by the respective
Governments.

The commissioners appointed pursuant to the authority of Congress to
examine into the nature and extent of the forays by trespassers from
that country upon the herds of Texas have made a report, which will be
submitted for your consideration.

The Venezuelan Government has been apprised of the sense of Congress in
regard to the awards of the joint commission under the convention of
25th April, 1866, as expressed in the act of the 25th of February last.

It is apprehended that that Government does not realize the character of
its obligations under that convention. As there is reason to believe,
however, that its hesitancy in recognizing them springs, in part at
least, from real difficulty in discharging them in connection with its
obligations to other governments, the expediency of further forbearance
on our part is believed to be worthy of your consideration.

The Ottoman Government and that of Egypt have latterly shown a
disposition to relieve foreign consuls of the judicial powers which
heretofore they have exercised in the Turkish dominions, by organizing
other tribunals. As Congress, however, has by law provided for the
discharge of judicial functions by consuls of the United States in that
quarter under the treaty of 1830, I have not felt at liberty formally
to accept the proposed change without the assent of Congress, whose
decision upon the subject at as early a period as may be convenient is
earnestly requested.

I transmit herewith, for the consideration and determination of
Congress, an application of the Republic of Santo Domingo to this
Government to exercise a protectorate over that Republic.

Since the adjournment of Congress the following treaties with foreign
powers have been proclaimed: A naturalization convention with Denmark; a
convention with Mexico for renewing the Claims Commission; a convention
of friendship, commerce, and extradition with the Orange Free State, and
a naturalization convention with Ecuador.

I renew the recommendation made in my message of December, 1870, that
Congress authorize the Postmaster-General to issue all commissions to
officials appointed through his Department.

I invite the earnest attention of Congress to the existing laws of the
United States respecting expatriation and the election of nationality
by individuals. Many citizens of the United States reside permanently
abroad with their families. Under the provisions of the act