The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-12-08

0A8sA18o
balance only to be paid by Mexico 10 the
United States, leaving the United States to
make provision for their proportion Of the |
awards In favor of It's own citizens. in
ute your attention to Legislation which Will |
be necessary TO provide for the payment |
IN this connection. am prepared to be |
sble to express the acknowledgment due
Mr.. Thornton, the umpire of the commits
sion, who has given to the consideration of
the large member of claims submitted to |
him much time, 1nWearied patience and |
that fairness and intelligence which are |
well known to belong to the accomplished |
of Great Britain, and which |
are likewise recognized by the representa- |
tive in this country of the Republic of
Mexico.
VENEZUELA CLAIMS.
Monthly payments of q very small part
of the amount due by the government of
Venezuela TO the citizens of the United
States, on account Of the claims of the lat
ter against that government, continue to be
made with reasonable punctualitY. That
government has proposed 70 change the
system which it has hitherto pursued in this
respect, by issuing bonds for part of the
amount of the several claims. The PROPOSE
ton, hoWeyeF, could not it Is supposed, prop
erly be accepted, at least without the con-
sent of the holders of the certificates Of
indebtedness of Venezuela These are so
much dispersed that it would be difficult,
if not impossible, to ascertain their dispo-
sition on the subject.
FRAUDULENT NATURALIZATION.
In another message / have called the
attention of Congress to the necessity of
legislation with regard to fraudulent uatur-
alization, and TO the subject of expatriation
and election of nationality. Numbers Of
persons of foreign birth, are seeking home
in the United States, and the ease
and facility with which the honest
emigrant after the lapse of q reasonable
time becomes possessed of all the privileges
of citizenship of the United States. and the
frequent occasions which induce such
adopted citizens to return to the country of
their birth, render the subject of naturali-
cation and the safeguards which exper-
fence has proved necessary for the protec-
ton of the honest naturalized citizen of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The very simplicity
in the requirements of the law on this
question affords opportunity for fraud, and
the want of uniformity in the proceedings
and records of the various courts, and in
the forms of the certificates of naturaliza.
ton issued, afford q constant source of diff
fculty. / suggest no additional requir-
ments to the acquisition of citizenship
beyond those now existing, but invite the
earnest attention of congress to the neces-
sity and wisdom of some provisions regard
ing uniformity in the records and certificates
and providing against the frauds which
frequently take place, and for the vacating
of records of naturalization obtained by
fraud. These provisions are needed in aid
nf he nf he
citizen of foreign birth, and for the want of
which he is made to suffer not unfre-
quently. The United States has insisted
upon the right of expatriation and has
obtained after q long struggle an
admission of the principle contend.
ed for by acquiescence therein on
the part of many foreign Powers and by
the conclusion of treaties on that subject.
1t is, however, but justice to the govern
ment to which such naturaliz-d citizens
have formerly owed allegiance as we'll as to
the United States, that certain fixed and
and definite rules should be adopted gov
erning such cases and providing how ex.
patriation may be accomplished. While
emigrants in large numbers become citizens
of the United States, it is also true that
persons, both native born and naturalized,
once citizens of the United States, either
facts and circumstances, abandon their
citizenship and cease to be entitled to the
protection of the United States, but con-
tinue on certain occasions to assert their
claim to protection in defiance of treaty
provisions, and in this connection l again
invite your attention to the necessity of
legislation concerning marriages of Ameri-
can citizens contracted abroad, and con-
corning the status of American women
who marry foreigners, and of children born
of American parents in foreign countries.
The delicate and complicated questions
continually occurring with reference to
repatriation and the status of such persons
as l have referred to, induce me
to earnestly direct your attention again to
the subject.
CLAIMS OF ALIENS.
In like manner / repeat the recommen-
dalton that some means be provided for
hearing determinations of the Just and ex-
listing claims of aliens upon the govern
ment of the United States within 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 the consideration of such claims
by Congress or the executive department
of the government. 1t is believed that
other governments are in advance of us
upon this question, and that the practice
now adopted is entirely satisfactory.
ADMTaaToN 0E CnToRADO
Congress, by an act approved the Sd of
March, 1875, authorized the inhabitants Of
the Territory of Colorado to form State
In 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 |
the State, and an acting Governor having |
certified to me the facts, as provided by |
said act, together with a copy of such con-
stitution and ordinances, as provided for |
in said act, and the provisions of said act |
of Congress having been complied with, / |
issued my proclamation on the LIST day of |
August, 1876, copy of which is hereto
THE WAR DEPARTMENT..
The report of the Secretary shows that
the army has been actively employed dur
ing the year IN subduing, at the request of /
The Indian Bureau, certain wild bands of
Ire Sioux Indian nation, and In preserving
peace At the South during the election.
The commissioners constituted under the
act of July "a, 1876, to consider and re-
port on the whole subject of the reform
and reorganization of the whole army, met
IN August laAt, and has collected large
mass of statistics on points bearing on the
subject before it. These are now under
consideration, and their report is progress
ling. am advised, though, by the Presi