where to the 6ame extent as though they had drawn their first breath in this conntry. We can recognize no distinction between our na tive and naturalized citiizer.p. BUSBIA. Between the great empire of Russia and the United States the mutual friendship and r. gard which has so long existed still continues to pre vail, and, if possible, to increase. Indeed, our relations with that Empire are all that we j could desire. SPAIN. Our relations with Spain are now of a more i complicated though less dangerous character then th> y have been for many years. Our citi zens have long held, and continue to hold, numerous claims agiinst the Spanish govern merit These had teen ably urged for a seiies t of years by our successive diplomatic represent atives at Madrid, but without obtaining re- i drtss. The Spanish government finally agreed to institute a joint commission tor the adjust ment of these claims, and on the stb day of March, 1860, concluded a convention for this j purpose with our present minister at Madrid. Under this convention, w hat have been denomi-! nated " the Cuban claims," amounting to j $128,635,44, in which more than one hundred I of our fellow citizens are interested, were re- i cognized, and the Spanish government agreed j to pay SIOO,OOO of this amount "within three months following tire exchange of latilica- j tions." The payment of the remaining S2B,- j 635,54 was to await the decision of the com- ! missioners for or against "the A mist ad claim j but in any event the balance was to be paid to the claimants either by Spain or the United! Stutes. These terms i lave every reason to know are highly satisfm tory to the holders of the Cuban claims. Imbed, they have made a formal oiler authorizing the Mate Department to settle the e claims, and to deduct the amount of the Amistad claim from the sums which they are entitled to receive from Spain. This offer, of course, cannot be accepted. All other claims of citizens of the United States against Spain, or of subjects of the j Queen of Spain against the United States, in cluding the "Amii-t id claim,'' were by this convention referred to a board of commission- j eis in the usual form. Neither the validity of j the Amistad claim nor of any other claim j against either party, with the single exception i of the Cuban claim, was recoguized by the ; convention. Indeed, the Spanish government did not insist that the validity of the Amistad claim should be thus recognized, uotwithstand-1 ing its payment had been recommended to Congress by two of my predecessors as well as ' by im self, and an appropriation for that pur pose had passed the Senate of the United States. ! They were content that it should be submitted to the board tor examination and decision, j like the other claims. Both governments were ; bound respectively to pay the amounts award- j ed to the several claimants "at such times' and places as may be fixed by and according to j the tenor of said awards." I transmitted the proceedings of this conven tion to the b'enate for their constitutional ac tion ou the 31 of May, 1800, and on the 27th of the succeeding June they determined that they would "not advise and consent" to its ratification. These proceedings place our relations with Spain in an awkward and embarrassing position. It is more than probable that the final adjust ment of these claims will devolva up„n my suc cessor. I reiterate the recommendation contained in my Annual Message of December, 1859, and repeated in that of December, 1859, in favor of the acquisition of Cuba from Spain by fair purchase. I firmly believe that such an acqui sition would contribute essentially to the weli being ar.d prosperity of both countries in all future time, as well as prove the certain means of immediately abolishing the African slave trade throughout the world I would not re peat this recommendation upon the present occasion, if I believed that the transfer of Cuba to the United States, upon conditions highly favorable to Spuin, could justly tarnish the national honor of the proud and ancient Spanish Monarchy. Surely no person ever at tributed to the first Napoleon a disregard of the national honor of France, for tranferring Lou isiana to the United States foi|a fair equivalent both in money and commercial advantages. AUSTRIA, &C. With the Emperor of Austria, and the re maining continental powers of Europe, inclu ding that of the Sultan, our relations continue to be of the most friendly character. CIIIKA. The friendly and peaceful policy pursued by the Government of the United States towards the Empire of China, has produced the most satisfactory results. The treaty of Tientsin of the 18th of June, 1858, has been faithfully ob served by the Chinese authorities. The con tention of the Bth November, 185S, supple mentary to this tieaty, for the adjustment and satisfaction of the claims of our citizens on China, rehired to in iny last Annual Message, has been already carried into effect, so far as )tliis was practicable. Under this convention the sum ot 500,000 itaels, equal to about $700,000, was stipulated to be paid in satisfaction of the claims of Ameri can citizens, out of the one-lifth of the receipts for tonnage import, and export duties on American vessels at the ports of Canton, ShaDghae, and Fuchau ; and it was " agreed ¥ that this amount shall te in full liquidation of all claims of American citizens at the various ports to this date." Debentures for this umouut— to wit: 800,000 taels for Canton, 100,000 for Shaughae and 100,000 tor Fuchau —were delivered according to the terms of the convention by the respective Chinese collectors of the customs of these ports to the agent se lected by our minister to receive the same. Since that time the claims of our citizens have been adjusted by the board of commis sioners appointed for that purpose uuder the act ot March 3, 1859, and their awards, which proved satisfactory to the claimants, bave been approved by our minister. In the aggregate they amount to the sum of $198,601 78 The claimants have already received a large propor tion of the sums awarded to them out of the <jaud provided, and it is confidently expected the remainder will ere long be entirely After the awards shall have been satis fihete will remain a surplus of more than HjOO at the disposition of Congress. As ■ll in equity belong to the Chinese gov- Bfi, would not justice require its appro- Bn to some benevolent object in which the B'c may he specially interested ? Uur minister to China, in obedience to his j instructions, has remained perfectly neutral in i the war between Great Britaiu and France and j the Chinese empire ; although, in conjunctions with the ltussiau minister, he was ever ready and willing, had the opportunity offered, to' employ his good offices in restoring peace be tween the parties It is but an act of simple justice, both to our present minister and his predecessor, to state that they have proved fully requal to the delicate, trying and responsible -positions in which they have on different occa sions been placed. japAS. The ratifications of the treaty with Japan, concluded at Yedo, ou the 29tli of July, 1859, were exchanged at Washington ou the 22d of May last, and the treaty itself was proclaimed ou the succeeding day. There is good reason to expect that, under its protection and in fluence, our trade and intercourse with that distant and interesting people will rapidly in crease. The ratifications of the treaty were exchanged with uuusual solemnity, lor this purpose the Tycoon had accredited three of his most distin guished subjects as envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary, who were received ! and treated with marked distinction and kind- I nose both by the Government and people of the ! United States. There is every reason to believe that they have returned to their native land entirely satisfied with their visit, and inspired by the most friendly feelings for onr country. ijct in ardi ntly hope, in the language oi lire treaty itself, that "there shall henceforward le perpetual peace and friendship between the United States of America and bis Majesty the Tjcoon of Japan and his successors." BRAZIL. Wi'b the wise, conservative and libera! gov ern m nt of the empire of BrazM, onr relations continue to be of tl e most amicable characti r NEW ORAKADA. The exchange of the ratification of tbe con vention with the republic of New Granada, sizned at Washington on the 10th September, ! 1857, Las been long delayed from accidentia! i causes, for which neither partv is Censurable. ! 'lhese ratification were duly exchanged in this city on the 6th of November last. Thus has a controversy been amicably terminated which ! had become so serious at the period of my in auguration, as to require me, on the 17th April, 1857, to direct our minister to demand his passports and return to the United St ates. Under this convention the government of New Grauadahas specially acknowledged itself to be responsible to our citizens "for damages which were caused by the riot at Panama on j the 15th April, 1856," These claims, together with other c'airns of our citizens which had j been long urged in vain, are referred for ad ■ justment to a board of commissioners. I sub mit a copy of the convention to Congress, acd recommend the legislation necessary to carry it : into effect. COSTA RICA AND NICARAGUA. Persevering efforts have been made for the adjustment of the claims of American citizens against the government of Costa Rica, and I am happy to inform you that these have finally prevailed. A convention was signed at the city of San Jose, on tbe 2d of July last, be tween the minister resident of the United States in Costo llica and the plenipotentiaries of that republic, referring these claims to a j Board of Commissioners, and providing tor tho payment of their .awards. This convention will be submitted immediately to the Senate for their constitutional action. The claims of our citizens upon the republic of Nicaragua have not jet been provided for by treaty, although diligent efforts lor this pur pose have been made by our minister resident to that republic. These are still continued with a fair prospect of success. MEXICO. Our relations with Mexico remain in a most unsatisfactory condition. In my two last an nual messages I discussed extensively the sub ject of these relations, and do not now propose to repeat to length the facts and arguments then presented They proved conclusively that our citizens residing in Mexico and our mer chants trading thereto had suffered a series of wrougs and outrages such as wo have never patiently borne from any other nation. For these our successive ministers, invoking the faith of treaties, had, in the name of their country, persistently demanded redress and in demnification, but without the slightest effect. Indeed, so confident had the Mexican authori ties become of our patient endurauce, that they universally believed they might commit these outrages upon American citizens with absolute impunity- Thus wrote our minister in 1850, and expiessed the opinion that "nothing but a manifestation of the power of the Government, and of its purpose to punish these wrongs, will avail." Afterwards, in 1857. came the adoption of a new constitution for Mexico, the election of a President and Congress under its provisions, and the inauguration of the President. Witliin one short month, however, this President was expelled from the capital by a rebellion in the army, and the supreme power of the republic was assigned to General Zuloagn. Thi3 usurper was in his turn soon compelled to retire and give place to General Miramon. Under the constitution which had thus been adopted, beffor Juarra. as chief justice of the Supreme Court, became the lawful President of the Republic, and it was for the maintenance of the constitution aud his authority derived from it that the civil war commenced, and still continues to be prosecuted. Throughout the year 1858 the constitutional party grow stronger aud stronger. In the previous history of Mexico a successful military revolu tion at the capital had almost universally been theaignal for submission throughout the repub ic. Notso on the present occasion. A majority of the citizens persistently sustained the constitu tional government. When this was recognized in April, 1859, by the Government of the United States, its authority extended over a large majority of the Mexican States and people including Vera Cruz and all the other import ant tea ports of the republic. From that pe riod our commerce with Mexico began to re- 1 vive, aud the constitutional government lias afforded it all the protection in their power. Meanwhile the government of Miramon still held sway at the capital and over the surround ing country, and continued its outrages against the few American citizeus who still had the courage to remain within its power. To cap the climax : After the battle of Tacubaya, in April, 1859, Gen. Marquez ordered three citi zens of the United States, two of them physi cians, to be seized in the hospital at that place, taken out and shot, without crime and without trial. This was done, notwithstand ing our unfortunate countrymen were at the moment engaged in the holy cause of affording relief to the soldiers of both parties who had been wounded in the battle, without makiDg any distinction between them. The time had arrived, in my opinion, when this Government was bound to exert its power to avenge and redress the wrongs of our citizens and to afford them protection in Mexico. The interposing obstacle was that the portion of the oouutry under the sway of Miramon could not be reached without passing over territory un der the jurisdiction of the constitutional gov ernment. Under these circumstances, 1 deemed It my duty to recommend to Congress, in my last annual message, the employment of a suf ficient military force to penetrate into the inte rior where the government of Marimon was to be found,,with, or, if need be without the con sent of the Juarez government, thought it was not doubted that this consent could be obtain ed. Never bave I had a clearer conviction on any subject than of the justice as well as wis dom of such a policy. No other alternative was left, except the entire abaDdonmc-nt of our fellow-citizens who had gone to Mexico, under the faith of treaties, to the systematic injustice, cruelty, and oppression of Miramon's govern ment. Besides, it is almost certain that the simple authority to employ this force would of itself have accomplished all our objects with out striking a single blow. The constitutional government would then ere this have teen established at the city of Mexico, aud would have been ready and willing, to the extent of its ability, to do us justice. In addition—and I deem this a most impor tant consideration—European governments would have been deprived of all pretext to in terfere in the territorial aud domestic concerns of Mexico. We should thus have been reliev ed from the obligation of resisting, even by force, should this become necessary, auy at tempt by these governments to deprive our neighboring republic of portions of her terri tory ; a duty from which we could not shrink without abandoning the traditional aud estab j fished policy of the American people. I am j happy to observe, that, firmly relying upon j the justice and good faith of these govern | m ent, there is no present danger that such a j contingency will happen. Having discovered that my recommendation would not be sustained by Congress, tie text alternative was to accoapii-h, in some degree, if | oss ble, the same ob jects by treaty stipulations with ihe roustitutioi al gov ernment. Suclt treaties were accordingly concluded by our lato a' le and < xcelient m'nister to Mexico, and 'n the 4th January last was submitted to-the Senate for ratification. As the-e have cot yet received the final ac tion of that body, it would be improp* for me to present a detatlod statement of their provisions. Still I may be permitted to oxj rcsstne opiuion in advance that they ore calculated to promote the agricultural, manufacturing, and ccrn > erelal interests of ihe country, and to secure i ur just influence with an adjoining republic as to whose fortut.es ami lato we can never fee! indifferent; whilst at the fame time they provide for the pavraant of a c n side-able amount towards the satisfaction of the claims of one injaved fellow-citizens. KANSAS ASD UTAH. At the period of my inauguration I was confronted in Kansas bv a revolutionary government, existing under what is called the Topeka constitution. Its avowed ob ject was to subdue the territorial government by force, and, to inaugurate what was called the Topeka govern ment in its s cad To accomplish this object an extensive military organization was termed and its command en trusted to the most violent revolutionary leaders. Under these circumstances, it became my imperative duty to exert the whole constitutional power of the Executive to prevent the llames of civil war from again raging in Kan sas, which, in the excited state of the public mind, both North and South, might have extended into the neigh boring States. I The hostile parties ia Kansas had.bceu inflamed against each other by emissaries both froai the North and the i South to a degree of malignity without parallel in our I history. To prevent actual collision, and to assis' the civil magistrates in enforcing the iiws, a strong detach ment'of the army was stationed in the Territory.ready to aid the marshal and bis deputies, when lawfully call ed upon, as a posoe comi'.alus in the execution of civil and criminal process. Still, tbo troub'es ia Kansas cou'il not have been per manently settled without an election by the people. The ballot box i the surest arbiter of disputes among free men. Ui d r ths conviction, every proper effort was employed to induce the hostile parties to votoat the cle •- tiou ol delegates to frame a State constitution, and aft to wards at the election to docile whether Kansas should be a slave or a free State. The insurgent party refm'd to vote at eit' er, lest ibis might be considered a recog nition on their part of the territorial government estab li hed by Congress A better spirit, however, seemed scon after to prevail, an t the two parties met face to face at the third election, he'd on the first Mondap of January, 185 8, fur members of the legislature and State officers under the Lec impton constitution. The result was tho triumph of the anti ' lavery party at the polls. This de. cisian of the ballot-box proved olearly that this party were in the majority, and remove i the daDgcr of civil war. From that time we have hoard ittle or nothing of the Topeka government, and allsetious dinger of revo lutionary troubles in Kansas was then at an end. i The Lecompton constitution, which had been thus re cognized at tuis State election by the vot s of both po litical parties ir. Kaunas, was transmitted to inc with the request that I should present it to Congress. This I could not have refused to d) withont violating my clear est and strongest convictions of duty. Th c nstituiion, and aU the proceedings which proceeded aud followed its formation, were fair and regular on tteir face. I then believed, and experience has proved, that tho interests ( f the people of Kansas wou'd have been best consulted by its admissio* as a State in'o the Union, especially as the majority, within a brief period, could have amended the constitution according to their will aud pleasure, if fraud existed in all or any of these proceeding', it was not for the President, but for Congress, to investigate and determine the question ot fraud, and what ought to be its consequences. If, at the two flrst elections, the majority refused to vote, it cannot be pretended that this refusal to exercise tite elective franchise could invalidate en election fairly held under lawful authority, even if they had not subsequently voted at the thirdelection. It is true that the whole constitution bad not been submitted to the people, as 1 always desired ; but the precedents are nu merous of the admis-lon ofStates iuto the Uuion wllhout such submission. It would notc-mport with the present purpose to re view the proceedings of Congress upon the Lecomptou constitution. It is sufficient to observe that their final acti on has removed the last vestigo of serious revolu tionary troubes. 'lh e desperate hard recently assem bled, under a notor ous outlaw, in the southern portion of the Territory, to resist the execution tf the laws aud to plunder peaceful citix us, will, I doubt not, bo speedily subdued and brought to justice. Had 1 treated the i.ecompton constitution ai a nullity and reiused to transmit it to Congress, it ; s not difficult to imagine, whilst recalling the position of the c<untry at that moment, what would have been the disastrous con sequences, both in and out of the Territory, from such a dereliction of duty ou the part ot the Executive. Peace has also been restored within ihe Territory ot Utah, which, at the commencement of my Adminigtra tion, was in a state of open rebellion. This was tho more dangerous, as the people, animated by a fanatical spirit and entrvm bed within their distant mountain fast nesses, might have made a loug and formidable resist ance. ( ost what it might, it was r ecessarv to bring them into subjection to the Constitution and the laws. Sound policy, therefore, as well as humau ty, required that this object should, if possible, be accomplished with out tho effusion of blood. This could only be effected by sending a militaty force into the Territory sufficiently strong to convince tho people that resistance would be hope!ess, and at the same time to oiler them a pardon for past off n es on conditiou of Immediate submis-ion to tho Government. This policy was pursued with emi nent success ; and the only cause for regret is the heavy expenditure requirol to march a large detachment of the army to that remote region and to furni h it subsist ence. Utah is now oomparatively peaceful and quiet, and tho m iliary force has been withdrawn, except that portion of it necessary to keep the Indians iu chock und to protect tho emigrant trains on their way to our Pacific possessions. PtXAXCES. In my flr t annual message I promised to employ my best exertions, in co-operation with Congress, to reduce the expenditures of the Government withir he limits ofa wise and judicious economy. An overflowing treasury bad produced habits cf prodigality and extravagance which could only be gradually corrected. The work re quired both time and patience. I applied myself dili gently to this task from the beginning, and "was aided by thejible and energetic efforts of the heads of the dif ferent Exeeutivo Departments. The result of our labors in this good cause did not appear in the sum total of our expenditures for the first two years, mainly in c nse quence of the extraordinary expenditure necessarily in curred in the Utahexpedltion, and the very .large amcunt of the contingrnt expenses of Congres-i during this period These greatly exceeded the pay and mileage of the members. For the year ending 3uth June, 1858, whilst the pay and mileage amounted to $1,490,214, the contin gent expenses rose to $2,093,309 79. and for the year ending 3Cth Juno, 1859, whilst the pay and mileage amounted to $859,093 OC, the contingent expenses amounted to $1,431,505 78. I am happy, however, to be able to inform you that during the last fiscal year ending on the 30th of June 1860, the total expenditures of the Government in all its branches—legislative, executive and judicial—exclusive of the Pubi c debt, w re reduced to the sum of $55,402,- 405 46. This conclusively appears fnm the books of the Treasury. In the year e ding on the 30th of June, 1858, the total expenditure, exclusive of the public debt amounted to $71,901,129 77, aud that for the year ending the 30th cf June, 1859, to $06,340 226 13. Whilst the books of the Treasury show an actual expenditure of $59,848,4,74 72 for the year ending on the 30th of June, 1860. Including $1,040,667 71 for the contingent expen ses of Congress, there must bo deducted from this aniouut the sum of $4,296,01.9 26, wilh the interest upon it of $150,000, appropriated by the act of the loth February, 1860, ' for the purpose of supplying tho deficiency iu the revenues aud defraying the expenses of the Post Oflloe Department for the year ending the thirtieth of Juno one thousand eight hundred and filty-nme." This sum', therefore, justly chargeable to the "year 1859, mug! be deducted from the sum of $59,848, 474 72 in order to as certain the expenditure for the year ending on tho 30th of Jnne, 1860, wbkh leaves a balance for the expendi tures of ihat year of $55,402,465 46. The interest on the public debt, including Treasury notes for tho same fiscal year ending on the SOthof June, 1860, amounted to $3,177,314 62, which, added to the above sum of $55 . 402,465 46, makes an aggregate of $58,579,780 08. ' It cuglit in justice to be ob.-erved that several of the estimates from tho departments for the year ending on the 30th of June 1860, were reduced by Congress below what was and still is deemed compat ble witti tho public interest. Allowing a liberal margin of $2,000,500 for this reduction, ana f r other oausos, it may be safely as -erted that the sum of $61,000,000, or at "the most $62,- 000.000 is amply sufficient to administer the Government and to pay the intere.-t ou the public debt, unlc'g con tingent events should hereafter render extraordinary ex penditures necessary. This result has been attained to a considerable degree by the care exercised by the appropriate departments in entering into i üblic contracts I have myself never in terfered with the award of any such contract except in a single case with the Colonization Society, deeming it advisable to cast the whole responsibility in each case on the proper head of the department, with the general instruction that these contracts should always lie giTen to the lowest and best bidder. It has ever been my opinion that public contracts aro not a legitimate source of patronage to be conferred upon personal or political favorites : but that iu all such cases a public officer is bound to act for the Government as a prudent individual would act for himself AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, &C. It is with great satisfaction I communicate the fact, that, since the date ot my last Annual Message, not a single slave has been imported into the United dates in violation of the laws prohibiting the African slave trade. This statement is founded upon a thorough examination and investigation of the subject. Indeed, the spirit which prevailed sometime since among a portion of our fellow-citizens in favor of this trade seems to have entire ly subsided. jjfl also congratulate you upon the public sentiment which now exists against the crime of setting on foot military expeditions within the limits of the United States, to proceed from thence and make war upon the people of unoffending .-tales, with whom we are at peace In this respect a happy change has been effected since the commencement of my Administration. It surely ought to be the prayer of every Christian and patriot, that such expeditions may never again receive counte nance In our country or depart from our shores. It would be useless repetition to do more than reler with earnest commendation, to my former recommenda tions in favor of the Pacific railroad—of the grant of power to the President to employ the naval force in the vicinity, for tho protection of the byes and property of our fellow-citizena passing in transit over the different Central American routes, against the sudden and lawless outbreaks and depredations ; and also to protect Ameri can merchant vesso's, their crews and cargoes, agairat violent and unlawful seizures and confiscation 1 the orts of Mexico and the South American republcs, when thesi may be in a disturbed and r volutlo ary condi t on. It is my settled conviction, that without such a power we do not afford that protection to those engaged in the commerce of the country which they have a right to demi; d. r LECTION or XRXBLRS Or CONGR! S3. I again recommend to Congress the passage of a la a in pursuance ef the provisions of the Constitution, ap pointing a day certain previous to tho 4th cf March, in each year of an odd number, for the election of repre sentatives throughout all the States. A simiiar power baa already been exercised with general approbation, in the appointment of t'.c same day throughout the Union for holding the election of electors for President a d Vice President of the United Slates. My attention was earnostly directed to this subject from the ract. that the 35th C digreii terminated on the 3d of March, 1869, with out making the necessary appropriation fur tie service of the Post Otli-io Department. 1 was then forced to c. n sider the best remedv for this omission, and an imme diate call of the present Coogress was the natural resort Upon enquiry, however, 1 ascertained that fitteen out or the thirty-three Stato3 composing tho Confederacy w. re wiihout representatives, and that, consequently, these fifteen States would be disf anohised by guch a call. These fifteen States will be i . the same condition on the 4th of March next. Ten of them cannot elect representa tives, according to existing State laws, until different pe riods. extending from the beginning of August next until the months of October and November. In my last message I gave warning that, in a time of sudden and alarming danger,the salvation of our institn t ons might depend udon th ■ power of ths President im mediately to assemble a full Cong ess, to meet the emer gency. TARIFF. It is now quite evident that the finauml necessities of the Government will require a nrodiacatlon of the tariff during your present session, for the purpose of increas ing the revenue In this aspect, I desire to reiterate the recommendation contained in my last two annual mes sages, in Tavor or imposing specific instead of ad valorem duties on al! important articles to which these can be properly appiie'. From long observation and experience 1 am convinced that specific duties are necessary, both to piotect the revenue and secure to our manufacturing interests that amount of iuci leutal encouragement which unavoidably results from a revenue tariff. As an abstract proposition It may bo admitted that ad valorem du'ics would, in theory, be the moat just and equal. But ii the experience of thisand all other commer cial nations has demonstrated that such duties cannot ba assessed and collected without great frauds upon the re veuue, then it is the part or wisdom to rcsott to specific duties. Indeed, from the very nature o' an ad valorem duty, this must be ths result. Undor it the inevitable con equecco is, that ioreign goods will be entered at less than their true va'ue. The treasury will, therefore lose the duty on the difference between their real and'ficti tious value, and to ibis extent we are defrauded. '1 lie temptations which ad valorem duties present to a dishonest importer are irre-istable. His ot-jjct i. s to p lB3 Lis goods through the custom-house at ibo very lowest valuUion necesrary to give them from confiscation. In this he too often succeeds in spite of the vigilan e of the the revenue offlcerg. Hence the resort to false iuvoices one ior the purchaser and another for the custom house' and to other expedients to defraud the Government The honest importer produces his invoice to the collect or, staling the actual price at which he purchased the ar ticles abroad. Not so the dishonest Importer aud the agent of the foreign manufacturer. And here it may be observed that a very large proportion of the manufac tures imported from abroad are consigned for sale to commiss on merchants who are mere ateuts emploved by the manu.acturors. In such cases no actual sale has been made ts fix their value. The foreign manufacturer if he be dishonest, preparosan invoice of the goods not attheia actual value, but at the very lowest rate ueces sary to escape detection. In this manner the dishonest im" poiter and the foreign manufacturer enjoy a decided ad vantage over the honest morchant. They a e thus enabled to undersell the fair trader, and drive him from the mar ket In fa t, the operation of this sy.-tem has alreadv driveu trom tne pursuits of honorable commerce mauv of that class ot regular and conscientious merchants whose character, throughout the world, is tho pride of our country. The remedy for these evils I* to he found in specifle duties, so far as this may be practicable. Thev dispense with any Inquiry at the custom houae into the actual cost or value of ihe article, and it pays the precise amount of duty prov.ously fitod by law. Thev Dre.er.r uc temptations to the appraisers of foreign goods who reeelve but small salaries, and might, by undervaluation in a few cases, render tiiemselvea independent. Besides, specific duties best conform to the requisition in ihe Constitution that "no preference shall be vivo a bv any regulation ot commerce or revenue to the puts of one ct .te over those of another." Under our adi-alorem system snch proterences aro to some extent inevitable aud complaints have often been made that the spi'lt of this provision has been violated by a lower appraisement ot the same artieies at ouo port than at another. An impression strangely enough prevails to some ex tent that the sped tic duties are necessarily protective du ties. Nothing can be more fallacious. Great Britain glories in free trade, and yet hor whole revenue from imports is at the pre ent moment collected under a svs tem of specific duties. It is a striking fact in this con nection that, in the commercial treaty of the 23d of Jan nary, 1860, between France and EDgiand, oue of the ar ticles provides that tho ad valorem dutios which It impo tes shall be converted into specific duties w.thin six months from its date, and these are to be ascertained bv making an avorageof the prices for six months previous to that time. The reverse of the proposition would be nearer to the truth, because a much larger amouut of revenno would be collected by merely converting the ad valorem duties of a tarifflato equivalent sjiecific duties Te this extent the revenue would be increased and in the prop ortion the specific duties might bo diminished Specific duties would secure to UieAmerican manufac turer the incidental protection to which he i fairlv en titled under a revenue taritT, and to this surely no'per son would object. Tho frame, sof the existing tarill have gone further, and in a liberal spirit have distrimmated in favor of large and useful branches of our manufac tures. not by ratsiug the rate of dutv upon tne Importa tion of similar articles from abroad but what is the same in effect, by admitting articles free of duty which inter Into the composition of their fabrics. Under the present system it lias been often truly re marked that this incidental protection decreases when the mau fa turer ue<fs it most, and increase? whea he needs it least, aud constitutes a sliding scale which al ways operates agaiu t him. Iho revenues of the coun try are subject to similar liuctaticn. lustesd of approach iug a steady standard, as would be the case under a sys tem of specific duties, they sink an t rise with the sinking and rising prices of article? hi torelgu cjuutries. It ' would not be difficult for Congro s to arrange a system of specific duties which would afford additional stability botn to our revenue and our manufactures, aud without injury or injuslico to any interest or the couut-y. Ibis might bo accomplished by ascertaining tho average value of any given article for a series of years at the place of exportation, and by simply converting the rate of ad va lorem duty upon it wbien might be deemed necessarv fer revenue purposes, into the form of a specific duty. Such an arrangement cculd net iDjuro the consumer." If he should pay a greater amount of duty one year, this would bo counterbalanced by a lesser amount the next, and iu the end the aggregate would be the same. I desire to call your immediate attention to the present condition of the Treasury, so ably and clearly presented by the Secretary in his retort to Congre s : and to re commend that measures be promptly adopted to enable it to discharge iu pressing obligations. The other re commendations of the report are well worthy of your favorable consideration. 1 herewith t unsmit to Congress the reports of tho Se cretaries of War. of the Navy, oi the Interior and of the Postmaster General. The recommendations and sugges tions which they contain are highly valuable and deserve your careful attention. The report or tho Postmaster General detail-: tho cir cumstances under which Cornelius Vanderbilt, on my request, agreed, in the mouth of July last, to carry tho ocean mails between our Atlantic aud Pacific coast*. Had he not thus acted, thi important intercommunica tion must have been suspended, at least for a season.— The Postmaster General had no power to make him any oiher compensation than the postages on the mail matter which he might carry. It was known, at tho time, that these postages would Tall far short of an adequate com pensat on, as woll as of the sum which the sam - service had previously cost tho Government. Mr. Vanderbilt, in a commendable spirit, was willing to rely upon ihe justice or Congress to make up the deficiency ; and I, therefore, recommend that an appropriation may bo granted for this purpose. I should do great injustice to the Attorney General, were I to omit the mention of his distinguished services in the measures adopted land prosecuted by him for the defence of the Government against numerous and un founded claims to land in California, purport ng to have been made by the Mexican government previous to the treaty of cession. The successful opposition to these claims has saved to the United states public property worth many millions of-dollars, and to individuals hold ing title under them at least an equal amount. It has been represented to me, from sources which I deem reliable, that the inhabitants in several portions of Kansas have bren reduced nearly tea state of starvation, on account of the almost total failure of their crops, whilst tho harvests in every other portion of the country have been abundant. The prospect before them for the approaching winter is well calculated to enlist the sympa thies of every heart The destitution appears to be so general that it cannot be relieved by private contribu tions, and they are in such indigent oircumstances as to be nnable to purchase the necessaries of life for them selves. I refer the subjectto Congress. If any constitu tional measure for their relief can be devised, I would recommend its adoption. I cordially commend to your favorable regard the In terests of the people of this District. They are eminently entitled to your consideration, especially since, unlike the people of the Mates, they can appeal to no Govern ment except that of the Union. JAMES BUCHANAN. WASHINGTON CITY, 3d December, 1860. To KEEP ICE OFF WINDOWS. —Take an ordi nary paint brn sh or sponge, and rub over the glass, once or twice a day, a little alcohol, and it will keep the glass as free from ice as in the middle of summer, and will give as good pol •sh as ean be got in any other way. The Horrors of the Papal Prison. The Florence Xazione presents us with the summary of a little work, entitled the '•Prisons of Paliano." It is the record of the experience of several political prison ers, writteu in the Pontifical dungeons of Paliano. These tombs for the living are now, thanks to recent events, empty. One prisoner writes: In the fort of Paliano there are about two huudred political prisoners, dressed like the criminals condemned to the galleys, and, like them, shaved. They are divided into five sections, Those condemned for life are shut up in cells, about nine spans wide and about sixteen long, including the little table of brickwork. Other cells about three spans wider, contain three prisoners; and others, not much larger, have seven teen all huddled together. In the first of these there is a small grating over and opposite the door, through which the food is introduced. The other cells have one win dow, and sometimes two, with an opeuing of about four spans in breadth aud one in height, and through this the prisoners are fired upon if it be necessary to keep them quiet. The food and hospital arrangements were villianous. The patients are neglect ed and ill-treated. The medical attendants will hardly ever send a patient to the hos pital, and when they do send him they always keep him on strict diet. Perhaps they have a secret understand ing with those who contract for the food. One day, when some complaints were made on account of the bad soup in the hospital, the person who made the ccmplaint was taken by two keepers, and by dint of blows and kicks, was forcibly thrust along into the darkest dungeons, and there detained many days by order of tho governor.— When some prisoner at the point of death refuses to receive a confessor, he is re moved into a solitary cell, and there, after having heaped on him a thousand outrages, orders are given to one of the lowest turn keys to kill him by suffocation. The fact is known from the confession of tho turn key himself, who, on or e occasion, refused to be a party to this barbarity. The corpse is interred in the interior of the fort, and the governor is present at the funeral.— Sometimes he gives a kick to to tho head of tho corpse, and commits similar out rages. 'lhe following is the testimony of another victim of Papal misrule: "Whilst I was an inmate of this den of horrors, a wife with her little boy obtained permission to see her husband. It was ten years since the Papal government had torn her husband from her embrace; the boy had never known his father, for he was born alter the arrest. Neither tho prayers ot the afflicted wife, nor tho tears of the tender child, nor the sobbings and despair of the unhappy father, could induce the governor to allow them but oue embrace— to let them mingle tlieir tears together.— It would be impossible to describe the rigors and the tortures, always new and in creasing, which have been invented to aug ment the sufferings of the prisoners after the last tatal attempt at flight. In order to prevent the political prisoners from holding the slightest communication with the outer world, recourse was even had to the very strange and absurd expedient forbidding the physician (although an individual com pletely subservient to the government) trom personally visiting the sick iu prison, lie was to treat them on the report of a creature who but a short time before had been in tho galleys, and was transferred thence to perform the office of an hospital attendant. This liberated galley-slave felt the pulse, made his diagnosis, drew his conclusions, and the physician meanwhile waited in the room of the governor for the report of the attendant, and, according to the character of that report, prescribed remedies for the patients whom he had never seen. Rep resentations on representations were neces sary before the Papal government could be induced to abandon this singular mode of proceeding; and it was only after some time that the physician obtained permission to approach the bed of his patients; but even then only in the company of the turnkeys, who were placed as spies over his move ments, his words, and the very expression of pity which his countenance might betray. One of the patients, a certain M ~ of iiologna, begged to see the governor, to implore in the name of his companions, the permission to have the period lor exercise extended for half an hour. The only reply he received was an order that he should be put in chains weighing eighty pounds, and thrown into the tower. The tower, situated in the ceutre of the citadel, is the most horrible of prisons—damp, isolated, with an opening at the roof, leaving the prisoner exposed to all the inclemency of the weather. Be it summer or winter, the inmate of the tower has no bed save the bare ground —no covering save bis own apparel—no food save bread and water. When I left the fort to be conveyed as an exile across the frontier, a poor prisoner had just died in consequence of illness caused by the repetition of this punishment, from which more than one prisoner had died whom the government, perhaps, wished to get out of the way. A certain P , of Ascoli, on returning from the chapel to his own cell, happened, when he reached the courtyard oi the fortrees, to saiute a condemned pris oner belonging to another section, who was looking through the grating. For that offence the head janor, after beating liiru, had the usual chains put on, and then sent him to the tower. It was in March, on an Easter Sunday. After three days of suffsr ing he was lound stretched out, almost frozen, on the ground. Then he was re moved to the hospital, and, thanks to a strong constitution, alter some time lie re covered. Many amongst the political pris oners, in consequence of the treatment they had received, from the moral and physical tortures endured, have becomo insane. 1 hey howl in their prisons, sometimes mingling with the other victims, at other' times alone, but without auy difference of treatment. One of these wretched maniacs committed one day an insane act. The head jailer heat him so cruelly as to leave him almost lifeless on the ground. Young C , who was in the same cell, indignant at the outrage, called out that they were murder ing the man. Thereupon the jailer depart ed, hut immediately returned with a band of turnkeys; who at once fell upon the youth, removed him to another prison, and there, with sticks and ropes, mercilessly belabored him. Another poor fellow, whose intellect was temporarily wandering, A. i M , having made some complaints about his food, was kicked and thrashed back to his old cell—there left without at tendance, without the visit of the physician and with the corsest diet. He recovered from his mental illness, but now, owing to the length of the imprisonment, of the suf ferings endured, aud to tho treatment to which he has been subjected, his health has suffered to such an extent that his friends have no hope of ever seeing him again on this side of the grave. J Pedestriaiiism in England, . THE FASTEST TIME EVER MADE. r A MILE IN 4 MINUTES 224 SECONDS. 3 • > COPENHAGEN GROUNDS, Oct. 27. t Though the abovo grounds arc of comparative ; ly recent formation, they have already been the . scene of some extraordinary achievements, ca f nine as well as bipedal. Some time ago it'wili j be remembered that Tom Hosspoll, of Basfurd, was considered the fastest mile runner, even 3 when he occupied 4 min. 28 sec. in accomplish' " ing the distance; but when he subsequently met '< Job Smith, of Manchester, upon this course, aud t traversed a mile in 4 min. 23 sec., his pwrform -5 ance then, and up till to day, was unparalleled l in pedestrian aunals. But the event of this 3 afternocn proved that Lancashire may now . pride herself on possessing the hero in mile ra s ces in the person of Biah Albison, of Bowlee a rural village situated near Hiddleton. Before , describing the contest, a few particulars of its origin may not be uninteresting to our pedes trian readers. On the 11th of August last, the spirited proprietor of these grounds gave a • splendid champion belt to be run for, which > had been manufactured expressly for the occa , sion by Mr. Pieston, of London, the value of i which was 60 guineas, and on that day the fol -3 lowing men contested for the coveted prize:— ) Biah Albison, of Bowlee, near Middleton; Job I Smith, of Hulme; W. Lang, of Middlesborough; J. White, of Gateshead, and C. Mower, of Dur'- ham. Ptior to the race, Albison was so much pleased with tho trophy that he declared his intention either to become its possessor or to cause the man who defeated him not to let the grass grow under his feet whilst contending for t, and Albison fulfilled his prediction by car rying off the prise. The conditions under which he held it required bim to hold himself in readiness to ruu any one who might challenge him through these columns at six weeks' notice, for £25 a side and tho belt, the distance of course being one mile. W. Lang, (late of Mid dlesborough, but now of Manchester) not con tented, it would appear, with having to suc cumb to Albison in their former engagement, threw down the gauntlet, and this afternoon was fixed for champion honors. Soon alter articles had been signed, both men went into active training, Lang betaking himself to in hale the invigorating breezes of Darley Dale, in Derbyshire, and Albison's preparation was entrusted to his veteran tutor, Mr. J Etchells, of the Weavers' Arms, Ellsworth. As the day of running approached, the interest as to the result became more intense, especially as a few who were supposed to be acquainted with "stable secrets ' pronounced both pedestrians to be in first-rate fettle. The excitement, how ever, reached its culminating point this after noon; a considerable number of cabs, heavily laden 'busses, crowds by rail, and large bodies of persons on foot, all assisted to swell the at tendance within the inclosure into a monster gathering, between 3,000 and 4,000 persons being present, and gave proof that the heydey of foot racing has not yet passed. Added to this the day was fine, the course in capital or der, and the same excellent arrangements as usually prevail here having again been made, everything foreshadowed a more than ordinari ly interesting struggle for the "pride of the place," and such it was. Mr. Hayes, filled the office of referee, and the beating, which opened at 7 to 4, closed at 2 to 1 on Albison. At about a quarter to four o'clock Lang male his ap pearance on the scene of action, accompanied by his friend and backer, Mr. G. Hardy.— Shoitly afterwards, Albison also entered the arena, both looking well and each appeariug sanguine of the result. Lang won the toss, of course then taking the inside place, and alter a couple of failures they left the crease at tho third attempt. After running nearly side by side for a tew strides Lang began to show the way at a pace the reverse of slow, and gradu ally gaining upon his opponent, he was leading ly nearly half a score yards when the men first passed the stand. This gap Lang still lurther widened during the succeeding revolution of the course, on the complexion of which beheld the premiership by upwards of a dozen paces, but shortly afterwards Albison began to make up leeway. On going along the back of the ground on the final lap, the Champion gradu ally reduced the distance between himself and his formidable opponent, and became more J close than pieasant to Lang. Rounding the bend they were nearly breast aud breast, and on entering the straight the struggle as to which should claim the belt was commenced in earnest. Every energy of which Lhey were in possession was now brought into action, a3 yaid by yard they rushed on, and though Al bison's backer sbied his castor into tho air, when the men had about ICO yards to run, the race was not then over. Albison, however, having got just io front, succeeded in slightly increasing bis lead during the concluding forty yards, and the trophy once more fell into his possession, after a magnificent race, Mr. Hayes' fi°t being that Albison had won by a yard. The winner covered the distance in four minutes and twenty two and a quarter seconds! thus excelling I ilosspol s fastest time by three-quarteis of a second. Both pedestrians had had quite enough |at the finish, Lang especially beiug much dis tressed, and Albison was warmly congratulated on his biiltiant victory. Lang's performance, though an unsuccesstul one, reflected great credit upon him, aud though he did not win the belt, lie lost little of his well earned fame. Surprising as was Albison's achievement, we cannot help thinking but tftat he, at times, somewhat hazards his chance by purposely tail ing so far behind, such being the ca.se not only to-day, but also when he first contended for the prize. Should Albison continue so to do, lie may on a future occasion, when coping against some pedestiian—even if not quite so fleet find the beautiful trophy, upon the pos session of which he so justly prides himself, trom his grasp. We may add, in con clusion, that L ing is just over twenty-one years of age, and Albison attained his twentieth birth day on the 26th of April last. POPULATION OF KANSAS TTRIUTEKY. —The pop ulation of the lerritoiy of Kansas, r s ascer tained by tbe United States census, just taken, is 109,401. i bis does not include the Pike's Peak region, which has a population of 75 000 more. Kansas proper has, therefore, 12,000 more people than would entitle her to elect a member of Congress at the present time. There can be no doudt that, as the most stringent provision of the " English" Bill has been com plied with, Kansas will be admitted into the Union as a State the coming winter. No rea sia can now exist for her refusal. DlPTHEßlA. —Steubenville, Ohio, and vicinitv, have suffered terribly from the ravages of Dip theria. The Herald says : "The disease had attacked both old and young, but has prevail ed most geuerally among children, among whom it has been mcst fatal. The number of deaths from tbediptheria in this city from the first of Jannary, 1860, up to the present time, among the children alone, is not far short o two hundred The deaths among adults have been, probably, one fo> r;h of that number. Many families have beeu made desdutu fiom the virulence of this disease."
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers