PRESIBENT'S MESSAGE.
WABntKOTOtt, December? To the Senate ami
ttmtt of Bcpretentativeti In submitting my
seventh annual message to congress, In tills cen
tennial year of our national existence) as a freo
and Independent people, It affords me great
pleasure to recur to the advancement thai lias
been made from the time of the colonies, one
Hundred years ago, "We were then a people
numbering only three millions; now wo number
mora than forty millions. Then, industries were
confined almost exclusively to the tillage of tho
soil; now, manufactories absorb much of tho la
bor of the country. Our liberties remain unim
paired, the bondsmen uaro been freed from sla
very; we hare become possessed of tho respect If
not the friendship of all civilized nations; our
''progress has bean sreat in all tho arts. In science,
agrjcnltnre, commerce, navigation, min
ing, mechanics, law, medletne, etc.; and
m gentral education the progress Is like
wise encouraging; our thirteen states liavo be
come tntrty-elgbt, Including Colorado, which
bas taken tho Initiatory step to become n state,
and eight territories. Including tho Indian terrl.
tory and Alaska, and excluding Colorado, mak
ing a territory extending from tho Atlantic to
ttrePoclfio: on the south we have extended to
the gulf of Mexico, and In tho west from the
Mississippi to tho raclflc. Ono hundred years
ago the cttton gin, tho steamship, the railroad,
the telegraph, the reaping, sowing and modern
Stinting machines and numerous other lnven
ons of scarcely less value to our business and
happiness were entirely unknown.
In 117(1 manufactures scarcely existed even In
name all through our rait territory. In 1370
more than 2,000,010 of persons were employed in
manufactures, producing more than $2,100,
tOO.OOO of products In amount annually, nearly
equal to oar national debt- From nearly the
whole of the population of 1776 being engaged In
the ons occupation of agriculture, fii 1870 so nu
merous and diversified had become the occupa
tions of our people that less than six
millions out of moro than forty million
were to engaged. Tho extraordinary effect
produced In our country by a resort to divers I.
flod oocupatlons has built a market tor products
for fertile lands distant from tho seaboard and
the markets of tho world. Tho American sys
tem of locating various manufactures next to
the plow and pasture, and adding connecting
railroads ad .steamboats, lias produced In oar
distant Interior country a result noticeable by
tho Intelligent part of all commercial nations.
Xhe Ingenuity and skill of American mechanics
have been demonstrated at homo and abroad
in a manner imott Battering to their
prldo. lint for the extraordinary genius and skill
of our mechanics, the achievements of our agrl
caHurallsts, manufacturers and transporters
throughout the country wouldhavo been Impossi
ble of attainment. The progress of the miner
lias also been great. Of coal our production was
small; now many millions tons nro mined annu
ally. Bo with Iron, which formed scarcely nn
appreciable partofonr products half a century
ago; we now produce moro than the world con
sumed at the beginning or our national existence,
lrtad, sslno and copper, from being articles of
import; we expect to bo largo exporters of, in
tho near future.' Tho dovoiopmcut of gold and
silver In tho United States andtcrrttorlcsnasnot
oniy been remarkable, but has had a largo Influ
ence upon tho business of nil commercial nations.
Our merchants in tho last hundred years have
had a success and have established a reputation
for enterprise, sagacity, progress and Integrity
unsurpassed by people of older nationalities.
This good name Is not confined to their homes,
but goes out upon every sea and Into everv port
where commereo enters. With equal prltlo we
can point to our progress In all of tho learned
professions. As wo are now about to enter upon
our second centennial, commencing our man
hood as a nation. It Is well to look buck upon tho
past and study what will be best to preserve and
advance our future greatness. From tho fall of
Adam from his trangrcsslon to tho present day,
no nation has ever been freo from threatened
danger to Its prosperity mid happiness. Wo
should look to the dangers threatening us nnd
remedy them so far as lies In our power. Wo are
a rormbllo wherln one is as good as another bo
fore tho law. Under such a form of govern,
merit It Is of the greatest Import
ance that all should bo possessed of
education ana intelligence enough to cast a
vote with a right understanding of Its meaning.
A large association of Ignorant men can not for
any considerable period oppose a successful re
sistance to tyranny and oppression from the ed
ucation of a few. but win Inevitably sink Into
acquiescence to the will of Intelligence, whether
directed bv the dexaacocuo or bv nrlestcraft.
hence the education of the masses becomes of
the first necessity for the preservation
of our Institutions. They aro worth preserving
because they have secured the greatest
good to the greatest proportion of the population
of any form ot government yet devised. All
other Forms of government approach it Just In
proportion to the general dlntulonof education
ana lndenendsnee of thought and action. As
tho primary step, therefore, to our advancement
In all that has marked our progress In tho past
century, x suggest tor your earnest consm
e ration and most earnestly recommend
that a constitutional amendment bo
submitted to the legislatures of tho several
stttes for ratification, making It the duty of
wicudi uio Dorcrsi sum-a tu cauiun&n miu lor
ever maintain free public schools adequate to tho
education ot all the children tn tho rudimentary
branches within their respective limits Irrespec
tive of sex, color, birthplace or religion, and for.
bidding the teaching In said schools of religions,
atheistitor pagan tenets, and prohibiting the
granting of any school funds or school taxes or
any part thereof either by legislative, municipal
or other authority for tho bene lit, or In aid, di
rectly or Indirectly, of any religious sect or de
nomination, or mild or for tho benefit of any
other object of any nature or kind whatever. In
connection with this Important question I would
also call your attention to the Importance of cor
recting an evil that If permitted to continuo
will probably lead to great troablo In our land
before the close of the nineteenth century. It
is uie accumulation oi vast amounts oi untaxea
property. In 1830, 1 believe, tho church prop,
crty of the country which ealdno tax.niunlci-
I8A0 the amount bad doubled. In 1878 It is about
p,uuu,a,wu. jjyiorAi.wrinouicuecK, it Urate
to sav that this nronertv will reach a sum t-
ceejlng f ,000,00) ,000. So vast a sum receiving
all the protection and beneBtsof the government
without, bearing tta proportion of the burdens
and expenses of the same, win not bo looked at
acquiescently oy wose wno navetopay tuo taxes
in a growing-country, where real estate enhances
so rapidly with time us In the United States.
There Is scarcely a limit to the wealth that may
be acquired by corporations, religious or other
wise If allowed to retain real estate without taxa
tion, j no existence or ho vast a property
as hete alluded to without taxation may lead to
sequestration, without constitutional authority
uuu uirougu uiuuu. x wouiu suggrsi me taxa-
strlctloru. church edifices.
Our relations with most of tho foreign powers
continue on a satisfactory and friendly looting.
Increased Intercourse, the extension of com
merce, and the cultivation of mutual interests,
have steadily Improved our relations with the
large majority of Uie powers of the world, ren-
umiuK nracucauio toe pcaceiiu solution or ques
tions which from tlmo to time necessarily arise,
leaving few whloh demand extended or turttcu
lar notice.
The correspondence of tho department of state
wn.u wiu vux uimumatio rcpresenta ives auroaa
Is transmitted herewith. I am hapnv to an-
noaoce the passage of an act by the gensral
loij tnrusiit of congreM.f or the abortion of servl
W In the rorttfgueurb Monies. It is to be
hoped such legislation may bo another step
toward tho great consummation to be reached
when no man shall bo perjnlttcd, directly or In
directly, under any gulto, excuse or form of law,
to hold his fellow man In bondage. I am of
opinion nlro that It Is tho duty of the United
States as contributing toward that end
and required by tho spirit of the age
In which wo live to provide by sultablo leg
islation that no citizen ot the United States shad
hold slaves as property in any other country or
be Interested therein.
Chill bas mado reparation In Uie case of
tho whale ship Good Itoiurn, seized with
out sufficient causo upwards of forty years ago,
though she had hitherto denied her accounta
bility. The denial was never acquiesced in by
this government, and the Justness of the claim
has been so earnestly contended for that It has
been gratifying that she should havo at last ac
knowledged It.
Tho arbitrator In tho case or the United 8tates
steamer Montljo, for the selznrennd detention
of which the govornmentof tho United State
of Colombia was held accountable, has decided
In favor of the claim. This decision has settled
n question which had been pending for several
years, und which, more or less, oisturbedtho
good understanding which It Is doelrable should
bo maintained between tho two republic.
A reciprocity treaty with tho king of tho
Hawaiian islands was concluded some months
since As It contains a stipulation I hat It shall
not tako effect until congress shall enact tho pro
per legislation for that purpose , copies of the In
strument are herewith submitted In order that
If such should be the pleasure of congress tho
necessary legislation upon the subject may bo
adopted.
In March lost an arrangement was
mado through Mr. Uushlug, our minister In
Madrid, with the Spanish government, for tho
paym'ent by the latter to tho United States of
tho sum of $80,000 tn coin for tho purposo of tho
relief of the families or persons of tho ship's
company and certain passengers of tiio Vtr-
SUitus. This sumjwas to nave been paid in threo
Mtallmentsof two months cadi. It is due to tho
Spanish government that I should stato that tho
payments wero fully and spontaneously antici
pated by that government, and that tho wholo
amount was paid within but a few days more
than two months from date of agreement, a copy
of which is herewith transmitted. In pursuance
of thelerms of tho adjustment, I have directed
distribution of tho amount among the parties
entitled thereto, Including tho ship's company
and such of tho passengers as vrcro American
citizens, and payments aro niade accordingly on
application to tho parties thereto.
Tho past year has furnished no evidence of an
approaching termination of tho ruinous conflict
which has been raging for seven years In Cuba.
Tho same disregard ot the laws of civilized war
faro and of tho Just demands of humanity which
havo herctotbro called for expressions of con
demnation from tho nations or Christendom havo
continued tnblackeu the sad scene. Desolation,
ruins nnd pillage nro pervading tho rich tleldsof
ono of the most fertllo and productive regions
of the earth, nnd tho Incendiaries'
torch, tiring plantation! and valuablo
factories and buildings, Is the ntzent marking tho
alternate odvanco or the retrci of contending
parties. Tho protracted continuance of this
strife seriously affects tho interests of ull com
mercial nations, but thoso of tho United States
moro than others by reason of Its closo proximity,
Its larger trado nnd Intercourse with Cuba and
tho frequent, and intliuato, personal and social
relations which havo grown up between Its citi
zens and those of tho Wand; moreover the pro.
party of our citizens In Cuba is largo ami Is run.
dered insccuio nnd depreciated in vnl
uo and In capacity of production by tho
contlnuauco of tho stilfo and tho unnatural
modo of Us conduct. Thesamois truo, differing
only In degreo with respect to tho Interests and
tho people of other nations and tho absence of
any reasonable assurnnco of a near termination
of the conflict, must of necessity compel tho
states thus buffering to consider what tho Inter
ests of their own peoplo, nnd their duty toward
themselves may demand. I havo hoped that
Spain would bo enabled to establish peace in
her colony, to afford security to tho property nnd
tho Interests of our citizens, nnd to allow legiti
mate scono to trado and commereo and tin uat.
ural productions of tho Island, llecauso at' this
hope, and from nn oxtrcmo reluctanco to Inter
fere in the most remote manner in the affairs of
another and a friendly nation, espe
cially of ono whoso sympathy and friend
ship In tiio struggling Infancy of our own
existence must ever bo remembered withgra'tl.
tude, I havo patiently and anxiously awaited tho
Firogross of events. Our own civil conflict Is too
ccent for us not to consider the difficulties
which surround a government distracted by a
dynasty rebellion at homo, at the same time that
It had to cope with a separate Insurrection in a
distant colony ; but whatever causes my have
produced tho situation which so grievously
afreets our interest, it exists with all it-s attend
ant evils, operating directly upon this country
and Its people. Thus far all the efforts of
Spain havo proved abortive, and time has
made no Improvement In tho situation. The
armed bands on cither side now occupy nearly
tho same ground as In the past, with the differ
ence, from tlmo to time, of more lives sacrificed ,
moro property destroyed,.and wider extents of
fertile end productive fields, and more and moro
of valuable property constantly and wantonly
sacrificed to the Incendiary's torch.
In contests of this uaturo whero a considerable
body of peoplo who havo attempted to freo them
selves of the control of tho superior government
have reached such a iiolnt, in occupation of
territory, In power, nnd In general organization
as to constitute In fact a body olltlc, having u
government In substanco as well as In name,
possessed of the elements of stability and
equipped with, tho machinery for tho administra
tion ot Internal police and tho execution of tho
laws, nnd able to admlnUter Justloe at home,
as well us in Its dealings with other powcr.s It
Is within tho province of thoso other powers to
recognize its existence as a new ami Independent
nation. In such cases other nations simply deal
with an actually existing condition of
things und recognize as of the powers
of tho earth that body iiolltlc, which,
possessing tho necessary element, has
In fact become a new power. In a word, the
creation of a new fetato Is a fact. To establish,
tho condition of things essontlal to tho recog
nition of tills fact, there must be a jvcople, occu
pying a known territory, united under some
known and decided form of government, ac
knowledged by thoso Bubject thereto, Invihlcii
the t unctlonsof the government are administered
by equal methods competent tn mete out J ustlco
to clizcus and strangers, to afford remedies for
public ami for private wrongs and ablo
to assume the correlative Internatlonalobllgatiou,
and capablo of performing tho corresponding In
tcruatlonal duties rosultlug from Its acquisition
of sovereignty. A power should exist complete
tn Its organization, ready to tako and able to
maintain Its placo among tho nations of tho
earth. While conscious that the insurrection In
Cuba has shown ustrength and endurance which
inikoitatlcast doubtful whether it be In tho
power of Spain to subdue it, it scams unques
tionable that no such civil organization .exists
which may bo recognized as an Independent gov
ernment capablo ot performing Its International
obligations und entitled to be Treated as ono of
tho powers of tho earth. A recognition under
such circumstances would be inconsistent with
tho facts and would compclthepowcrgrantlnglt
soon to support by force (lie government towhich
It hail really given its only claim of exlstenco. In
my Judgment the United States should ad hero to
the policy nd principles which have heretofore
been its sure and siilu guides tn like contests be
tween icvolted colonies and their mother conn,
try, and acting only upon the clearest evldenco
should avoid auv liusslblllty of suspicion or of
Imputation. A recognition of the Independenae of
Cuba being In my opinion ivpraclicablo and In.
defensible. the- question which next presents Itself
is that of tho "recognition of belligerent rights lu
the patties, to the cojitest.
In a former message to congreti I had occasion
to consider tills question and reached tho con
clusion that tho conflict In Cuba, dreadruland
devastating as wero Its Incidents, did notrlseto
the fearful dlgnKy or war. Regarding It now,
aitcr Ibis lapse of time, I am unable to see that
any notable success or any marked or real ad
vance on the part or tho Insurgents has essen
tially chanscd the character of tho contest It
has aoqufrcd grrnter age but not greater or moro
formldablo proportions. It Is possible that the
nctsof foreign powers, and even acts, or ttpaln
herself, of this very nature might bo pointed to
In defense of suen recognition; but now, as in
past history, the United States should carefully
avoid tho falso Uihts which might lead It Into
thi mazes of doubt! ul law, or questionable pro
priety, and adhere rhjlrlly and sternly to Hie
rule which has been Its guldo, doing only
tbat which is right and honest and of good re-
IKlft.
Tho question of according or of withholding
rights of belligerency must bo Judged In every
caso In view of tho particular attending facts.
Unless Justified by necessity It Is always and
Justly regarded as an unfriendly act and a grn.
tultoua demonstration of moral support to tho
rebellion, it Is necessary and It Is required when
tho Interests nnd rights of another government,
or of Its peoplo are so far affected by
a jwndlng or civil conlllct to require a dcflnltlou
ot Its relations to tho parties thereto, but this
conlllct must bo one which will bo recognized In
tho sense or International law as war. llelllgcr
once, ton, Is a fact. Tho mere existence of
contending armed bodies nnd their occasional
conflicts do not Constltuto war In the sense re
ferred to. Applying to the existing condition of
affairs lu Cuba the tests recoghized by publicists
and writers on international law, and which
havo been observed by nations of dignity, hon.
esty and power, when freo from sensitive or
selfish and unworthy motives, I fall to find In
tho Insurrection the existence of such a substan
tial political organization , real palpable and man
ifest to the world, having tho tonus and capablo
of tho ordinary functions of government toward
its own peoplo and to other states, wltii courts
for tho administration of Justice, with a
local habitation, possessing such organization
of force, such material, such occupation of ter
ritory as to take tho conceit of the contest out or
tho category or a mero rebellious Insurrection or
occasional skirmish, and placo It on tho terilhla
tooting of war, to which a recognition of bellig
erency would aim to elevate it. Tho contests,
moreover, Is solely on land ; the Insurrection has
not possessed Itself ot'a slnglo seaport, whenco It
may send forth the flag, nor has It any means or
communication with foreign powors, except
through the military lines of Its adversaries. No
apprehension of any of those sudden and dlfllcul t
complications which a war upon tho ocean is
apt to precipitate upon tho vessolj, both
commercial nnd national, nnd upon the consular
officers of other powers calls for the definition of
their relations to tho parties to tho contest.
Considered as a question of expediency, 1 regard
the accordanco of bclKgcront rights still to be as
unwise and premature as I regard It to bo at
present indcl'enslblo ns a raoasuro or right.
Such recognition entails upon tho country ac
cording It the rights which flow from It, difficult
and complicated duties, and require tho exac
tion from the contending parties of the strict ob
servance or their rights and obligations. It con
fers tho right of soarch upon tuo high seas by
vessels of both parties, it would Bubject tho
carrying of arms and munitions of war which now
are transported freely ami without Inter
vention In tho vessels of the United
States to detention und to jiosslble selzuio.
it would givo rise to countless vexatious
questions, would roieaso tho parent government
lrom responsibility lor acts dono by tho Insurg
ents ami would Invest Spain with the right to ex
ercise tho suitcrvislon recognized by our treaty
of 1795 over our enmmcrcu on tha high seas, a
very largo part of which, in its traffic between
tho Atlantic and gulf states und betwocu all of
them and tho states upon the 1'nclflc, passes
through tho waters which wash tho, shores of
Cuba. Tho exeiclso of this supervision could
Bcareely fall to lead, If not to abuso, certainly to
collisions perilous to tho peaceful relations ot the
two states. There call bo little doubt to what re-"
suit such supervision would bel'oro long draw
tills nation, itwouldbounworthyoftho United
States to Inaugurate tho possibilities or such le
sult by measures of questionable right or ex
pediency or bv any indirection.
Anart from any oucstlon of theoretical rlnhts
I am satisfied that while tho accordance or bel-
llgerent rights to tho insurgents In Cuba might
givo to mem a nopo ami an inuueemeut to pro
tract tho struggle it would be but a deluslvo
hope, and It would not remove the evils which
tills government and its people aro experiencing,
but would draw tho United States government
Into complications which It has waited long and
already suflcred much to avoid.
Tho recognition of Independence, or of the
belligerency, being thus, In my Judgment,
equally Inadmissible, It remains to consider what
course shall bo adopted. Should the conflict not
soon bo brought to an end by acts of tho parties
themselves, und should tho evils which result
therefrom, afflicting all nations, nhd particu
larly the United States, continue, In such event
I am of tho opinion that other nations will be
compelled to assume the resiionslbillty which de
volves u;on them, and to seriously consider the
only renfnlntng measures possible, mediation
and Intermediation, Owing, perhaps, to tho
largo expanse of water separating tho island
from tho peninsular government, the want
of harmony, ot personal sympathy between tiio
Inhabitants of the colony and thoso sent thither
to rule tiiem, and want of adoption of tho an
cient colonial system of Europe to the present
times, and te the Ideas which the events of the
past century havo developed the contending
parties appear to have within themselves
no depository of common confidence to suggest
wisdom when passion and excitement have their
wav. and to assume thenart of lieaccmaker.
In this view, In the earlier days of the contest,1!
uie goou omces oi tue uuueu mates as a media
tor wore tendored In good faith, without any sel
fish purpose, In tho Interest of humanity, and in
sincere frtcndshlp for both parties, though at
the time declined by Spain with the declaration
nevertheless that at a future time they would bo
Indispensable. No Intimation has keen received
that in the opinion of Spain that time has been
reached, and yet the strife continues witli all its
'read horrors and all Its Injuries to the United
States and other nations. Each party bcems
3Uto cupable of working great injury and
asiage to tho oilier, as well as to all tho rela
tion! and Interests dependent on tho ex
lsteri e of peace on tho Island, but they Beem ln
capa.te of reaching any adjustment, and both
have tins far failed of reaching any adjustment,
and bo) h have thus far failed or achieving any
bliccess, whereby one party shall possess and
control i'e Island to the exclusion of the other.
Under th. so clrcumstantes the agency of others,
either by .oedlatlon or by Intervention, seems to
be tho on. alternative which must sooner or
later be In.oVc- for the termination or the
strife. At the same time, while thus
Impressed, do not, at this time, rocommend
tho adoption i, r any measure or Intervention. I
shall be read at all times, and as the equal
friends of tboso parties, to respond to a sugges
tion that tho good others or the United Mutes
will be acceptable to aid In bringing about a
peaco honorable to both.
It is due 'io Spain, so far as this government Is
concerned', that the agency or a tulrd power, to
which I h-'ne adverted, shall be adopted only as
alastespt.Kllent. Had it been the desire or tho
United States to Interfere tn the affairs of Ouoa
repeated loppoitunlties lor so doing have been
E resented, within tho laat few yevrs, but we
averesililned passive and have performed our
our whoty, duty and all International obliga
tions tqitjpaln with friendship, fairness and
fidelity, a;.id with a spirit of patience and for
bearance J which negatives every possible sug.
Sestlon of desire to Interfere or to add to the
Ifflcultiea with which she has been surrounded.
The goveinment ef Spain has recently sub
mitted to. ur minister at Madrid certain pro
posals whlcJa it Is boned may be found to bo tho
basis lr not tho actual submldrm nf terms in
meet tho requirements or tho particular griefs
ui wuicn mm government nas jell llBeil entlllea
to complain. These proposals have not yet
reached mo In their full text. On their arrival
they will be taken Into careful examination and
may, I hope, load to a satisfactory adjustment
oftho questions to which they refer, and remove
Uie possibility of further occurrences such as
have given rise to our Just complaints. It Is un
derstood also that renewed efforts aro
being mado to Introduce reforms lu the
Internal administration oi the Island. Per
suaded, however, that a proper regard
for thn Interest or the United States
and of Its citizens, entitle It to
relief from tho strain to which It has been sub
jected by the difficulties of .tho questions and the
wrong ot losses which ariso from the contest in
Cuba, nnd that tho interests ot humanity Itself
demand the cessation of tho strlfo before the
wholo Island shall bo laid In waste and larger
sacrifices or life be made. I shall feel It my duty,
should my hopes of a satl. factory ad iustmcnt or
the early restoration of pea oc, and tiio removal
or further causes of complaint bo unhappily dis
appointed, to mako a further communication to
congress at somo period not far rcmoto, and dur
ing the present session, recommending what
may then seem to me to bo necessary appropria
tions to tho favorable consideration of Congress.
The powers or Europo almost without excep
tion, many of tho South American states, and
even tho moro distant eastern powers havo
manifested their friendly sentiment toward tho
United States, nnd tho Interest of tho world In
our progress, by taking steps to Join with us In
celebrating the centennial of tho nation, and I
strongly recommend that a a more national Im
portance bo given to this exhibition by such
legislation and by such appropriations as will
lnsuro its success. Its valuo In bringing to our
shores' innumcrablo useful works of art, In
commingling of the citizens of rorclgn countries
and our own, and the Interchanging of Ideas and
manufactures will far exceed any pecuniary out
lay wo may make.
Tho freo zone, so called, several years tlnco
established by tho Moxlean government in cer
tain of tho states of that rcpubllo adjacent to our
frontier remains In full operation, it has al
ways been materially Injurious to honest traillo
for It operates as an Incontlvo to traders In
Mexico to supply without custom chargo the
wants of inhabitants on this sldo tho Hue, nnd
prevents tho samo wants from being supplied by
merchants of the United States thereby to a coti
sldernblo extent defrauding our rovenuo nnd
checking honest commercial enterprise Depre
dations by armed bands from Mexico on tho peo
plo of Texas near tho frontier conltnue. Though
the main object of theso Incursions Is robbing,
they frequently result in tho murder ofunarmcd
and peaceably disused persons, and In tome In
stances even the United States post offices and
mall communication have been attacked. Re
newed remonstrances ujwu this subject
have been addressed to tho Mexican
government but without much apparent
luTect. Tho military feico of Oils government
disposable for service In that muttbr, Is quite
inadequate to effectually guard the line, oven at
those points where tho Incursions nro usually
modo. An experiment of an armed vessel on
f ho Itlo Graudo for that purposo Is on trial and
It is hoped that If not thwarted by tho shallow
ness of tho river and other national obstacles, It'
may materially contrlbuto to tho protection of
tho herdsmen of Texas. Tho proceedings of tho
joint commission under tho convention between
tho United States and Mexico oftho 4th of July,
1863,on tho subject of claims, will soon bo
brought to a close. Tho result of these proceed
ings will then bo communicated to congress.
I am happy to announce lhat tho government
or Venezuela hss.upon further consideration,
practically abandoned Its' objections to pay to to
United States that sharo ot its r venue which
somo years sluco It allotted towards tho extin
guishment of the claims of foreigners generally,
in ttius reconsidering Its determination that
government has shown a Just sense of sclf-re-spect.whlch
cannot fall to reflect credit upon it
In tho eyes of all peisons elsewhere, it U to be
rcgelUrl, however, that its payments on account
of claims of citizens or the United States are
BtillBonieagro in amount, ami thatthe stipula
tions of the treaty in regard to the sums to bo
I'uui mm iud purlins wuen tneso payments
i?.et0 to BKn P'Me, should havo been so signally
f otsregaraea.
Since my lost annual mtss&ira tbnexc.hanf.fi
has been made of tho ratification of a treaty of
commerce and navigation with Uelglum. and
new conventions Willi tho Mexican rcpubllo for
tho fuitbtr extension or the Joint commission
respecting claims; with the Hawaiian Islands,
for commercial reciprocity, and with tho Otta
man empire lor extradition, allot' whlih havo
been duly proclaimed.
Tho court of commissioners of the Ala
bama claims has prosecuted its Important duties
very assiduously and very satitfactorvly. It con
veued and was organized on tho 23d day of July,
1874 , and by the terms of tho act under which It
was created was to exist for ono year from that
dato, The act provided, however, that should It
bo found Impracticable to complete the work of
the court bel'oro tho oiplratlon of the year,
tiio President might, by proclamation, ex
tend tho tlmo of duiation, beyond the expira
tion of ono year. Having received satisfactory
ovldenco that It would be Impracticable to eom-
Ileto the work within tho tlmo originally fixed,
Issued a proclamation, a copy of which 1 pre.
sent herewith, extending the term or tho dura
tion of Uie court for a period of six months from
and after tho 22d day or July, last. A report
made through the clerk oftho court, communi
cated herewith, shows the condition or the cal
endar on tho 1st of November lust, and the
largo amount of work which haa been
accomplished. Tblrteen hundred and eighty two
claims have been presented, ot which 682 had been
disposed of at tho dato ot the report. 1 am lp
formed that 1T0 rases were decided during the
month otNovember. Arguments are being made
and decisions given on the remaining cases wtth all
tha dispatch consistent with tho proper considera
tion of the questtons submitted. Many of these
claims are lu behalf ot mariners who depend on
the evidence of mariners whose absence lias de
layed the taking or the return of the necessary evt
dence. It Is represented to me that ft vtll be Im
practicable for the court to finally dispose nf all
cases before It within the present limit of Its dura
tion. Justice to the parties claimant, who have
been at large expense la preparing their claims and
obtaining the evidence in their support, suggests a
short extension to enable the court to dispose of all
tho claims which have been presented. 1 recom
mend the legislation which may bo deemed proper
to enable the court to complete the work beforo
1 recommend that some BUltablo provision be
marto by tho creation ot a special court, or by con
ferring tm necessary Jurisdiction upon some ap
propriate tribunal for ine consideration and deter
mination ot the claims ot aliens agalnsUho govern
Mfmtnf thnllnltiwl Hiatus, which have arisen with.
In some reasonable limitation ot time, or which
may hereafter, excluding all clalmsbarred by treaty
rtmvlalnnwrtr nthpnvli
Me to give proper consideration to these chums by
the executive department of thegovernment. Such
inerwiBe. niiaa uceu iuuuu iiiiimai.
a tribunal svmiHl artnnl an nnnortunltv to aliens.
other than Urltlsh subjects, to present their claims
on account of acts committed against their persons
or property during the rebellion, as also to those
subjects of (ireat ltrltaln, whoso claims bavins
arisen subsequent to l lie sthdayof April, 1SSS, could
not be presented to the late commission, organized
pursuant to the provisions of tbe treaty oOVasb-
"ho electric telegraph hasbecomean essential and
Indispensable agent la the transmission of business
and social messages. Its operation on land and
within the limit ot particular states. Is necessarily
under tho control of the Jurisdiction within which
It olenites. The lines on tha high seas, however,
are not subject to the particular control of anyone
f overnmont. in lbca a concession was granted by
bo French government, to -a company which
proposed to lay a cable from the shore of France to
the United States. At that time there wts a tele
graphic connection between tbe United States and
the continent of Kurone, through the possessions of
Great llrltatn, at either end of the line, under
.control ot an association which bad at large out
lay ot capital and at great cost, demonstrated the
rracUcabllityoS mintelnlpg tucn aeuu ot con-
munlcatlon. Tho cost of correspondence by this
agency was great, possibly not too large at the time
for a proper renumeratton for so hazardous and so
costly an enterprise. It was however a heavy
charge upon a means of communication which tbe
progress In the social and commercial Intercourse,
of the world found to be a necessity, and the oK
tot nlng of rthls French concession showed that
other 'capital than that already Invested was ready
to entorlnto competition, with assurance of ade
quate return for (heir outlay. Impressed wlffifho
c5nT.lcV.on, thllt tnB Interests not only of the peoplo
of the United States but of the world at largo de
manded, or wonld demand the multiplication of
such means of communication lietween separated
continents, I was desirous that tho proposed
connection should be made, but certain pro
visions of this concession were deemed by me to
be objectionable, particularly one which gave for a
long term of years tho exclusive rlghtof telegraphic
communication by submarine cable, between the
shores of Prance and tho United States. 1 could not
concede that any power should claim the right to
land a cable on the shores of the United States ami
at the same time deny to the United States, or to fts
citizens or grantees, an equal right to land a cable
on Its shores. Tho right to the control of the con
ditions for tho laying of a cable within tho
Jurisdictional waters of the United states to
connect our shores with those of any for
eign stato pertains exclusively to the gov
ernment of the United States under such
limitations of the conditions as congress may tm
pose. In the abseneo of legislation by congress, I
was unwilling on tho one hand to yield to a foreign
state the right to say that fts grantees might land
on our shores while It denied a similar right to our
o people to land on Its shores; and on The other
hand t was reluctant to deny to tho great Interests
of the world, nnd of civilization, the facilities of
such communication as wore proposed. I, there
fore, wfthheld any resistance to the landing of the
cable on condition that tho offensive monopoly
feature of the concession bo abandoned, and that
the right of any cable which may bo established by
authority of the government to land upon
JTrench territory and to connect with French
land lines, and enjoy all the necessary
facilities or privileges Incident to the use thereof
upon as favorablo terms as any other company bo
conceded as the result thereof. Tho company In ques
tion renounced tho exclusive privilege, and the rep
resentative of France was Informed that under
standing this relinquishment to be construed as
granting tho entire reclprocacy of equal facilities,
which had been denied, tho opposition to the land
ing ot the cablolwas withdrawn. Tho cable, under
this French concession, was landed In the month
of July, 1869, and has been an efficient and Tamable
agent of commanlcatlon lietween this country and
tho other continent. It soon passed under the con
trol, however, of those who had the manage
ment ot the cable eonncctfng Great llrltaln
with this continent. Thus whatever benefit lo
tho public might havo ensued fiom com
petition between the two lines was lost,
leaving only the greater facilities of nn additional
line, and the additional security In caso of accident
tooneot them. Hut these increased facilities and
tills additional security, together wtth tho control
of tho combined capital of tho two companies, gave
also greater power toprovent tho future construc
tion ot their lines and to limit the control of tele
graphic communication between tho twj continents
to those possessing the lines already laliT. Within a
month past a cable has been laid, known as tho
United states direct cable company, connecting
tlio United Slates directly with Urvat llrltaln. As
soon as this cable was reported to be laid In worWng
order, the rates of tho consolidated companies wero
greatly reduced. Soon, however, a break was an
nounced lu this new cable, and Immediately the
rates of tho other line, whleh had been reduced,
were again raised. This cable being now repaired
the rates appear not to lie reduced by the other Ithe
from those lormerly charged by the consolidated
companies. There Is reason to believe that largu
amounts of capKal, both at homo and abroad, are
ready to seek profitable f nvestment In the advance
mentof this useful and most civilizing means of
Intorcourso and correspondenco. They await, how
ever, the assurance of the means and conditions on
which they may safely bo made trlbutory tothe gen
eral good. As these cable telegraph lines connect
separate states, theso aro questtons which probably
can be best, f f not safely, settled by conventions be
tween tho respective states. In the absence, how
ever, ot international conventions on the subject,
municipal legislation may secure many lulnts
which appear to me Important If not Indispensable,
for tho protocttou of the public against tho oxtor
tlons which may result from a monopoly of the
right ot operating cables or from a combination be
tween several lines.
First. No lino should bo allowed to l.iml on tho
shores of the United States under the concession
from anothor power which docs not admit tbe right,
of any other Hue or lines formed In tho United
States to land and freely connect with and operate
through land lines.
Second. No line should bo allowed to land on the
shores ot tbe United States which Is not by treaty
stfpulatton with the government from whoso
shores it proceeds, or by prohibition In Its charter
or otherwise, to the satisfaction of this govern
ment, prohibited from consolidating or amalgamat
ing with any other coble telegraph line or combin
ing therewith for the purpose of regulating and
maintaining tho cost of telegraphing.
Third. All lines should be bound to gtva prece
dence In the transmission of the offictal messages of
tho two oovernments between which It may be laid .
Fourth. A power should be reserved to the two
crovernments. either eontolntlv or to each, as re
gards the messages despatched from Its shores, to
nx a limit to the charges to be demanded for the
transmission of messages.
1 present the subject to tbe earnest consideration
of contrresn. In tha meantime, and unless ronffrewi
otherwtse directs, I Shalt not oppose the landing of
any telegraph cable which compiles with and operates
to tho points above enumerated, but will feel It my
duty to prevent the landing of any which does not
cuniurm to inn nrst anu secona points as si&icu ami
which will not stipulate to concede to this govern
ernment the precedence tn the transmission of
Its onlclal messages and will not enter Into satisfac
tory arrangement wl th regard to fts charges.
Among the pressing and Important subjects to
which, in my opinion, the attention or congress
should be directed are thoso relatmg to fraudulent
naturalization and expatriation. The United
States, with great liberality, offers its citizenship
to all who, on good faith, comply with the require
ments of law. Theso requirements are so simple,
and upon as favorable terms to the emigrant, as the
high privilege to whleh he Is admitted can or should
permit. I do not propose any additional require
ments to those to which tbe law demands, but the
very simplicity and the want of unnecessary for
mality In our law have made fraudulent naturaliza
tion not unfrequent to the discredit and Injury of
all honest citizens, whether natlvo born or .natur
alized. Cases of this character are continually
being brought to the notice of thegovernment by
our representatives abroad, and also those of per
sons resident In other countries, most frequently
who, if they havo remained In the country long
enough to entitle them to become naturalized, have
generally not much over-passed that period and
have returned to the country of their origin, where
they reside, avoiding all duties to the United States
by their absence and claiming to be exempt from
all duties to the country of their nativity and of
their residence by reason of the alleged naturaliza
tion. It Is due to this government Itself and to tbe
f;rcat mass of tbe naturalized citizens who entirely,
oth In name and in fact, become clttzens ot the
United States that the high privileges of citizenship
of the United States should not bo held by fraud or
In derogation of tbe laws and ot tho good name ot
every honest citizen. On many occasions It has
been brought to tbe knowledge of. the government
that certificates of naturalization are held and pro
tection or intcftereneo claimed by parties who ad
mit that not only they were not within tbe United
States at the Uuieot their pretended naturalisation
but that they bare never resided In the United
States. In others the certificate and record nf the
court show on their face that the person claiming to
l naturalized had not resided the required time tn
the United States. In others It is admitted, upon
examination, that the requirements ot law havo
not been compiled with, in some cases even such
certificates have been matters of purchase. Tbese
are not Isolated cases, arising at rare Intervals, but
of common occurrence, and which are reported
from all quarters of tbe globe. Such occurrences
cannot and do not fall to reflect upon the govern
ment and Injure all honest rltlzens. Such fraud
being discovered, however, there Is no practicable
means within the control of the government by
which the record of naturallzaUoii con be vacated,
and should the certificate be taken up, as It usually
Is by the dlplomatlo and consular representatives
ot the government to whom It may have been pre
sented. Them Is nothing to prevent the person
claiming to hare been naturalized from obtaining a
pew certificate from tbe court In place ot that which
has been taken f romjilm. The evtt has become so
?:reat and of such frequent occurrence tbat I cannot
oo earnestly recommend that some effective meas
ures be adopted to provide a proper remedy and
means for the vacating of any record thus fraudu
lently made, and ot punishing the guilty parties to
the transaction lu this confection. I refer also to
the question of expatriation and the election of
nationality, Tbe United States was foremost In
upholding tba right ol expatriation, and ms rtla-