that many persons born in foreign countries who
have declared their intention to become citizens, or who have been fully
naturalized have evaded the military duty required of them by denying the
fact and thereby throwing upon the Government the burden of proof. It has
been found difficult or impracticable to obtain this proof from the want
of guides to the proper sources of information. These might be supplied by
requiring clerks of courts where declarations of intention may be made or
naturalizations effected to send periodically lists of the names of the
persons naturalized or declaring their intention to become citizens to
the Secretary of the Interior, in whose Department those names might be
arranged and printed for general information.

There is also reason to believe that foreigners frequently become citizens
of the United States for the sole purpose of evading duties imposed by the
laws of their native countries, to which on becoming naturalized here they
at once repair, and though never returning to the United States they still
claim the interposition of this government as citizens. Many altercations
and great prejudices have heretofore arisen out of this abuse. It is
therefore submitted to your serious consideration. It might be advisable
to fix a limit beyond which no citizen of the United States residing
abroad may claim the interposition of his government.

The right of suffrage has often been assumed and exercised by aliens under
pretenses of naturalization, which they have disavowed when drafted into
the military service. I submit the expediency of such an amendment of
the law as will make the fact of voting an estoppe against any plea of
exemption from military service or other civil obligation on the ground of
alienage.

In common with other Western powers, our relations with Japan have been
brought into serious jeopardy through the perverse opposition of the
hereditary aristocracy of the Empire to the enlightened and liberal policy
of the Tycoon, designed to bring the country into the society of nations.
It is hoped, although not with entire confidence, that these difficulties
may be peacefully overcome. I ask your attention to the claim of the
minister residing there for the damages he sustained in the destruction by
fire of the residence of the legation at Yedo.

Satisfactory arrangements have been made with the Emperor of Russia,
which, it is believed, will result in effecting a continuous line of