The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-12-08

time limited by the commission 1,Ol7 claims ON
the part Of citizens OF the United States against
Mexico we're referred to the commission. or
these claims 631 were dismissed or disal-
lowed, and on 1856 cases awards
were made in favor Of the claimants
against the Mexican republic amounting in the
aggregate to "a, 1875, 622. 20. Within the same
period 99S claims on the part of citizens Of the
Mexican republic against the United States
were referred TO the commission. or these
claims 631 we're dismissed and disallowed, and
In 167 cases awards were made in favor Of
claimants against the United States amounting
in the aggregate to 81, 504 9s4.1 BY the terms
of the convention the amount OF these awards
IL to be deducted from the amount awarded in
favor Of our citizens against Mexico, and the
balance only to be paid by Mexico the United
States, leaving the United States to make
provisions for their proportion of the awards
in favor of its own citizens. invite your at
tention to the legislation which will be neces-
sary to provide for the payment. In this con-
nection am pleased to be able to express the
acknowledgements due TO Sir Edward Thornton,
the umpire of the commission, who has given
to the consideration of the large number OF
claims submitted TO him much time, unwearied
patience, and that fairness and intelligence
which are we'll known to belong to the accom-
plished representative OF Great Britain, and
which are likewise recognized by the repre-
sentative In this country OF the republic OF
Mexico
venezuela Claims.
Monthly payments of very small part OF
the amount due by the Government OF Nene-
zuela to the citizens of the latter against that
Government continue to be made with reasona-
BILE punctualty. That Government has pro-
posed to change the system which it has hith-
erto pursued in this respect by issuing bonds
for part of the amount OF the several claims.
The proposition, however, could not, it is sup
posed properly be accepted, at least without
consent of the holders OF certificates OF the in
debtedness OF Venezuela. These are 80 much
depressed that it would be difficult, il not i'm
possible, to ascertain their disposition on the
subject.
Naturalization and REPATRIATION.
In former messages have called the atten-
| ton of Congress to the necessity OF legislation
| with regard to fraudulent naturalization and
| the subject CT expatriation and the election Of
nationality OF the number Of persons of foreign
| birth seeking a home in the United States the
ease and facility with which the honest emil
| grant may after the lapse of a reasonable time
become possessed OF all the privileges OF citi-
zenship of the United States, and the frequent
occasions which induce such adopted citizens
to return to the country OF their birth. Under
the subject Of naturalization, the safeguards
| which experience has proved necessary for the
| protection of the honest naturalized citizens
are of paramount Importance.
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 naturali-
! cation issued, afford constant source OF
difficulty. / suggested no additional require
ments to the acquisition OF citizenship, beyond
| those now existing but invite the earnest
attention OF Congress to the necessity and wis
dom OF some provision regarding uniformity
| in the records and certificates, and providing
| against the frauds which frequently take
! place. and for the vacating of a record
of naturalization obtained by fraud. These
provisions are needed in aid and for the
! protection Of the honest citizen OF foreign
birth. and for the want Of which he is made
to suffer not infrequently. The United States
has insisted upon the right Of expatriation,
and has obtained, after a long struggle, an
admission Of the principle contended 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 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
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 by for
NAL acts or as the effect Of a series of facts
and circumstances. abandon their citizenship
and cease TO be entitled to the protection OF
the United States but continue on convenient
occasions to assert q claim to it's protection.
Ia the absence of provisions on these ques-
! tions, and in this connection, again invite
your attention to the necessity of legislation
concerning the marriages Of American cit
| liens contracted abroad, and concerning the
status of American women who may marry
Inf oh 1rat hOt Of m
parents in foreign country. The delicate
| and complicated questions continually occur
ring with reference to naturalization, expatri-
alton and the status of such persons as have
referred to, induce me to earnestly direct your
attention again to these subjects.
In like manner, repeat my recommended
ton tnat some means be provided for the hear
ing and determination OF the just and exist
ing claims of aliens upon the Government OF
the United States, within a reasonable limita-
ton, and OF such as may hereafter 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 gener-
al provisions governing all such cases, and the
want of tribunal skilled in the disposition OF
such cases, upon recognized, fixed and settled
principles, either provides no remedy in many
deserving cases, or compels consideration OF
such claims by Congress or the executive
department Of the Government.
II is believed that other governments are in
advance OF the United States upon this ques'
tion and that the practice now adopted Is en-
trely unsatisfactory.
Colorado.
Congress, by an act approved the Sd OF
March, 1875 authorized the inhabitants of the
Territory OF Colorado to form State Govern
ment, 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 con-
stItution having been adopted and ratified by
the people of that State, and the acting Gov
ernor having certified to me the facts as pre-
vided by said act, together with copy Of such
constitution and ordinances AZ are provided
for in the said act, and the provisions of said
act Of Congress having been duly complied
with, l issued proclamation upon the LIST OF
August, 1876, copy of which is hereto an-
nexed
Reform and Reorganization of the Army.
The report OF the Secretary of War shows
that the army has been actively employed,
during the year, in subduing. at the request
of the Indian Bureau, certain wild bands of
the Sioux Indian nation, and in preserving
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 the reform and re-
organization of the whole army, convened
in August last and has collected a large
mass Of statistics and opinions bearing on
the subject before il. These are now
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