w by
decay rendered almost impassable and a source of imminent danger
to the health of its citizens. The means at the disposal of the
Commissioners are wholly inadequate for the accomplishment of these
important works, and should be supplemented by timely appropriations
from the Federal Treasury.

The filling of the flats in front of the city will add to the adjacent
lands and parks now owned by the United States a large and valuable
domain, sufficient, it is thought, to reimburse its entire cost, and
will also, as an incidental result, secure the permanent improvement
of the river for the purposes of navigation.

The Constitution having invested Congress with supreme and exclusive
jurisdiction over the District of Columbia, its citizens must of
necessity look to Congress alone for all needful legislation affecting
their interests; and as the territory of this District is the common
property of the people of the United States, who equally with its
resident citizens are interested in the prosperity of their capital,
I can not doubt that you will be amply sustained by the general voice
of the country in any measures you may adopt for this purpose.

I also invite the favorable consideration of Congress to the wants of
the public schools of this District, as exhibited in the report of the
Commissioners. While the number of pupils is rapidly increasing,
no adequate provision exists for a corresponding increase of school
accommodation, and the Commissioners are without the means to meet
this urgent need. A number of the buildings now used for school
purposes are rented, and are in important particulars unsuited for the
purpose. The cause of popular education in the District of Columbia is
surely entitled to the same consideration at the hands of the
National Government as in the several States and Territories, to which
munificent grants of the public lands have been made for the endowment
of schools and universities.

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.

[Footnote 40: See pp. 547-548.]

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _December 19, 1879_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I have the honor to transmit herewith a draft of a bill submitted
by the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia, entitled
"A bill to provide for the reclamation of the marshes in the harbors
of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, and for other purposes,"
together with the accompanying letter of the president of the b