064 



PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



jestv within twelve months from the date of the 

 award, the sum of $1,929,819 in gold. The comini-- 

 ion disallowed or dismissed til other claims of Brit- 

 ish subject* against the United State*. The amount 

 of the chums presented by the British Government, 

 but disallowed or dismissed, is understood to be 

 about |9S,000,000. It also disallowed all claims of 

 citizens of the United Suits against Great Britain 

 which were referred to it. 



I recommend the early passage of an act appro- 

 priating the amount necessary to pay this award 

 against the United States. 



I have caused to be communicated to the Govern- 

 ment of the King of Italy the thanks of thin Gov- 

 ernment for the eminent services rendered by Count 

 -,- tin' third commissioner on this commission. 

 With dignity, learning, and impartiality, he dis- 

 charged duties requiring great labor and constant 

 patience, to the satisfaction, 1 believe, of both gov- 

 ernments. I recommend legislation to create a spe- 

 cial court, to consist of three judges, who shall be 

 empowered to hear and determine all claims of 

 aliens upon the United States arising out of acts 

 committed against their persons or property during 

 the insurrection. The recent reference under the 

 Treaty of Washington was confined to claims of Brit- 

 ih subjects arising during the period named in the 

 Treaty ; but it is understood that there are other 

 Britisn claims of u similar nature, arising after the 

 '.'lit <if April, 1865, and it is known that other claims 

 of a like nature are advanced by citizens, or sm 

 of other powers. It is desirable to have these claims 

 also examined and disposed of. 



Official information being received from the Dutch . 

 Government of a state of war between the King of 

 the Netherlands and the Sultan of Acheen, the of- 

 ficers of the United States who were near the seat 

 of the war were instructed to observe an impartial 

 neutrality. It is believed that they have done so. 



The jo'int commission under the convention with 

 Mexico of 18<S having again been legally pro]. : 

 has resumed its business, which, it is hoped, may 

 he lirought to an early conclusion. The ii 

 giiishcd representative of her Britannic Mujesty at 

 Washington has kindly consented, with the ap- 

 proval of his Government, to assume the arduous 

 and responsible duties of umpire in this commission, 

 and to lend the weight of his character and name to 

 such decisions a* mny not receive the acquit 

 of both the arbitrators appointed by the respective 

 government!*. 



The commissioners appointed pursuant to the 



authority of Congress to examine into the nature and 



e foray* by trespassers from that coun- 



trv upon the herds of Texas, have made a report, 



which will be submitted for your consideration. 



The Venezuelan Government has been apprised of 

 th sense of Congress in regard to the award" of the 

 joint commission under the convention of the 25th 

 of April, 18S, as expressed in the act of the 25th of 

 February last. 



It i apprehended that that Government does not 

 realize the character of its obligations uinli -r that 

 convention. As there is reason to believe, however, 

 that lt hesitancy in recognizing them springs in 

 part at least from renl difficulty in discharging them 

 In connection with its obligations to otlier govern- 

 ments, the expediency of further forbearance on our 

 part Is believed to be worthv >f your consideration. 



The Ottoman Government and that of Egvpt have 

 latterly shown a disposition to relieve foreign con- 

 soli of the judicial powers which heretofore they 

 have exercised in the Turkish dominions, by organ- 

 izing other trihonals. As Congreas, however, hns 



I transmit herewith for the consideration and de- 

 termination of Congress an application of t 

 public of Santo Douiin. ..> ex- 



ercise a protectorate over that republic. 



Since the adjournment of Congress the following 

 treaties with foreign pou. i> lm\t- ). , n i 

 A naturalization convention with Denmark; a con- 

 n with Mexico for renewing the claim 



iition of frii ! 



i, lion, with the Orange ; ui.d a na- 



turalization convention with Kcuudor. 



1 renew the recommendation mode in my message 

 of December, 1870, that Congress authorize tlio 

 Postmaster-General to issue all commissions to offi- 

 cials appointed through his department. 



1 invite the earnest attention of Congress to tho 

 existing laws, of 'the Tinted stat g ex- 



patriation nnd the election of nationality by indi- 

 viduals. Many citizens of the United States reside 

 permanently abroad with their families. Und- 

 provisions of the net approved February 10, 1865. 

 the children of such persons are to be deemed and 

 taken to be citizens of the United States, but tie 

 rights of citizenship arc not to descend to persons 

 \ i r resided iii the United Stir 



It thus happens that persons who have M ver n - 

 sided within the Doited States have been enabled 

 to put forward a pretension to the prottction of the 

 United States against the claim to milituiy > 

 of the government under whose protection they 

 were born and have been reared. In 

 even naturalized citizens of the United States have 

 returned to the land of their birth, with intent to 

 remain there, and their children, tho issue of a mar- 

 riage contracted there after their return, and who 

 have never been in the United States, have laid 

 claim to our proteet'n n, when the lapse of many 

 years had been imposed upon them the duty of mil- 

 itary service to Oie only government which had 

 ever known them personally. 



Until the year 1868 it was left embarrassed by con- 

 flicting opinions of courts and of jurists to determine 

 how for the doctrine of perpetual allegiance, di m cd 

 from our former colonial relations with (iveiit Britain, 

 was applicable to American citizens. Con^ivf.- tl.ui 

 wisely swept these doubts away by enacting that 

 "any declaration, instruction, opinion, order, or de- 

 cision of any officer of this (loveninii nt which de- 

 nies, restrict*, impairs, or questions the right of 

 expatriation, is ineonsisti n! with the fundun ntal 

 principles of this (o'\i mine! t." 1 s did 



not indicate in that statute, nor has it since done so, 

 what acts arc deemed to work expatriation. For my 

 own guidance in determining Mich questions, 1 re- 

 quired (under the i'f"\ isions ot' the Constitution) the 

 opinion in writinir < f the principal ' do . I 



e I>i']':iitim ills upon certain ipu I 

 relating to this subject. The remit satisfies lie 

 further legislation has become ncccssiirv. 1 there- 

 fore commend the subject to the careful considera- 

 tion of ('ingress, and 1 transmit herewith eoj : 

 the several opinions of the principal officers of the 

 'i\e Department, t' getlicr vith ether 

 nice and pertinent information on the same 



The United States, who led the way in the over- 

 throw of the feudal doctrine of perpetual iillcti. 

 ere among the la-t to indicate how their own citizens 

 may elect another nationality. The papers submit- 

 ted' herewith indicate what is necessary to place us 

 on a par with other lending nation* in liberality of 

 legislation on this international iinestion. \\ c have 

 already in our treaties assented to the principle! 

 which wonld need to be embodied in h;ws inti 



by law provided for the di-chnree of judicial func- to nei-ompli-h such results. Wo have agreed that 

 tions by consuls of tho United States in that quor- citizens of the United States moy ocnse I" i 



l-r the treaty of 1830, I have not felt nt liberty 

 formally to accept' the proposed change without the 

 aunt of Congress, whose decision upon the subject, 

 at n early a period 01 may be convenient, in earnest- 



lv r. ., . ' 



tens, and mny voluntarily render allegiance to other 



. We' have agi 1 thnt reside i in at- reign 



land, without intent to return, shall of itself wi rk 

 expatriation. We have agreed, in some inst; > 

 upon the length of time necessary for such contin- 



