The Commissioners also invite attention to the damage inflicted upon public and private interests by the present location of the depots and switching tracks of the several railroads entering the city, and ask for legislation looking to their removal.  The recommendations and suggestions contained in the report will, I trust, receive the careful consideration of Congress.

Sufficient time has, perhaps, not elapsed since the reorganization of the government of the District under the recent legislation of Congress for the expression of a confident opinion as to its successful operation, but the practical results already attained are so satisfactory that the friends of the new government may well urge upon Congress the wisdom of its continuance, without essential modification, until by actual experience its advantages and defects may be more fully ascertained.

R.B.  HAYES.

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 1878.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit, for the consideration of the Senate with a view to ratification, a declaration respecting trade-marks between the United States and Brazil, concluded and signed at Rio de Janeiro on the 24th day of September last.

R.B.  HAYES.

WASHINGTON, December 4, 1878.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit, for the consideration of the Senate with a view to ratification, a convention revising certain portions of existing commercial treaties and further extending commercial intercourse between the United States and Japan, concluded and signed at Washington on the 25th day of July last.

R.B.  HAYES.

WASHINGTON, December 9, 1878.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, together with the copies of papers[21] therein referred to, in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 27th of May last.

R.B.  HAYES.

[Footnote 21:  Correspondence relative to claims of United States citizens against Nicaragua.]

WASHINGTON, December 16, 1878.

To the House of Representatives: 

In answer to the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 5th instant, I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with its accompanying papers.[22]

R.B.  HAYES.

[Footnote 22:  Correspondence relative to the expulsion from the German Umpire of Julius Baumer, a naturalized citizen of the United States.]

EXECUTIVE MANSION, December 17, 1878.

To the Senate of the United States: 

In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 5th instant, requesting the transmission to the Senate of “any information which may have been received by the Departments concerning postal and commercial intercourse between the United States and South American countries, together with any recommendations desirable to be submitted of measures to be adopted for facilitating and improving such intercourse,” I transmit herewith reports from the Secretary of State and the Postmaster-General, with accompanying papers.