ouse of Representatives_:

I transmit herewith a communication of the 12th instant from the
Secretary of the Interior, submitting, with accompanying papers, the
draft of a bill prepared by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to amend
the third section of the act of March 3, 1885, "to provide for the sale
of the Sac and Fox and Iowa Indian reservations in the States of
Nebraska and Kansas, and for other purposes."

The matter is presented for the consideration and action of Congress.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 16, 1886_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit herewith, in response to a resolution of the Senate of
the 9th instant, a statement showing the payments of awards of the
commissioners appointed under the conventions between the United States
and France concluded April 30, 1803, and July 4, 1831, and between the
United States and Spain concluded February 22, 1819, prepared from the
books in the Department of the Treasury, under the direction of the
Secretary of the Treasury, at the request of the Secretary of State.

Also, for the further information of the Senate, a report prepared by
direction of the Secretary of State, from the original records in his
custody, of the awards made by the said commissioners in claims allowed
by them.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, D.C., March 1, 1886_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

Ever since the beginning of the present session of the Senate the
different heads of the Departments attached to the executive branch of
the Government have been plied with various requests and demands from
committees of the Senate, from members of such committees, and at last
from the Senate itself, requiring the transmission of reasons for the
suspension of certain officials during the recess of that body, or for
the papers touching the conduct of such officials, or for all papers and
documents relating to such suspensions, or for all documents and papers
filed in such Departments in relation to the management and conduct of
the offices held by such suspended officials.

The different terms from time to time adopted in making these requests
and demands, the order in which they succeeded each other, and the fact
that when made by the Senate the resolution for that purpose was passed
in executive session have led to the presumption, the correctness of
which will, I suppose, be candidly admitted, that from first to last