Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-12-16

TUG Suitcu Stdtes, Anu the interest OF the WOrl(
IN our progress, by taking steps TO join with u
10 celebrating the Centennial of the nation anC
l strongly recommend that a more national i'm
poriance be given to this exhibition by ..sucl
legislation, and by such appropriation as viii
insure its success Its value in bringing to on
shores innumcrable useful works of art anC
skill, the comnlingling of the citizens of for
eign countries, and our own, and the inter
change of ideas and manufactures will far ex
ceed any pecuniary outlay we make.
THE BUREAU OF AGRIcULrURE
has accomplished much in disseminating use
ful knowledge to the agricuI.urist, and also
Introducing new and useful productions adapt
ed to our soil and climate, and is worthy OF
the continued encouragement of the Govern
ment. The report of the Commissioners OF
Education which accompanies the report of
the Secretary of the Interior, shows a crafty.
ing progress in educational matters. In near
ly every annual message that have the honor
of transmitting to Congress have called
ATTENTION TO MEXICAN AND TEXAS MATTERS.
The free zone, so-called, several years since
established by the Mexican Government, in
certain of the States of that Republic adjacent
to our frontier, remains in full operation. 1t
has always been materially injurious TO honest
traffic, for it operates as an incentive to traders
in Mexico to supply, without customs charges,
the wants of inhabitants OH this side of the line
j and prevents the same wants from being sup
piled by merchants of the United States, there
by to a considerable extent defrauding our
revenue and checking honest commercial en-
terprse.
i Depredations by armed bands from Mexico
on the people of Texas, near the frontier, con-
tinue, and though the main object of the in
eursions is robbery, they frequently result in
he ~
disposed persons, and ia some instances
even the United States postoffices and
mail communications have been attack
| ed. Renewed remonstrances upon this
subject have been addressed to the Mexi-
can government, bu. without much apparent
effect. The military force of this Government
dispOsable for service in that quarter is quite
inadequate to effectually guard the line, even
at those points where the incursions are usual
ly made. An experiment of an armed vessel
on the Rio Grande for that purpose is on trial,
and it is hoped that if not thwarted by the
skallowness of the river, and other natural OBJ
stacles, it may materially contribute to the
protection of the herdsmen of Texas The
proceedings of the Joint Commission under
the convention between the United States and
Mexico of the 4th of July, 1863, on the sub
| ject of claims, will soon be brought to close
The result of those proceedings will then be
communicated to Congress.
NATURALIZATION FRAUDS.
Among the pressing and important subjects
which, in my opinion, the attention of Con-
gress should be directed, are those relating to
fraudulent naturalization and expatriation
The United States, with great liberality, Of
fers its citizenship to all who, in good faith,
comply with the requirements of the law
These requirements are as simple and upon as
favorable terms to the emigrant as the high
privilege to which he is admitted can, or
| should, permit l do not propose any addi-
| tional requirements to those which the law
now demands but the very simplicity and
want of necessary formality in our law have
made fraudulent naturalization not infrequent
to the discredit and injury of all honest citi-
zens, whether native or naturalized. Cases of
this character are continually being brought to
the notice of the Government by our repre-
sentatives abroad, and also those of persons
resident in other cOuntries-most frequently
those who, il they have remained in this eoun-
try long enough to entitle them to become nat
uralized, have generally not much overpassed
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 res
idence, by reason of their alleged naturaliza-
ton. 1t is due to this Government itself, and
to the great mass of the naturalized citizens,
who entirely, both in name and in fact, be-
come citizens of the United States, that the
HIGH PRIVILEGES OF CITIZENSHIP
of the United States should not be held by
fraud, or in derogation of the laws, or the
good name of every honest citizen. On many
occasions it has been brought to the knowledge
of the Government that certificates of natur-
alization are held, and protection, or inter
ference claimed by parties who admit that not
only they were not within the United States
at the time of the pretended naturalization,
but that they have never resided in the United
States In others the certificate and record of
the Court show on their face that the person
claiming to be naturalized had not resided the
required time in the United States,
In Others it is admitted upon examination
that the requirements of the law has not been
complied with. In some cases even such
certificates have been matters of purchase.
These are not isolated cases arising at rare in
tervals, but common occurrences, and which
are reported from all quarters of the globe
Such occurrences cannot and do not fail to
reflect upon our Government and injure all
honest citizens. Such fraud being discov-
cred, however, there is no practicable means
in the control of the Government by which
these frauds can be prevented. The certificate
should be taken up as it usually is by the Di-
plomatic and Consular representatives of the
government to whom it may have been pre-
sented. There is nothing to prevent the per-
son claiming to have been naturalized from
the court in place of that which has been ia
ken from him. The evil has become so great,
and of such frequent occurrence, that l can
not too strongly recommend that some effec-
tive measures be adopted to provide proper
odu md fbo Of
record thus fradulently made, and Furnishing
the guilty parties to the transaction.
THE TREAsUgER's REPORT.
The report of the Secretary of the Treas
ury shows the receipts from customs for the
fiscal year ending June 30th, 1874, to have
been $163, 103, ,S33 SO, and for the fiscal year
ending June Both, 1875, to have been $751;
167, ,712 35, decreas for the last fiscal year of
$5,936,111 81. The receipt from Internal
Revenue for the year ending June 80, 1874,
were S1Os, 400, 784 80; and for the year end
ing on Both June, 1875, were $110 007, 1893 So,
an increase OF 1881, 70S 68. The report
also shows complete history of the workings
of the Department for last year, and contains
recommendations for reforms and for legisla-
ton which concur in, but cannot comment
on so fully as l should like to do if space
would permit. l will confine myself to few
suggestions, which l look upon as vital to the
best interests of the whole people, coming
within the purview of the Treasury. mean
SPECIE RESUMPTION.
Too much stress cannot be laid upon this
question, and1 hope Congress may be induced,
at the earliest day practicable to insure the
consummation of the act Of the last Congress-,
at its last session, to bring about specie re-
sumption on and after the first day of Janu-
ary, 1879, at the furthest. 1t would be great
blessing if this could be consummated even at
an earlier day. Nothing seems to me more
certain than that full, healthy and permanent
reaction cannot take place in favor of the in
dustries and financial welfare of the country
| until we return to measure of value recog-