Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/187

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 153 the government of the United States, when ever the immigration of Chinese laborers threat ened to affect the interests of the country, to regu late, limit, or suspend such immigration, but not al together to prohibit it, said government at the same time promising to secure to Chinese permanently or temporarily residing in the United States the same protection and rights as to citizens or subjects of the most favored nation. President Hayes fur ther suggested the importance of making provision for regular steam postal communication with the Central and South American states; he recom mended that congress, by suitable legislation and with proper safeguards, supplement the local educational funds in the several states where the grave duties and responsibilities of citizenship had been devolved upon uneducated people, by devot ing to the purpose grants of lands, and, if neces sary, by appropriations from the treasury of the United States; he repeated his recommendations as to the suspension of the silver coinage, and as to the retirement from the circulation of the United States notes, and added one that provision be made by law to put Gen. Grant upon the retired list of the army, with rank and pay befitting the great services he had rendered to the country. On February 1, 1880, he addressd a special mes sage to congress in relation to the Ponca Indians, in which he pointed out the principles that should