ppointment of aliens to
positions in the consular service which by reason of small compensation
or of other sufficient cause are, in the judgment of the appointing
power, necessarily so filled, nor the appointment of such persons within
the United States as are indispensable to a proper discharge of the
duties of certain positions, but who may not be familiar with the
English language or legally capable of naturalization.

11. No head of a Department nor any subordinate officer of the
Government shall, as such officer, authorize or permit or assist in
levying any assessment of money for political purposes, under the form
of voluntary contributions or otherwise, upon any person employed under
his control, nor shall any such person pay any money so assessed.

12. The Advisory Board shall at any time recommend to the President such
changes in these rules as it may consider necessary to secure the
greater efficiency of the civil service.

13. From these rules are excepted the heads of Departments, Assistant
Secretaries of Departments, Assistant Attorneys-General, and First
Assistant Postmaster-General, Solicitor-General, Solicitor of the
Treasury, Naval Solicitor, Solicitor of Internal Revenue, examiner of
claims in the State Department, Treasurer of the United States, Register
of the Treasury, First and Second Comptrollers of the Treasury, judges
of the United States courts, district attorneys, private secretary of
the President, ambassadors and other public ministers, Superintendent
of the Coast Survey, Director of the Mint, governors of Territories,
special commissioners, special counsel, visiting and examining boards,
persons appointed to positions without compensation for services,
dispatch agents, and bearers of dispatches.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _December 20, 1871_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th
instant, requesting information in regard to certain measures with
reference to the Spanish West Indies, I transmit reports from the
Secretary of State and of the Navy, with the documents by which they
were accompanied.

U.S. GRANT.

WASHINGTON, _January 8, 1872_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

In answer to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th of
December, requesting to be informed if any further action is necessary
by Congress to secure the immediate temporary preservation of the
archives or public records