The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-27

upon the right of expatriation, and has
obtained, after a long struggle, an admis-
sion of the principle contended for by &C.
quiescence therein on the part of many
foreign powers, and by the conclusion of
treaties on that subject. 1t is, however,
but justice to the government to which
such naturalized citizens have formerly
owed allegiance, as we'll as to the United
States, that certain fixed and definite rules
should be adopted governing such cases,
and providing how expatriation may be
accomplished. While Immigrants in large
numbers become citizens OF the United
States, it is also true that persons both.pa-
tive born and naturalized once citizens of
the United States, either by formal acts or
as the effect of a series Of facts and circum-
stances, abandon their citizenship an
cease to be entitled to the protection of the
United States, but continue, on convenient
occasions, to assert 4 claim to protection in
the absence Of provision on these questions.
STATUS OF AMERICAN WOMEN.
And in this connection l again invite
your attention to the necessity Of legislation
concerning the marriages of American citi-
zens contracted abroad, and concerning the
status of American women who marry
foreigners, and Of children born Of Ameri-
can parents in a foreign country. The
delicate and complicated questions con-
annually occurring with refe renee to natur-
alization, e1patriation, and the status Of
such persons as / have above referred to,
induce me to earnestly direct your atten-
tion again to these subjects.
CLAIMS OF ALIENS.
In like manner I repeat my recommends
ton that some means be provided for the
hearing and determination Of the just and
sub.isting claims of aliens upon the govern
ment of the United States within a reason
able limitation, and of such as may here
after arise. While, by existing provisions
of law, the court of claims may in certain
cases be resorted to by an alien claimant,
the absence of any general provisions
governing all such'cases, and the want of a
tribunal skilled in the disposition of such
cases upon recognized, fixed and settled
principles, either provides no remedy in
many deserving cases, or compels a consi-
deration of such claims by Congress or the
executive departments of the government.
1t is believed that other governments are in
advance of the United States upon this
question, and that the practice now adopted
is entirely unsatisfactory.
COLORADO.
Congress, BY an act approved the third
day of March, 1875, authorized the inhabi-
tants of the Territory of Colorado to form a
State government, with the name OF the
State of Colorado, and therein provided for
the admission of said State, when formed,
into the Union upon an equal footing with
the original States. A constitution having
been adopted and ratified by the people Of
that State, ond the acting governor having
certified to me the facts as provided by said
act, together with a copy Of such constitu-
ton and ordinances as provided for in the
said act, and the provisions OF the said act
of Congress having been duly complied
with, I issued a proclamation upon the first
Of August, 1876, 8 copy of which is hereto
annexed.
THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
shows that the army has been actively EN-
ployed during the year in subduing, at the
request of the Indian bureau, certain wild
bands of the Sioux Indian nation, and in
preserving the peace at the South during
the election. The commission constituted
under the act Of July "a, 1876, to consider
and report on the whole subject of reform
and reorganization Of the whole army in
August last, has collected a large mass of
statistics and opinions bearing on the sub
ject before it. These are now under cons;d-
Grafton and their report is progressing. In
accordance with the resolutions of August
Is, 1876, the army regulations prepared
under the act Of March l, 1875, have not
been promulgated, but are held until after
the report of the above mentioned commits
sion shall have been received and acted on.
/ invite your special attention to the fol-
lowing recommendations of the secretary of
war. First, that the claims under the act
of July 4, 1864, for supplies taken by the
army during the war be removed from the
Offices Of the quartermaster and commissary
generals and transferred to the Southern
claims commission. These claims are of
precisely similar nature to those now before
the Southern claims commission and the
war department bureaus. Have not the
clerical force for their examination no
proper machinery for investigating the
loyalty of the claimants? Second-That
Congress sanction the scheme Of an annuity
fund for the benefit OF the. families of de-
ceased officers, and that it also provide for
the permanent organization OF
THE SIGNAL SERVICE,
Lo.L - ub;ob ~oro rooomno,d.a in nv
last annual message. Third-That the
manufacturing operations of the ordnance
department be concentrated at three arsen-
ais and an armory, and that the remaining
arsenals besold and the proceeds applied to
this object by the ordnance department.
RIVER AND HARBoR APPROPRIATIONS.
The appropriations for river and harbor
improvements for the current year were five
million and fifteen thousand dollars. With
nv approval, the secretary of war directed
that Of this amount two million dollars
should be expended, and nc new work
should be begun and none prosecuted which
were not of national Importance. Subse-
quently this amount was increased to
S 1887, 900, and the works are now progress
ing on thi, basis. The improvement Of the
south pass OF the Mississippi river, under
James B. Eads and his associates, is pro-
crossing favorsbly. At the present time
there il . channel Of twenty and three
tenths feet in depth between the jetties at
the mouth of the pass, and eighteen and
one-half feet at the head of the pass.
Neither channel, however, has the width
required before payments can be made by
the United States. A commission of en-
gineer officers is new examining these
works, and their reports will be presented
as soon a. received.
Tho report Of the secretary Of the navy
shows that branch Of the service to be in
condition as effective az it is possible to
keep it with the means and authority
given the department. 1t is, Of course, not
possible to rival the costly and progressive
establishments Of great European powers
with the old material Of our navy, to which
no increase has been authorized since the
war, except the eight small cruisers built
to supply the place Of others which had
gone to decay. Yet the most has been
done that was possible with the means at
command, and BY substantially rebuilding
some of our old ships with durable ma
terial, and completely repairing our mont
tor fleet, the navy has been gradually so
brought up that, though it does not main
tain its relative position among the pro-
g~ressive navies Of the world, it is now in a
condition more powerful and effective than
- .~o~ h.. boon in TINA If poann The