NGTON, _March 20, 1874_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit herewith, for the consideration of the Senate and with a view
to its ratification, a convention concluded between the United States
and Belgium on the 19th March, 1874, concerning extradition.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _March 23, 1874_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I have the honor to transmit herewith the report of the board of
commissioners on the irrigation of the San Joaquin, Tulare, and
Sacramento valleys, of the State of California, and also the original
maps accompanying said report.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, April 18, 1874_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

Herewith I transmit the report of the Civil Service Commission
authorized by the act of Congress of March 3, 1871, and invite your
special attention thereto.

If sustained by Congress, I have no doubt the rules can, after the
experience gained, be so improved and enforced as to still more
materially benefit the public service and relieve the Executive, members
of Congress, and the heads of Departments from influences prejudicial to
good administration.

The rules, as they have heretofore been enforced, have resulted
beneficially, as is shown by the opinions of the members of the Cabinet
and their subordinates in the Departments, and in that opinion I concur;
but rules applicable to officers who are to be appointed by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate are in great measure impracticable,
except in so far as they may be sustained by the action of that body.
This must necessarily remain so unless the direct sanction of the Senate
is given to the rules.

I advise for the present only such appropriation as may be adequate to
continue the work in its present form, and would leave to the future
to determine whether the direct sanction of Congress should be given
to rules that may, perhaps, be devised for regulating the method of
selection of appointees, or a portion of them, who need to be confirmed
by the Senate.

The same amount appropriated last year would be adequate for the coming
year, but I think the public interest would be promoted by authority
in the Executive for allowing a small compensation for special service
performed beyond usual office hours, under the act of 1871, to persons
already in the service of the Government.

U.S. GRANT.

WASHINGTON, _April 21, 1874_.

_To the