The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-12-14

vite your attention to the necessity OF
legislation concerning marriages OF
American citizens contracted abroad
and concerning the status of Ameri-
can women who may marry foreign
ers, OF children born of American
parents in a foreign country. The del
icate and complicated questions con-
stantly occurring with reference TO
naturalization, expatriation and the
status of such persons as I have refer
red to, induce me 10 earnestly direct
AS TO ALIENS.
In like manner repeat my recon-
mendation that some means be pro-
vided tor the hearing and determine
lion of the just and subsisting claims
of aliens upon the Government of the
United States within reasonable iim-
itatiOn, and of such as may hereafter
arise. While by the existing provis-
ions of law the Court of Claims may
be in certain cases resorted to by an
alien claimant, the absence of any
general provisions governing all such
cases, and the want of a tribunal skill
ed in the disposition of such cases on
recognized, liked and settled princi-
pies, either provides no remedy in
certain deserving cases or compels q
consideration of such claims by Con-
gress or the Executive Departments OF
the Government. 1t is believed that
other Governments are in advance OF
the United States upon the question,
and that the practice now adopted is
entirely unsatisfactory.
Colorado.
YOU DEMOCRATS NEEDN'T KICK AGAINST
Congress, by an act approved the Sd
of March, 1875, authorized the inhab-
itants of the Territory of Colorado to
form State Government with the
name of the State of Colorado, and
therein provided tor the admission oi
said State when formed into the Union
upon an equal footing with the Origi,
nal States. a Constitution having
been adopted aud ratified by the peo.
pie of that State, and an acting Gov.
ernor having certified to me the facts
as provided for in the said act, tOgeth.
er with copy Of such Constitution
and ordinances as provided TOR i'll the
said act, and the provisions OF said ac
of Congress having been duly com
piled with, issued y proclamation or
the 1st of August, 1876, copy o
which is hereto annexed.
The Army.
WHAT HAVE DONE WITH IT.
The report of the Secretary Of Wa
shows that the army has been actiyel,
employed during the year in subduing
at the request of the Indian Bureau
certain wild bands of the Sioux In
dian Nation, and i'll preserving th'
peace at the South during the election
THE REORGANIZATION.
The Commission, constituted unde
the act Of July "a, 1876, to conside
and report on the whole subject of re
form and reorganization OF the whOi
army, has collected large mass O
statistics of points bearing on the sub
ject before it. These are now unde
consideration, and their report is pro
crossing. l am advised, though, by
the President of the Commission, tina
it will be impracticabie to comply witt
the clause of the act requiring re
port to be presented through me t
Congress on the first day of this ses
sion, as there has not been time fo
that mature deliberation which tn
importance of the subject demands
Thersfore ask that the time of max
ing report be extended to the 29tl
day of January, 1877.
The army regulations prepared un
der the act of March l. 1875, have no
been promulgated, but are held unit
after the report of the AUGMENTATION
ed Commission shall have beeI re
ceived aud acted upon by the act o
August Is, 1876. The cavalry force
of the army was increased by 2.50i
men, with provisO that they shouls
be discharged OH the expiration of tn
hostilities. Under this authority tn
cavalry regiments have been strength
ened, and a portion of them are nov
in the field pursuing the remnants o
the Indians with whom they hay
been engaged during the summer.
THE ESTIMATES.
The estimates of the War Depart
ment are made upon the basis of tn
number of men authorized by law an
| their requirements, as shown by year
| of experience, and also with the puI
pose Of part of the Bureau officers t
provide for all contingencies that ma
arise during the term for which tn
estimates are made, exclusive of tn
Engineers estimates, preseated in &C
! cordance with the acts of Congress
calling for surveys and estimates fo
| improvements at various localities
The estimates now presented ar
about six millions in excess of the an
preparations of 1S74-'75 and 1S75-O
This increase is asked In order to pro
vide for the Increased cavalry force
| should their services be necessary. t
prosecute economically work upo
| important public buildings, to provid
| for armament of Notifications an
manufactures or small arms, and re
plenish the working stock in the sup
ply depots. The appropriations TO
these last named have for the past fey
years been so limited that the accumu
lations in store will be entirely ex
| hausted during the present year, an
it will be necessary at once to begin t
replenish them.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
invite your special attention to til
following recommendations of tn
Secretary of War:
81. That the claims under the act I
July 4th, 1874, for supplies taken by I'll
army during the war be removed froi
the offices of the Quartermaster an
Commissary- Generals and transferre,
to the Southern Claims Commission
These claims are of a precisely simila
nature to those now before the South
ern Claims Commission, and the Wa
Department Bureaus have not tn
clerical force for their examination, no
proper machinery for investigatin
the loyalty Of the claimants.
50 That Congress sanction til
scheme of an Annuity Fund for tn
benefit of the families OF deceased Offi
GERS, and that it also provides for Jth
permanent organization of the regula
service, both of which were recon
mended in my last annual message.
| ''3. That manufacturing operator
of the Ordinance Department be co,
centrated at three arsenals and a
armory, aud that the remaining arsel