Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/278

 230 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS the president in his messages of 1883 and 1884 was that congress should assume the entire political control of the territory, and govern it through com missioners. Legislation was urged for the preser vation of the valuable forests remaining upon the public domain. National aid to education was also urged, preferably through setting apart the pro ceeds of the sales of public lands. A law for the adjudication of the French spolia tion claims was passed January 20, 1885, and prep aration was made for carrying it into effect. Con gress was urged in every annual message to pass laws establishing safe and certain methods of as certaining the result of a presidential election, and fully providing for all cases of removal, death, resignation, or inability of the president, or any officer acting as such. In view of certain decisions of the supreme court, additional legislation was urged in the annual message of 1883 to supple ment and enforce the 14th amendment to the con stitution in its special purpose to insure to members of the colored race the full enjoyment of civil and political rights. The subject of reform in the methods of the public service, which had been dis cussed by the president in his letter of November 23, 1877, while collector, to Sec. Sherman, and in his letter of July 15, 1880, accepting the nomina tion for vice-president, was fully treated in all his annual messages, and in special messages of Feb-