its recurrence, and to take advantage of all benefits that may have accrued. My own judgment is that, however much individuals may have suffered, one long step has been taken toward specie payments; that we can never have permanent prosperity until a specie basis is reached: and that a specie basis can not be reached and maintained until our exports, exclusive of gold, pay for our imports, interest due abroad, and other specie obligations, or so nearly so as to leave an appreciable accumulation of the precious metals in the country from the products of our mines. The development of the mines of precious metals during the past year and the prospective development of them for years to come are gratifying in their results. Could but one-half of the gold extracted from the mines be retained at home, our advance toward specie payments would be rapid. To increase our exports sufficient currency is required to keep all the industries of the country employed. Without this national as well as individual bankruptcy must ensue. Undue inflation, on the other hand, while it might give temporary relief, would only lead to inflation of prices, the impossibility of competing in our own markets for the products of home skill and labor, and repeated renewals of present experiences. Elasticity to our circulating medium, therefore, and just enough of it to transact the legitimate business of the country and to keep all industries employed, is what is most to be desired. The exact medium is specie, the recognized medium of exchange the world over. That obtained, we shall have a currency of an exact degree of elasticity. If there be too much of it for the legitimate purposes of trade and commerce, it will flow out of the country. If too little, the reverse will result. To hold what we have and to appreciate our currency to that standard is the problem deserving of the most serious consideration of Congress. The experience of the present panic has proven that the currency of the country, based, as it is, upon the credit of the country, is the best that has ever been devised. Usually in times of such trials currency has become worthless, or so much depreciated in value as to inflate the values of all the necessaries of life as compared with the currency. Everyone holding it has been anxious to dispose of it on any terms. Now we witness the reverse. Holders of currency hoard it as they did gold in former experiences of a like nature. It is patent to the most casual observer that much more currency, or money, is required to transact the legitimate trade of the country during the fall and winter months, when the vast crops are being removed, than during the balance of the year. With our present system the amount in the country remains the same throughout the entire year, resulting in an accumulation of all the surplus capital of the country in a few centers when not employed in the moving of crops, tempted there by the offer of interest on call loans. Interest being paid, this surplus capital must earn this interest paid with a profit. Being subject to "call," it can not be loaned, only in part at best, to the merchant or manufacturer for a fixed term. Hence, no matter how much currency there might be in the country, it would be absorbed, prices keeping pace with the volume, and panics, stringency, and disasters would ever be recurring with the autumn. Elasticity in our monetary system, therefore, is the object to be attained first, and next to that, as far as possible, a prevention of the use of other people's money in stock and other species of speculation. To prevent the latter it seems to me that one great step would be taken by prohibiting the national banks from paying interest on deposits, by requiring them to hold their reserves in their own vaults, and by forcing them into resumption, though it would only be in legal-tender notes. For this purpose I would suggest the establishment of clearing houses for your consideration. To secure the former many plans have been suggested, most, if not all, of which look to me more like inflation on the one hand, or compelling the Government, on the other, to pay interest, without corresponding benefits, upon the surplus funds of the country during the seasons when otherwise unemployed. I submit for your consideration whether this difficulty might not be overcome by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue at any time to national banks of issue any amount of their own notes below a fixed percentage of their issue (say 40 per cent), upon the banks' depositing with the Treasurer of the United States an amount of Government bonds equal to the amount of notes demanded, the banks to forfeit to the Government, say, 4 per cent of the interest accruing on the bonds so pledged during the time they remain with the Treasurer as security for the increased circulation, the bonds so pledged to be redeemable by the banks at their pleasure, either in whole or in part, by returning their own bills for cancellation to an amount equal to the face of the bonds withdrawn. I would further suggest for your consideration the propriety of authorizing national banks to diminish their standing issue at pleasure, by returning for cancellation their own bills and withdrawing so many United States bonds as are pledged for the bills returned. In view of the great actual contraction that has taken place in the currency and the comparative contraction continuously going on, due to the increase of population, increase of manufactories and all the industries, I do not believe there is too much of it now for the dullest period of the year. Indeed, if clearing houses should be established, thus forcing redemption, it is a question for your consideration whether banking should not be made free, retaining all the safeguards now required to secure bill holders. In any modification of the present laws regulating national banks, as a further step toward preparing for resumption of specie payments, I invite your attention to a consideration of the propriety of exacting from them the retention as a part of their reserve either the whole or a part of the gold interest accruing upon the bonds pledged as security for their issue. I have not reflected enough on the bearing this might have in producing a scarcity of coin with which to pay duties on imports to give it my positive recommendation. But your attention is invited to the subject. During the last four years the currency has been contracted, directly, by the withdrawal of 3 per cent certificates, compound-interest notes, and "seven-thirty" bonds outstanding on the 4th of March, 1869, all of which took the place of legal-tenders in the bank reserves to the extent of $63,000,000. During the same period there has been a much larger comparative contraction of the currency. The population of the country has largely increased. More than 25,000 miles of railroad have been built, requiring the active use of capital to operate them. Millions of acres of land have been opened to cultivation, requiring capital to move the products. Manufactories have multiplied beyond all precedent in the same period of time, requiring capital weekly for the payment of wages and for the purchase of material; and probably the largest of all comparative contraction arises from the organizing of free labor in the South. Now every laborer there receives his wages, and, for want of savings banks, the greater part of such wages is carried in the pocket or hoarded until required for use. These suggestions are thrown out for your consideration, without any recommendation that they shall be adopted literally, but hoping that the best method may be arrived at to secure such an elasticity of the currency as will keep employed all the industries of the country and prevent such an inflation as will put off indefinitely the resumption of specie payments, an object so devoutly to be wished for by all, and by none more earnestly than the class of people most directly interested--those who "earn their bread by the sweat of their brow." The decisions of Congress on this subject will have the hearty support of the Executive. In previous messages I have called attention to the decline in American shipbuilding and recommended such legislation as would secure to us our proportion of the carrying trade. Stimulated by high rates and abundance of freight, the progress for the last year in shipbuilding has been very satisfactory. There has been an increase of about 3 per cent in the amount transported in American vessels over the amount of last year. With the reduced cost of material which has taken place, it may reasonably be hoped that this progress will be maintained, and even increased. However, as we pay about $80,000,000 per annum to foreign vessels for the transportation to a market of our surplus products, thus increasing the balance of trade against us to this amount, the subject is one worthy of your serious consideration. "Cheap transportation" is a subject that has attracted the attention of both producers and consumers for the past few years, and has contributed to, if it has not been the direct cause of, the recent panic and stringency. As Congress, at its last session, appointed a special committee to investigate this whole subject during the vacation and report at this session, I have nothing to recommend until their report is read. There is one work, however, of a national character, in which the greater portion of the East and the West, the North and the South, are equally interested, to which I will invite your attention. The State of New York has a canal connecting Lake Erie with tide water on the Hudson River. The State of Illinois has a similar work connecting Lake Michigan with navigable water on the Illinois River, thus making water communication inland between the East and the West and South. These great artificial water courses are the property of the States through which they pass, and pay toll to those States. Would it not be wise statesmanship to pledge these States that if they will open these canals for the passage of large vessels the General Government will look after and keep in navigable condition the great public highways with which they connect, to wit, the Overslaugh on the Hudson, the St. Clair Flats, and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers? This would be a national work; one of great value to the producers of the West and South in giving them cheap transportation for their produce to the seaboard and a market, and to the consumers in the East in giving them cheaper food, particularly of those articles of food which do not find a foreign market, and the prices of which, therefore, are not regulated by foreign demands. The advantages of such a work are too obvious for argument. I submit the subject to you, therefore, without further comment. In attempting to regain our lost commerce and carrying trade I have heretofore called attention to the States south of us offering a field where much might be accomplished. To further this object I suggest that a small appropriation be made, accompanied with authority for the Secretary of the Navy to fit out a naval vessel to ascend the Amazon River to the mouth of the Madeira; thence to explore that river and its tributaries into Bolivia, and to report to Congress at its next session, or as soon as practicable, the accessibility of the country by water, its resources, and the population so reached. Such an exploration would cost but little; it can do no harm, and may result in establishing a trade of value to both nations. In further connection with the Treasury Department I would recommend a revision and codification of the tariff laws and the opening of more mints for coining money, with authority to coin for such nations as may apply. The attention of Congress is invited to the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary of War herewith accompanying. The apparent great cost of supporting the Army is fully explained by this report, and I hope will receive your attention. While inviting your general attention to all the recommendations made by the Secretary of War, there are two which I would especially invite you to consider: First, the importance of preparing for war in time of peace by providing proper armament for our seacoast defenses. Proper armament is of vastly more importance than fortifications. The latter can be supplied very speedily for temporary purposes when needed; the former can not. The second is the necessity of reopening promotion in the staff corps of the Army. Particularly is this necessity felt in the Medical, Pay, and Ordnance departments. At this time it is necessary to employ "contract surgeons" to supply the necessary medical attendance required by the Army. With the present force of the Pay Department it is now difficult to make the payments to troops provided for by law. Long delays in payments are productive of desertions and other demoralization, and the law prohibits the payment of troops by other than regular army paymasters. There are now sixteen vacancies in the Ordnance Department, thus leaving that branch of the service without sufficient officers to conduct the business of the different arsenals on a large scale if ever required. During the past year our Navy has been depleted by the sale of some vessels no longer fit for naval service and by the condemnation of others not yet disposed of. This, however, has been more than compensated for by the repair of six of the old wooden ships and by the building of eight new sloops of war, authorized by the last Congress. The building of these latter has occurred at a doubly fortunate time. They are about being completed at a time when they may possibly be much needed, and the work upon them has not only given direct employment to thousands of men, but has no doubt been the means of keeping open establishments for other work at a time of great financial distress. Since the commencement of the last month, however, the distressing occurrences which have taken place in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, almost on our very seaboard, while they illustrate most forcibly the necessity always existing that a nation situated like ours should maintain in a state of possible efficiency a navy adequate to its responsibilities, has at the same time demanded that all the effective force we really have shall be put in immediate readiness for warlike service. This has been and is being done promptly and effectively, and I am assured that all the available ships and every authorized man of the American Navy will be ready for whatever action is required for the safety of our citizens or the maintenance of our honor. This, of course, will require the expenditure in a short time of some of the appropriations which were calculated to extend through the fiscal year, but Congress will, I doubt not, understand and appreciate the emergency, and will provide adequately not only for the present preparation, but for the future maintenance of our naval force. The Secretary of the Navy has during the past year been quietly putting some of our most effective monitors in condition for service, and thus the exigency finds us in a much better condition for work than we could possibly have been without his action. A complete exhibit is presented in the accompanying report of the postmaster-General of the operations of the Post-Office Department during the year. The ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1873, amounted to $22,996,741.57, and the expenditures of all kinds to $29,084,945.67. The increase of revenues over 1872 was $1,081,315.20, and the increase of expenditures $2,426,753.36. Independent of the payments made from special appropriations for mail steamship lines, the amount drawn from the General Treasury to meet deficiencies was $5,265,475. The constant and rapid extension of our postal service, particularly upon railways, and the improved facilities for the collection, transmission, distribution, and delivery of the mails which are constantly being provided account for the increased expenditures of this popular branch of the public service. The total number of post-offices in operation on June 30, 1873, was 33,244, a net increase of 1,381 over the number reported the preceding year. The number of Presidential offices was 1,363, an increase of 163 during the year. The total length of railroad mail routes at the close of the year was 63,457 miles, an increase of 5,546 miles over the year 1872. Fifty-nine railway post-office lines were in operation June 30, 1873, extending over 14,866 miles of railroad routes and performing an aggregate service of 34,925 miles daily. The number of letters exchanged with foreign countries was 27,459,185, an increase of 3,096,685 over the previous year, and the postage thereon amounted to $2,021,310.86. The total weight of correspondence exchanged in the mails with European countries exceeded 912 tons, an increase of 92 tons over the previous year. The total cost of the United States ocean steamship service, including $725,000 paid from special appropriations to subsidized lines of mail steamers, was $1,047,271.35. New or additional postal conventions have been concluded with Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Newfoundland, and Japan, reducing postage rates on correspondence exchanged with those countries; and further efforts have been made to conclude a satisfactory postal convention with France, but without success. I invite the favorable consideration of Congress to the suggestions and recommendations of the Postmaster-General for an extension of the free-delivery system in all cities having a population of not less than 10,000; for the prepayment of postage on newspapers and other printed matter of the second class; for a uniform postage and limit of weight on miscellaneous matter; for adjusting the compensation of all postmasters not appointed by the President, by the old method of commissions on the actual receipts of the office, instead of the present mode of fixing the salary in advance upon special returns; and especially do I urge favorable action by Congress on the important recommendations of the Postmaster-General for the establishment of United States postal savings depositories. Your attention is also again called to a consideration of the question of postal telegraphs and the arguments adduced in support thereof, in the hope that you may take such action in connection therewith as in your judgment will most contribute to the best interests of the country. Affairs in Utah require your early and special attention. The Supreme Court of the United States, in the case of Clinton vs. Englebrecht, decided that the United States marshal of that Territory could not lawfully summon jurors for the district courts; and those courts hold that the Territorial marshal can not lawfully perform that duty, because he is elected by the legislative assembly, and not appointed as provided for in the act organizing the Territory. All proceedings at law are practically abolished by these decisions, and there have been but few or no jury trials in the district courts of that Territory since the last session of Congress. Property is left without protection by the courts, and crimes go unpunished. To prevent anarchy there it is absolutely necessary that Congress provide the courts with some mode of obtaining jurors, and I recommend legislation to that end, and also that the probate courts of the Territory, now assuming to issue writs of injunction and habeas corpus and to try criminal cases and questions as to land titles, be denied all jurisdiction not possessed ordinarily by courts of that description. I have become impressed with the belief that the act approved March 2, 1867, entitled "An act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States," is productive of more evil than good at this time. Many considerations might be urged for its total repeal, but, if this is not considered advisable, I think it will not be seriously questioned that those portions of said act providing for what is called involuntary bankruptcy operate to increase the financial embarrassments of the country. Careful and prudent men very often become involved in debt in the transaction of their business, and though they may possess ample property, if it could be made available for that purpose, to meet all their liabilities, yet, on account of the extraordinary scarcity of money, they may be unable to meet all their pecuniary obligations as they become due, in consequence of which they are liable to be prostrated in their business by proceedings in bankruptcy at the instance of unrelenting creditors. People are now so easily alarmed as to monetary matters that the mere filing of a petition in bankruptcy by an unfriendly creditor will necessarily embarrass, and oftentimes accomplish the financial ruin, of a responsible business man. Those who otherwise might make lawful and just arrangements to relieve themselves from difficulties produced by the present stringency in money are prevented by their constant exposure to attack and disappointment by proceedings against them in bankruptcy, and, besides, the law is made use of in many cases by obdurate creditors to frighten or force debtors into a compliance with their wishes and into acts of injustice to other creditors and to themselves. I recommend that so much of said act as provides for involuntary bankruptcy on account of the suspension of payment be repealed. Your careful attention is invited to the subject of claims against the Government and to the facilities afforded by existing laws for their prosecution. Each of the Departments of State, Treasury, and War has demands for many millions of dollars upon its files, and they are rapidly accumulating. To these may be added those now pending before Congress, the Court of Claims, and the Southern Claims Commission, making in the aggregate an immense sum. Most of these grow out of the rebellion, and are intended to indemnify persons on both sides for their losses during the war; and not a few of them are fabricated and supported by false testimony. Projects are on foot, it is believed, to induce Congress to provide for new classes of claims, and to revive old ones through the repeal or modification of the statute of limitations, by which they are now barred. I presume these schemes, if proposed, will be received with little favor by Congress, and I recommend that persons having claims against the United States cognizable by any tribunal or Department thereof be required to present them at an early day, and that legislation be directed as far as practicable to the defeat of unfounded and unjust demands upon the Government; and I would suggest, as a means of preventing fraud, that witnesses be called upon to appear in person to testify before those tribunals having said claims before them for adjudication. Probably the largest saving to the National Treasury can be secured by timely legislation on these subjects of any of the economic measures that will be proposed. You will be advised of the operations of the Department of Justice by the report of the Attorney-General, and I invite your attention to the amendments of existing laws suggested by him, with the view of reducing the expenses of that Department. The policy inaugurated toward the Indians at the beginning of the last Administration has been steadily pursued, and, I believe, with beneficial results. It will be continued with only such modifications as time and experience may demonstrate as necessary. With the encroachment of civilization upon the Indian reservations and hunting grounds, disturbances have taken place between the Indians and whites during the past year, and probably will continue to do so until each race appreciates that the other has rights which must be respected. The policy has been to collect the Indians as rapidly as possible on reservations, and as far as practicable within what is known as the Indian Territory, and to teach them the arts of civilization and self-support. Where found off their reservations, and endangering the peace and safety of the whites, they have been punished, and will continue to be for like offenses. The Indian Territory south of Kansas and west of Arkansas is sufficient in area and agricultural resources to support all the Indians east of the Rocky Mountains. In time, no doubt, all of them, except a few who may elect to make their homes among white people, will be collected there. As a preparatory step for this consummation, I am now satisfied that a Territorial form of government should be given them, which will secure the treaty rights of the original settlers and protect their homesteads from alienation for a period of twenty years. The operations of the Patent Office are growing to such a magnitude and the accumulation of material is becoming so great that the necessity of more room is becoming more obvious day by day. I respectfully invite your attention to the reports of the Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner of Patents on this subject. The business of the General Land Office exhibits a material increase in all its branches during the last fiscal year. During that time there were disposed of out of the public lands 13,030,606 acres, being an amount greater by 1,165,631 acres than was disposed of during the preceding year. Of the amount disposed of, 1,626,266 acres were sold for cash, 214,940 acres were located with military land warrants, 3,793,612 acres were taken for homesteads, 653,446 acres were located with agricultural-college scrip, 6,083,536 acres were certified by railroads, 76,576 acres were granted to wagon roads, 238,548 acres were approved to States as swamp lands, 138,681 acres were certified for agricultural colleges, common schools, universities, and seminaries, 190,775 acres were approved to States for internal improvements, and 14,222 acres were located with Indian scrip. The cash receipts during the same time were $3,408,515.50, being $190,415.50 in excess of the receipts of the previous year. During the year 30,488,132 acres of public land were surveyed, an increase over the amount surveyed the previous year of 1,037,193 acres, and, added to the area previously surveyed, aggregates 616,554,895 acres which have been surveyed, leaving 1,218,443,505 acres of the public land still unsurveyed. The increased and steadily increasing facilities for reaching our unoccupied public domain and for the transportation of surplus products enlarge the available field for desirable homestead locations, thus stimulating settlement and extending year by year in a gradually increasing ratio the area of occupation and cultivation. The expressed desire of the representatives of a large colony of citizens of Russia to emigrate to this country, as is understood, with the consent of their Government, if certain concessions can be made to enable them to settle in a compact colony, is of great interest, as going to show the light in which our institutions are regarded by an industrious, intelligent, and wealthy people, desirous of enjoying civil and religious liberty; and the acquisition of so large an immigration of citizens of a superior class would without doubt be of substantial benefit to the country. I invite attention to the suggestion of the Secretary of the Interior in this behalf. There was paid during the last fiscal year for pensions, including the expense of disbursement, $29,185,289.62, being an amount less by $984,050.98 than was expended for the same purpose the preceding year. Although this statement of expenditures would indicate a material reduction in amount compared with the preceding year, it is believed that the changes in the pension laws at the last session of Congress will absorb that amount the current year. At the close of the last fiscal year there were on the pension rolls 99,804 invalid military pensioners and 112,088 widows, orphans, and dependent relatives of deceased soldiers, making a total of that class of 211,892; 18,266 survivors of the War of 1812 and 5,058 widows of soldiers of that war pensioned under the act of Congress of February 14, 1871, making a total of that class of 23,319; 1,480 invalid navy pensioners and 1,770 widows, orphans, and dependent relatives of deceased officers, sailors, and marines of the Navy, making a total of navy pensioners of 3,200, and a grand total of pensioners of 311 classes of 238,411, showing a net increase during the last fiscal year of 6,182. During the last year the names of 16,405 pensioners were added to the rolls, and 10,223 names were dropped therefrom for various causes. The system adopted for the detection of frauds against the Government in the matter of pensions has been productive of satisfactory results, but legislation is needed to provide, if possible, against the perpetration of such frauds in future. The evidently increasing interest in the cause of education is a most encouraging feature in the general progress and prosperity of the country, and the Bureau of Education is earnest in its efforts to give proper direction to the new appliances and increased facilities which are being offered to aid the educators of the country in their great work. The Ninth Census has been completed, the report thereof published and distributed, and the working force of the Bureau disbanded. The Secretary of the Interior renews his recommendation for a census to be taken in 1875, to which subject the attention of Congress is invited. The original suggestion in that behalf has met with the general approval of the country; and even if it be not deemed advisable at present to provide for a regular quinquennial census, a census taken in 1875, the report of which could be completed and published before the one hundredth anniversary of our national independence, would be especially interesting and valuable, as showing the progress of the country during the first century of our national existence. It is believed, however, that a regular census every five years would be of substantial benefit to the country, inasmuch as our growth hitherto has been so rapid that the results of the decennial census are necessarily unreliable as a basis of estimates for the latter years of a decennial period. Under the very efficient management of the governor and the board of public works of this District the city of Washington is rapidly assuming the appearance of a capital of which the nation may well be proud. From being a most unsightly place three years ago, disagreeable to pass through in summer in consequence of the dust arising from unpaved streets, and almost impassable in the winter from the mud, it is now one of the most sightly cities in the country, and can boast of being the best paved. The work has been done systematically, the plans, grades, location of sewers, water and gas mains being determined upon before the work was commenced, thus securing permanency when completed. I question whether so much has ever been accomplished before in any American city for the same expenditures. The Government having large reservations in the city, and the nation at large having an interest in their capital, I recommend a liberal policy toward the District of Columbia, and that the Government should bear its just share of the expense of these improvements. Every citizen visiting the capital feels a pride in its growing beauty, and that he too is part owner in the investments made here. I would suggest to Congress the propriety of promoting the establishment in this District of an institution of learning, or university of the highest class, by the donation of lands. There is no place better suited for such an institution than the national capital. There is no other place in which every citizen is so directly interested. In three successive messages to Congress I have called attention to the subject of "civil-service reform." Action has been taken so far as to authorize the appointment of a board to devise rules governing methods of making appointments and promotions, but there never has been any action making these rules, or any rules, binding, or even entitled to observance, where persons desire the appointment of a friend or the removal of an official who may be disagreeable to them. To have any rules effective they must have the acquiescence of Congress as well as of the Executive. I commend, therefore, the subject to your attention, and suggest that a special committee of Congress might confer with the Civil-Service Board during the present session for the purpose of devising such rules as can be maintained, and which will secure the services of honest and capable officials, and which will also protect them in a degree of independence while in office. Proper rules will protect Congress, as well as the Executive, from much needless persecution, and will prove of great value to the public at large. I would recommend for your favorable consideration the passage of an enabling act for the admission of Colorado as a State in the Union. It possesses all the elements of a prosperous State, agricultural and mineral, and, I believe, has a population now to justify such admission. In connection with this I would also recommend the encouragement of a canal for purposes of irrigation from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri River. As a rule I am opposed to further donations of public lands for internal improvements owned and controlled by private corporations, but in this instance I would make an exception. Between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains there is an arid belt of public land from 300 to 500 miles in width, perfectly valueless for the occupation of man, for the want of sufficient rain to secure the growth of any product. An irrigating canal would make productive a belt as wide as the supply of water could be made to spread over across this entire country, and would secure a cordon of settlements connecting the present population of the mountain and mining regions with that of the older States. All the land reclaimed would be clear gain. If alternate sections are retained by the Government, I would suggest that the retained sections be thrown open to entry under the homestead laws, or sold to actual settlers for a very low price. I renew my previous recommendation to Congress for general amnesty. The number engaged in the late rebellion yet laboring under disabilities is very small, but enough to keep up a constant irritation. No possible danger can accrue to the Government by restoring them to eligibility to hold office. I suggest for your consideration the enactment of a law to better secure the civil rights which freedom should secure, but has not effectually secured, to the enfranchised slave.
The year that has passed since the submission of my last message to Congress has, especially during the latter part of it, been an eventful one to the country. In the midst of great national prosperity a financial crisis has occurred that has brought low fortunes of gigantic proportions; political partisanship has almost ceased to exist, especially in the agricultural regions; and, finally, the capture upon the high seas of a vessel bearing our flag has for a time threatened the most serious consequences, and has agitated the public mind from one end of the country to the other. But this, happily, now is in the course of satisfactory adjustment, honorable to both nations concerned. The relations of the United States, however, with most of the other powers continue to be friendly and cordial. With France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and the minor European powers; with Brazil and most of the South American Republics, and with Japan, nothing has occurred during the year to demand special notice. The correspondence between the Department of State and various diplomatic representatives in or from those countries is transmitted herewith. In executing the will of Congress, as expressed in its joint resolution of the 14th of February last, and in accordance with the provisions of the resolution, a number of "practical artisans," of "scientific men," and of "honorary commissioners" were authorized to attend the exposition at Vienna as commissioners on the part of the United States. It is believed that we have obtained the object which Congress had in view when it passed the joint resolution--" in order to enable the people of the United States to participate in the advantages of the International Exhibition of the Products of Agriculture, Manufactures, and the Fine Arts to be held at Vienna." I take pleasure in adding that the American exhibitors have received a gratifying number of diplomas and of medals. During the exposition a conference was held at Vienna for the purpose of consultation on the systems prevailing in different countries for the protection of inventions. I authorized a representative from the Patent Office to be present at Vienna at the time when this conference was to take place, in order to aid as far as he might in securing any possible additional protection to American inventors in Europe. The report of this agent will be laid before Congress. It is my pleasant duty to announce to Congress that the Emperor of China, on attaining his majority, received the diplomatic representatives of the Western powers in person. An account of these ceremonies and of the interesting discussions which preceded them will be found in the documents transmitted herewith. The accompanying papers show that some advance, although slight, has been made during the past year toward the suppression of the infamous Chinese cooly trade. I recommend Congress to inquire whether additional legislation be not needed on this subject. The money awarded to the United States by the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva was paid by Her Majesty's Government a few days in advance of the time when it would have become payable according to the terms of the treaty. In compliance with the provisions of the act of March 3, 1873, it was at once paid into the Treasury, and used to redeem, so far as it might, the public debt of the United States; and the amount so redeemed was invested in a 5 per cent registered bond of the United States for $15,500,000, which is now held by the Secretary of State, subject to the future disposition of Congress. I renew my recommendation, made at the opening of the last session of Congress, that a commission be created for the purpose of auditing and determining the amounts of the several "direct losses growing out of the destruction of vessels and their cargoes" by the Alabama, the Florida, or the Shenandoah after leaving Melbourne, for which the sufferers have received no equivalent or compensation, and of ascertaining the names of the persons entitled to receive compensation for the same, making the computations upon the basis indicated by the tribunal of arbitration at Geneva; and that payment of such losses be authorized to an extent not to exceed the awards of the tribunal at Geneva. By an act approved on the 14th day of February last Congress made provision for completing, jointly with an officer or commissioner to be named by Her Britannic Majesty, the determination of so much of the boundary line between the territory of the United States and the possessions of Great Britain as was left uncompleted by the commissioners appointed under the act of Congress of August 11, 1856. Under the provisions of this act the northwest water boundary of the United States has been determined and marked in accordance with the award of the Emperor of Germany. A protocol and a copy of the map upon which the line was thus marked are contained in the papers submitted herewith. I also transmit a copy of the report of the commissioner for marking the northern boundary between the United States and the British possessions west of the Lake of the Woods, of the operations of the commission during the past season. Surveys have been made to a point 497 miles west of the Lake of the Woods, leaving about 350 miles to be surveyed, the field work of which can be completed during the next season. The mixed commission organized under the provisions of the treaty of Washington for settling and determining the claims of citizens of either power against the other arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the period between April 13, 1861, and April 9, 1865, made its final award on the 25th day of September last. It was awarded that the Government of the United States should pay to the Government of Her Britannic Majesty, within twelve months from the date of the award, the sum of $1,929,819 in gold. The commission disallowed or dismissed all other claims of British subjects against the United States. The amount of the claims presented by the British Government, but disallowed or dismissed, is understood to be about $93,000,000. It also disallowed all the claims of citizens of the United States against Great Britain which were referred to it. I recommend the early passage of an act appropriating the amount necessary to pay this award against the United States. I have caused to be communicated to the Government of the King of Italy the thanks of this Government for the eminent services rendered by Count Corti as the third commissioner on this commission. With dignity, learning, and impartiality he discharged duties requiring great labor and constant patience, to the satisfaction, I believe, of both Governments. I recommend legislation to create a special court, to consist of three judges, who shall be empowered to hear and determine all claims of aliens upon the United States arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the insurrection. The recent reference under the treaty of Washington was confined to claims of British subjects arising during the period named in the treaty; but it is understood that there are other British claims of a similar nature, arising after the 9th of April, 1865, and it is known that other claims of a like nature are advanced by citizens or subjects of other powers. It is desirable to have these claims also examined and disposed of. Official information being received from the Dutch Government of a state of war between the King of the Netherlands and the Sultan of Acheen, the officers of the United States who were near the seat of the war were instructed to observe an impartial neutrality. It is believed that they have done so. The joint commission under the convention with Mexico of 1868, having again been legally prolonged, has resumed its business, which, it is hoped, may be brought to an early conclusion. The distinguished representative of Her Britannic Majesty at Washington has kindly consented, with the approval of his Government, to assume the arduous and responsible duties of umpire in this commission, and to lend the weight of his character and name to such decisions as may not receive the acquiescence of both the arbitrators appointed by the respective Governments. The commissioners appointed pursuant to the authority of Congress to examine into the nature and extent of the forays by trespassers from that country upon the herds of Texas have made a report, which will be submitted for your consideration. The Venezuelan Government has been apprised of the sense of Congress in regard to the awards of the joint commission under the convention of 25th April, 1866, as expressed in the act of the 25th of February last. It is apprehended that that Government does not realize the character of its obligations under that convention. As there is reason to believe, however, that its hesitancy in recognizing them springs, in part at least, from real difficulty in discharging them in connection with its obligations to other governments, the expediency of further forbearance on our part is believed to be worthy of your consideration. The Ottoman Government and that of Egypt have latterly shown a disposition to relieve foreign consuls of the judicial powers which heretofore they have exercised in the Turkish dominions, by organizing other tribunals. As Congress, however, has by law provided for the discharge of judicial functions by consuls of the United States in that quarter under the treaty of 1830, I have not felt at liberty formally to accept the proposed change without the assent of Congress, whose decision upon the subject at as early a period as may be convenient is earnestly requested. I transmit herewith, for the consideration and determination of Congress, an application of the Republic of Santo Domingo to this Government to exercise a protectorate over that Republic. Since the adjournment of Congress the following treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed: A naturalization convention with Denmark; a convention with Mexico for renewing the Claims Commission; a convention of friendship, commerce, and extradition with the Orange Free State, and a naturalization convention with Ecuador. I renew the recommendation made in my message of December, 1870, that Congress authorize the Postmaster-General to issue all commissions to officials appointed through his Department. I invite the earnest attention of Congress to the existing laws of the United States respecting expatriation and the election of nationality by individuals. Many citizens of the United States reside permanently abroad with their families. Under the provisions of the act approved February 10, 1855, the children of such persons are to be deemed and taken to be citizens of the United States, but the rights of citizenship are not to descend to persons whose fathers never resided in the United States. It thus happens that persons who have never resided within the United States have been enabled to put forward a pretension to the protection of the United States against the claim to military service of the government under whose protection they were born and have been reared. In some cases even naturalized citizens of the United States have returned to the land of their birth, with intent to remain there, and their children, the issue of a marriage contracted there after their return, and who have never been in the United States, have laid claim to our protection when the lapse of many years had imposed upon them the duty of military service to the only government which had ever known them personally. Until the year 1868 it was left, embarrassed by conflicting opinions of courts and of jurists, to determine how far the doctrine of perpetual allegiance derived from our former colonial relations with Great Britain was applicable to American citizens. Congress then wisely swept these doubts away by enacting that-- Any declaration, instruction, opinion, order, or decision of any officer of this Government which denies, restricts, impairs, or questions the right of expatriation is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of this Government. But Congress did not indicate in that statute, nor has it since done so, what acts are to be deemed to work expatriation. For my own guidance in determining such questions I required (under the provisions of the Constitution) the opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments upon certain questions relating to this subject. The result satisfies me that further legislation has become necessary. I therefore commend the subject to the careful consideration of Congress, and I transmit herewith copies of the several opinions of the principal officers of the Executive Departments, together with other correspondence and pertinent information on the same subject. The United States, who led the way in the overthrow of the feudal doctrine of perpetual allegiance, are among the last to indicate how their own citizens may elect another nationality. The papers submitted herewith indicate what is necessary to place us on a par with other leading nations in liberality of legislation on this international question. We have already in our treaties assented to the principles which would need to be embodied in laws intended to accomplish such results. We have agreed that citizens of the United States may cease to be citizens and may voluntarily render allegiance to other powers. We have agreed that residence in a foreign land, without intent to return, shall of itself work expatriation. We have agreed in some instances upon the length of time necessary for such continued residence to work a presumption of such intent. I invite Congress now to mark out and define when and how expatriation can be accomplished; to regulate by law the condition of American women marrying foreigners; to fix the status of children born in a foreign country of American parents residing more or less permanently abroad, and to make rules for determining such other kindred points as may seem best to Congress. In compliance with the request of Congress, I transmitted to the American minister at Madrid, with instructions to present it to the Spanish Government, the joint resolution approved on the 3d of March last, tendering to the people of Spain, in the name and on the behalf of the American people, the congratulations of Congress upon the efforts to consolidate in Spain the principles of universal liberty in a republican form of government. The existence of this new Republic was inaugurated by striking the fetters from the slaves in Porto Rico. This beneficent measure was followed by the release of several thousand persons illegally held as slaves in Cuba. Next, the Captain-General of that colony was deprived of the power to set aside the orders of his superiors at Madrid, which had pertained to the office since 1825. The sequestered estates of American citizens, which had been the because of long and fruitless correspondence, were ordered to be restored to their owners. All these liberal steps were taken in the face of a violent opposition directed by the reactionary slave-holders of Havana, who are vainly striving to stay the march of ideas which has terminated slavery in Christendom, Cuba only excepted. Unhappily, however, this baneful influence has thus far succeeded in defeating the efforts of all liberal-minded men in Spain to abolish slavery in Cuba, and in preventing the promised reform in that island. The struggle for political supremacy continues there. The proslavery and aristocratic party in Cuba is gradually arraigning itself in more and more open hostility and defiance of the home government, while it still maintains a political connection with the Republic in the peninsula; and although usurping and defying the authority of the home government whenever such usurpation or defiance tends in the direction of oppression or of the maintenance of abuses, it is still a power in Madrid, and is recognized by the Government. Thus an element more dangerous to continued colonial relations between Cuba and Spain than that which inspired the insurrection at Yara--an element opposed to granting any relief from misrule and abuse, with no aspirations after freedom, commanding no sympathies in generous breasts, aiming to rivet still stronger the shackles of slavery and oppression--has seized many of the emblems of power in Cuba, and, under professions of loyalty to the mother country, is exhausting the resources of the island, and is doing acts which are at variance with those principles of justice, of liberality, and of right which give nobility of character to a republic. In the interests of humanity, of civilization, and of progress, it is to be hoped that this evil influence may be soon averted. The steamer Virginius was on the 26th day of September, 1870, duly registered at the port of New York as a part of the commercial marine of the United States. On the 4th of October, 1870, having received the certificate of her register in the usual legal form, she sailed from the port of New York and has not since been within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. On the 31st day of October last, while sailing under the flag of the United States on the high seas, she was forcibly seized by the Spanish gunboat Tornado, and was carried into the port of Santiago de Cuba, where fifty-three of her passengers and crew were inhumanly, and, so far at least as relates to those who were citizens of the United States, without due process of law, put to death. It is a well-established principle, asserted by the United States from the beginning of their national independence, recognized by Great Britain and other maritime powers, and stated by the Senate in a resolution passed unanimously on the 16th of June, 1858, that-- American vessels on the high seas in time of peace, bearing the American flag, remain under the jurisdiction of the country to which they belong, and therefore any visitation, molestation, or detention of such vessel by force, or by the exhibition of force, on the part of a foreign power is in derogation of the sovereignty of the United States. In accordance with this principle, the restoration of the Virginius and the surrender of the survivors of her passengers and crew, and a due reparation to the flag, and the punishment of the authorities who had been guilty of the illegal acts of violence, were demanded. The Spanish Government has recognized the justice of the demand, and has arranged for the immediate delivery of the vessel, and for the surrender of the survivors of the passengers and crew, and for a salute to the flag, and for proceedings looking to the punishment of those who may be proved to have been guilty of illegal acts of violence toward citizens of the United States, and also toward indemnifying those who may be shown to be entitled to indemnity. A copy of a protocol of a conference between the Secretary of State and the Spanish minister, in which the terms of this arrangement were agreed to, is transmitted herewith. The correspondence on this subject with the legation of the United States in Madrid was conducted in cipher and by cable, and needs the verification of the actual text of the correspondence. It has seemed to me to be due to the importance of the case not to submit this correspondence until the accurate text can be received by mail. It is expected shortly, and will be submitted when received. In taking leave of this subject for the present I wish to renew the expression of my conviction that the existence of African slavery in Cuba is a principal because of the lamentable condition of the island. I do not doubt that Congress shares with me the hope that it will soon be made to disappear, and that peace and prosperity may follow its abolition. The embargoing of American estates in Cuba, cruelty to American citizens detected in no act of hostility to the Spanish Government, the murdering of prisoners taken with arms in their hands, and, finally, the capture upon the high seas of a vessel sailing under the United States flag and bearing a United States registry have culminated in an outburst of indignation that has seemed for a time to threaten war. Pending negotiations between the United States and the Government of Spain on the subject of this capture, I have authorized the Secretary of the Navy to put our Navy on a war footing, to the extent, at least, of the entire annual appropriation for that branch of the service, trusting to Congress and the public opinion of the American people to justify my action. Assuming from the action of the last Congress in appointing a Committee on Privileges and Elections to prepare and report to this Congress a constitutional amendment to provide a better method of electing the President and Vice-President of the United States, and also from the necessity of such an amendment, that there will be submitted to the State legislatures for ratification such an improvement in our Constitution, I suggest two others for your consideration: First. To authorize the Executive to approve of so much of any measure passing the two Houses of Congress as his judgment may dictate, without approving the whole, the disapproved portion or portions to be subjected to the same rules as now, to wit, to be referred back to the House in which the measure or measures originated, and, if passed by a two-thirds vote of the two Houses, then to become a law without the approval of the President. I would add to this a provision that there should be no legislation by Congress during the last twenty-four hours of its sitting, except upon vetoes, in order to give the Executive an opportunity to examine and approve or disapprove bills understandingly. Second. To provide by amendment that when an extra session of Congress is convened by Executive proclamation legislation during the continuance of such extra session shall be confined to such subjects as the Executive may bring before it from time to time in writing. The advantages to be gained by these two amendments are too obvious for me to comment upon them. One session in each year is provided for by the Constitution, in which there are no restrictions as to the subjects of legislation by Congress. If more are required, it is always in the power of Congress, during their term of office, to provide for sessions at any time. The first of these amendments would protect the public against the many abuses and waste of public moneys which creep into appropriation bills and other important measures passing during the expiring hours of Congress, to which otherwise due consideration can not be given. The receipts of the Government from all sources for the last fiscal year were $333,738,204, and expenditures on all accounts $290,345,245, thus showing an excess of receipts over expenditures of $43,392,959. But it is not probable that this favorable exhibit will be shown for the present fiscal year. Indeed, it is very doubtful whether, except with great economy on the part of Congress in making appropriations and the same economy in administering the various Departments of Government, the revenues will not fall short of meeting actual expenses, including interest on the public debt. I commend to Congress such economy, and point out two sources where It seems to me it might commence, to wit, in the appropriations for public buildings in the many cities where work has not yet been commenced; in the appropriations for river and harbor improvement in those localities where the improvements are of but little benefit to general commerce, and for fortifications. There is a still more fruitful source of expenditure, which I will point out later in this message. I refer to the easy method of manufacturing claims for losses incurred in suppressing the late rebellion. I would not be understood here as opposing the erection of good, substantial, and even ornamental buildings by the Government wherever such buildings are needed. In fact, I approve of the Government owning its own buildings in all sections of the country, and hope the day is not far distant when it will not only possess them, but will erect in the capital suitable residences for all persons who now receive commutation for quarters or rent at Government expense, and for the Cabinet, thus setting an example to the States which may induce them to erect buildings for their Senators. But I would have this work conducted at a time when the revenues of the country would abundantly justify it. The revenues have materially fallen off for the first five months of the present fiscal year from what they were expected to produce, owing to the general panic now prevailing, which commenced about the middle of September last. The full effect of this disaster, if it should not prove a "blessing in disguise," is yet to be demonstrated. In either event it is your duty to heed the lesson and to provide by wise and well-considered legislation, as far as it lies in your power, against its recurrence, and to take advantage of all benefits that may have accrued. My own judgment is that, however much individuals may have suffered, one long step has been taken toward specie payments; that we can never have permanent prosperity until a specie basis is reached: and that a specie basis can not be reached and maintained until our exports, exclusive of gold, pay for our imports, interest due abroad, and other specie obligations, or so nearly so as to leave an appreciable accumulation of the precious metals in the country from the products of our mines. The development of the mines of precious metals during the past year and the prospective development of them for years to come are gratifying in their results. Could but one-half of the gold extracted from the mines be retained at home, our advance toward specie payments would be rapid. To increase our exports sufficient currency is required to keep all the industries of the country employed. Without this national as well as individual bankruptcy must ensue. Undue inflation, on the other hand, while it might give temporary relief, would only lead to inflation of prices, the impossibility of competing in our own markets for the products of home skill and labor, and repeated renewals of present experiences. Elasticity to our circulating medium, therefore, and just enough of it to transact the legitimate business of the country and to keep all industries employed, is what is most to be desired. The exact medium is specie, the recognized medium of exchange the world over. That obtained, we shall have a currency of an exact degree of elasticity. If there be too much of it for the legitimate purposes of trade and commerce, it will flow out of the country. If too little, the reverse will result. To hold what we have and to appreciate our currency to that standard is the problem deserving of the most serious consideration of Congress. The experience of the present panic has proven that the currency of the country, based, as it is, upon the credit of the country, is the best that has ever been devised. Usually in times of such trials currency has become worthless, or so much depreciated in value as to inflate the values of all the necessaries of life as compared with the currency. Everyone holding it has been anxious to dispose of it on any terms. Now we witness the reverse. Holders of currency hoard it as they did gold in former experiences of a like nature. It is patent to the most casual observer that much more currency, or money, is required to transact the legitimate trade of the country during the fall and winter months, when the vast crops are being removed, than during the balance of the year. With our present system the amount in the country remains the same throughout the entire year, resulting in an accumulation of all the surplus capital of the country in a few centers when not employed in the moving of crops, tempted there by the offer of interest on call loans. Interest being paid, this surplus capital must earn this interest paid with a profit. Being subject to "call," it can not be loaned, only in part at best, to the merchant or manufacturer for a fixed term. Hence, no matter how much currency there might be in the country, it would be absorbed, prices keeping pace with the volume, and panics, stringency, and disasters would ever be recurring with the autumn. Elasticity in our monetary system, therefore, is the object to be attained first, and next to that, as far as possible, a prevention of the use of other people's money in stock and other species of speculation. To prevent the latter it seems to me that one great step would be taken by prohibiting the national banks from paying interest on deposits, by requiring them to hold their reserves in their own vaults, and by forcing them into resumption, though it would only be in legal-tender notes. For this purpose I would suggest the establishment of clearing houses for your consideration. To secure the former many plans have been suggested, most, if not all, of which look to me more like inflation on the one hand, or compelling the Government, on the other, to pay interest, without corresponding benefits, upon the surplus funds of the country during the seasons when otherwise unemployed. I submit for your consideration whether this difficulty might not be overcome by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue at any time to national banks of issue any amount of their own notes below a fixed percentage of their issue (say 40 per cent), upon the banks' depositing with the Treasurer of the United States an amount of Government bonds equal to the amount of notes demanded, the banks to forfeit to the Government, say, 4 per cent of the interest accruing on the bonds so pledged during the time they remain with the Treasurer as security for the increased circulation, the bonds so pledged to be redeemable by the banks at their pleasure, either in whole or in part, by returning their own bills for cancellation to an amount equal to the face of the bonds withdrawn. I would further suggest for your consideration the propriety of authorizing national banks to diminish their standing issue at pleasure, by returning for cancellation their own bills and withdrawing so many United States bonds as are pledged for the bills returned. In view of the great actual contraction that has taken place in the currency and the comparative contraction continuously going on, due to the increase of population, increase of manufactories and all the industries, I do not believe there is too much of it now for the dullest period of the year. Indeed, if clearing houses should be established, thus forcing redemption, it is a question for your consideration whether banking should not be made free, retaining all the safeguards now required to secure bill holders. In any modification of the present laws regulating national banks, as a further step toward preparing for resumption of specie payments, I invite your attention to a consideration of the propriety of exacting from them the retention as a part of their reserve either the whole or a part of the gold interest accruing upon the bonds pledged as security for their issue. I have not reflected enough on the bearing this might have in producing a scarcity of coin with which to pay duties on imports to give it my positive recommendation. But your attention is invited to the subject. During the last four years the currency has been contracted, directly, by the withdrawal of 3 per cent certificates, compound-interest notes, and "seven-thirty" bonds outstanding on the 4th of March, 1869, all of which took the place of legal-tenders in the bank reserves to the extent of $63,000,000. During the same period there has been a much larger comparative contraction of the currency. The population of the country has largely increased. More than 25,000 miles of railroad have been built, requiring the active use of capital to operate them. Millions of acres of land have been opened to cultivation, requiring capital to move the products. Manufactories have multiplied beyond all precedent in the same period of time, requiring capital weekly for the payment of wages and for the purchase of material; and probably the largest of all comparative contraction arises from the organizing of free labor in the South. Now every laborer there receives his wages, and, for want of savings banks, the greater part of such wages is carried in the pocket or hoarded until required for use. These suggestions are thrown out for your consideration, without any recommendation that they shall be adopted literally, but hoping that the best method may be arrived at to secure such an elasticity of the currency as will keep employed all the industries of the country and prevent such an inflation as will put off indefinitely the resumption of specie payments, an object so devoutly to be wished for by all, and by none more earnestly than the class of people most directly interested--those who "earn their bread by the sweat of their brow." The decisions of Congress on this subject will have the hearty support of the Executive. In previous messages I have called attention to the decline in American shipbuilding and recommended such legislation as would secure to us our proportion of the carrying trade. Stimulated by high rates and abundance of freight, the progress for the last year in shipbuilding has been very satisfactory. There has been an increase of about 3 per cent in the amount transported in American vessels over the amount of last year. With the reduced cost of material which has taken place, it may reasonably be hoped that this progress will be maintained, and even increased. However, as we pay about $80,000,000 per annum to foreign vessels for the transportation to a market of our surplus products, thus increasing the balance of trade against us to this amount, the subject is one worthy of your serious consideration. "Cheap transportation" is a subject that has attracted the attention of both producers and consumers for the past few years, and has contributed to, if it has not been the direct because of, the recent panic and stringency. As Congress, at its last session, appointed a special committee to investigate this whole subject during the vacation and report at this session, I have nothing to recommend until their report is read. There is one work, however, of a national character, in which the greater portion of the East and the West, the North and the South, are equally interested, to which I will invite your attention. The State of New York has a canal connecting Lake Erie with tide water on the Hudson River. The State of Illinois has a similar work connecting Lake Michigan with navigable water on the Illinois River, thus making water communication inland between the East and the West and South. These great artificial water courses are the property of the States through which they pass, and pay toll to those States. Would it not be wise statesmanship to pledge these States that if they will open these canals for the passage of large vessels the General Government will look after and keep in navigable condition the great public highways with which they connect, to wit, the Overslaugh on the Hudson, the St. Clair Flats, and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers? This would be a national work; one of great value to the producers of the West and South in giving them cheap transportation for their produce to the seaboard and a market, and to the consumers in the East in giving them cheaper food, particularly of those articles of food which do not find a foreign market, and the prices of which, therefore, are not regulated by foreign demands. The advantages of such a work are too obvious for argument. I submit the subject to you, therefore, without further comment. In attempting to regain our lost commerce and carrying trade I have heretofore called attention to the States south of us offering a field where much might be accomplished. To further this object I suggest that a small appropriation be made, accompanied with authority for the Secretary of the Navy to fit out a naval vessel to ascend the Amazon River to the mouth of the Madeira; thence to explore that river and its tributaries into Bolivia, and to report to Congress at its next session, or as soon as practicable, the accessibility of the country by water, its resources, and the population so reached. Such an exploration would cost but little; it can do no harm, and may result in establishing a trade of value to both nations. In further connection with the Treasury Department I would recommend a revision and codification of the tariff laws and the opening of more mints for coining money, with authority to coin for such nations as may apply. The attention of Congress is invited to the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary of War herewith accompanying. The apparent great cost of supporting the Army is fully explained by this report, and I hope will receive your attention. While inviting your general attention to all the recommendations made by the Secretary of War, there are two which I would especially invite you to consider: First, the importance of preparing for war in time of peace by providing proper armament for our seacoast defenses. Proper armament is of vastly more importance than fortifications. The latter can be supplied very speedily for temporary purposes when needed; the former can not. The second is the necessity of reopening promotion in the staff corps of the Army. Particularly is this necessity felt in the Medical, Pay, and Ordnance departments. At this time it is necessary to employ "contract surgeons" to supply the necessary medical attendance required by the Army. With the present force of the Pay Department it is now difficult to make the payments to troops provided for by law. Long delays in payments are productive of desertions and other demoralization, and the law prohibits the payment of troops by other than regular army paymasters. There are now sixteen vacancies in the Ordnance Department, thus leaving that branch of the service without sufficient officers to conduct the business of the different arsenals on a large scale if ever required. During the past year our Navy has been depleted by the sale of some vessels no longer fit for naval service and by the condemnation of others not yet disposed of. This, however, has been more than compensated for by the repair of six of the old wooden ships and by the building of eight new sloops of war, authorized by the last Congress. The building of these latter has occurred at a doubly fortunate time. They are about being completed at a time when they may possibly be much needed, and the work upon them has not only given direct employment to thousands of men, but has no doubt been the means of keeping open establishments for other work at a time of great financial distress. Since the commencement of the last month, however, the distressing occurrences which have taken place in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, almost on our very seaboard, while they illustrate most forcibly the necessity always existing that a nation situated like ours should maintain in a state of possible efficiency a navy adequate to its responsibilities, has at the same time demanded that all the effective force we really have shall be put in immediate readiness for warlike service. This has been and is being done promptly and effectively, and I am assured that all the available ships and every authorized man of the American Navy will be ready for whatever action is required for the safety of our citizens or the maintenance of our honor. This, of course, will require the expenditure in a short time of some of the appropriations which were calculated to extend through the fiscal year, but Congress will, I doubt not, understand and appreciate the emergency, and will provide adequately not only for the present preparation, but for the future maintenance of our naval force. The Secretary of the Navy has during the past year been quietly putting some of our most effective monitors in condition for service, and thus the exigency finds us in a much better condition for work than we could possibly have been without his action. A complete exhibit is presented in the accompanying report of the postmaster-General of the operations of the Post-Office Department during the year. The ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1873, amounted to $22,996,741.57, and the expenditures of all kinds to $29,084,945.67. The increase of revenues over 1872 was $1,081,315.20, and the increase of expenditures $2,426,753.36. Independent of the payments made from special appropriations for mail steamship lines, the amount drawn from the General Treasury to meet deficiencies was $5,265,475. The constant and rapid extension of our postal service, particularly upon railways, and the improved facilities for the collection, transmission, distribution, and delivery of the mails which are constantly being provided account for the increased expenditures of this popular branch of the public service. The total number of post-offices in operation on June 30, 1873, was 33,244, a net increase of 1,381 over the number reported the preceding year. The number of Presidential offices was 1,363, an increase of 163 during the year. The total length of railroad mail routes at the close of the year was 63,457 miles, an increase of 5,546 miles over the year 1872. Fifty-nine railway post-office lines were in operation June 30, 1873, extending over 14,866 miles of railroad routes and performing an aggregate service of 34,925 miles daily. The number of letters exchanged with foreign countries was 27,459,185, an increase of 3,096,685 over the previous year, and the postage thereon amounted to $2,021,310.86. The total weight of correspondence exchanged in the mails with European countries exceeded 912 tons, an increase of 92 tons over the previous year. The total cost of the United States ocean steamship service, including $725,000 paid from special appropriations to subsidized lines of mail steamers, was $1,047,271.35. New or additional postal conventions have been concluded with Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Canada, Newfoundland, and Japan, reducing postage rates on correspondence exchanged with those countries; and further efforts have been made to conclude a satisfactory postal convention with France, but without success. I invite the favorable consideration of Congress to the suggestions and recommendations of the Postmaster-General for an extension of the free-delivery system in all cities having a population of not less than 10,000; for the prepayment of postage on newspapers and other printed matter of the second class; for a uniform postage and limit of weight on miscellaneous matter; for adjusting the compensation of all postmasters not appointed by the President, by the old method of commissions on the actual receipts of the office, instead of the present mode of fixing the salary in advance upon special returns; and especially do I urge favorable action by Congress on the important recommendations of the Postmaster-General for the establishment of United States postal savings depositories. Your attention is also again called to a consideration of the question of postal telegraphs and the arguments adduced in support thereof, in the hope that you may take such action in connection therewith as in your judgment will most contribute to the best interests of the country. Affairs in Utah require your early and special attention. The Supreme Court of the United States, in the case of Clinton vs. Englebrecht, decided that the United States marshal of that Territory could not lawfully summon jurors for the district courts; and those courts hold that the Territorial marshal can not lawfully perform that duty, because he is elected by the legislative assembly, and not appointed as provided for in the act organizing the Territory. All proceedings at law are practically abolished by these decisions, and there have been but few or no jury trials in the district courts of that Territory since the last session of Congress. Property is left without protection by the courts, and crimes go unpunished. To prevent anarchy there it is absolutely necessary that Congress provide the courts with some mode of obtaining jurors, and I recommend legislation to that end, and also that the probate courts of the Territory, now assuming to issue writs of injunction and habeas corpus and to try criminal cases and questions as to land titles, be denied all jurisdiction not possessed ordinarily by courts of that description. I have become impressed with the belief that the act approved March 2, 1867, entitled "An act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States," is productive of more evil than good at this time. Many considerations might be urged for its total repeal, but, if this is not considered advisable, I think it will not be seriously questioned that those portions of said act providing for what is called involuntary bankruptcy operate to increase the financial embarrassments of the country. Careful and prudent men very often become involved in debt in the transaction of their business, and though they may possess ample property, if it could be made available for that purpose, to meet all their liabilities, yet, on account of the extraordinary scarcity of money, they may be unable to meet all their pecuniary obligations as they become due, in consequence of which they are liable to be prostrated in their business by proceedings in bankruptcy at the instance of unrelenting creditors. People are now so easily alarmed as to monetary matters that the mere filing of a petition in bankruptcy by an unfriendly creditor will necessarily embarrass, and oftentimes accomplish the financial ruin, of a responsible business man. Those who otherwise might make lawful and just arrangements to relieve themselves from difficulties produced by the present stringency in money are prevented by their constant exposure to attack and disappointment by proceedings against them in bankruptcy, and, besides, the law is made use of in many cases by obdurate creditors to frighten or force debtors into a compliance with their wishes and into acts of injustice to other creditors and to themselves. I recommend that so much of said act as provides for involuntary bankruptcy on account of the suspension of payment be repealed. Your careful attention is invited to the subject of claims against the Government and to the facilities afforded by existing laws for their prosecution. Each of the Departments of State, Treasury, and War has demands for many millions of dollars upon its files, and they are rapidly accumulating. To these may be added those now pending before Congress, the Court of Claims, and the Southern Claims Commission, making in the aggregate an immense sum. Most of these grow out of the rebellion, and are intended to indemnify persons on both sides for their losses during the war; and not a few of them are fabricated and supported by false testimony. Projects are on foot, it is believed, to induce Congress to provide for new classes of claims, and to revive old ones through the repeal or modification of the statute of limitations, by which they are now barred. I presume these schemes, if proposed, will be received with little favor by Congress, and I recommend that persons having claims against the United States cognizable by any tribunal or Department thereof be required to present them at an early day, and that legislation be directed as far as practicable to the defeat of unfounded and unjust demands upon the Government; and I would suggest, as a means of preventing fraud, that witnesses be called upon to appear in person to testify before those tribunals having said claims before them for adjudication. Probably the largest saving to the National Treasury can be secured by timely legislation on these subjects of any of the economic measures that will be proposed. You will be advised of the operations of the Department of Justice by the report of the Attorney-General, and I invite your attention to the amendments of existing laws suggested by him, with the view of reducing the expenses of that Department. The policy inaugurated toward the Indians at the beginning of the last Administration has been steadily pursued, and, I believe, with beneficial results. It will be continued with only such modifications as time and experience may demonstrate as necessary. With the encroachment of civilization upon the Indian reservations and hunting grounds, disturbances have taken place between the Indians and whites during the past year, and probably will continue to do so until each race appreciates that the other has rights which must be respected. The policy has been to collect the Indians as rapidly as possible on reservations, and as far as practicable within what is known as the Indian Territory, and to teach them the arts of civilization and self-support. Where found off their reservations, and endangering the peace and safety of the whites, they have been punished, and will continue to be for like offenses. The Indian Territory south of Kansas and west of Arkansas is sufficient in area and agricultural resources to support all the Indians east of the Rocky Mountains. In time, no doubt, all of them, except a few who may elect to make their homes among white people, will be collected there. As a preparatory step for this consummation, I am now satisfied that a Territorial form of government should be given them, which will secure the treaty rights of the original settlers and protect their homesteads from alienation for a period of twenty years. The operations of the Patent Office are growing to such a magnitude and the accumulation of material is becoming so great that the necessity of more room is becoming more obvious day by day. I respectfully invite your attention to the reports of the Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner of Patents on this subject. The business of the General Land Office exhibits a material increase in all its branches during the last fiscal year. During that time there were disposed of out of the public lands 13,030,606 acres, being an amount greater by 1,165,631 acres than was disposed of during the preceding year. Of the amount disposed of, 1,626,266 acres were sold for cash, 214,940 acres were located with military land warrants, 3,793,612 acres were taken for homesteads, 653,446 acres were located with agricultural-college scrip, 6,083,536 acres were certified by railroads, 76,576 acres were granted to wagon roads, 238,548 acres were approved to States as swamp lands, 138,681 acres were certified for agricultural colleges, common schools, universities, and seminaries, 190,775 acres were approved to States for internal improvements, and 14,222 acres were located with Indian scrip. The cash receipts during the same time were $3,408,515.50, being $190,415.50 in excess of the receipts of the previous year. During the year 30,488,132 acres of public land were surveyed, an increase over the amount surveyed the previous year of 1,037,193 acres, and, added to the area previously surveyed, aggregates 616,554,895 acres which have been surveyed, leaving 1,218,443,505 acres of the public land still unsurveyed. The increased and steadily increasing facilities for reaching our unoccupied public domain and for the transportation of surplus products enlarge the available field for desirable homestead locations, thus stimulating settlement and extending year by year in a gradually increasing ratio the area of occupation and cultivation. The expressed desire of the representatives of a large colony of citizens of Russia to emigrate to this country, as is understood, with the consent of their Government, if certain concessions can be made to enable them to settle in a compact colony, is of great interest, as going to show the light in which our institutions are regarded by an industrious, intelligent, and wealthy people, desirous of enjoying civil and religious liberty; and the acquisition of so large an immigration of citizens of a superior class would without doubt be of substantial benefit to the country. I invite attention to the suggestion of the Secretary of the Interior in this behalf. There was paid during the last fiscal year for pensions, including the expense of disbursement, $29,185,289.62, being an amount less by $984,050.98 than was expended for the same purpose the preceding year. Although this statement of expenditures would indicate a material reduction in amount compared with the preceding year, it is believed that the changes in the pension laws at the last session of Congress will absorb that amount the current year. At the close of the last fiscal year there were on the pension rolls 99,804 invalid military pensioners and 112,088 widows, orphans, and dependent relatives of deceased soldiers, making a total of that class of 211,892; 18,266 survivors of the War of 1812 and 5,058 widows of soldiers of that war pensioned under the act of Congress of February 14, 1871, making a total of that class of 23,319; 1,480 invalid navy pensioners and 1,770 widows, orphans, and dependent relatives of deceased officers, sailors, and marines of the Navy, making a total of navy pensioners of 3,200, and a grand total of pensioners of 311 classes of 238,411, showing a net increase during the last fiscal year of 6,182. During the last year the names of 16,405 pensioners were added to the rolls, and 10,223 names were dropped therefrom for various causes. The system adopted for the detection of frauds against the Government in the matter of pensions has been productive of satisfactory results, but legislation is needed to provide, if possible, against the perpetration of such frauds in future. The evidently increasing interest in the because of education is a most encouraging feature in the general progress and prosperity of the country, and the Bureau of Education is earnest in its efforts to give proper direction to the new appliances and increased facilities which are being offered to aid the educators of the country in their great work. The Ninth Census has been completed, the report thereof published and distributed, and the working force of the Bureau disbanded. The Secretary of the Interior renews his recommendation for a census to be taken in 1875, to which subject the attention of Congress is invited. The original suggestion in that behalf has met with the general approval of the country; and even if it be not deemed advisable at present to provide for a regular quinquennial census, a census taken in 1875, the report of which could be completed and published before the one hundredth anniversary of our national independence, would be especially interesting and valuable, as showing the progress of the country during the first century of our national existence. It is believed, however, that a regular census every five years would be of substantial benefit to the country, inasmuch as our growth hitherto has been so rapid that the results of the decennial census are necessarily unreliable as a basis of estimates for the latter years of a decennial period. Under the very efficient management of the governor and the board of public works of this District the city of Washington is rapidly assuming the appearance of a capital of which the nation may well be proud. From being a most unsightly place three years ago, disagreeable to pass through in summer in consequence of the dust arising from unpaved streets, and almost impassable in the winter from the mud, it is now one of the most sightly cities in the country, and can boast of being the best paved. The work has been done systematically, the plans, grades, location of sewers, water and gas mains being determined upon before the work was commenced, thus securing permanency when completed. I question whether so much has ever been accomplished before in any American city for the same expenditures. The Government having large reservations in the city, and the nation at large having an interest in their capital, I recommend a liberal policy toward the District of Columbia, and that the Government should bear its just share of the expense of these improvements. Every citizen visiting the capital feels a pride in its growing beauty, and that he too is part owner in the investments made here. I would suggest to Congress the propriety of promoting the establishment in this District of an institution of learning, or university of the highest class, by the donation of lands. There is no place better suited for such an institution than the national capital. There is no other place in which every citizen is so directly interested. In three successive messages to Congress I have called attention to the subject of "civil-service reform." Action has been taken so far as to authorize the appointment of a board to devise rules governing methods of making appointments and promotions, but there never has been any action making these rules, or any rules, binding, or even entitled to observance, where persons desire the appointment of a friend or the removal of an official who may be disagreeable to them. To have any rules effective they must have the acquiescence of Congress as well as of the Executive. I commend, therefore, the subject to your attention, and suggest that a special committee of Congress might confer with the Civil-Service Board during the present session for the purpose of devising such rules as can be maintained, and which will secure the services of honest and capable officials, and which will also protect them in a degree of independence while in office. Proper rules will protect Congress, as well as the Executive, from much needless persecution, and will prove of great value to the public at large. I would recommend for your favorable consideration the passage of an enabling act for the admission of Colorado as a State in the Union. It possesses all the elements of a prosperous State, agricultural and mineral, and, I believe, has a population now to justify such admission. In connection with this I would also recommend the encouragement of a canal for purposes of irrigation from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains to the Missouri River. As a rule I am opposed to further donations of public lands for internal improvements owned and controlled by private corporations, but in this instance I would make an exception. Between the Missouri River and the Rocky Mountains there is an arid belt of public land from 300 to 500 miles in width, perfectly valueless for the occupation of man, for the want of sufficient rain to secure the growth of any product. An irrigating canal would make productive a belt as wide as the supply of water could be made to spread over across this entire country, and would secure a cordon of settlements connecting the present population of the mountain and mining regions with that of the older States. All the land reclaimed would be clear gain. If alternate sections are retained by the Government, I would suggest that the retained sections be thrown open to entry under the homestead laws, or sold to actual settlers for a very low price. I renew my previous recommendation to Congress for general amnesty. The number engaged in the late rebellion yet laboring under disabilities is very small, but enough to keep up a constant irritation. No possible danger can accrue to the Government by restoring them to eligibility to hold office. I suggest for your consideration the enactment of a law to better secure the civil rights which freedom should secure, but has not effectually secured, to the enfranchised slave.
the year that has passed since the submission of my last message to congress has especially during the latter part of it been an eventful one to the country in the midst of great national prosperity a financial crisis has occurred that has brought low fortunes of gigantic proportions political partisanship has almost ceased to exist especially in the agricultural regions and finally the capture upon the high seas of a vessel bearing our flag has for a time threatened the most serious consequences and has agitated the public mind from one end of the country to the other but this happily now is in the course of satisfactory adjustment honorable to both nations concerned the relations of the united states however with most of the other powers continue to be friendly and cordial with france germany russia italy and the minor european powers with brazil and most of the south american republics and with japan nothing has occurred during the year to demand special notice the correspondence between the department of state and various diplomatic representatives in or from those countries is transmitted herewith in executing the will of congress as expressed in its joint resolution of the 14th of february last and in accordance with the provisions of the resolution a number of practical artisans of scientific men and of honorary commissioners were authorized to attend the exposition at vienna as commissioners on the part of the united states it is believed that we have obtained the object which congress had in view when it passed the joint resolution in order to enable the people of the united states to participate in the advantages of the international exhibition of the products of agriculture manufactures and the fine arts to be held at vienna i take pleasure in adding that the american exhibitors have received a gratifying number of diplomas and of medals during the exposition a conference was held at vienna for the purpose of consultation on the systems prevailing in different countries for the protection of inventions i authorized a representative from the patent office to be present at vienna at the time when this conference was to take place in order to aid as far as he might in securing any possible additional protection to american inventors in europe the report of this agent will be laid before congress it is my pleasant duty to announce to congress that the emperor of china on attaining his majority received the diplomatic representatives of the western powers in person an account of these ceremonies and of the interesting discussions which preceded them will be found in the documents transmitted herewith the accompanying papers show that some advance although slight has been made during the past year toward the suppression of the infamous chinese cooly trade i recommend congress to inquire whether additional legislation be not needed on this subject the money awarded to the united states by the tribunal of arbitration at geneva was paid by her majesty government a few days in advance of the time when it would have become payable according to the terms of the treaty in compliance with the provisions of the act of march 3 1873 it was at once paid into the treasury and used to redeem so far as it might the public debt of the united states and the amount so redeemed was invested in a 5 per cent registered bond of the united states for which is now held by the secretary of state subject to the future disposition of congress i renew my recommendation made at the opening of the last session of congress that a commission be created for the purpose of auditing and determining the amounts of the several direct losses growing out of the destruction of vessels and their cargoes by the alabama the florida or the shenandoah after leaving melbourne for which the sufferers have received no equivalent or compensation and of ascertaining the names of the persons entitled to receive compensation for the same making the computations upon the basis indicated by the tribunal of arbitration at geneva and that payment of such losses be authorized to an extent not to exceed the awards of the tribunal at geneva by an act approved on the 14th day of february last congress made provision for completing jointly with an officer or commissioner to be named by her britannic majesty the determination of so much of the boundary line between the territory of the united states and the possessions of great britain as was left uncompleted by the commissioners appointed under the act of congress of august 11 1856 under the provisions of this act the northwest water boundary of the united states has been determined and marked in accordance with the award of the emperor of germany a protocol and a copy of the map upon which the line was thus marked are contained in the papers submitted herewith i also transmit a copy of the report of the commissioner for marking the northern boundary between the united states and the british possessions west of the lake of the woods of the operations of the commission during the past season surveys have been made to a point 497 miles west of the lake of the woods leaving about 350 miles to be surveyed the field work of which can be completed during the next season the mixed commission organized under the provisions of the treaty of washington for settling and determining the claims of citizens of either power against the other arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the period between april 13 1861 and april 9 1865 made its final award on the 25th day of september last it was awarded that the government of the united states should pay to the government of her britannic majesty within twelve months from the date of the award the sum of in gold the commission disallowed or dismissed all other claims of british subjects against the united states the amount of the claims presented by the british government but disallowed or dismissed is understood to be about it also disallowed all the claims of citizens of the united states against great britain which were referred to it i recommend the early passage of an act appropriating the amount necessary to pay this award against the united states i have caused to be communicated to the government of the king of italy the thanks of this government for the eminent services rendered by count corti as the third commissioner on this commission with dignity learning and impartiality he discharged duties requiring great labor and constant patience to the satisfaction i believe of both governments i recommend legislation to create a special court to consist of three judges who shall be empowered to hear and determine all claims of aliens upon the united states arising out of acts committed against their persons or property during the insurrection the recent reference under the treaty of washington was confined to claims of british subjects arising during the period named in the treaty but it is understood that there are other british claims of a similar nature arising after the 9th of april 1865 and it is known that other claims of a like nature are advanced by citizens or subjects of other powers it is desirable to have these claims also examined and disposed of official information being received from the dutch government of a state of war between the king of the netherlands and the sultan of acheen the officers of the united states who were near the seat of the war were instructed to observe an impartial neutrality it is believed that they have done so the joint commission under the convention with mexico of 1868 having again been legally prolonged has resumed its business which it is hoped may be brought to an early conclusion the distinguished representative of her britannic majesty at washington has kindly consented with the approval of his government to assume the arduous and responsible duties of umpire in this commission and to lend the weight of his character and name to such decisions as may not receive the acquiescence of both the arbitrators appointed by the respective governments the commissioners appointed pursuant to the authority of congress to examine into the nature and extent of the forays by trespassers from that country upon the herds of texas have made a report which will be submitted for your consideration the venezuelan government has been apprised of the sense of congress in regard to the awards of the joint commission under the convention of 25th april 1866 as expressed in the act of the 25th of february last it is apprehended that that government does not realize the character of its obligations under that convention as there is reason to believe however that its hesitancy in recognizing them springs in part at least from real difficulty in discharging them in connection with its obligations to other governments the expediency of further forbearance on our part is believed to be worthy of your consideration the ottoman government and that of egypt have latterly shown a disposition to relieve foreign consuls of the judicial powers which heretofore they have exercised in the turkish dominions by organizing other tribunals as congress however has by law provided for the discharge of judicial functions by consuls of the united states in that quarter under the treaty of 1830 i have not felt at liberty formally to accept the proposed change without the assent of congress whose decision upon the subject at as early a period as may be convenient is earnestly requested i transmit herewith for the consideration and determination of congress an application of the republic of santo domingo to this government to exercise a protectorate over that republic since the adjournment of congress the following treaties with foreign powers have been proclaimed a naturalization convention with denmark a convention with mexico for renewing the claims commission a convention of friendship commerce and extradition with the orange free state and a naturalization convention with ecuador i renew the recommendation made in my message of december 1870 that congress authorize the to issue all commissions to officials appointed through his department i invite the earnest attention of congress to the existing laws of the united states respecting expatriation and the election of nationality by individuals many citizens of the united states reside permanently abroad with their families under the provisions of the act approved february 10 1855 the children of such persons are to be deemed and taken to be citizens of the united states but the rights of citizenship are not to descend to persons whose fathers never resided in the united states it thus happens that persons who have never resided within the united states have been enabled to put forward a pretension to the protection of the united states against the claim to military service of the government under whose protection they were born and have been reared in some cases even naturalized citizens of the united states have returned to the land of their birth with intent to remain there and their children the issue of a marriage contracted there after their return and who have never been in the united states have laid claim to our protection when the lapse of many years had imposed upon them the duty of military service to the only government which had ever known them personally until the year 1868 it was left embarrassed by conflicting opinions of courts and of jurists to determine how far the doctrine of perpetual allegiance derived from our former colonial relations with great britain was applicable to american citizens congress then wisely swept these doubts away by enacting that any declaration instruction opinion order or decision of any officer of this government which denies restricts impairs or questions the right of expatriation is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of this government but congress did not indicate in that statute nor has it since done so what acts are to be deemed to work expatriation for my own guidance in determining such questions i required under the provisions of the constitution the opinion in writing of the principal officer in each of the executive departments upon certain questions relating to this subject the result satisfies me that further legislation has become necessary i therefore commend the subject to the careful consideration of congress and i transmit herewith copies of the several opinions of the principal officers of the executive departments together with other correspondence and pertinent information on the same subject the united states who led the way in the overthrow of the feudal doctrine of perpetual allegiance are among the last to indicate how their own citizens may elect another nationality the papers submitted herewith indicate what is necessary to place us on a par with other leading nations in liberality of legislation on this international question we have already in our treaties assented to the principles which would need to be embodied in laws intended to accomplish such results we have agreed that citizens of the united states may cease to be citizens and may voluntarily render allegiance to other powers we have agreed that residence in a foreign land without intent to return shall of itself work expatriation we have agreed in some instances upon the length of time necessary for such continued residence to work a presumption of such intent i invite congress now to mark out and define when and how expatriation can be accomplished to regulate by law the condition of american women marrying foreigners to fix the status of children born in a foreign country of american parents residing more or less permanently abroad and to make rules for determining such other kindred points as may seem best to congress in compliance with the request of congress i transmitted to the american minister at madrid with instructions to present it to the spanish government the joint resolution approved on the 3d of march last tendering to the people of spain in the name and on the behalf of the american people the congratulations of congress upon the efforts to consolidate in spain the principles of universal liberty in a republican form of government the existence of this new republic was inaugurated by striking the fetters from the slaves in porto rico this beneficent measure was followed by the release of several thousand persons illegally held as slaves in cuba next the of that colony was deprived of the power to set aside the orders of his superiors at madrid which had pertained to the office since 1825 the sequestered estates of american citizens which had been the because of long and fruitless correspondence were ordered to be restored to their owners all these liberal steps were taken in the face of a violent opposition directed by the reactionary of havana who are vainly striving to stay the march of ideas which has terminated slavery in christendom cuba only excepted unhappily however this baneful influence has thus far succeeded in defeating the efforts of all men in spain to abolish slavery in cuba and in preventing the promised reform in that island the struggle for political supremacy continues there the proslavery and aristocratic party in cuba is gradually arraigning itself in more and more open hostility and defiance of the home government while it still maintains a political connection with the republic in the peninsula and although usurping and defying the authority of the home government whenever such usurpation or defiance tends in the direction of oppression or of the maintenance of abuses it is still a power in madrid and is recognized by the government thus an element more dangerous to continued colonial relations between cuba and spain than that which inspired the insurrection at yara an element opposed to granting any relief from misrule and abuse with no aspirations after freedom commanding no sympathies in generous breasts aiming to rivet still stronger the shackles of slavery and oppression has seized many of the emblems of power in cuba and under professions of loyalty to the mother country is exhausting the resources of the island and is doing acts which are at variance with those principles of justice of liberality and of right which give nobility of character to a republic in the interests of humanity of civilization and of progress it is to be hoped that this evil influence may be soon averted the steamer virginius was on the 26th day of september 1870 duly registered at the port of new york as a part of the commercial marine of the united states on the 4th of october 1870 having received the certificate of her register in the usual legal form she sailed from the port of new york and has not since been within the territorial jurisdiction of the united states on the 31st day of october last while sailing under the flag of the united states on the high seas she was forcibly seized by the spanish gunboat tornado and was carried into the port of santiago de cuba where of her passengers and crew were inhumanly and so far at least as relates to those who were citizens of the united states without due process of law put to death it is a principle asserted by the united states from the beginning of their national independence recognized by great britain and other maritime powers and stated by the senate in a resolution passed unanimously on the 16th of june 1858 that american vessels on the high seas in time of peace bearing the american flag remain under the jurisdiction of the country to which they belong and therefore any visitation molestation or detention of such vessel by force or by the exhibition of force on the part of a foreign power is in derogation of the sovereignty of the united states in accordance with this principle the restoration of the virginius and the surrender of the survivors of her passengers and crew and a due reparation to the flag and the punishment of the authorities who had been guilty of the illegal acts of violence were demanded the spanish government has recognized the justice of the demand and has arranged for the immediate delivery of the vessel and for the surrender of the survivors of the passengers and crew and for a salute to the flag and for proceedings looking to the punishment of those who may be proved to have been guilty of illegal acts of violence toward citizens of the united states and also toward indemnifying those who may be shown to be entitled to indemnity a copy of a protocol of a conference between the secretary of state and the spanish minister in which the terms of this arrangement were agreed to is transmitted herewith the correspondence on this subject with the legation of the united states in madrid was conducted in cipher and by cable and needs the verification of the actual text of the correspondence it has seemed to me to be due to the importance of the case not to submit this correspondence until the accurate text can be received by mail it is expected shortly and will be submitted when received in taking leave of this subject for the present i wish to renew the expression of my conviction that the existence of african slavery in cuba is a principal because of the lamentable condition of the island i do not doubt that congress shares with me the hope that it will soon be made to disappear and that peace and prosperity may follow its abolition the embargoing of american estates in cuba cruelty to american citizens detected in no act of hostility to the spanish government the murdering of prisoners taken with arms in their hands and finally the capture upon the high seas of a vessel sailing under the united states flag and bearing a united states registry have culminated in an outburst of indignation that has seemed for a time to threaten war pending negotiations between the united states and the government of spain on the subject of this capture i have authorized the secretary of the navy to put our navy on a war footing to the extent at least of the entire annual appropriation for that branch of the service trusting to congress and the public opinion of the american people to justify my action assuming from the action of the last congress in appointing a committee on privileges and elections to prepare and report to this congress a constitutional amendment to provide a better method of electing the president and of the united states and also from the necessity of such an amendment that there will be submitted to the state legislatures for ratification such an improvement in our constitution i suggest two others for your consideration first to authorize the executive to approve of so much of any measure passing the two houses of congress as his judgment may dictate without approving the whole the disapproved portion or portions to be subjected to the same rules as now to wit to be referred back to the house in which the measure or measures originated and if passed by a vote of the two houses then to become a law without the approval of the president i would add to this a provision that there should be no legislation by congress during the last hours of its sitting except upon vetoes in order to give the executive an opportunity to examine and approve or disapprove bills understandingly second to provide by amendment that when an extra session of congress is convened by executive proclamation legislation during the continuance of such extra session shall be confined to such subjects as the executive may bring before it from time to time in writing the advantages to be gained by these two amendments are too obvious for me to comment upon them one session in each year is provided for by the constitution in which there are no restrictions as to the subjects of legislation by congress if more are required it is always in the power of congress during their term of office to provide for sessions at any time the first of these amendments would protect the public against the many abuses and waste of public moneys which creep into appropriation bills and other important measures passing during the expiring hours of congress to which otherwise due consideration can not be given the receipts of the government from all sources for the last fiscal year were and expenditures on all accounts thus showing an excess of receipts over expenditures of but it is not probable that this favorable exhibit will be shown for the present fiscal year indeed it is very doubtful whether except with great economy on the part of congress in making appropriations and the same economy in administering the various departments of government the revenues will not fall short of meeting actual expenses including interest on the public debt i commend to congress such economy and point out two sources where it seems to me it might commence to wit in the appropriations for public buildings in the many cities where work has not yet been commenced in the appropriations for river and harbor improvement in those localities where the improvements are of but little benefit to general commerce and for fortifications there is a still more fruitful source of expenditure which i will point out later in this message i refer to the easy method of manufacturing claims for losses incurred in suppressing the late rebellion i would not be understood here as opposing the erection of good substantial and even ornamental buildings by the government wherever such buildings are needed in fact i approve of the government owning its own buildings in all sections of the country and hope the day is not far distant when it will not only possess them but will erect in the capital suitable residences for all persons who now receive commutation for quarters or rent at government expense and for the cabinet thus setting an example to the states which may induce them to erect buildings for their senators but i would have this work conducted at a time when the revenues of the country would abundantly justify it the revenues have materially fallen off for the first five months of the present fiscal year from what they were expected to produce owing to the general panic now prevailing which commenced about the middle of september last the full effect of this disaster if it should not prove a blessing in disguise is yet to be demonstrated in either event it is your duty to heed the lesson and to provide by wise and legislation as far as it lies in your power against its recurrence and to take advantage of all benefits that may have accrued my own judgment is that however much individuals may have suffered one long step has been taken toward specie payments that we can never have permanent prosperity until a specie basis is reached and that a specie basis can not be reached and maintained until our exports exclusive of gold pay for our imports interest due abroad and other specie obligations or so nearly so as to leave an appreciable accumulation of the precious metals in the country from the products of our mines the development of the mines of precious metals during the past year and the prospective development of them for years to come are gratifying in their results could but of the gold extracted from the mines be retained at home our advance toward specie payments would be rapid to increase our exports sufficient currency is required to keep all the industries of the country employed without this national as well as individual bankruptcy must ensue undue inflation on the other hand while it might give temporary relief would only lead to inflation of prices the impossibility of competing in our own markets for the products of home skill and labor and repeated renewals of present experiences elasticity to our circulating medium therefore and just enough of it to transact the legitimate business of the country and to keep all industries employed is what is most to be desired the exact medium is specie the recognized medium of exchange the world over that obtained we shall have a currency of an exact degree of elasticity if there be too much of it for the legitimate purposes of trade and commerce it will flow out of the country if too little the reverse will result to hold what we have and to appreciate our currency to that standard is the problem deserving of the most serious consideration of congress the experience of the present panic has proven that the currency of the country based as it is upon the credit of the country is the best that has ever been devised usually in times of such trials currency has become worthless or so much depreciated in value as to inflate the values of all the necessaries of life as compared with the currency everyone holding it has been anxious to dispose of it on any terms now we witness the reverse holders of currency hoard it as they did gold in former experiences of a like nature it is patent to the most casual observer that much more currency or money is required to transact the legitimate trade of the country during the fall and winter months when the vast crops are being removed than during the balance of the year with our present system the amount in the country remains the same throughout the entire year resulting in an accumulation of all the surplus capital of the country in a few centers when not employed in the moving of crops tempted there by the offer of interest on call loans interest being paid this surplus capital must earn this interest paid with a profit being subject to call it can not be loaned only in part at best to the merchant or manufacturer for a fixed term hence no matter how much currency there might be in the country it would be absorbed prices keeping pace with the volume and panics stringency and disasters would ever be recurring with the autumn elasticity in our monetary system therefore is the object to be attained first and next to that as far as possible a prevention of the use of other people money in stock and other species of speculation to prevent the latter it seems to me that one great step would be taken by prohibiting the national banks from paying interest on deposits by requiring them to hold their reserves in their own vaults and by forcing them into resumption though it would only be in notes for this purpose i would suggest the establishment of clearing houses for your consideration to secure the former many plans have been suggested most if not all of which look to me more like inflation on the one hand or compelling the government on the other to pay interest without corresponding benefits upon the surplus funds of the country during the seasons when otherwise unemployed i submit for your consideration whether this difficulty might not be overcome by authorizing the secretary of the treasury to issue at any time to national banks of issue any amount of their own notes below a fixed percentage of their issue say 40 per cent upon the banks depositing with the treasurer of the united states an amount of government bonds equal to the amount of notes demanded the banks to forfeit to the government say 4 per cent of the interest accruing on the bonds so pledged during the time they remain with the treasurer as security for the increased circulation the bonds so pledged to be redeemable by the banks at their pleasure either in whole or in part by returning their own bills for cancellation to an amount equal to the face of the bonds withdrawn i would further suggest for your consideration the propriety of authorizing national banks to diminish their standing issue at pleasure by returning for cancellation their own bills and withdrawing so many united states bonds as are pledged for the bills returned in view of the great actual contraction that has taken place in the currency and the comparative contraction continuously going on due to the increase of population increase of manufactories and all the industries i do not believe there is too much of it now for the dullest period of the year indeed if clearing houses should be established thus forcing redemption it is a question for your consideration whether banking should not be made free retaining all the safeguards now required to secure bill holders in any modification of the present laws regulating national banks as a further step toward preparing for resumption of specie payments i invite your attention to a consideration of the propriety of exacting from them the retention as a part of their reserve either the whole or a part of the gold interest accruing upon the bonds pledged as security for their issue i have not reflected enough on the bearing this might have in producing a scarcity of coin with which to pay duties on imports to give it my positive recommendation but your attention is invited to the subject during the last four years the currency has been contracted directly by the withdrawal of 3 per cent certificates notes and bonds outstanding on the 4th of march 1869 all of which took the place of in the bank reserves to the extent of during the same period there has been a much larger comparative contraction of the currency the population of the country has largely increased more than miles of railroad have been built requiring the active use of capital to operate them millions of acres of land have been opened to cultivation requiring capital to move the products manufactories have multiplied beyond all precedent in the same period of time requiring capital weekly for the payment of wages and for the purchase of material and probably the largest of all comparative contraction arises from the organizing of free labor in the south now every laborer there receives his wages and for want of savings banks the greater part of such wages is carried in the pocket or hoarded until required for use these suggestions are thrown out for your consideration without any recommendation that they shall be adopted literally but hoping that the best method may be arrived at to secure such an elasticity of the currency as will keep employed all the industries of the country and prevent such an inflation as will put off indefinitely the resumption of specie payments an object so devoutly to be wished for by all and by none more earnestly than the class of people most directly interested those who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow the decisions of congress on this subject will have the hearty support of the executive in previous messages i have called attention to the decline in american shipbuilding and recommended such legislation as would secure to us our proportion of the carrying trade stimulated by high rates and abundance of freight the progress for the last year in shipbuilding has been very satisfactory there has been an increase of about 3 per cent in the amount transported in american vessels over the amount of last year with the reduced cost of material which has taken place it may reasonably be hoped that this progress will be maintained and even increased however as we pay about per annum to foreign vessels for the transportation to a market of our surplus products thus increasing the balance of trade against us to this amount the subject is one worthy of your serious consideration cheap transportation is a subject that has attracted the attention of both producers and consumers for the past few years and has contributed to if it has not been the direct because of the recent panic and stringency as congress at its last session appointed a special committee to investigate this whole subject during the vacation and report at this session i have nothing to recommend until their report is read there is one work however of a national character in which the greater portion of the east and the west the north and the south are equally interested to which i will invite your attention the state of new york has a canal connecting lake erie with tide water on the hudson river the state of illinois has a similar work connecting lake michigan with navigable water on the illinois river thus making water communication inland between the east and the west and south these great artificial water courses are the property of the states through which they pass and pay toll to those states would it not be wise statesmanship to pledge these states that if they will open these canals for the passage of large vessels the general government will look after and keep in navigable condition the great public highways with which they connect to wit the overslaugh on the hudson the clair flats and the illinois and mississippi rivers this would be a national work one of great value to the producers of the west and south in giving them cheap transportation for their produce to the seaboard and a market and to the consumers in the east in giving them cheaper food particularly of those articles of food which do not find a foreign market and the prices of which therefore are not regulated by foreign demands the advantages of such a work are too obvious for argument i submit the subject to you therefore without further comment in attempting to regain our lost commerce and carrying trade i have heretofore called attention to the states south of us offering a field where much might be accomplished to further this object i suggest that a small appropriation be made accompanied with authority for the secretary of the navy to fit out a naval vessel to ascend the amazon river to the mouth of the madeira thence to explore that river and its tributaries into bolivia and to report to congress at its next session or as soon as practicable the accessibility of the country by water its resources and the population so reached such an exploration would cost but little it can do no harm and may result in establishing a trade of value to both nations in further connection with the treasury department i would recommend a revision and codification of the tariff laws and the opening of more mints for coining money with authority to coin for such nations as may apply the attention of congress is invited to the recommendations contained in the report of the secretary of war herewith accompanying the apparent great cost of supporting the army is fully explained by this report and i hope will receive your attention while inviting your general attention to all the recommendations made by the secretary of war there are two which i would especially invite you to consider first the importance of preparing for war in time of peace by providing proper armament for our seacoast defenses proper armament is of vastly more importance than fortifications the latter can be supplied very speedily for temporary purposes when needed the former can not the second is the necessity of reopening promotion in the staff corps of the army particularly is this necessity felt in the medical pay and ordnance departments at this time it is necessary to employ contract surgeons to supply the necessary medical attendance required by the army with the present force of the pay department it is now difficult to make the payments to troops provided for by law long delays in payments are productive of desertions and other demoralization and the law prohibits the payment of troops by other than regular army paymasters there are now sixteen vacancies in the ordnance department thus leaving that branch of the service without sufficient officers to conduct the business of the different arsenals on a large scale if ever required during the past year our navy has been depleted by the sale of some vessels no longer fit for naval service and by the condemnation of others not yet disposed of this however has been more than compensated for by the repair of six of the old wooden ships and by the building of eight new sloops of war authorized by the last congress the building of these latter has occurred at a doubly fortunate time they are about being completed at a time when they may possibly be much needed and the work upon them has not only given direct employment to thousands of men but has no doubt been the means of keeping open establishments for other work at a time of great financial distress since the commencement of the last month however the distressing occurrences which have taken place in the waters of the caribbean sea almost on our very seaboard while they illustrate most forcibly the necessity always existing that a nation situated like ours should maintain in a state of possible efficiency a navy adequate to its responsibilities has at the same time demanded that all the effective force we really have shall be put in immediate readiness for warlike service this has been and is being done promptly and effectively and i am assured that all the available ships and every authorized man of the american navy will be ready for whatever action is required for the safety of our citizens or the maintenance of our honor this of course will require the expenditure in a short time of some of the appropriations which were calculated to extend through the fiscal year but congress will i doubt not understand and appreciate the emergency and will provide adequately not only for the present preparation but for the future maintenance of our naval force the secretary of the navy has during the past year been quietly putting some of our most effective monitors in condition for service and thus the exigency finds us in a much better condition for work than we could possibly have been without his action a complete exhibit is presented in the accompanying report of the of the operations of the department during the year the ordinary postal revenues for the fiscal year ended june 30 1873 amounted to and the expenditures of all kinds to the increase of revenues over 1872 was and the increase of expenditures independent of the payments made from special appropriations for mail steamship lines the amount drawn from the general treasury to meet deficiencies was the constant and rapid extension of our postal service particularly upon railways and the improved facilities for the collection transmission distribution and delivery of the mails which are constantly being provided account for the increased expenditures of this popular branch of the public service the total number of in operation on june 30 1873 was a net increase of over the number reported the preceding year the number of presidential offices was an increase of 163 during the year the total length of railroad mail routes at the close of the year was miles an increase of miles over the year 1872 railway lines were in operation june 30 1873 extending over miles of railroad routes and performing an aggregate service of miles daily the number of letters exchanged with foreign countries was an increase of over the previous year and the postage thereon amounted to the total weight of correspondence exchanged in the mails with european countries exceeded 912 tons an increase of 92 tons over the previous year the total cost of the united states ocean steamship service including paid from special appropriations to subsidized lines of mail steamers was new or additional postal conventions have been concluded with sweden norway belgium germany canada newfoundland and japan reducing postage rates on correspondence exchanged with those countries and further efforts have been made to conclude a satisfactory postal convention with france but without success i invite the favorable consideration of congress to the suggestions and recommendations of the for an extension of the system in all cities having a population of not less than for the prepayment of postage on newspapers and other printed matter of the second class for a uniform postage and limit of weight on miscellaneous matter for adjusting the compensation of all postmasters not appointed by the president by the old method of commissions on the actual receipts of the office instead of the present mode of fixing the salary in advance upon special returns and especially do i urge favorable action by congress on the important recommendations of the for the establishment of united states postal savings depositories your attention is also again called to a consideration of the question of postal telegraphs and the arguments adduced in support thereof in the hope that you may take such action in connection therewith as in your judgment will most contribute to the best interests of the country affairs in utah require your early and special attention the supreme court of the united states in the case of clinton englebrecht decided that the united states marshal of that territory could not lawfully summon jurors for the district courts and those courts hold that the territorial marshal can not lawfully perform that duty because he is elected by the legislative assembly and not appointed as provided for in the act organizing the territory all proceedings at law are practically abolished by these decisions and there have been but few or no jury trials in the district courts of that territory since the last session of congress property is left without protection by the courts and crimes go unpunished to prevent anarchy there it is absolutely necessary that congress provide the courts with some mode of obtaining jurors and i recommend legislation to that end and also that the probate courts of the territory now assuming to issue writs of injunction and habeas corpus and to try criminal cases and questions as to land titles be denied all jurisdiction not possessed ordinarily by courts of that description i have become impressed with the belief that the act approved march 2 1867 entitled an act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the united states is productive of more evil than good at this time many considerations might be urged for its total repeal but if this is not considered advisable i think it will not be seriously questioned that those portions of said act providing for what is called involuntary bankruptcy operate to increase the financial embarrassments of the country careful and prudent men very often become involved in debt in the transaction of their business and though they may possess ample property if it could be made available for that purpose to meet all their liabilities yet on account of the extraordinary scarcity of money they may be unable to meet all their pecuniary obligations as they become due in consequence of which they are liable to be prostrated in their business by proceedings in bankruptcy at the instance of unrelenting creditors people are now so easily alarmed as to monetary matters that the mere filing of a petition in bankruptcy by an unfriendly creditor will necessarily embarrass and oftentimes accomplish the financial ruin of a responsible business man those who otherwise might make lawful and just arrangements to relieve themselves from difficulties produced by the present stringency in money are prevented by their constant exposure to attack and disappointment by proceedings against them in bankruptcy and besides the law is made use of in many cases by obdurate creditors to frighten or force debtors into a compliance with their wishes and into acts of injustice to other creditors and to themselves i recommend that so much of said act as provides for involuntary bankruptcy on account of the suspension of payment be repealed your careful attention is invited to the subject of claims against the government and to the facilities afforded by existing laws for their prosecution each of the departments of state treasury and war has demands for many millions of dollars upon its files and they are rapidly accumulating to these may be added those now pending before congress the court of claims and the southern claims commission making in the aggregate an immense sum most of these grow out of the rebellion and are intended to indemnify persons on both sides for their losses during the war and not a few of them are fabricated and supported by false testimony projects are on foot it is believed to induce congress to provide for new classes of claims and to revive old ones through the repeal or modification of the statute of limitations by which they are now barred i presume these schemes if proposed will be received with little favor by congress and i recommend that persons having claims against the united states cognizable by any tribunal or department thereof be required to present them at an early day and that legislation be directed as far as practicable to the defeat of unfounded and unjust demands upon the government and i would suggest as a means of preventing fraud that witnesses be called upon to appear in person to testify before those tribunals having said claims before them for adjudication probably the largest saving to the national treasury can be secured by timely legislation on these subjects of any of the economic measures that will be proposed you will be advised of the operations of the department of justice by the report of the and i invite your attention to the amendments of existing laws suggested by him with the view of reducing the expenses of that department the policy inaugurated toward the indians at the beginning of the last administration has been steadily pursued and i believe with beneficial results it will be continued with only such modifications as time and experience may demonstrate as necessary with the encroachment of civilization upon the indian reservations and hunting grounds disturbances have taken place between the indians and whites during the past year and probably will continue to do so until each race appreciates that the other has rights which must be respected the policy has been to collect the indians as rapidly as possible on reservations and as far as practicable within what is known as the indian territory and to teach them the arts of civilization and where found off their reservations and endangering the peace and safety of the whites they have been punished and will continue to be for like offenses the indian territory south of kansas and west of arkansas is sufficient in area and agricultural resources to support all the indians east of the rocky mountains in time no doubt all of them except a few who may elect to make their homes among white people will be collected there as a preparatory step for this consummation i am now satisfied that a territorial form of government should be given them which will secure the treaty rights of the original settlers and protect their homesteads from alienation for a period of twenty years the operations of the patent office are growing to such a magnitude and the accumulation of material is becoming so great that the necessity of more room is becoming more obvious day by day i respectfully invite your attention to the reports of the secretary of the interior and commissioner of patents on this subject the business of the general land office exhibits a material increase in all its branches during the last fiscal year during that time there were disposed of out of the public lands acres being an amount greater by acres than was disposed of during the preceding year of the amount disposed of acres were sold for cash acres were located with military land warrants acres were taken for homesteads acres were located with scrip acres were certified by railroads acres were granted to wagon roads acres were approved to states as swamp lands acres were certified for agricultural colleges common schools universities and seminaries acres were approved to states for internal improvements and acres were located with indian scrip the cash receipts during the same time were being in excess of the receipts of the previous year during the year acres of public land were surveyed an increase over the amount surveyed the previous year of acres and added to the area previously surveyed aggregates acres which have been surveyed leaving acres of the public land still unsurveyed the increased and steadily increasing facilities for reaching our unoccupied public domain and for the transportation of surplus products enlarge the available field for desirable homestead locations thus stimulating settlement and extending year by year in a gradually increasing ratio the area of occupation and cultivation the expressed desire of the representatives of a large colony of citizens of russia to emigrate to this country as is understood with the consent of their government if certain concessions can be made to enable them to settle in a compact colony is of great interest as going to show the light in which our institutions are regarded by an industrious intelligent and wealthy people desirous of enjoying civil and religious liberty and the acquisition of so large an immigration of citizens of a superior class would without doubt be of substantial benefit to the country i invite attention to the suggestion of the secretary of the interior in this behalf there was paid during the last fiscal year for pensions including the expense of disbursement being an amount less by than was expended for the same purpose the preceding year although this statement of expenditures would indicate a material reduction in amount compared with the preceding year it is believed that the changes in the pension laws at the last session of congress will absorb that amount the current year at the close of the last fiscal year there were on the pension rolls invalid military pensioners and widows orphans and dependent relatives of deceased soldiers making a total of that class of survivors of the war of 1812 and widows of soldiers of that war pensioned under the act of congress of february 14 1871 making a total of that class of invalid navy pensioners and widows orphans and dependent relatives of deceased officers sailors and marines of the navy making a total of navy pensioners of and a grand total of pensioners of 311 classes of showing a net increase during the last fiscal year of during the last year the names of pensioners were added to the rolls and names were dropped therefrom for various causes the system adopted for the detection of frauds against the government in the matter of pensions has been productive of satisfactory results but legislation is needed to provide if possible against the perpetration of such frauds in future the evidently increasing interest in the because of education is a most encouraging feature in the general progress and prosperity of the country and the bureau of education is earnest in its efforts to give proper direction to the new appliances and increased facilities which are being offered to aid the educators of the country in their great work the ninth census has been completed the report thereof published and distributed and the working force of the bureau disbanded the secretary of the interior renews his recommendation for a census to be taken in 1875 to which subject the attention of congress is invited the original suggestion in that behalf has met with the general approval of the country and even if it be not deemed advisable at present to provide for a regular quinquennial census a census taken in 1875 the report of which could be completed and published before the one hundredth anniversary of our national independence would be especially interesting and valuable as showing the progress of the country during the first century of our national existence it is believed however that a regular census every five years would be of substantial benefit to the country inasmuch as our growth hitherto has been so rapid that the results of the decennial census are necessarily unreliable as a basis of estimates for the latter years of a decennial period under the very efficient management of the governor and the board of public works of this district the city of washington is rapidly assuming the appearance of a capital of which the nation may well be proud from being a most unsightly place three years ago disagreeable to pass through in summer in consequence of the dust arising from unpaved streets and almost impassable in the winter from the mud it is now one of the most sightly cities in the country and can boast of being the best paved the work has been done systematically the plans grades location of sewers water and gas mains being determined upon before the work was commenced thus securing permanency when completed i question whether so much has ever been accomplished before in any american city for the same expenditures the government having large reservations in the city and the nation at large having an interest in their capital i recommend a liberal policy toward the district of columbia and that the government should bear its just share of the expense of these improvements every citizen visiting the capital feels a pride in its growing beauty and that he too is part owner in the investments made here i would suggest to congress the propriety of promoting the establishment in this district of an institution of learning or university of the highest class by the donation of lands there is no place better suited for such an institution than the national capital there is no other place in which every citizen is so directly interested in three successive messages to congress i have called attention to the subject of reform action has been taken so far as to authorize the appointment of a board to devise rules governing methods of making appointments and promotions but there never has been any action making these rules or any rules binding or even entitled to observance where persons desire the appointment of a friend or the removal of an official who may be disagreeable to them to have any rules effective they must have the acquiescence of congress as well as of the executive i commend therefore the subject to your attention and suggest that a special committee of congress might confer with the board during the present session for the purpose of devising such rules as can be maintained and which will secure the services of honest and capable officials and which will also protect them in a degree of independence while in office proper rules will protect congress as well as the executive from much needless persecution and will prove of great value to the public at large i would recommend for your favorable consideration the passage of an enabling act for the admission of colorado as a state in the union it possesses all the elements of a prosperous state agricultural and mineral and i believe has a population now to justify such admission in connection with this i would also recommend the encouragement of a canal for purposes of irrigation from the eastern slope of the rocky mountains to the missouri river as a rule i am opposed to further donations of public lands for internal improvements owned and controlled by private corporations but in this instance i would make an exception between the missouri river and the rocky mountains there is an arid belt of public land from 300 to 500 miles in width perfectly valueless for the occupation of man for the want of sufficient rain to secure the growth of any product an irrigating canal would make productive a belt as wide as the supply of water could be made to spread over across this entire country and would secure a cordon of settlements connecting the present population of the mountain and mining regions with that of the older states all the land reclaimed would be clear gain if alternate sections are retained by the government i would suggest that the retained sections be thrown open to entry under the homestead laws or sold to actual settlers for a very low price i renew my previous recommendation to congress for general amnesty the number engaged in the late rebellion yet laboring under disabilities is very small but enough to keep up a constant irritation no possible danger can accrue to the government by restoring them to eligibility to hold office i suggest for your consideration the enactment of a law to better secure the civil rights which freedom should secure but has not effectually secured to the enfranchised slave
year passed since submission last message congress especially latter part eventful one country midst great national prosperity financial crisis occurred brought low fortunes gigantic proportions political partisanship almost ceased exist especially agricultural regions finally capture upon high seas vessel bearing flag time threatened serious consequences agitated public mind one end country happily course satisfactory adjustment honorable nations concerned relations united states however powers continue friendly cordial france germany russia italy minor european powers brazil south american republics japan nothing occurred year demand special notice correspondence department state various diplomatic representatives countries transmitted herewith executing congress expressed joint resolution 14th february last accordance provisions resolution number practical artisans scientific men honorary commissioners authorized attend exposition vienna commissioners part united states believed obtained object congress view passed joint resolution order enable people united states participate advantages international exhibition products agriculture manufactures fine arts held vienna take pleasure adding american exhibitors received gratifying number diplomas medals exposition conference held vienna purpose consultation systems prevailing different countries protection inventions authorized representative patent office present vienna time conference take place order aid far might securing possible additional protection american inventors europe report agent laid congress pleasant duty announce congress emperor china attaining majority received diplomatic representatives western powers person account ceremonies interesting discussions preceded found documents transmitted herewith accompanying papers show advance although slight made past year toward suppression infamous chinese cooly trade recommend congress inquire whether additional legislation needed subject money awarded united states tribunal arbitration geneva paid majesty government days advance time would become payable according terms treaty compliance provisions act march 3 1873 paid treasury used redeem far might public debt united states amount redeemed invested 5 per cent registered bond united states held secretary state subject future disposition congress renew recommendation made opening last session congress commission created purpose auditing determining amounts several direct losses growing destruction vessels cargoes alabama florida shenandoah leaving melbourne sufferers received equivalent compensation ascertaining names persons entitled receive compensation making computations upon basis indicated tribunal arbitration geneva payment losses authorized extent exceed awards tribunal geneva act approved 14th day february last congress made provision completing jointly officer commissioner named britannic majesty determination much boundary line territory united states possessions great britain left uncompleted commissioners appointed act congress august 11 1856 provisions act northwest water boundary united states determined marked accordance award emperor germany protocol copy map upon line thus marked contained papers submitted herewith also transmit copy report commissioner marking northern boundary united states british possessions west lake woods operations commission past season surveys made point 497 miles west lake woods leaving 350 miles surveyed field work completed next season mixed commission organized provisions treaty washington settling determining claims citizens either power arising acts committed persons property period april 13 1861 april 9 1865 made final award 25th day september last awarded government united states pay government britannic majesty within twelve months date award sum gold commission disallowed dismissed claims british subjects united states amount claims presented british government disallowed dismissed understood also disallowed claims citizens united states great britain referred recommend early passage act appropriating amount necessary pay award united states caused communicated government king italy thanks government eminent services rendered count corti third commissioner commission dignity learning impartiality discharged duties requiring great labor constant patience satisfaction believe governments recommend legislation create special court consist three judges shall empowered hear determine claims aliens upon united states arising acts committed persons property insurrection recent reference treaty washington confined claims british subjects arising period named treaty understood british claims similar nature arising 9th april 1865 known claims like nature advanced citizens subjects powers desirable claims also examined disposed official information received dutch government state war king netherlands sultan acheen officers united states near seat war instructed observe impartial neutrality believed done joint commission convention mexico 1868 legally prolonged resumed business hoped may brought early conclusion distinguished representative britannic majesty washington kindly consented approval government assume arduous responsible duties umpire commission lend weight character name decisions may receive acquiescence arbitrators appointed respective governments commissioners appointed pursuant authority congress examine nature extent forays trespassers country upon herds texas made report submitted consideration venezuelan government apprised sense congress regard awards joint commission convention 25th april 1866 expressed act 25th february last apprehended government realize character obligations convention reason believe however hesitancy recognizing springs part least real difficulty discharging connection obligations governments expediency forbearance part believed worthy consideration ottoman government egypt latterly shown disposition relieve foreign consuls judicial powers heretofore exercised turkish dominions organizing tribunals congress however law provided discharge judicial functions consuls united states quarter treaty 1830 felt liberty formally accept proposed change without assent congress whose decision upon subject early period may convenient earnestly requested transmit herewith consideration determination congress application republic santo domingo government exercise protectorate republic since adjournment congress following treaties foreign powers proclaimed naturalization convention denmark convention mexico renewing claims commission convention friendship commerce extradition orange free state naturalization convention ecuador renew recommendation made message december 1870 congress authorize issue commissions officials appointed department invite earnest attention congress existing laws united states respecting expatriation election nationality individuals many citizens united states reside permanently abroad families provisions act approved february 10 1855 children persons deemed taken citizens united states rights citizenship descend persons whose fathers never resided united states thus happens persons never resided within united states enabled put forward pretension protection united states claim military service government whose protection born reared cases even naturalized citizens united states returned land birth intent remain children issue marriage contracted return never united states laid claim protection lapse many years imposed upon duty military service government ever known personally year 1868 left embarrassed conflicting opinions courts jurists determine far doctrine perpetual allegiance derived former colonial relations great britain applicable american citizens congress wisely swept doubts away enacting declaration instruction opinion order decision officer government denies restricts impairs questions right expatriation inconsistent fundamental principles government congress indicate statute since done acts deemed work expatriation guidance determining questions required provisions constitution opinion writing principal officer executive departments upon certain questions relating subject result satisfies legislation become necessary therefore commend subject careful consideration congress transmit herewith copies several opinions principal officers executive departments together correspondence pertinent information subject united states led way overthrow feudal doctrine perpetual allegiance among last indicate citizens may elect another nationality papers submitted herewith indicate necessary place us par leading nations liberality legislation international question already treaties assented principles would need embodied laws intended accomplish results agreed citizens united states may cease citizens may voluntarily render allegiance powers agreed residence foreign land without intent return shall work expatriation agreed instances upon length time necessary continued residence work presumption intent invite congress mark define expatriation accomplished regulate law condition american women marrying foreigners fix status children born foreign country american parents residing less permanently abroad make rules determining kindred points may seem best congress compliance request congress transmitted american minister madrid instructions present spanish government joint resolution approved 3d march last tendering people spain name behalf american people congratulations congress upon efforts consolidate spain principles universal liberty republican form government existence new republic inaugurated striking fetters slaves porto rico beneficent measure followed release several thousand persons illegally held slaves cuba next colony deprived power set aside orders superiors madrid pertained office since 1825 sequestered estates american citizens long fruitless correspondence ordered restored owners liberal steps taken face violent opposition directed reactionary havana vainly striving stay march ideas terminated slavery christendom cuba excepted unhappily however baneful influence thus far succeeded defeating efforts men spain abolish slavery cuba preventing promised reform island struggle political supremacy continues proslavery aristocratic party cuba gradually arraigning open hostility defiance home government still maintains political connection republic peninsula although usurping defying authority home government whenever usurpation defiance tends direction oppression maintenance abuses still power madrid recognized government thus element dangerous continued colonial relations cuba spain inspired insurrection yara element opposed granting relief misrule abuse aspirations freedom commanding sympathies generous breasts aiming rivet still stronger shackles slavery oppression seized many emblems power cuba professions loyalty mother country exhausting resources island acts variance principles justice liberality right give nobility character republic interests humanity civilization progress hoped evil influence may soon averted steamer virginius 26th day september 1870 duly registered port new york part commercial marine united states 4th october 1870 received certificate register usual legal form sailed port new york since within territorial jurisdiction united states 31st day october last sailing flag united states high seas forcibly seized spanish gunboat tornado carried port santiago de cuba passengers crew inhumanly far least relates citizens united states without due process law put death principle asserted united states beginning national independence recognized great britain maritime powers stated senate resolution passed unanimously 16th june 1858 american vessels high seas time peace bearing american flag remain jurisdiction country belong therefore visitation molestation detention vessel force exhibition force part foreign power derogation sovereignty united states accordance principle restoration virginius surrender survivors passengers crew due reparation flag punishment authorities guilty illegal acts violence demanded spanish government recognized justice demand arranged immediate delivery vessel surrender survivors passengers crew salute flag proceedings looking punishment may proved guilty illegal acts violence toward citizens united states also toward indemnifying may shown entitled indemnity copy protocol conference secretary state spanish minister terms arrangement agreed transmitted herewith correspondence subject legation united states madrid conducted cipher cable needs verification actual text correspondence seemed due importance case submit correspondence accurate text received mail expected shortly submitted received taking leave subject present wish renew expression conviction existence african slavery cuba principal lamentable condition island doubt congress shares hope soon made disappear peace prosperity may follow abolition embargoing american estates cuba cruelty american citizens detected act hostility spanish government murdering prisoners taken arms hands finally capture upon high seas vessel sailing united states flag bearing united states registry culminated outburst indignation seemed time threaten war pending negotiations united states government spain subject capture authorized secretary navy put navy war footing extent least entire annual appropriation branch service trusting congress public opinion american people justify action assuming action last congress appointing committee privileges elections prepare report congress constitutional amendment provide better method electing president united states also necessity amendment submitted state legislatures ratification improvement constitution suggest two others consideration first authorize executive approve much measure passing two houses congress judgment may dictate without approving whole disapproved portion portions subjected rules wit referred back house measure measures originated passed vote two houses become law without approval president would add provision legislation congress last hours sitting except upon vetoes order give executive opportunity examine approve disapprove bills understandingly second provide amendment extra session congress convened executive proclamation legislation continuance extra session shall confined subjects executive may bring time time writing advantages gained two amendments obvious comment upon one session year provided constitution restrictions subjects legislation congress required always power congress term office provide sessions time first amendments would protect public many abuses waste public moneys creep appropriation bills important measures passing expiring hours congress otherwise due consideration given receipts government sources last fiscal year expenditures accounts thus showing excess receipts expenditures probable favorable exhibit shown present fiscal year indeed doubtful whether except great economy part congress making appropriations economy administering various departments government revenues fall short meeting actual expenses including interest public debt commend congress economy point two sources seems might commence wit appropriations public buildings many cities work yet commenced appropriations river harbor improvement localities improvements little benefit general commerce fortifications still fruitful source expenditure point later message refer easy method manufacturing claims losses incurred suppressing late rebellion would understood opposing erection good substantial even ornamental buildings government wherever buildings needed fact approve government owning buildings sections country hope day far distant possess erect capital suitable residences persons receive commutation quarters rent government expense cabinet thus setting example states may induce erect buildings senators would work conducted time revenues country would abundantly justify revenues materially fallen first five months present fiscal year expected produce owing general panic prevailing commenced middle september last full effect disaster prove blessing disguise yet demonstrated either event duty heed lesson provide wise legislation far lies power recurrence take advantage benefits may accrued judgment however much individuals may suffered one long step taken toward specie payments never permanent prosperity specie basis reached specie basis reached maintained exports exclusive gold pay imports interest due abroad specie obligations nearly leave appreciable accumulation precious metals country products mines development mines precious metals past year prospective development years come gratifying results could gold extracted mines retained home advance toward specie payments would rapid increase exports sufficient currency required keep industries country employed without national well individual bankruptcy must ensue undue inflation hand might give temporary relief would lead inflation prices impossibility competing markets products home skill labor repeated renewals present experiences elasticity circulating medium therefore enough transact legitimate business country keep industries employed desired exact medium specie recognized medium exchange world obtained shall currency exact degree elasticity much legitimate purposes trade commerce flow country little reverse result hold appreciate currency standard problem deserving serious consideration congress experience present panic proven currency country based upon credit country best ever devised usually times trials currency become worthless much depreciated value inflate values necessaries life compared currency everyone holding anxious dispose terms witness reverse holders currency hoard gold former experiences like nature patent casual observer much currency money required transact legitimate trade country fall winter months vast crops removed balance year present system amount country remains throughout entire year resulting accumulation surplus capital country centers employed moving crops tempted offer interest call loans interest paid surplus capital must earn interest paid profit subject call loaned part best merchant manufacturer fixed term hence matter much currency might country would absorbed prices keeping pace volume panics stringency disasters would ever recurring autumn elasticity monetary system therefore object attained first next far possible prevention use people money stock species speculation prevent latter seems one great step would taken prohibiting national banks paying interest deposits requiring hold reserves vaults forcing resumption though would notes purpose would suggest establishment clearing houses consideration secure former many plans suggested look like inflation one hand compelling government pay interest without corresponding benefits upon surplus funds country seasons otherwise unemployed submit consideration whether difficulty might overcome authorizing secretary treasury issue time national banks issue amount notes fixed percentage issue say 40 per cent upon banks depositing treasurer united states amount government bonds equal amount notes demanded banks forfeit government say 4 per cent interest accruing bonds pledged time remain treasurer security increased circulation bonds pledged redeemable banks pleasure either whole part returning bills cancellation amount equal face bonds withdrawn would suggest consideration propriety authorizing national banks diminish standing issue pleasure returning cancellation bills withdrawing many united states bonds pledged bills returned view great actual contraction taken place currency comparative contraction continuously going due increase population increase manufactories industries believe much dullest period year indeed clearing houses established thus forcing redemption question consideration whether banking made free retaining safeguards required secure bill holders modification present laws regulating national banks step toward preparing resumption specie payments invite attention consideration propriety exacting retention part reserve either whole part gold interest accruing upon bonds pledged security issue reflected enough bearing might producing scarcity coin pay duties imports give positive recommendation attention invited subject last four years currency contracted directly withdrawal 3 per cent certificates notes bonds outstanding 4th march 1869 took place bank reserves extent period much larger comparative contraction currency population country largely increased miles railroad built requiring active use capital operate millions acres land opened cultivation requiring capital move products manufactories multiplied beyond precedent period time requiring capital weekly payment wages purchase material probably largest comparative contraction arises organizing free labor south every laborer receives wages want savings banks greater part wages carried pocket hoarded required use suggestions thrown consideration without recommendation shall adopted literally hoping best method may arrived secure elasticity currency keep employed industries country prevent inflation put indefinitely resumption specie payments object devoutly wished none earnestly class people directly interested earn bread sweat brow decisions congress subject hearty support executive previous messages called attention decline american shipbuilding recommended legislation would secure us proportion carrying trade stimulated high rates abundance freight progress last year shipbuilding satisfactory increase 3 per cent amount transported american vessels amount last year reduced cost material taken place may reasonably hoped progress maintained even increased however pay per annum foreign vessels transportation market surplus products thus increasing balance trade us amount subject one worthy serious consideration cheap transportation subject attracted attention producers consumers past years contributed direct recent panic stringency congress last session appointed special committee investigate whole subject vacation report session nothing recommend report read one work however national character greater portion east west north south equally interested invite attention state new york canal connecting lake erie tide water hudson river state illinois similar work connecting lake michigan navigable water illinois river thus making water communication inland east west south great artificial water courses property states pass pay toll states would wise statesmanship pledge states open canals passage large vessels general government look keep navigable condition great public highways connect wit overslaugh hudson clair flats illinois mississippi rivers would national work one great value producers west south giving cheap transportation produce seaboard market consumers east giving cheaper food particularly articles food find foreign market prices therefore regulated foreign demands advantages work obvious argument submit subject therefore without comment attempting regain lost commerce carrying trade heretofore called attention states south us offering field much might accomplished object suggest small appropriation made accompanied authority secretary navy fit naval vessel ascend amazon river mouth madeira thence explore river tributaries bolivia report congress next session soon practicable accessibility country water resources population reached exploration would cost little harm may result establishing trade value nations connection treasury department would recommend revision codification tariff laws opening mints coining money authority coin nations may apply attention congress invited recommendations contained report secretary war herewith accompanying apparent great cost supporting army fully explained report hope receive attention inviting general attention recommendations made secretary war two would especially invite consider first importance preparing war time peace providing proper armament seacoast defenses proper armament vastly importance fortifications latter supplied speedily temporary purposes needed former second necessity reopening promotion staff corps army particularly necessity felt medical pay ordnance departments time necessary employ contract surgeons supply necessary medical attendance required army present force pay department difficult make payments troops provided law long delays payments productive desertions demoralization law prohibits payment troops regular army paymasters sixteen vacancies ordnance department thus leaving branch service without sufficient officers conduct business different arsenals large scale ever required past year navy depleted sale vessels longer fit naval service condemnation others yet disposed however compensated repair six old wooden ships building eight new sloops war authorized last congress building latter occurred doubly fortunate time completed time may possibly much needed work upon given direct employment thousands men doubt means keeping open establishments work time great financial distress since commencement last month however distressing occurrences taken place waters caribbean sea almost seaboard illustrate forcibly necessity always existing nation situated like maintain state possible efficiency navy adequate responsibilities time demanded effective force really shall put immediate readiness warlike service done promptly effectively assured available ships every authorized man american navy ready whatever action required safety citizens maintenance honor course require expenditure short time appropriations calculated extend fiscal year congress doubt understand appreciate emergency provide adequately present preparation future maintenance naval force secretary navy past year quietly putting effective monitors condition service thus exigency finds us much better condition work could possibly without action complete exhibit presented accompanying report operations department year ordinary postal revenues fiscal year ended june 30 1873 amounted expenditures kinds increase revenues 1872 increase expenditures independent payments made special appropriations mail steamship lines amount drawn general treasury meet deficiencies constant rapid extension postal service particularly upon railways improved facilities collection transmission distribution delivery mails constantly provided account increased expenditures popular branch public service total number operation june 30 1873 net increase number reported preceding year number presidential offices increase 163 year total length railroad mail routes close year miles increase miles year 1872 railway lines operation june 30 1873 extending miles railroad routes performing aggregate service miles daily number letters exchanged foreign countries increase previous year postage thereon amounted total weight correspondence exchanged mails european countries exceeded 912 tons increase 92 tons previous year total cost united states ocean steamship service including paid special appropriations subsidized lines mail steamers new additional postal conventions concluded sweden norway belgium germany canada newfoundland japan reducing postage rates correspondence exchanged countries efforts made conclude satisfactory postal convention france without success invite favorable consideration congress suggestions recommendations extension system cities population less prepayment postage newspapers printed matter second class uniform postage limit weight miscellaneous matter adjusting compensation postmasters appointed president old method commissions actual receipts office instead present mode fixing salary advance upon special returns especially urge favorable action congress important recommendations establishment united states postal savings depositories attention also called consideration question postal telegraphs arguments adduced support thereof hope may take action connection therewith judgment contribute best interests country affairs utah require early special attention supreme court united states case clinton englebrecht decided united states marshal territory could lawfully summon jurors district courts courts hold territorial marshal lawfully perform duty elected legislative assembly appointed provided act organizing territory proceedings law practically abolished decisions jury trials district courts territory since last session congress property left without protection courts crimes go unpunished prevent anarchy absolutely necessary congress provide courts mode obtaining jurors recommend legislation end also probate courts territory assuming issue writs injunction habeas corpus try criminal cases questions land titles denied jurisdiction possessed ordinarily courts description become impressed belief act approved march 2 1867 entitled act establish uniform system bankruptcy throughout united states productive evil good time many considerations might urged total repeal considered advisable think seriously questioned portions said act providing called involuntary bankruptcy operate increase financial embarrassments country careful prudent men often become involved debt transaction business though may possess ample property could made available purpose meet liabilities yet account extraordinary scarcity money may unable meet pecuniary obligations become due consequence liable prostrated business proceedings bankruptcy instance unrelenting creditors people easily alarmed monetary matters mere filing petition bankruptcy unfriendly creditor necessarily embarrass oftentimes accomplish financial ruin responsible business man otherwise might make lawful arrangements relieve difficulties produced present stringency money prevented constant exposure attack disappointment proceedings bankruptcy besides law made use many cases obdurate creditors frighten force debtors compliance wishes acts injustice creditors recommend much said act provides involuntary bankruptcy account suspension payment repealed careful attention invited subject claims government facilities afforded existing laws prosecution departments state treasury war demands many millions dollars upon files rapidly accumulating may added pending congress court claims southern claims commission making aggregate immense sum grow rebellion intended indemnify persons sides losses war fabricated supported false testimony projects foot believed induce congress provide new classes claims revive old ones repeal modification statute limitations barred presume schemes proposed received little favor congress recommend persons claims united states cognizable tribunal department thereof required present early day legislation directed far practicable defeat unfounded unjust demands upon government would suggest means preventing fraud witnesses called upon appear person testify tribunals said claims adjudication probably largest saving national treasury secured timely legislation subjects economic measures proposed advised operations department justice report invite attention amendments existing laws suggested view reducing expenses department policy inaugurated toward indians beginning last administration steadily pursued believe beneficial results continued modifications time experience may demonstrate necessary encroachment civilization upon indian reservations hunting grounds disturbances taken place indians whites past year probably continue race appreciates rights must respected policy collect indians rapidly possible reservations far practicable within known indian territory teach arts civilization found reservations endangering peace safety whites punished continue like offenses indian territory south kansas west arkansas sufficient area agricultural resources support indians east rocky mountains time doubt except may elect make homes among white people collected preparatory step consummation satisfied territorial form government given secure treaty rights original settlers protect homesteads alienation period twenty years operations patent office growing magnitude accumulation material becoming great necessity room becoming obvious day day respectfully invite attention reports secretary interior commissioner patents subject business general land office exhibits material increase branches last fiscal year time disposed public lands acres amount greater acres disposed preceding year amount disposed acres sold cash acres located military land warrants acres taken homesteads acres located scrip acres certified railroads acres granted wagon roads acres approved states swamp lands acres certified agricultural colleges common schools universities seminaries acres approved states internal improvements acres located indian scrip cash receipts time excess receipts previous year year acres public land surveyed increase amount surveyed previous year acres added area previously surveyed aggregates acres surveyed leaving acres public land still unsurveyed increased steadily increasing facilities reaching unoccupied public domain transportation surplus products enlarge available field desirable homestead locations thus stimulating settlement extending year year gradually increasing ratio area occupation cultivation expressed desire representatives large colony citizens russia emigrate country understood consent government certain concessions made enable settle compact colony great interest going show light institutions regarded industrious intelligent wealthy people desirous enjoying civil religious liberty acquisition large immigration citizens superior class would without doubt substantial benefit country invite attention suggestion secretary interior behalf paid last fiscal year pensions including expense disbursement amount less expended purpose preceding year although statement expenditures would indicate material reduction amount compared preceding year believed changes pension laws last session congress absorb amount current year close last fiscal year pension rolls invalid military pensioners widows orphans dependent relatives deceased soldiers making total class survivors war 1812 widows soldiers war pensioned act congress february 14 1871 making total class invalid navy pensioners widows orphans dependent relatives deceased officers sailors marines navy making total navy pensioners grand total pensioners 311 classes showing net increase last fiscal year last year names pensioners added rolls names dropped therefrom various causes system adopted detection frauds government matter pensions productive satisfactory results legislation needed provide possible perpetration frauds future evidently increasing interest education encouraging feature general progress prosperity country bureau education earnest efforts give proper direction new appliances increased facilities offered aid educators country great work ninth census completed report thereof published distributed working force bureau disbanded secretary interior renews recommendation census taken 1875 subject attention congress invited original suggestion behalf met general approval country even deemed advisable present provide regular quinquennial census census taken 1875 report could completed published one hundredth anniversary national independence would especially interesting valuable showing progress country first century national existence believed however regular census every five years would substantial benefit country inasmuch growth hitherto rapid results decennial census necessarily unreliable basis estimates latter years decennial period efficient management governor board public works district city washington rapidly assuming appearance capital nation may well proud unsightly place three years ago disagreeable pass summer consequence dust arising unpaved streets almost impassable winter mud one sightly cities country boast best paved work done systematically plans grades location sewers water gas mains determined upon work commenced thus securing permanency completed question whether much ever accomplished american city expenditures government large reservations city nation large interest capital recommend liberal policy toward district columbia government bear share expense improvements every citizen visiting capital feels pride growing beauty part owner investments made would suggest congress propriety promoting establishment district institution learning university highest class donation lands place better suited institution national capital place every citizen directly interested three successive messages congress called attention subject reform action taken far authorize appointment board devise rules governing methods making appointments promotions never action making rules rules binding even entitled observance persons desire appointment friend removal official may disagreeable rules effective must acquiescence congress well executive commend therefore subject attention suggest special committee congress might confer board present session purpose devising rules maintained secure services honest capable officials also protect degree independence office proper rules protect congress well executive much needless persecution prove great value public large would recommend favorable consideration passage enabling act admission colorado state union possesses elements prosperous state agricultural mineral believe population justify admission connection would also recommend encouragement canal purposes irrigation eastern slope rocky mountains missouri river rule opposed donations public lands internal improvements owned controlled private corporations instance would make exception missouri river rocky mountains arid belt public land 300 500 miles width perfectly valueless occupation man want sufficient rain secure growth product irrigating canal would make productive belt wide supply water could made spread across entire country would secure cordon settlements connecting present population mountain mining regions older states land reclaimed would clear gain alternate sections retained government would suggest retained sections thrown open entry homestead laws sold actual settlers low price renew previous recommendation congress general amnesty number engaged late rebellion yet laboring disabilities small enough keep constant irritation possible danger accrue government restoring eligibility hold office suggest consideration enactment law better secure civil rights freedom secure effectually secured enfranchised slave
year pass since submission last message congress especially latter part eventful one country midst great national prosperity financial crisis occur bring low fortune gigantic proportion political partisanship almost cease exist especially agricultural region finally capture upon high sea vessel bear flag time threaten serious consequence agitate public mind one end country happily course satisfactory adjustment honorable nation concerned relation united state however power continue friendly cordial france germany russia italy minor european power brazil south american republic japan nothing occur year demand special notice correspondence department state various diplomatic representative country transmit herewith execute congress express joint resolution 14th february last accordance provision resolution number practical artisan scientific men honorary commissioner authorize attend exposition vienna commissioner part united state believe obtain object congress view pass joint resolution order enable people united state participate advantage international exhibition product agriculture manufacture fine art hold vienna take pleasure add american exhibitor receive gratify number diploma medal exposition conference hold vienna purpose consultation system prevail different country protection invention authorize representative patent office present vienna time conference take place order aid far might secure possible additional protection american inventor europe report agent lay congress pleasant duty announce congress emperor china attain majority receive diplomatic representative western power person account ceremony interest discussion precede found document transmit herewith accompany paper show advance although slight make past year toward suppression infamous chinese cooly trade recommend congress inquire whether additional legislation need subject money award united state tribunal arbitration geneva pay majesty government day advance time would become payable accord term treaty compliance provision act march 3 1873 pay treasury use redeem far might public debt unite state amount redeem invested 5 per cent register bond united state hold secretary state subject future disposition congress renew recommendation make open last session congress commission create purpose audit determine amount several direct loss grow destruction vessel cargoes alabama florida shenandoah leave melbourne sufferer receive equivalent compensation ascertain name person entitle receive compensation make computation upon basis indicate tribunal arbitration geneva payment loss authorize extent exceed award tribunal geneva act approve 14th day february last congress make provision complete jointly officer commissioner name britannic majesty determination much boundary line territory united state possession great britain leave uncompleted commissioner appoint act congress august 11 1856 provision act northwest water boundary united state determine marked accordance award emperor germany protocol copy map upon line thus mark contained paper submit herewith also transmit copy report commissioner mark northern boundary united state british possession west lake wood operation commission past season survey make point 497 mile west lake wood leave 350 mile survey field work complete next season mixed commission organize provision treaty washington settle determine claim citizen either power arise act committed person property period april 13 1861 april 9 1865 make final award 25th day september last awarded government unite state pay government britannic majesty within twelve month date award sum gold commission disallow dismissed claim british subject unite state amount claim present british government disallow dismiss understood also disallow claim citizen united state great britain referred recommend early passage act appropriate amount necessary pay award united state cause communicated government king italy thanks government eminent service render count corti third commissioner commission dignity learn impartiality discharge duty require great labor constant patience satisfaction believe government recommend legislation create special court consist three judge shall empower hear determine claim alien upon united state arise act committed person property insurrection recent reference treaty washington confine claim british subject arise period name treaty understood british claim similar nature arise 9th april 1865 known claim like nature advance citizen subject power desirable claim also examine disposed official information receive dutch government state war king netherlands sultan acheen officer united state near seat war instruct observe impartial neutrality believe do joint commission convention mexico 1868 legally prolong resumed business hop may bring early conclusion distinguish representative britannic majesty washington kindly consent approval government assume arduous responsible duty umpire commission lend weight character name decision may receive acquiescence arbitrator appoint respective government commissioner appoint pursuant authority congress examine nature extent foray trespasser country upon herd texas make report submit consideration venezuelan government apprise sense congress regard award joint commission convention 25th april 1866 express act 25th february last apprehended government realize character obligation convention reason believe however hesitancy recognize spring part least real difficulty discharge connection obligation government expediency forbearance part believe worthy consideration ottoman government egypt latterly show disposition relieve foreign consuls judicial power heretofore exercised turkish dominion organize tribunal congress however law provide discharge judicial function consuls united state quarter treaty 1830 felt liberty formally accept proposed change without assent congress whose decision upon subject early period may convenient earnestly request transmit herewith consideration determination congress application republic santo domingo government exercise protectorate republic since adjournment congress follow treaty foreign power proclaim naturalization convention denmark convention mexico renew claim commission convention friendship commerce extradition orange free state naturalization convention ecuador renew recommendation make message december 1870 congress authorize issue commission official appoint department invite earnest attention congress exist law united state respect expatriation election nationality individual many citizen united state reside permanently abroad family provision act approve february 10 1855 child person deem take citizen united state right citizenship descend person whose father never reside united state thus happen person never reside within united state enable put forward pretension protection united state claim military service government whose protection bear rear case even naturalized citizen united state return land birth intent remain child issue marriage contract return never unite state lay claim protection lapse many year impose upon duty military service government ever know personally year 1868 leave embarrassed conflicting opinion court jurist determine far doctrine perpetual allegiance derive former colonial relation great britain applicable american citizen congress wisely sweep doubt away enact declaration instruction opinion order decision officer government deny restrict impairs question right expatriation inconsistent fundamental principle government congress indicate statute since do act deem work expatriation guidance determine question require provision constitution opinion write principal officer executive department upon certain question relate subject result satisfies legislation become necessary therefore commend subject careful consideration congress transmit herewith copy several opinion principal officer executive department together correspondence pertinent information subject united state lead way overthrow feudal doctrine perpetual allegiance among last indicate citizen may elect another nationality paper submit herewith indicate necessary place u par lead nation liberality legislation international question already treaties assented principle would need embodied law intend accomplish result agree citizen united state may cease citizen may voluntarily render allegiance power agree residence foreign land without intent return shall work expatriation agree instance upon length time necessary continue residence work presumption intent invite congress mark define expatriation accomplish regulate law condition american woman marry foreigner fix status child bear foreign country american parent reside less permanently abroad make rule determine kindred point may seem best congress compliance request congress transmit american minister madrid instruction present spanish government joint resolution approve 3d march last tendering people spain name behalf american people congratulation congress upon effort consolidate spain principle universal liberty republican form government existence new republic inaugurate striking fetter slave porto rico beneficent measure follow release several thousand person illegally hold slave cuba next colony deprive power set aside order superior madrid pertain office since 1825 sequester estate american citizen long fruitless correspondence order restored owner liberal step take face violent opposition direct reactionary havana vainly strive stay march idea terminate slavery christendom cuba except unhappily however baneful influence thus far succeeded defeat effort men spain abolish slavery cuba prevent promise reform island struggle political supremacy continue proslavery aristocratic party cuba gradually arraign open hostility defiance home government still maintain political connection republic peninsula although usurp defy authority home government whenever usurpation defiance tend direction oppression maintenance abuse still power madrid recognized government thus element dangerous continue colonial relation cuba spain inspired insurrection yara element oppose grant relief misrule abuse aspiration freedom command sympathy generous breast aim rivet still strong shackle slavery oppression seize many emblem power cuba profession loyalty mother country exhaust resource island act variance principle justice liberality right give nobility character republic interest humanity civilization progress hop evil influence may soon avert steamer virginius 26th day september 1870 duly register port new york part commercial marine united state 4th october 1870 receive certificate register usual legal form sail port new york since within territorial jurisdiction unite state 31st day october last sailing flag united state high sea forcibly seize spanish gunboat tornado carry port santiago de cuba passenger crew inhumanly far least relates citizen united state without due process law put death principle assert united state begin national independence recognize great britain maritime power state senate resolution pass unanimously 16th june 1858 american vessel high seas time peace bear american flag remain jurisdiction country belong therefore visitation molestation detention vessel force exhibition force part foreign power derogation sovereignty united state accordance principle restoration virginius surrender survivor passenger crew due reparation flag punishment authority guilty illegal act violence demand spanish government recognize justice demand arrange immediate delivery vessel surrender survivor passenger crew salute flag proceeding look punishment may prove guilty illegal act violence toward citizen united state also toward indemnify may show entitled indemnity copy protocol conference secretary state spanish minister term arrangement agree transmit herewith correspondence subject legation united state madrid conduct cipher cable need verification actual text correspondence seem due importance case submit correspondence accurate text receive mail expect shortly submit receive take leave subject present wish renew expression conviction existence african slavery cuba principal lamentable condition island doubt congress share hope soon make disappear peace prosperity may follow abolition embargo american estate cuba cruelty american citizen detect act hostility spanish government murder prisoner take arm hand finally capture upon high sea vessel sail united state flag bear united state registry culminate outburst indignation seem time threaten war pending negotiation united states government spain subject capture authorize secretary navy put navy war foot extent least entire annual appropriation branch service trust congress public opinion american people justify action assume action last congress appoint committee privilege election prepare report congress constitutional amendment provide good method elect president united state also necessity amendment submit state legislature ratification improvement constitution suggest two others consideration first authorize executive approve much measure pass two house congress judgment may dictate without approve whole disapprove portion portion subject rule wit refer back house measure measure originate passed vote two house become law without approval president would add provision legislation congress last hour sit except upon veto order give executive opportunity examine approve disapprove bill understandingly second provide amendment extra session congress convene executive proclamation legislation continuance extra session shall confine subject executive may bring time time write advantage gain two amendment obvious comment upon one session year provide constitution restriction subject legislation congress require always power congress term office provide session time first amendment would protect public many abuse waste public money creep appropriation bill important measure pass expire hour congress otherwise due consideration give receipts government source last fiscal year expenditures account thus show excess receipt expenditures probable favorable exhibit show present fiscal year indeed doubtful whether except great economy part congress make appropriation economy administer various department government revenue fall short meeting actual expense include interest public debt commend congress economy point two source seem might commence wit appropriation public building many city work yet commence appropriation river harbor improvement localities improvement little benefit general commerce fortification still fruitful source expenditure point later message refer easy method manufacture claim loss incur suppress late rebellion would understand oppose erection good substantial even ornamental building government wherever building need fact approve government own building section country hope day far distant possess erect capital suitable residence person receive commutation quarter rent government expense cabinet thus set example state may induce erect building senator would work conducted time revenue country would abundantly justify revenue materially fall first five month present fiscal year expect produce owe general panic prevailing commence middle september last full effect disaster prove bless disguise yet demonstrate either event duty heed lesson provide wise legislation far lie power recurrence take advantage benefit may accrue judgment however much individual may suffer one long step take toward specie payment never permanent prosperity specie basis reach specie basis reach maintain export exclusive gold pay import interest due abroad specie obligation nearly leave appreciable accumulation precious metal country product mine development mine precious metal past year prospective development year come gratify result could gold extract mine retain home advance toward specie payment would rapid increase export sufficient currency require keep industry country employ without national well individual bankruptcy must ensue undue inflation hand might give temporary relief would lead inflation price impossibility compete market product home skill labor repeat renewal present experience elasticity circulate medium therefore enough transact legitimate business country keep industry employ desire exact medium specie recognize medium exchange world obtain shall currency exact degree elasticity much legitimate purpose trade commerce flow country little reverse result hold appreciate currency standard problem deserve serious consideration congress experience present panic proven currency country base upon credit country best ever devise usually time trials currency become worthless much depreciate value inflate value necessary life compare currency everyone hold anxious dispose term witness reverse holder currency hoard gold former experience like nature patent casual observer much currency money require transact legitimate trade country fall winter month vast crop remove balance year present system amount country remain throughout entire year result accumulation surplus capital country center employ move crop tempt offer interest call loan interest pay surplus capital must earn interest pay profit subject call loan part best merchant manufacturer fix term hence matter much currency might country would absorb price keep pace volume panic stringency disaster would ever recur autumn elasticity monetary system therefore object attain first next far possible prevention use people money stock specie speculation prevent latter seem one great step would take prohibit national bank pay interest deposit require hold reserve vault force resumption though would note purpose would suggest establishment clearing house consideration secure former many plan suggest look like inflation one hand compel government pay interest without correspond benefit upon surplus fund country season otherwise unemployed submit consideration whether difficulty might overcome authorize secretary treasury issue time national bank issue amount note fix percentage issue say 40 per cent upon bank deposit treasurer united state amount government bond equal amount note demand bank forfeit government say 4 per cent interest accrue bond pledge time remain treasurer security increase circulation bond pledge redeemable bank pleasure either whole part return bill cancellation amount equal face bond withdrawn would suggest consideration propriety authorize national bank diminish stand issue pleasure return cancellation bill withdraw many united state bond pledge bill return view great actual contraction take place currency comparative contraction continuously go due increase population increase manufactory industry believe much dull period year indeed clear house establish thus force redemption question consideration whether banking make free retaining safeguard require secure bill holder modification present law regulate national bank step toward prepare resumption specie payment invite attention consideration propriety exact retention part reserve either whole part gold interest accrue upon bond pledge security issue reflect enough bearing might produce scarcity coin pay duty import give positive recommendation attention invite subject last four year currency contract directly withdrawal 3 per cent certificate note bond outstanding 4th march 1869 take place bank reserve extent period much large comparative contraction currency population country largely increase mile railroad build require active use capital operate million acre land open cultivation require capital move product manufactory multiply beyond precedent period time require capital weekly payment wage purchase material probably large comparative contraction arises organize free labor south every laborer receive wage want saving bank great part wage carry pocket hoard require use suggestion throw consideration without recommendation shall adopt literally hop best method may arrive secure elasticity currency keep employed industry country prevent inflation put indefinitely resumption specie payment object devoutly wish none earnestly class people directly interested earn bread sweat brow decision congress subject hearty support executive previous message call attention decline american shipbuilding recommended legislation would secure u proportion carry trade stimulate high rate abundance freight progress last year shipbuilding satisfactory increase 3 per cent amount transport american vessel amount last year reduce cost material take place may reasonably hop progress maintain even increase however pay per annum foreign vessel transportation market surplus product thus increase balance trade u amount subject one worthy serious consideration cheap transportation subject attract attention producer consumer past year contribute direct recent panic stringency congress last session appoint special committee investigate whole subject vacation report session nothing recommend report read one work however national character great portion east west north south equally interested invite attention state new york canal connect lake erie tide water hudson river state illinois similar work connect lake michigan navigable water illinois river thus make water communication inland east west south great artificial water course property state pass pay toll state would wise statesmanship pledge state open canal passage large vessel general government look keep navigable condition great public highway connect wit overslaugh hudson clair flat illinois mississippi river would national work one great value producer west south give cheap transportation produce seaboard market consumer east give cheap food particularly article food find foreign market price therefore regulate foreign demand advantage work obvious argument submit subject therefore without comment attempt regain lose commerce carry trade heretofore call attention state south u offer field much might accomplish object suggest small appropriation make accompanied authority secretary navy fit naval vessel ascend amazon river mouth madeira thence explore river tributary bolivia report congress next session soon practicable accessibility country water resource population reach exploration would cost little harm may result establish trade value nation connection treasury department would recommend revision codification tariff law open mint coin money authority coin nation may apply attention congress invite recommendation contain report secretary war herewith accompany apparent great cost support army fully explain report hope receive attention invite general attention recommendation make secretary war two would especially invite consider first importance prepare war time peace provide proper armament seacoast defense proper armament vastly importance fortification latter supply speedily temporary purpose need former second necessity reopen promotion staff corps army particularly necessity felt medical pay ordnance department time necessary employ contract surgeon supply necessary medical attendance require army present force pay department difficult make payment troop provide law long delay payment productive desertion demoralization law prohibit payment troop regular army paymaster sixteen vacancy ordnance department thus leave branch service without sufficient officer conduct business different arsenal large scale ever require past year navy deplete sale vessel longer fit naval service condemnation others yet dispose however compensate repair six old wooden ship build eight new sloop war authorize last congress build latter occur doubly fortunate time complete time may possibly much need work upon give direct employment thousand men doubt mean keep open establishment work time great financial distress since commencement last month however distress occurrence take place water caribbean sea almost seaboard illustrate forcibly necessity always exist nation situate like maintain state possible efficiency navy adequate responsibility time demand effective force really shall put immediate readiness warlike service do promptly effectively assure available ship every authorized man american navy ready whatever action require safety citizen maintenance honor course require expenditure short time appropriation calculate extend fiscal year congress doubt understand appreciate emergency provide adequately present preparation future maintenance naval force secretary navy past year quietly put effective monitor condition service thus exigency find u much good condition work could possibly without action complete exhibit present accompany report operation department year ordinary postal revenue fiscal year end june 30 1873 amount expenditure kind increase revenue 1872 increase expenditures independent payment make special appropriation mail steamship line amount draw general treasury meet deficiency constant rapid extension postal service particularly upon railway improve facility collection transmission distribution delivery mail constantly provide account increase expenditure popular branch public service total number operation june 30 1873 net increase number report preceding year number presidential office increase 163 year total length railroad mail route close year mile increase mile year 1872 railway line operation june 30 1873 extending mile railroad route perform aggregate service mile daily number letter exchange foreign country increase previous year postage thereon amount total weight correspondence exchange mail european country exceed 912 ton increase 92 ton previous year total cost united state ocean steamship service include pay special appropriation subsidize line mail steamer new additional postal convention conclude sweden norway belgium germany canada newfoundland japan reduce postage rate correspondence exchanged country effort make conclude satisfactory postal convention france without success invite favorable consideration congress suggestion recommendation extension system city population less prepayment postage newspaper print matter second class uniform postage limit weight miscellaneous matter adjust compensation postmaster appoint president old method commission actual receipt office instead present mode fix salary advance upon special return especially urge favorable action congress important recommendation establishment united state postal saving depository attention also call consideration question postal telegraph argument adduce support thereof hope may take action connection therewith judgment contribute best interest country affair utah require early special attention supreme court unite state case clinton englebrecht decide united state marshal territory could lawfully summon juror district court court hold territorial marshal lawfully perform duty elect legislative assembly appoint provide act organize territory proceeding law practically abolish decision jury trial district court territory since last session congress property leave without protection court crime go unpunished prevent anarchy absolutely necessary congress provide court mode obtain juror recommend legislation end also probate court territory assume issue writ injunction habeas corpus try criminal case question land title deny jurisdiction possess ordinarily court description become impressed belief act approve march 2 1867 entitle act establish uniform system bankruptcy throughout united state productive evil good time many consideration might urge total repeal consider advisable think seriously question portion say act provide call involuntary bankruptcy operate increase financial embarrassment country careful prudent men often become involved debt transaction business though may possess ample property could make available purpose meet liability yet account extraordinary scarcity money may unable meet pecuniary obligation become due consequence liable prostrated business proceeding bankruptcy instance unrelenting creditor people easily alarm monetary matter mere file petition bankruptcy unfriendly creditor necessarily embarrass oftentimes accomplish financial ruin responsible business man otherwise might make lawful arrangement relieve difficulty produce present stringency money prevent constant exposure attack disappointment proceeding bankruptcy besides law make use many case obdurate creditor frighten force debtor compliance wish act injustice creditor recommend much say act provide involuntary bankruptcy account suspension payment repeal careful attention invite subject claim government facility afford exist law prosecution department state treasury war demand many million dollar upon file rapidly accumulate may add pending congress court claim southern claim commission make aggregate immense sum grow rebellion intend indemnify person side loss war fabricate support false testimony project foot believe induce congress provide new class claim revive old one repeal modification statute limitation bar presume scheme propose received little favor congress recommend person claim united state cognizable tribunal department thereof require present early day legislation direct far practicable defeat unfounded unjust demand upon government would suggest mean prevent fraud witness call upon appear person testify tribunal say claim adjudication probably large save national treasury secure timely legislation subject economic measure propose advise operation department justice report invite attention amendment exist law suggest view reduce expense department policy inaugurate toward indian begin last administration steadily pursue believe beneficial result continue modification time experience may demonstrate necessary encroachment civilization upon indian reservation hunt ground disturbance take place indians white past year probably continue race appreciate right must respect policy collect indians rapidly possible reservation far practicable within known indian territory teach art civilization find reservation endanger peace safety white punish continue like offense indian territory south kansas west arkansas sufficient area agricultural resource support indian east rocky mountain time doubt except may elect make home among white people collect preparatory step consummation satisfy territorial form government give secure treaty right original settler protect homestead alienation period twenty year operation patent office grow magnitude accumulation material become great necessity room become obvious day day respectfully invite attention report secretary interior commissioner patent subject business general land office exhibit material increase branch last fiscal year time dispose public land acre amount great acre dispose precede year amount dispose acre sell cash acre locate military land warrant acres take homestead acre locate scrip acre certify railroad acre grant wagon road acres approved state swamp land acre certify agricultural college common school universities seminary acres approve state internal improvement acre locate indian scrip cash receipt time excess receipt previous year year acres public land survey increase amount survey previous year acre add area previously survey aggregate acre survey leave acre public land still unsurveyed increase steadily increase facility reach unoccupied public domain transportation surplus product enlarge available field desirable homestead location thus stimulate settlement extend year year gradually increase ratio area occupation cultivation express desire representative large colony citizen russia emigrate country understand consent government certain concession make enable settle compact colony great interest go show light institution regard industrious intelligent wealthy people desirous enjoy civil religious liberty acquisition large immigration citizen superior class would without doubt substantial benefit country invite attention suggestion secretary interior behalf pay last fiscal year pension include expense disbursement amount less expended purpose precede year although statement expenditure would indicate material reduction amount compare preceding year believe change pension law last session congress absorb amount current year close last fiscal year pension roll invalid military pensioner widow orphan dependent relative decease soldier make total class survivor war 1812 widow soldier war pension act congress february 14 1871 make total class invalid navy pensioner widow orphan dependent relative decease officer sailor marine navy make total navy pensioner grand total pensioner 311 class show net increase last fiscal year last year names pensioner add roll names drop therefrom various cause system adopt detection frauds government matter pension productive satisfactory result legislation need provide possible perpetration frauds future evidently increase interest education encourage feature general progress prosperity country bureau education earnest effort give proper direction new appliance increase facility offer aid educator country great work ninth census complete report thereof publish distribute work force bureau disband secretary interior renew recommendation census take 1875 subject attention congress invite original suggestion behalf meet general approval country even deem advisable present provide regular quinquennial census census take 1875 report could complete publish one hundredth anniversary national independence would especially interest valuable show progress country first century national existence believe however regular census every five year would substantial benefit country inasmuch growth hitherto rapid result decennial census necessarily unreliable basis estimate latter year decennial period efficient management governor board public work district city washington rapidly assume appearance capital nation may well proud unsightly place three year ago disagreeable pas summer consequence dust arise unpaved street almost impassable winter mud one sightly city country boast best paved work do systematically plan grade location sewer water gas main determine upon work commence thus secure permanency complete question whether much ever accomplished american city expenditures government large reservation city nation large interest capital recommend liberal policy toward district columbia government bear share expense improvement every citizen visit capital feel pride grow beauty part owner investment make would suggest congress propriety promote establishment district institution learn university high class donation land place well suit institution national capital place every citizen directly interested three successive message congress call attention subject reform action take far authorize appointment board devise rule govern method make appointment promotion never action make rule rule bind even entitle observance person desire appointment friend removal official may disagreeable rule effective must acquiescence congress well executive commend therefore subject attention suggest special committee congress might confer board present session purpose devise rule maintain secure service honest capable official also protect degree independence office proper rule protect congress well executive much needless persecution prove great value public large would recommend favorable consideration passage enable act admission colorado state union possess element prosperous state agricultural mineral believe population justify admission connection would also recommend encouragement canal purpose irrigation eastern slope rocky mountains missouri river rule oppose donation public land internal improvement own controlled private corporation instance would make exception missouri river rocky mountains arid belt public land 300 500 mile width perfectly valueless occupation man want sufficient rain secure growth product irrigate canal would make productive belt wide supply water could make spread across entire country would secure cordon settlement connect present population mountain mining region older state land reclaim would clear gain alternate section retained government would suggest retained section thrown open entry homestead law sell actual settler low price renew previous recommendation congress general amnesty number engage late rebellion yet labor disability small enough keep constant irritation possible danger accrue government restore eligibility hold office suggest consideration enactment law well secure civil right freedom secure effectually secure enfranchised slave