Year: 1874

| of compliance with the law, as frequent in
| stances of illegal and fraudulent naturaliZa-
| ton and of unauthorized use of certificates
| thus improperly obtained come to light In
some cases the fraudulent character of the
naturalization has appeared upon the face of
the certificate itself; in others examination
dscloses that the holder had not complied
with the law, and in others certificates have
been obtained where the persons holding
them not only were not emitted to be natu-
rallied, but had not even been within
the United States at the tune of the
pretended naturalization. Instances of
these classes of fraud are discovered at
our legations, where the certificates of
naturalization are presented either for the
purpose of obtaining passports or demanding
the protection Of the legation. When the
fraud is obvious on the face ofsuch certificates
they are taken up by the representatives OF
the Government ans. awarded to the Depart
nent of State. But eva the record of the
court in which the fraudulent naturalization
occurred remains, and duplicate certificates
are readily obtanable. Upon the pres
entation of these for the issue of
passports or demanding protection of
the Government the fraud sometimes
infrequently used in transactions of. business,
to the deception and injury of innocent par
ties. Without placing any additional obstacle
in the way of the OBJ ainment Of citizenship
by the worthy and well-intentioned foreigner
who comes in good faith to cast his lot with
ours, earnestly recommend further legisla-
ton to punish fraudulent naturalization and
to secure the ready cancellation of the record
of every naturalization made in fraud


TREATIES OF EXTRADITIoN.


Since my last annual message the exchange
has been made of the ratification of treaties
of extradition with Belgium, Ecuador, Peru
and Salvador; also of a treaty of commerce
and oxyiCro fior1x xIifh pnrI ND of
merce and consular privileges with Salvador
all of which have been duly proclaimed, as
has also declaration with Russia with refer
ence to trademarks.


REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.


The report of the Secretary of the Treas
ury, which by law is made directly
to Congress and forms no part OF
and expenditures of the Government
for the last fiscal year, the amount received
from each source of revenue, and the amount
paid out for each of the departments of the
Government 1t will be observed from this
report that the amount of receipts over
expenditures has been but $2,344, $3.50 for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1874, and that
for the current fiscal year the estimated re-
ceipts over expenditures will not much
exceed $4,000, ,000 In view of the large
national debt existing, and the obliga-
ton to add / per cent. per annum to
the sinking fund, sum amounting now
to over 34,000,000 per annum, l submit
whether the revenues should not be increased
or the expenditures diminished. To reach
this amount of surplus and not provide for
the sinking fund is partial failure to COM
ply with the contracts and obligations OF the
Government. At the last session of Congress
a very considerable reduction was made in
the rates of taxation and the number Of arti-
cles submitted to taxation-the question may
well be asked whether or not in some in
stances unWisely.


In connection with this subject, too, I ven
ture the opinion that the means of collecting
the revenue, especially from imports, have
been embarrassed by such legislation as to
make it questionable whether or not large
amounts are not lost by a failure to collect, to
the direct loss of the Treasury and to the
prejudice of the interests OF honest importers
and taxpayers.


The Secretary of the Treasury in
his report favors legislation looking
to specie payments, thus support
ing the views previously expressed
in this message. He also recommends econ
omy in appropriation; calls attention to the
loss of revenue from repeating the tax on tea
or coffee, without benefit to the consumer;
recommends an increase of ten cents gal
lon on whisky, and further, that no modifi-
cation be made in the Banking and Currency
bill passed at the last session of Congress,
unless modification should become neces-
sary by.reason of the adoption of measures
for returning to specie payments. In these
recommendations l cordially Join.


THE TARIFF.


would suggest to Congress the propriety
of readjusting the tariff so as to increase the
revenue and at the same time decrease the
number of articles upon which duties are
levied Those articles which enter into our
manufactures and are not produced at home,
it seems to me, should be entered free. Those
o1a Of ,,rfn tIlr w W. a
constituent part of, but do not produce the
whole, that part which we do not produce
should enter free also. | will in
stance fine wool, dyes, etc. These articles
must be imported to form part of the manu-
facture of the higher grades OF woolen goods.
Chemicals used as dyes, compounded in medi-
cines and used in various ways in manufac-
lures come under this class. The introduc-
ton. free of duties, of such woods as we do
not produce should stimulate the manufacture
of goods requiring these. There are many
articles entering into home manufactures
which we do not produce ourselves, the tariff
upon which Increases the cost of producing
the manufactured article. All corrections
in this regard are in the direction of bringing
labor and capital into harmony with each
other and of supplying one of the elements
of prosperity SO much needed.


THE ARMY AND NAVY.


The report of the Secretary Of War, here
with attached and forming part of this
message gives all the information concern
ing the operations, wants and necessi-
ties of the army, and contains many
suggestions and recommendations which
| commend to your special atten-
ton. There is no class of Government en-
ployes who are harder worked than the army
officers and men; none who perform their
tasks more cheerfully and efficiently, and
under circumstances of greater privation
and hardship. Legislation is desirable to
render more efficient this branch of the pub
lie service. All the recommendations of
the Secretary of War regard as judicious,
and / especially commend to your at
tention the following: The consolidation of
Government arsenals; the restoration of mile
age to officers travelling under orders; the ex-
emption of money received from the sale of
subsistence stores from being covered into the
Treasury; the use of appropriations for the
purchase of subsistence stores without wait
ing for the beginning OF the fiscal year for
which the appropriation is made; for addi-
tional appropriations for the collection of tor
pedo material; for increased appropriations
for the manufacture of arms; for relieving the
various States from Indebtedness for arms
charged to them during the rebellion; for drop
ping officers from the rolls of the army with
out trial for the otfense of drawing
pay more than once for the same
period for the encouragement of the
plan to pay soldiers by checks, and
for the establishment of professor
ship of rhetoric and English literature at
West Point. The reasons for the recommenda-
tions are obvious, and are set forth sufficiently
in the report attached. | also recommend
that the status of the staff corps of the army
be fixed, where this has not already been
done. SO that promotions may be made and
vacancies filed as they occur in each grade
when reduced below the number to be liked
by law The necessity for such legislation is
specially felt now in the Pay Department.


The efficiency of the navy has been largely
increased during the last year, under the i'm
pulse of the foreign complications which
thraa aatenad rs Of the .cnmmennen,ont of tho