Year: 1876

attention of Congress to the necessity
of legislation with regard to fraudulent
naturalization, and to the subject of
eypatriation and the election of ma
tionality. The very simplicity in the
requirements of the law ON this queS-
tion afford opportunity for fraud, and
the want of uniformity in the pro-
ceedings and records of the various
courts, and in the forms of the certifi-
Gates of naturalization is such as to
afford constant source of difficulty.


COLORADO.


Congress, by an act approved March
Sd, 1875, authorized the inhabitants of
the. Territory of Colorado TO form
state government with the name State
of Colorado, and therein provided for
the admission Of said state, when
framed, into the union upon an equal
footing with the original states. a
constitution having been adopted and
ratified by the people of that state, and
the acting governor having certified to
me the facts as provided 10y said act,
together with a copy of such constitu-
tion and ordinances, as provided for in
the said act, and the provisions of said
act of Congress having been duly COM
piled with, issued a proclamation on
the lst of August, 1876, a copy of which
is hereto annexed.


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, GER
tain wild bands of the Sioux Indian
nation, and in preserving the peace at
the South during the election.


THE NAVY.


The report of the Secretary of the
Navy shows that branch of the service
to be in condition as effective as it is
possible to keep it with the means the
appropriations give the Department.


THE CENTENNIAL.


The International Exhibition held in
Philadelphia this year in commemora-
tion of the anniversary of American
Independence has proven great snc-
cess, and will no doubt be of end ur:ng
advantage to the country. 1t has
shown the great progress i'll arts,
sciences and mechanical skill, made in
a single century, and demonstrated that
we are but little behind the older ma
tions in any one branch, while in some
we scarcely have rival. 1t has served
to not only bring people and products
of skill and labor from all parts of the
world together, but in bringing to-
gether people from all sections of our
own country, which must prove great
benefit in the information impaired and
the pride of country engendered.


ELECTION OF PRESIDENT.


The attention of Congress cannot be
too earnestly called to the necessity of
throwing some greater safeguard over
the method of choosing and declaring
the election of President. Under
the present system there seems to be no
provided remedy for contesting the
election. The remedy is partially, no
doubt, in the enlightenment of cleo
tors. The compulsory support of the
free school, and the disfranchisement
of all who cannot read and write the
English language after a fixed proba-
ton, would meet my hearty approval.


CLOSING REMARKS.


l append to this message, for conve-
nient reference, a synopsis of admins
trative events and of all recommended
tions to Congress made by me during
Vic ldSt StNtll yCaIS. liliC may SiON
some of these recommendations to have
been unwisely conceived, but believe
the larger part will be no discredit to
the administration. One of these re-
concentrations met with the united OPP
position of one political party in the
Senate, and with strong opposition
from the other, namely: The treaty for
the annexation of Santo Domingo to
the United States, to which shall spec
tally refer, maintaining, as do, that
if my views had been concurred i'll the
country would be in a more prosperous
condition to-day both. politically and
financially.


With the present Congress my official
life terminates. 1t is not probable that
public affairs will ever again receive
attention from me, further than as a
citizen of the Republic, always taking
deep interest in the honor and integ-
rity and prosperity of the whole land.


[Signedl U. S. GRANT.


EXECUTIVE MANSION. Dec. !. 1876.