ave given rise to the claims known as the "Alabama
claims" were to be within the subject of discussion and settlement by
the commission. The British Government having assented to this, the
commission is expected shortly to meet. I therefore nominate as such
commissioners, jointly and separately, on the part of the United States:

Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State.

Robert C. Schenck, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to
Great Britain.

Samuel Nelson, an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United
States.

Ebenezer R. Hoar, of Massachusetts.

George H. Williams, of Oregon.

I communicate herewith the correspondence which has passed on this
subject between the Secretary of State and the British minister.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 10, 1871_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives:_

I submit herewith, for the information of Congress, the second annual
report of the Board of Indian Commissioners to the Secretary of the
Interior.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 13, 1871_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

I transmit herewith, in answer to the resolution of the House of the 6th
instant, copies of the correspondence between the governor of the State
of California and the President of the United States in the month of
October, 1868, relative to the use of the military forces of the
National Government in preserving the peace at the approaching State
election.

U.S. GRANT.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _February 15, 1871_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives:_

I have this day transmitted to the Senate the announcement that Senate
bill No. 218, "An act prescribing an oath of office to be taken by
persons who participated in the late rebellion, but who are not
disqualified from holding office by the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States," has become a law in the manner
prescribed by the Constitution, without the signature of the President.

If this were a bill for the repeal of the "test oath" required of
persons "elected or appointed to offices of honor or trust," it would
meet my approval. The effect of the law, however, is to relieve from
taking a prescribed oath all those persons whom it was intended to
exclude from such offices and to require it from all others. By this
law the soldier who fought and bled for his country is to swear to
his loyalty before assuming official functions, while the general who
c