SPECIAL MESSAGES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 10, 1877.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith, for the information of Congress, a copy of the report of the commission appointed by me on the 27th of September, 1877, to examine the several public buildings in this city and determine the nature and extent of their security against conflagrations and the measures to be taken to guard the buildings and their contents from destruction or damage by fire.
The records of the Government constitute a most valuable collection for the country, whether we consider their pecuniary value or their historical importance; and it becomes my duty to call your attention to the means suggested for securing these valuable archives, as well as the buildings in which they are stored. The commissioners have performed their duties intelligently and faithfully. Their recommendations are fully concurred in by me and commended to the favorable consideration of Congress.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 10, 1877.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I have the honor to transmit herewith an additional report (and an accompanying statement) addressed to me by the commissioners appointed under the act of Congress approved July 19, 1876, authorizing the repavement of that part of Pennsylvania avenue lying between the Treasury Department and the Capitol Grounds.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 13, 1877.
To the House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith a special report upon the subject of forestry by the Commissioner of Agriculture, with the accompanying documents.
R.B. HAYES.
[A similar message was sent to the Senate.]
WASHINGTON, January 11, 1878.
To the House of Representatives:
In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 3d ultimo, requesting to be furnished with the correspondence between the Government of Venezuela and that of the United States had since the adjournment of the first session of the Forty-fourth Congress in relation to the Venezuela Mixed Claims Commission, I transmit the report of the Secretary of State, together with its accompanying documents.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, January 14, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
I have received the following resolution of the Senate:
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
December 11, 1877.
Resolved, That the President be respectfully requested to inform the Senate, with the view to the transaction of its executive business, whether in any of the instances of nominations hitherto sent to the Senate stated to be for appointment in place of officers removed such removals had been made at the time of sending such nominations to the Senate.
In reply I would respectfully inform the Senate that in the instances referred to removals had not been made at the time the nominations were sent to the Senate. The form used for such nominations was one found to have been in existence and heretofore used in some of the Departments, and was intended to inform the Senate that if the nomination proposed were approved it would operate to remove an incumbent whose name was indicated.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 17, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In response to the resolution of the Senate of the 13th November last calling for information concerning the cause, numbers engaged, number of lives lost, and probable cost of the late so-called Nez Percé War, I have the honor to submit the accompanying communication from the General of the Army and an extract from the annual report of that officer. Upon the subject of the cost of the Nez Percé War, I submit reports from the Quartermaster-General and the Commissary-General of Subsistence.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, January 18, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty of friendship and commerce between the United States and the Government of the Samoan Islands, signed on the 17th instant.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 18, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of December 6, 1877, I inclose a report made to me by the Attorney-General, the results of which seem to be correct, and which affords the information[8] requested.
R.B. HAYES.
[A similar message was sent to the House of Representatives, in answer to a resolution of that body of November 27, 1877.]
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 23, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of November 16, 1877, I transmit reports[9] made to me by the Attorney-General and the Secretary of the Navy.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, January 29, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In response to a resolution of the Senate of the 10th ultimo, I transmit herewith copies of reports[10] of the Commissioners of Indian Affairs and General Land Office, dated 9th and 21st instant, respectively.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 4, 1878.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
The commission appointed under the act of Congress approved March 3, 1873, entitled "An act to authorize inquiries into the causes of steam-boiler explosions," have addressed a report of progress, made to date thereof, to the Secretaries of the Treasury and Navy Departments, which has been transmitted to me by these officers. The commission also present a copy of a report dated February 27, 1877, which they say "was mislaid and did not reach the President." These reports are respectfully submitted for the information of Congress.
WASHINGTON, February 6, 1878.
To the Senate:
I transmit herewith, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 6th of December last, a report from the Secretary of State and its accompanying papers.[11]
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 11, 1878.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
In compliance with the resolution of Congress entitled "Joint resolution accepting a painting[12] tendered to Congress by Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson," approved by me on the 1st instant, I have this day caused a copy of the resolution to be delivered to Mrs. Thompson.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 20, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In response to the resolution of the Senate of January 30, 1878, I transmit herewith a report,[13] dated the 16th instant, from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 20, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate dated December 7, 1877, I transmit herewith reports from the General of the Army, the Quartermaster-General, the Commissary-General of Subsistence, and the Chief of Ordnance, showing what has been the cost (estimated) of the late war with the Sioux Indians, and what the casualties of rank and file among the soldiers engaged in said Sioux War.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 27, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit herewith, for the information of the Senate, the reply of the Commissioner of Agriculture to a resolution of the Senate of the 20th instant, "relative to the disease prevailing among swine," etc.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, March 21, 1878.
To the Senate:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 11th of March instant, I herewith transmit a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying documents.[14]
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, March 25, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In further answer to the resolution of the Senate of December 7, 1877, as to the cost of the Sioux War, I transmit copies of additional reports on the subject received from the Military Division of the Missouri.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 27, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the Senate's resolution of the 14th ultimo, requesting to be furnished with a copy of correspondence between the Government of the United States and that of China respecting the "Ward" claims and the claim of Charles E. Hill, I herewith submit a letter from the Secretary of State, together with its accompanying papers.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, March 29, 1878.
To the House of Representatives:
I transmit herewith, in compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 21st ultimo, a report from the Secretary of State and its accompanying papers.[15]
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 2, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of April 16, 1878,1 transmit herewith reports[16] made to me by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney-General.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, May 10, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a convention defining the rights, immunities, and privileges of consular officers, between the United States and His Majesty the King of Italy, signed on the 8th instant.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, May 14, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 29th ultimo, I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with its accompanying papers.[17]
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, May 17, 1878.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I herewith transmit, for your appropriate action, a communication from the Secretary of State, on the subject of the result of the deliberations of the Fishery Commission appointed under certain provisions of the treaty of Washington, with the accompanying documents.
Article XXII of the treaty provides that any sum of money which the commissioners may award shall be paid by the United States Government in a gross sum within twelve months after such award shall have been given.
The commission announced the result of its deliberations on the 23d day of November last year, and an appropriation at the present session of Congress will be necessary to enable the Government to make the payment provided for in the treaty.
I respectfully submit to the consideration of Congress the record of the transaction as presented upon the papers, and recommend an appropriation of the necessary sum, with such discretion to the executive government in regard to its payment as in the wisdom of Congress the public interests may seem to require.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, May 25, 1878.
To the Senate of the United States:
I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to its ratification, a consular convention between the United States and the Netherlands, signed on the 23d instant.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, June 11, 1878.
To the House of Representatives:
In answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 27th May ultimo, I transmit the response of the Secretary of State, accompanied by a copy of the papers[18] called for by the resolution.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 12, 1878.
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
In transmitting herewith to Congress a communication from the Secretary of State on the subject of the conference provided for in the act of February 28, 1878, entitled "An act to authorize the coinage of the standard silver dollar and to restore its legal-tender character," I respectfully recommend that an adequate appropriation be made for certain expenses of the conference and of the commissioners attending the same on behalf of the United States, as suggested in the communication of the Secretary of State.
R.B. HAYES.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, June 15, 1878.
To the House of Representatives:
I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of the board for testing iron, steel, and other metals, as requested in the resolution of the House of Representatives dated April 27, 1878.
R.B. HAYES.
WASHINGTON, June,7, 1878.
To the Senate:
In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 27th of May ultimo, I herewith transmit a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying documents.[19]
R.B. HAYES.