.52::k_ G 1•311: ' TiETEEDIE &QUM% DEC. 29, 1869 - PRESIDENT'S IIESSAGE. PA 7 l6 l .6stinna of the Senate and Hotge of Re'preeen wises Ondeep and heartfelt gratitude is due to that Almighty powerwhic h hes bestowed upooits such Varied and numerous lilm4ings throughout the past year. The general health of the Conn try has been excellent, our harvests have been nal:sadly plentiful, and prosperity smiles throughout the !mid. Indeed, notwithstanding Out demerits, we have much reason to believe, from the past event in our history, that we have enjoyed tho special protection of MAIM Providence. Ever since oar origin as a nation, we have been crewed to many threatening and alarming difficulties inoar progress, bat on each successive omtesion the impending cloud has been dissipated at the moment it appeared ready to burst upon our heads and the danger to our institutions has passed away. May we ever be under the Divine guidance and pro tection. • itia the duly of the President from time to time to gin ()engross informatiOn of theetate ot the Union, I will not refer in detail: to the recent sad and bloody occorence at liar.' -per's Perry. Still it is proper to observe that' theie . events, however bad and cruel in them selves, derive. their chief importance from the apprehension that they are hat - symptoms of an incurable &Teen in the public mind, which May break out in still more dangerous outrages, And terminate at last in an open war by the Mirth teabolish slavery . im the South. . Whilst for myself I entertain no such appro. they ought to afford a solemn warning to' us all to beware of the approaching danger. OnrMlloll is a stains of such inestimable velars ast to &Maid our constant and watchful vigi lance for its preservation. • 'la this view let mo implore' my coantryrrnai, north and south, to cultivate the ancient feel ings of natural forbearance and good will to. Wards each other, and etrive to allay the deafen Spirit of sectional hatred and strife now alive iu - thifand. This advice proceeds from the heart of an old public functionary, - whose service connximiced in the last generation, among the , wise and conservative statesmen of that day, '•• now nearly all paced away, and whose first and dearest earthly widths to leave his country tran quil, prosperous, united and powerful. We ought to reflect that m this age, and es , pee-idly in -- fhis country, there is an incessant Spa rand reflox Of public opirflon. 'Questions which in their day assumed a most threatening aspet haVe now nearly gone from the memory of men. They are volcanoes burnt out, and on the Inca and ashes and squalid scoriae of old eruption.? grow the peaceful olive, the cheering vino and the sustaining. corn. Such, in my opinion, will prove to be the fate of the present sectional ea citement, should those wile wisely seek to apply the remedy continue always to confine their efi - ris within the pale of the constitution. If this Coarse be pursued, the existing agitation on ' the subject•ef domestic stormy, like everything human, will have its day, and give piece to oth er and less threatening controversies. Public opinion :in this country is all-powerful, and ' - when it :reaches a dangerous excess upon any • tintstioo,• the good sense of the people will I furnish the corrective, and bring it back within I safe limits. Still to hasten this auspicious result nt the. present crisis, .we ought to remember that every rational creature must be presumed to intend the natural consequences of his own teachings. Those who announce abstract doctrines, subver- Bin of the Constitution and the Union, mast: not he surprised should their heated parti , ma' advance _one step farther and attempt by vio lence to carry these doctrines into practical ef. fect. In this view of the subject it ought never to be forgotten that however great may hare . been the political advantages resulting from the =ion to every portion of our Common country, thee° would all prove to be as nothing, should the thee ever arrive when they cannot be enjoy- eel without serious danger' to the personal Bate- ty of the people ei fifteen members of rife Con federacy. If 'the peace of the domestic fireside through out these States should ever be invaded, if the =there of families; within this extensive region should not be able to retire to rest at night without sofferiog dreadful app:etionsious of what may be their own fate and that of their children before the moraing,, it would be vain to recount to each a people [he political bene fits which resale to the froth the Union. Self preservation is the . instinct of notate, and tisetelarowny state i . "ely in welch the sword. — `Ls ell the time cuspended over the hoods of the I people, mast at last become intolerable. But I indulge in no such gloomy forebodings; on the contrary, I firmly believe that the events at Harper's Ferry, by causing the people to pause -sad reflect upon the possible peril to their cher e ished institutions, will be the means, under ProVidence, of allaying tie exiSting_excitement and preventing femme outbreak's of a similar character. They will resolve that their institu tion, the Union, shalt t: be endangered by rash • counsels, knowing that Should the silver cord. be loosed, or the gelded' bowl broken at the fountain, human power could never reunite the scattered' and hostile ' fiaoenta. I. cordially congratulate you upon the final settle ment, by the Supremo Court of the United States, of the question of slavery io the Territories, which had presented an aspect Co truly formidable at the cow trumeament of my administration. The right has been established of every citizen to take his property t of any kind, Melodize slaves, into the common Ter- I ritotire, belonging equally to all the States of the Confederacwand to. hare is protected there under ttie Federal Constitution. Neither Congress, our a Territorial Legislature, nor any human power, has any authority to annul or Impair this vested right_ The opium judicial tribunal of the country, which Is a eo-ordieate branch or the government, has sanc tioned and affirmed these principles of constitutional law so man themselves, y just in themselves, and so well calculated to promote poses and harmony among the States. It Is a striking proof of the sense of j coulee which is inherent In oar people, that the property in slaves has never been .disturbed to my knowledge in soy of the Territories.' Even throughout the late troubles Emus, there - has not been any attempt, as I am Credibly informed,: o interfere, In a Riegle butince,,with the right of the master. Mil any each attempt been made, the judiciary would doubtless have afforded an adequate remedy. Should they fail to do this hereafter, it will then be'time enough to • strengthen their hands by farther legislation_ !fad it been decide! that either Congress or the Territorial Legislabire .possesses the power to annul or impair the tight of property in slaves, the evil wsuld he In tolerable.' In the latter event there would% a strag gle for a majority of the members of the legislature at each taoeeeHve elation, and the snored rights of property held under the federal constitution would de pend, for the time being, on the result. Tho agita tion would thus bo rendered inceseaca, whilst the ter ritorial condition remained, and its baneful infictenee would keep alive a dangerous excitement amon the 'people of the leveret States. g Thui hie the statics of a Territory daring the inter. mediate - period, from its first settlement until it shall become a State, been irrevocably fixed by the final decision of the Supreme Court. Fortunafe - hu this been for the prmiperity of the• Territories, as well as the tranquility of the States. Now, emigrants from the Muth and the South, the Essland the West, will meet In the Territories on a common platform, haring brought with them that species of property beet adopted, in their own opin ion, to promote their welfare. From natural causes the slavery question will in each ease soon virtually settle itself, and before the Territory is prepared for .admluton as a State into this Union, this decision, one ewer Me other, will hare been a foregone con elusion. Meanwhile, the settlement of the new Ter ; floc, will proceed without serious interruption, and its progress and prosperity will not be endangered or , trout:4 byviolent political etrogglas. When, in the progress of events, the Inhabitants of —easy territory shall have 'reached the Lumber roquir ed to4WZAStete„ they will then proceed Ia a revs nlar manner, and in the uercise of the rights of pop ggire"liat7# to form a obastitutiort preparatory to admission lute the . After this has been dotter coploy.the language of the Kansas Ne braska Act, 'Nils, shall be received into the Union, with Or WitbOor slaver a s th e i r constitution may Proscribe ortho time Crytho illidatission." This coned prizeiple hai happily been recosp l iia is some fol•ta, or otherLy an clowst unattireitare vote of both houses • of Mellott Congress. All Unita mewls at my couuriand hero been om played and . obeli continuo to be employed to execute i the lows against the African Slave -trade. After a' moat Careful and rigorous examination of our coastr, and a thorough investigation of subject, w o not bass able to discover that say sloven hive y on imported into the United Status, exeept•the cargo by the Wanderer, cambering between three and fear hlhmacirrid. Those engaged In this 'unlawful enterprise ave been rigorously prozetuted, but cot with as Winefiinacesi es their crimes have deserved. A nom her of them' aro still raider prosecution. tOur history prover - thst the fathers of rho republic, i advince of all other nations, condemned the Sari. Pslave trade. It was, notwitlisMo ding, deemed ex edlent by the framers of the Constitution, to deprive Congress of the power to prohibit the migration or importation of such persons as any of the Stater nom 'stristiog shall think proper to admit, prior to the year 1808. It Will be seen Alt this restriction on the power of congress was conned to-neh States ally as might taws proper to admit the Importation of _elates. It did not extend to other States, - or to the trade carried on a/Via& aeciMil n l i.wo find that so early as the gn limb, 1704, CIAPSTO4S pasze4 an act Icopealeg seven penalties' • and ponishment pon eft:lieu end naid wi t s et theilinited States who ' should engage i o . j this sra4_trith foreign • nations.- The,provislona of this set were attended ind'enforeed'hy the act or loth ' IdaY,--itiett • .. . , lAtatio:' - ther States themselves had a clear tight to weirs theConadtatianalpdhfiege intended for their benefit, end to prohibit, by, their awn laws, this trade at any thus they thought Roper, previous to 1508. liihrordot t h lattorcind ilutright Won that period, get tuncestnant sums cantainingthe greatest awn- ~ - • ' her of alarm This fan to Magmas tine =Mtge ;pewee to act It regard to alien& States,'lmesase:they , themselves had removed the constitntimial barrier. Congreu actmrdingly passed an set, on. 20th Febru ary. 1803, to prevent the importation of certalo:Per coal into certain States, where, by the laws thereof, their admission is prohibited. In this manna; the importatkasof African Blares into the United States wss, to a winced 18 great extent, prohibited some years la ?ad. As the year 1605 approached, Congrusi determi ne ; not touter this trade to exist even for a single day after they had the power to abolish ft. On the 2d of March, Her, they passed an act to take effect from and after the first day of January, 1808,prohiblting the importation of African !laves into gm tiedted States. This was followed by imbsequent acts of a „kale:character, to which !need not specially refer. Sash were the principles and sech the practice of bar ancestors, more than fifty years ego, in regard lathe African slave trade, • It did not occur to the several patriots Who had been delegates to the convention, and after, ward came members of Canteen, that in paesilog these laws they had violated the roastitutien, Which they had formed 'with so much care and deliberation; they supposed that to: prohibil Congress, in express terms, from exorcising; specified power before an appointed day,involved the right to exercise this power after that dolt bad arrived. If this were not the case, the framers of t he Constitution had expended much labor.in vain bad they imagined that Cougrees would ponces power to prohibit the trade, either before or after 1808, they would not have taken , so much care to protect the States agatoet Elio office Of this power before that period; they would net haws attached each importance to this Provislob 199 to have excluded it from tho poesibility cif future appeal or amendment,to which other poi-. lions of the Constitution were expoeed. would then have been wholly unnecessary to engraft on the fifth article of the Constitution, preserlhs lug the mode of its own Mature amendment, the proviso that "no amendment which maybe made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, ehall, in any manner affect the proi visien in the Constitution securing to tho Statet the right to admit the importation of ;Atriums •elaves previous to that period.” According to the adverse construction, the elanse,on which so mach care and disauailon had been employed by the members of the Contin-. tion,was an absolute nullity from the beginning,] and all that has Mace been done under it-a meme neurpation. It was well and wino to confer Wei power on Congress.; because, had It been left to^ the States, its efficient exorcise would haire been impossible. Is that event, any /Rate could have effectually continued the trade, not only for it- • lelf, but for all the other slave States, though never so much against their will, and whit 1 Bo eing° African slaves, when once broughttwithin the limits of any ono State, in aeoorditnie with its laws, cannot practically bo excluded from any other State where slivery exists. And even I if all the States had separately passed laws pro jf hitating the importation of Mares, them) lawe would have failed of effect for want of et naval force to capture the slavers and to guard the coasts finch a force no State can employ in time of peace without tho content of Congress. These acts of Congress, it is believed, :have, With very rare and insignificant exeeptieee, ao• oomplishod their purpose; far a period of more than half a century {hero has been no previous addition to the number of our tiomestio drives; during this period their advancement in: civil associations far surpassed (het of any other Por tion of the African race; the light and lbetbtee eibgs of Christianity have been extended to them, toed both their moral and pbyeical condi tion hoe been greatly Improved. Reopen the trade, and it would bo difficult to determice whether the effect would bo more deleterious to the interests of the master or to those of the na- I live born !laces—of the events fa the master the one most to be dreaded would be the intredoe• Lion of wild heat hen and Ignorant barbarians among the :sober, orderly mad quiet slavee,whose ancestors have been on the mil fur several gen-..! erations; this might tend to barbarize, derneral • a t t i d d p e x l o a r s . p b e r e a a t q v . e l c l e . roses, and produce moo Th e effect upon the existing slaves would, if , possible, bo still more deplorable. At present he is treated with kindnees and humanity; he is well fed, well clothed and not overworked. Ills condition is iocernparibly better than that of the miles which modern natives of high civilization - hide employed as a eubetitute for Africa.] Mame; both the philanthropy and the self interest of the master have combined to product this humatie resoilt. But let this (redo fir re-opened, and what will the effect be—the more, to a ourielder able extent, as on a neighboribg inland, the only spot now on earth chore the African MaTe trade open l Yroltraked, and this in defiance of solerari trendies, with a power abuudaatlyable at any imminent to War their execution. There the .raaster, tutent up 1:1 protons gale,.extoris from M the arc 83 DIL3 labor as hie physical powers ere-capable ret4ndurieg, knowing that when oealh.synonseb' hie relief his place can •be np "'plied at a" price reduced to the lowest point of competition by rival African stave traders.. Baould this ever be thaaease in our couutry, which 1 do eat deem possible, the present tamp fel character of the demotic institutiou wherein those too old end too young to work are prey* , ed for with care and humanity; and those capa ble of labor are not overtasked, would undergo au unfortuaate e mtge. The feeling of recipra dal dependence and attachmeet, which now et. late between master and slave, would be convert; ed into mutual distrust and !motility. But we arc obliged as a Christian and moral nation to consider what would be the effect open uohappy Africa iteelf, if we should re-open the slave trade. This would give the trade an Is,. pulse nucLezletteion which it hoe never had,oven In its palmieet days. The numerous victims re-: qaired.to supply it would convert the whole slave cause into a perfeat pandemonium, for. which this country would be held responsible in the eyes both of God and man. Its petty tribes would then bconstantly engaged in predatory e_ .j ware against each other, for the purpose of eels-'1 fog slaves to supply the American manse. All hopes of African civilization would then be end ed. Oa the other hand, when a market for !hives dell no longer be furnished in Cuba, and thee all the world closed against this trade, we may then indulge a reasonable hope for the gra dual Improvement of Africa. The chief motive of war among the tribes will cease whenever there Is ^no longer any demand for eaves. The reeourcea of that fertile bat miserable country might then be developed bY the hand of indent , try, and afford subjects for legitimate foreign and doteestio commerce. In this manner Chris tianity and civilization may gradually penetrate the existing gloom. The wisdom of the coarse paraued by this gov eminent towards China has been vindicated by the event. While we sustained a neutral position in the cm waged by Great Britain and France, against the Chinese Empire; our late Minister In obedience to his instructions, judiciously co-operated with the ministers of these powers in all peaceful measures to secure by treaty the jam concessions demanded by the interims of foreign commerce. The result is that sadifactory treaties have been concluded with China by the respective ministers of the United States, Greet Britain, France and Russia. Oar treaty or general convention of pesos, entity and com merce wlth4hat empire, wee concluded at Tien tsin on the 18th of June, 185 E, and was ratified by the President, by, and with the advice of the Senate., on the 15th December, 1858. John E. Ward, a - distinguished citizen of Georgia, was duly cominissioned as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China. Ile left the Undid States for the place of his destination on the sth of February, 1859, bearing with him the ratified copy of this treaty,tind arrived 'at Shang hai on the 28th of May; from thence he pro ceeded to Pekin on the 10th ofJune, but did not arrive in that arty until the 27th of July. Ac cording to the terms of the treaty, the ratifiers- Gone were so be exchanged on or before thel Bth of January, 1859. This was rendered impose'. blc, by reasons nod mats beyond hie control, not necessary to detail, but still it is due to the Chintee authorities at Shagbai to state that they always enured him no advantage should be taken of the delay, end this pledge has been faithfully redeemed. Os the arrival of Mr. Plard!st Pablo, ho requested an audience of the Emperor, to present hie letters of credence. This he did not obtain, in consequence of hie very proper reftieel to submit to the humiliating cer emonies required by the etiquette of this etraoge people, an approulalog their sovereign. Never theless, the interviews ori this question were conducted in the most friendly spirit, and with all due regard to his personal feelings and the honor of his country. When a repreeeutatiou to hie Majesty wee found to ho impossible, the letter ,Majesty credence from the President was receiv ed with pechliar Lenore, by Kisailiatig, the Bet 'screed Priem Minister, and theneeued man in the Eaipire to the Emperor himself The relie f cations - of the treaty were afterwards, ou the 1 18th of August, exchanged in proper form at Pci Tsang. ,As the exchange did toot take place until after the day prescribed by the treaty, it le deemed proper, before ire publication, again to submit it to the Senate. It is but ample justice to the Chincee autho rities to observe that throughout the whole trans action they appear to hove acted in good faith, and in cadet:ally spirit towards the United States. It is tree dile has been done after their own pe culiar fashion, but we ought to regard with a lenient eye the ancient emote= of an empire dating back theueands of years, so far as this may be eoneielant with our own national honor. The:conduct of our minister ea the occasion bag received; my entire approbation. In order to carry out the epirit of this treaty, and to give it fall effect, in became necessary to conclude two supplemental conventions, the ono for the adjustment and eatiefaction of thechlaime of oar citizens, :aud the other to - fix the tariff on ini porteanci experts, and to regulate transit dues and the trade of oar merchants with China. The duty was!eatiefactorily performed by our late minister.; These alumina bear date at Shanghai, on the Bth of November, 1868. Having beep con. tidered, In the light of binding agreement!, subsidiary to :the principal treaty and to be 'carried. into °amnion without delay, they do not provide r for any tumid TaLtdcatlon or es. • . Change e t tratllleatietta by the eentracting pars:. ties. This was not deemed necessary by the Mamie, .Itha are already proceeding in good faith to satisfy the claimer of our citizens, and It in hoped to earry out the other provide'ss of the. conventions. Still, I thought it was proper to, submit them to the Senate -by which they were ratified, on the 33 of Maroh,lBsB. The ratified copies, however, did not reach Shanghai until after the departure of our minister to Pekin, and these convehtions could not, therefore, be exahanged at the flame time with the principal treaty. No doubt is entertained that. they will be ratified and exchanged by the Chinese govern meat, should this be thought advisable; but nu der the circumstances presented, I shall consider them binding engagements from their date, on both parties,. and cause them to be published ad such for the information and &dance of our merchants trading with the Mateo empire. It affords me muoh satisfaction to inform you that all our difficulties with the republic of Pa. ,ragetay have been satisfactorily adjusted. It happily did not become necessary to employ the force for this purpose which Negroes had placed it my command, under their joint resolution of 2il Jane, 1858. On the contrary, the Preeideat of that Repablio in a friendly spirit acceded promptly to the just and reasonable demands of the Government of the United States. Our com missioner arrived at Assumption, the capital of ' the republic, ea the 25th of January, 1809, and ' left It on the - 17th of February, having in three weeks ably and successfully accomplished all the objects of hie 0189i012. The treaties which he has concluded will be immediately eubmitted to the Senate. In the view that the employment of other than 'peaceful means might become nes °misery to obtain jest satisfaction from Para guay, a strong naval force wee concentrated in the waters of the La Plata, to await soutingeu cies, whilst our commissioner ascended the riv ers to Assumption. The navy department is entitled to great credit for the promptness, efft ' elenoy and economy with which this expedition was fitted out and conducted. tt consisted of 1 nineteen armed vessels, groat and small, carry -11 Mg 200 gene and 2600 men, all under the com mand of the veteran and gallant Shubrick. Tho entire expenses of the expedition have beet:ode . frayed nut of the ordinary appropriations for the 1 naval service, except (be sum of $280,000, np , plied to the. purchase of coven of the steamers oonatituting a part of it, under the authority of `the naval appropriatice cot of the 31 of March last. It is believed that there eleamere arc worth -more than their cost, and they are all now use. Sully and actively employed In the naval service. The appearance of ao large a force, fitted out n ouch a prompt manner, in the far dietant wa ers of the La Plata, mud the admirable conduct of the officers and men employed in it, bane had a happy effect In favor of our country through but all that remote portion of the world. , Our relations with the groat empires of Preece and Russia, as well as with all other govern ments on the-continent of Europe, unless we • may except that of Spain, happily continue to be of the most friendly character. In my last annual message, I presented a statement of tbo übetatisfactory condition of our relations with ;Spain, and I regret to say that this has net ma- Aerially improved. Without special reference to `other claims, ma the Cuban claims, the pay intent of which has been ably urged by our ‘I min is ere, and in which more than a hundred of our el izene are directly interested, remain 'meat ie .fi - , notwithstanding 512,803,554 had been re j eakeized and ascertateed by the Spanish &overt, Mint into& I again recommend that an epee°. prlation be made to he paid to the Spanish gov ernment for tee purpose of distribution among the claimant u the Alai:eat] cave. la cowmen with two of m; predecessor", I entmealn no doubt that this Is required by our treaty with Spain of the 27th of October, 17:'5 • The (ali ned to discharge this obligation has been employ. ed by the Cabinet of Madrid as 0 roaoat spinet the ,settlement of our claims. ! I need not repeat the arguments which I urged th my last annual teenage, in favor of the aqui sitleo of Cuba by fair purchase. fly °platens op that measure remain tiachecged. I therefore again levee the serious attention of Congress to this important subject. Without a recognition , of this policy on their part, it wtll be almost impossible teffietitute negotistiens with any rea- 1 minable prospect of "access. Until a recent period there was good reason to believe that I 1 ehetild be able to anoeusee to you, en the pre- , seat , occasion, that cur difficulties with Great Britton, al ising ont of the Clayton•Bulwer tree-,1 17 had been finally adjueied, in a manner alike 1 houtirable and eatisfactory to both parties. From ,I utensils, however, wake the Britiso goverment I 11'41 but anticipated, they have not yet completed I Mimi arrangements wilily the republics of Hon. duraa and Nicaragua, io.pnr - tiatice of the uuder- standiog between the Lice goveromente. It ie nevertheless confidently expected that this good work - will ere long be accomplished. Whilst iodulgiug the lope that no other)tub- 1 1 Jost Tusdaed which could disturb the good un dern nding between the taro countrice, the ' iquestion arising out of the &dyerse claims of the t - tartle t , to the inland of San Jahn, under the Oro en treaty of the 15th of June, 1840, stud. deedy ti.l6titakd a threatening position. Ili order to prevent the toutertunate collision on that re- inotp frontier, the late Scorner -7 or State. cm the 17i11 July, 1856, addressed a note to Mr. Cramp. ton,.then British Minister at Winthington, coot- municetiog a espy of the it:lean - tenons which h e , I Mr. 'Marcy, hod given, on the lath of July, to I Gov: Stereaeon, of Washington Territory, hay- I iag a special reference to an app?ehended con flint between our citizens mud the British rub jectkort the island of San Juan. To prevent thin, the Governor was instructed that the officers of the Territory ehould abstaio from all acts on the diepeted grounds, which are calculated to pro voke may conflict, so far as it can be done with out implying the . consequence to the authorities of Crest. Britain clan exclusive right over them. The title should be settled before either party should attempt to exclude the other by force or exercise of eompLte or croluelve sovereign right within the disputed limits. In acknowledging the receipt, on the seat day, of Mr. Marcy'" note, the Britleh Minister ex pressed his entire concurrence in the propriety of the coerce recommended to the Governor of Washington Territory by your (Mr. Marcy's) in structions to that offieer, and meting that he had lost no time in tranemlitiog a copy of the, lout umenttto the Governor General of British North America, and had earnestly recommended to his Excellency to take such measures as to him may appear beet calculated to secure, on the part of the British local authorities and the Inhabitants -of ttioneighborhood of the Ilea In question, the , exercese of the same spirit of forbearaooe which Is Inculcated by you (Mr. Maroy) on the wither. ',hies and citizens of the United Stales. Thus ':matters remained upon the faith of this arrange r:meat until the month of July last, when General liElarney paid a vigit to the Leland. Ile found upon it twenty.five American residente, with 1 their laminae . and also an eetabilehtnent of the ? Hudson's Bay Company, for the purpose of I raising ; sheep. A short time before his arrival, ono of these residents had shot an animal be -1 longing to the company whilst treepassiog upon I hie premisee, for which, however, be offered to pay twice ha value, but that was refused. Bonn after, the chief footer of the company, Mr. Dallas, eon-in-law of Gov. Douglass, came to -the Wand in the British sloop-of-war Satellite, and threatetied to take this American, slr. Cutler, by force to Yieteria, to answer for the trespass ha bad toms lied. The American •seized Gls rifle and told Mr. Danes If guy such attempt was made be,- would kill him oat the spot. The effete then ended. , Under these circumstances, the American set dement : presented a petition to the General; through the United States Inspector of Customs, Mr. flubbe d to plate a force ou the island to pro tect them from the Indians as well es the oppres• sly° interference of the auth : hies of the Ilea's Bey ' Company, at Victoria, with rights at American citizens. The General mediately responded to this petition, and ordeim- Clime Geo. Piottett, 11th infantry, to establiehred ontoptioy.at Denville, or Sae Jima Nand hie emu° suitable position near the harbor, at the acuth-eastern extremity. This order was prompt lynbuyed; it military poet was established at the place designated. The force was afterwards intireaeed; ed that by the last return the whole nuinber of troops then on the 'eland umeuutei to 091 men. %Mist Ido not deem it proper, on teta prca:dt occasion, to make any comments upon the credibility which ought to be attached to the statements of the British colonial authorities, contesting the accuracy of the information no which tie-gallant General acted, it was duo to him that I: should thus present hie own reasons for issuing the order to Capt. Pickett. Front thee° it is 'clear hie object was to prevent the Britith authorities on Vancouver's Island from exeicialugijurisdietion over Ameriette reeidebte On the Inland of daa Juau, as well as to protect them agaiost the lacursiona of the Indians. ftio4h excitement prevailed for some time 1 throughout that region, end meneus danger of n collision between the parties was apprehended. Tbee3ritieh have a large naval force in the •I -! einity, andlit Is hot an ant of simple justice to the Admiral of that station to state that he wisely land dieorectly forbore to oommit any hostile not, but deterraioed to refer the whole affair to his government, and await their instruction. This aspect of the matter, in my opinion, de ' mended 'serious attention, It would have been a great calamity for both nations had they been precipitated iota acts of hostility, not on the question of title to the Island, but merely con earning what ehould be lie condition during the intereening i period whilt the two governmente 'might bo employed In settling the question to which of them it belongs. For this reason Lt. General Scott was dispatched on the 17th of Mist to Waihingion Territory, to take Of the United Stowe forces , d ebould be deem this fleece him of hie mission was to s o la a m n: 7 Pw l h t . Immediate i t ! I P T 6b t ie o er e i dem' m is t Te l a ri a s 1 ; 9 carry; out the spirit of the precautionary ar rangement Witten the late Secretary of State and thie British s hlinister, and thus to preserve the peace s and prevent a collision between tbo Brillfit and American authorities, pending the , mellonittions Ileitis* the two governments. En- • iertainiog DO doubt of the validity of our title, :i need scarcely add that r in any event, American oitizene were to be placed ena a footing at least is fain:ratde as that of the Withal subjects, it being understood that Capt. Pickett'a company should remeln on the Miami. 'his proper to oto. Serve, that coneidering the distance from the I ticene of action, and in ignorance of what might have tranepired on the spot before the General's arrival, it was necessary to leave much to his die creticio, sad I am happy to state the event has ''proven that Gila discretion conk! not have been :entrusted to more competent ;beside. eleaeral Scott has recently returned from hie mieeien, haviag sacceeefully accomplished its object, and Ahem is no longer any good reason to apprehend a collision between the forces pf the two coun tries during the pendency of the existing nego , 'ltalians- I e.! I regret to inform you that there has been no i improvement in the offaire of Mexico eineo my ,'lttet annual menage, and I net again obliged to oak the earnest attention of Congress to the Inn— happy condition of that republic. The couni• lintional Congrese of Mexico, Which adjourned Pon the 17th of January, 1857, adopted a coneti• '',.button and provided fur a popular electico. This took place ,in the following Ju1y,1857, and Gen e Oral Comonfort woe cheeks President almeet I ikthont opposition. At the same election a new 1e0 : 0gre...9 was chosen, whose Bret session co - Winced on the 16th of September, 1857. y the constitution of 1857, the Presidential to no I Was to begin on the first of Demi:ibex; 1857, a d aeutinue four years. Ga that day , Gen. Como - (Ott appeared before the neeembled Congress a the City of Mexiao, took the oattxto support i e dim constitution, and was duly inaugurated as President. Within a month afterwards he had been driven from the Capitol, and a military re bellion bad assigned the supreme power of the Republic to Znloago. The constitntiou provided that lei the absence of the Preeident his office should devolve upon the Chief lastize of the Supremo Court, nod Gen. Comonfort having left the country, this functionary, G. Juarez, pro ceed Gm i. to torn,, at Guanajuato, a 'constitutional : gnVernment. Before thin Wee officially knows, heitrever, at the Capitol, the government of Zu lotigo had been recognized by the entire diplo matic corps, including thoMiniatettof the United States se the de Joan government of Mexico. The conetitutional President, nevertheless, main tained his position with firmness, gad was soon eatabliehed with hie Cabinet at Vera Crux Mennwhlla the govornmeot of Zobiago was ,ear nesily resisted in many parts of llis Republic, and even in the Capitol, a porticinief the army hatiog pronounced agsinet it, its inactions were declared terminated, and an aseenthly of citizens woe Invited for the choice of a new President; I thWateiembly elected General Miramon, but ' that 'officer repudiated the plan under which he 1 was chosen, and Zuloago was then restored to ' his previous position. Ile assumed It, however, only to withdraw from it, and Miramon having become, by his appointment, President substi tute; putilletieS el a that title at the bend of the insurgent party. In My last annuli message I communicated to Cungrces the eireuttatuccen under which the latellinister Et ti n . Cnit.,l States easpended his official relatiane .w.. 1. the Cettlral Gavel ornent,e' and ;Withdrew Iron t,, ceitatty. I.; woo hypos- I eiblo to 121/1111ala /tiredly ie:Cre..dree with a goveiinneot Lk.. that at the co; and, under whose usurped authority wt cup were constantly con. muted, hat never rodriessti nod mile 1., a t , established government, em. ii io poser intend. Mg. by the couseht of the people, ord. th, leh u l e of Mexico, a resort to hoetilities °pleat it would have - :been quite justifiable, nod froi re g roc , nary.' :But the century wan a prey to civil war, and it , woe hoped that. the elleeeeS of the c oo . stituGunal President might lead In a condition of things lees injurious to lite United Stat e n. This success became so probable that, in Junti• sty hat, I employed a reliable agent to vi s it 51exiho and report to .tue the actu a l ; e,,,nd :t i,, r sod frospeco aof Cho csoutentfing I:Atli, lo citt.ttalurase I f 1,, -, ;pert, and front Wort:ll.l.n whit:kr, e.I toe treat other sources,: favorable to tnetprespec.e t o,' a constitutional c4use, I felt jastifi t id in opt...it:tog It pew Minister to Mexico, who [night entoroce Me carlitst suitable oppor tnnitynf restoring our diplomatic relations with that republic. Fee tots I uri.v,, a distinguished citizen: t at 51aryla0d ;Tea aelected, who proceeded en hiatnission on ibo Bth of Morel, last, with diseretibuary stoltirity to recognize the govern ment of :Prerideut June, r. It, on 1.1,1. ire, vat in 51exicoi lis should find it entitled to Ouch rec. ognition; accortliog to the established. practice of the Vatted Stater On lbc 7:11 of April fol. laviog, Mr McLain preeented his credentials I , prehirgt JUarer, banag r o neeltati tit in proton:icing Cho government of Jeans to be the only existing government of the republic He was cordially receieed by the authotitits at Vera CrUr, and th e y have over piece manifeeted the moon friendly disposition towards the Gutted Statee. :Unhappily, however, the Constitutional G.:reran:mut has no, been able to establish its power over the whole republic. It is supported el a large majority of th e Nul i, ls and 1 48:ales, nut there .ro Imp,rint4 ~.. .f the cuniry atom 11 it. C. enforce ~.on o dience. Sieueral Slimmest imaiettioe bilk - serf arfhe ,capital, and in some of the distant provinces there ore mili tary gortroors aho pay little respect tolthe de er...ea of either government. In the meantime the eXCertieel which always attend pphll civil war, midi especially in Mexico, aro constantly recurring; outrages of the worst deecripilon are ootontitteil both "peal persons and property. There is Scarcely any form of Injury which has nAt been ftuffered by nor citizens in Meiloo du ring the lost few years. We have been nomi natty at pence with that Republic, but en far as the intercom of our commerce, and of °lir citi zens who kayo visited the country as metal:ants, ehipmestere or in other capacities, are cencern• ed, we might its well have been at war! Life has been - Insecure, property unprotected, and trade impO'ssible, except at a risk of lees !which prudent niki cannot be expected to incur: Im portant eo'nbracts, involving large expenditnres entered into by the central gorernmenti have been set at' defiance by the local pevernmeole. Peaceful American reeidente. occupying' their rightful piseessiona, base hero suddenly repell ed the country in defiance of Treaties and by the mere force,of arbitrary power. Bien the °ours° of justice not been cafe from control, and a recent decree of Miramon permits the in tervention!: of government in all suits Where either party ie a foreigner. Vessels of the United States have been seised without law, and a consular Inflicter, who protested &gaits( 'snob act cure, hanbeen fined and imprisoned for dis-. respect to the authorities. Military enntribu• tiou e here been levied, in •iolation of every principle of right, and the American who re• elated the lasriess demand has had his property forcibly taken away. nod has been himself ban ished. From a conflict of authority in different ports of theroountry, tariff duties, which hove been paid iii one piece, have been exacted over again in another place. Large numbers ofnur citizens have been arrested and Imprisoned With out any fornnof examination or any opportuDity for a hearing, and, even when released, have only obtalneil their liberty arta. much suffer ing and Nary, and without any hope of re dress The Wholesale maseserc of Crabbe and his assoeiatni, without trial, in 8000ra, as Well as the eeizere nod murder of four vice AMeri• Cane, who had taken Metter in the house of an , American, upon the poll of the United Staler, I nee communicated to Congress at its last Fes slim. Murdnits of a still more aII'OCIOUI char• actor have been committed in the very heart of Mexico, under the authority of. Aliramun's goy erne/tut, dukug the present year. Some of I hose were only worthy of a barloaroua age, sod of they ban test been clearly prone, would have I seemed impossible in a country which claims •to ba eivitizet Of thin description wee the bin- Let eutieemire iu April last, by order of Gen. Mar ! goer., of three:American physicians, who were I aelzed to the houpital at Taoubaya, while Web& I iug upon the stick nod dying of both portico, nuti I Without trial,ttas without crime, were hurried away to a speedy execetioa. Little lees ehook . , fog leas the recent fate of Ormond Cease, Who was abet 1U Topic, on the 7th of dupe., by order of the same Mexican General, not only without a Irbil, but without arty conjecture by but friends of title eaoo o of hie arrest. lin )6 represented ae',ri )(roue man of good characthr sod 4,l ol4m:tee. who had made uunierobs friends to Tepee, by Cho c '" r 'ic ° a" huu'al'ely which he had 4ke i ll.yed eu several trylog out,. stens, end his dealt: Wee UtoeXpeal,,l 1.8 It was shocking to the'twhole community. Other out— rages might be - enumerated, hut !trete arc sine Meta In 1 1 1UStraie the wretched State of the coun try, and the unprotected conditioner the persons sod property of one citizens in Mexico. In all [heels cries our in:tasters have been cod. stint and faithfel in their demands for redress', but both they did this government, which they have euccuedully tepreseuted, hove beeo wholly powerless to tiudto their demands effective. Their teetiumny en this respect., and in reference to the only rempely yerhich,. in their judgment/1j would meet the exigency, boa been both uniforirt and emphatic. 'Nothing but a manifestation of the power of bite government of the United Staten," wrote otir Into Minister, in 1857 , "and' ' elite purpose tojmnish these wrong will rival! I agnate you thgt the nuivereal be lief' here is, that there is/nothing to bo apprehended from: the government of the United States, nod that local Mexican officials cap commit these out ritge.3 upou Ameilcan cilium with absolute im punity." tc '1 hope the 'President," wrote our present Minister in August last, "will feel authorized to ask from CongrLks the power to enter Mexico with the rnilitaty forces of the United States, at the call of theconstitutional authorities, in order to protect the citizens and treaty rights of the United Strifes. Unless such a power is conferred upon him, neither Meow or the other will be respected ' #u the esistiogstate of anarchy and disorder, and the outrages already perpe trated will never be chastised, and as 1. muted you in my No, 2 all these evils mast increase until every vestige; Of order and govempent dis appears !tom the eeuntry.",,' I have been reluctantly lad to the Fame opin ion, and:ia justien to 'my countrymen, who have suffered wroeg,s from Mexico, and who may still stiffer them, I feel boned to announce this con clueion to Congress. The ease presented, however, i 3 not merely a case of individual claime, although our just claims egainst Mexico have reached a very large amount, nor is it merely the case of pro. tection to the fives and property of the few AmeriCans who may still remain in Mexico, al though the life and property of every American citizen ought to be smaredly protected in every quarter of the world, but it is a question which relates to the future, as well as to the present and the past, and which invokes, indirectly at least, the whole .subject of our duty in Mexico as a neighboring State. The exercise of the power of the United States in that country to redress the wrongs and protect the rights of our own citizens, is none the less to be desired, be came efficient and necessary aid may thus be rendered at the same thee to restore peace and order' to Mexico itself. In the accomplishment of this result, the people of the United States most necessarily feel a deep and earnest interest. Mexico ought to be a rich, and prosperous, and powerful republic. She poses an extensive territory, a fertile soil, and an incalculable store of mineral wealth. She occupies an important position between the gulf and the ocean, for theme and for commerce. le it , possible that such a country as this can be given up to an archy and ruin, without an effort from'any quar ter for its safety. Will the commercial nations of the world, which have so many interests con- • meted with it, remain wholly indifferent to such a result' quo the United States especially, which ought to share more largely in its com mercial intercourse, allow theirimmediate neigh bor thus to destroy itself, and injure them:' Yet without support from some quarter it is impos sible to perceive how Mexico can resume her position among nationr, and enter upon a career which promises any good results. The aid which she requires, and which the interests of all commercial countries require that she should have, it belongs to this government to render, not only by virtue of oar neighborhood to Mexico, smug whose territory we have a con tinuous frontier of nearly n thousand miles, but by virtue, also, of our established policy, which is inconsistent with the intervention of any Eu ropean power in the domestic concerns of that republic. The wrongs which we Lave suffered from Mexico are before the world, and must deeply impress every American citizen... government which is either ucable or unwilling to redress such wrongs, is derelict to its highest duties. The difficulty consists in selecting and enforcing the remedy. We may in vain apply to the con stitutional government at Vera Crux, although, it is well disposed to do us justice, for adequate redress. Whilst its authority is acknowledged in all the important ports and throughout the sea coasts of the Republic, its power does not extend to the City of Mexico and the States in its vicinity, where nearly all the recent outrages have been committed on American citizens We must penetrate into the interior before we eau reach the offenders, and this can only be done by pacing through the territory is the occupa tion of the constitutional government ILo most acceptable and Imel difficult e.t.d.: of sc:orn pli2ning tee ut , ject, seal be to act to concert with that governmen'. 'lle,r consent mid their aid aright, I beli ev e, b e Obtained ; hat if not, our obligation to protect our own citizens in their just rights, secured by treaty, would rot be the less imperative. For these reasons, I recom mend to Congress to paw a taw, authorizing the Pri,ident, tinder bush conditions as I .: - ,v may drew expeda , nt.t.) employ a sufficient military lorze to enter Mexico for the purpose of obtain- I lag indemnity fur the past, and security for the future.' I purposely refrain from any suggestion as tai a Li.lher thi, force ::hall ~ D , A .,t of regular troops or volunteem . or both. This question may be most appropriately left to the decision of Congress I would merely ob:erve that should volunteers be selected, such a (ores could be easily toyed in this country, among those who sympathise with the sufferings of our un fortunate fellow citizens is Mexico, and with the unhappy condition of that Republic. Such an accession to the forces of the constitutional gotertanent would enable it soon to reach the City of Mexico, and extend its power over the whole Republic. In that event, there is no reason to ttonta that the just claims of our rid. zees would be I , atiz:.ied, and adequate redress obtained for the injuries inflicted upon them.— The coneeitutioual government bane ever evinc ed . strong desire to do us justice, and this might be secured in advance. by a preliminary treaty. It may bo said that these measures writ, t, 'WI: oar wi,a and settled policy not t. interline in .the dOLIZCPTiC concerns of foreign nations, hut does to: the present care fairly constitute an deep tin 7 An adjoining Republic in a store of an. nrchy and confusion, from which she has proved. wholly unable to extricate herself, she is en tirely destitute of her power to maintain peace upon her borders, or to prevent the incursions of banditti into our Territory. In her fats, her fortune, au-I the power to establish and maintain n settled tiovernthent, we loose a for deeper interest, Focially, commercially, and politically than any other nation. She to now a wreck upon the ocean, drifting abont as she is impelled by different factions. AU a good neighbor, shall no not extend to her a helping heed to save her If wo do not, k would not be surprising should some other nation undertake the task, and thus farce us Fe inter fere at last under circumstances of ihcreased difficulty fcr the maintenance of our estliblished policy. I repeat the recommendation contained in my last annual Message, that authority:may lie given to the President to establish ono 'or more temporary military posts across the Itiexlcart line in goners nud Chihuahua, whe4e these may be necessary to protect the lives sod pro. perry of American and Mexican citizenslegaimet the Incursions and depredations of the Indians, na well es of lawless rovers in that remote re gion. The establishment of one such prt, at a point called Arispe, in Sonora, in a :• , euntry now !limpet depopulated by the hnstile 4uroads of the Indians from - cur Bide of the lina,larouid, it is believed, have prevented much injury nod many cruelties during the past season. I A state of lawksouegs and violence pfernils cm that diatant frontier. Life nod property arc there wholly insecure. The population of Atizonia, now numbering more than ten thuusau4 souls, are practically destitute of government, c,r laws, or of any regular administration of .ustice. Murder, rapine, and other crimes aro commit• tel with impunity. I, therefore, ngaln call the attention of ConV'Ee, to the necessity for establishing a Territorial Government/ over Arizonia. Tito treaty with Nicsragun, of tho le Pei,- :nary, 1857, to which I referred in in- 1 7 last annusl lentsage, failed to receive the r4tilica ' lion of the Government. of that Republic., for reasons I need Cot • enumerate. A similar treaty has since been concluded betwo4t the parties, bearmg dots Itith March, .1839, which has el: oady been ratillel by the Nicariguan Congress. Thin will to immediately oul4itted to the Semite for their ratification : its pgovis. iO/15 cannot, I think, fail to be accepu t ro t o don people of both COnntries. Our chasms against the Governments of Costa Itic,i. and Nicarvigna remain unredressed, although /they are pressed in an earnest manner, and: not without hope CI EUCCCI,A. I deem it to li my duly once more earnestly to recommertil to Congress the passage of in law anthorizin4 the President to employ the naval force at his Ora mood for the purpose of protecting the live4and property of American, citizens passin in trausitu across the Panama, Nicaraguan, semi Tehuantepec routetssagi t in e t sudden and lavilless .itithreaks nod depredations. I shall not: re pent the argument erni,l9ed in forma. messa ges in support of thin mstasure, nuifidWit to say that tho lives of ninny of our people, and the security of vaA rtmounto of treasure posing and re-passing over ono or morn of these routs., beta - cot the Atlantic rind Pacific, may be deeply involved in the action of Crugresi on this subject. . I would also again recommend to Congress t authority he given to the President to em. _ boy the naval force to protect American Doer chant vessels, their creed and .cargoes, against vio:cnt nod lawless seizure nod coofiscation in the ports of Mexico and the Spanish American Stases, when these countries may be In a dies tu. bed nod revolutionary condition. The mere kuowledgo that such an authority had been conferred, es I have alrendy stated, would of itself, in a great degree, prevent the evil. Neither would this require any additional ap propriation for the nava! service. Tho chief objection urged against the groat of this authority is, that Congress, by conferring it, Would violate the Constitution that it would bo a transfer of thi, war-making, or, strictly speaking,tbe wor'deelaring power, to the Exec utive. If this were well founded, it would, of course, bo conclusive. A very brief eines:ins lion, however, will race this objection of rest, Congreos possesses the solo and exclusive power,' under the Cpnatitution, to declare war. They alone can rOise and support armies and provide and maintain a navy. But after Congress shall have declared war, owl provided the force thecessary to carry it on, thu President, ne Com mander in-obief of the army and Davy, can ',alone employ this force in making war against 'the enemy, Thin is the plain language, and prdven that it was the well known intention of the framers of tho Constitution. It will not bo denied that the general power to declare war in without limitation, end em braces within itself not only !bat . kriterfan tat Law Of:Nations term a public 'or "perfect war, but also an imperfect war, 'end in ' taut every epecies of hostility, hoerbier •onfiliiii or limited. Without the authoritit `f eengreaOhe President cannot fire a hostile inern JO anyeckee, except to repel the attacks of;iin enemy. ], It will not be doubted, that under: this ese*er,. Congress could, if they thought Proper, "Ilion. ize the President to employ the'.feirea at I bis command, to seize a erase' belonging te.',.an American citizen, which has been .ftlegally::eali ployed and „captured in a foreign ort, ;and restore to its owner, but can Congeee Roney' act after the fact—after the mischief brie been dope ? Have they not power to confer upon kh o Ew e n dent the authority in advance telarnteh instant redress, should such a ease riftern'emile sne er . Must they wait until the mischief ;has leen, done, and can then apply the. racedY, only when it is too late? To confer this hotherity, to meet future cases under circunistaiMes strin ly specific, ie as clearly within the'lear.lleclarineg stet power ao such an authority confetied I upoho President by act or Congrees Inter the deed has been done. In the progrein.ot a great nation, many exigencies must arise, ice critively requiring that Concerto .Oliould antberize!the President to act promptly on certain cenditions which may not afterward arise. Our history bas already piesented a number I nfraeli. cases. I shall refer only to the latest. ;''' j Under the resolution of• Jane ,72d; IS6S, ter the adjustment of diffmulties.with :the It/publle of Paraguay, the President is rtuThonmed to adopt each measures and nee such throe rite his judgment may he neceteary.aad ideisiablein the event of a refusal of just :litigant by the Government of Paraguay. Just : eat sfactint] foe what ! For the attack on the Itorteti Staten steamer Water Witch, and other matters !referred to in the annual Message of the T'resident. line the power is expressly granted, upon this coneli'. Zion that the Government of Parefgnay shill refuse to render this just satisfactlen. lln this and other similar cases, Congress con:, (erred trio the President , power in ; pile ace to employ the army and navy upon; the It:livening of contingent future events, and. this] most cep; tainly is embraced within the piled. tb 'leclara war. Now, if this conditional nod Contingent: power could ho conatitutionally conferred upon: the President in the case of Parageray, wily may; it not be conferred for the purpose of pro ecting. the lives and property of Americhn icitie ea, in' the event that they may lie vinenfty a d un lawfully attacked in pasting weer-Me remelt routes to and from California, or Fettled by this seizure of their reesels la a formgirpor 7 Te deny tine power is to render the ney. in great degree, nukes, fee tiro prjteelidn f r lives and property of American eltiz ^s countries where neither reelection tier irc can ha otherwise obtained. The Thirty• Fifth Congress terminited nft third day of March, Inn, without hating asst the act making appropriations forlthii eat ice o the Post Office Department during the:fisea year -ending 30th June, ISCO. This act else *Lined. an appropriatien to supply deficiencies ill the . th e year of the Post Office Department - ,T the year ending the lloth June, 1559. 1 believ that this is the first inetaoce since the iorigin a the Federal Government, now more than .69 Cat years ngo, when any Congress wens'. out o e: istence without having passed all; thh„ I go er 1 p appropeiatiou hiils necessary to aarry, ii th Government until the regular period cf ta meeting of a new Congress. This event im se on the Executive a grate respousibeity, It re rented a ci.iiii, el evils. lAA iiiisi Oftiesin t iluty occurred at the first suf.u•ifiu :ofithci l ot Coner,s, the renisdy would have heenip]ni . might then leave instain'y recalled throe to m 1} plate their work, and this niihont eipens t the Government. Ent , 13 tb tire fourth elf 'Mire: last, there were fifteen of the thirty-theialftite which had not eluct.d roe reresentatffeslo Gil pretest Cougres, Had Coneys., been ca lee together immed,atuly, terra Stoics would bier eon virtually lisfsalachi,el if en inierre di ate period lied lin n -deeded, several of hi nnot.• - roe! I hove S ecs compelled t0:1101O1 e. et eves:one of their Legislature, and n't a 4Peat n convenience and expense to provide for CIFCti Ds at au earlier day than that pro le:14 fixed y law. Ia the regular oeurse, tea of theSieSta as would net elect until after the beginnlag of A • gust e and floe of there ton trot until October a d November on the oilier band, when - 1 same to °ermine carefully the condition of the rodt f Lice Department, I did nut meet as mealy nr s great difficulties as I had apprehended', i II d the bill which failed, been confined to enterer i miens for the fiicai year endin g on the t.O b June next. there woull hare bums no reason I pressing importance for the call of en extra se:. siva. Nothing would become duo on eontpact those with railroad companies only excepted, f.r carryiug. the :nail for the first quorter of the-pr• tint fiscal year, caminencing on the let 01..1ue , until Ist Dezember, leer than one week bet'srer ti meeting of the present Congrees. The rennop i , that the mail contractors, far this, the noire t year, did 'not complete Their first quarteOr cc vice until the 30th of September Men and, b thy terms of their contracts, sixty days thereat . i.:l wad o for the nottleuenut of chair aCCbittit, oefore the Department epuld be called upnn to • payment. The great difficulty and tner.irea; hardship consisted in rho failure to provide. foe the payment of the deficiency in the fiscai yenr ending the 30th June, 1855. The Department bad entered Into contracts, in obedience to' ex isting laws, for ,the service of that fiecal •eth.r, noel the contractors were fairly entitled to eheir cempeneation no it became due. The definlen• es., as stated in the bill, araonnted to $3,88,s 7nd. but after a careful settlement of altiftiese accounta, it has been ascertained that' rit I amounts to $4,2.96,609. With th e Aft ) . means at his command, the Postmaster General has enansged . to pay that portion of this :clef' , ciency which occurred in thafirst two quariete of the past fiscal year, ending en the 3leteDe• comber lan, ~::. In the meantime the contracters themselies, under these trying circumstances, have behAved in a manner worthy of nil commendation. They had one resource In the midst of their ember. ressmeate. After the amount due to each 'of them had been ascertained and finally twitted according to law, this became a specific debt of record.against the United States, which enabled them to borrow money on this unquestionabla security. Still they were obliged to pay interest in consequence of the default of Congress, and ou every principle of ought to receive interest from the Government. This interest should commence from the date when a warrant would have lamed for the payment of the prin. cipal had an appropriation been made for ttilt" purpose. Calculated up to the Lot of December, it will net exceed:Si - IVA% a sum not hobo taken into neonate When contrasted with the grhat difficulties and embatassment3 of a public and private character, both with the people and the States which would have resulted from convenifig and holding a special session of Congress. For these reasons, I recommend the passagfi of an Art at na early a day as may bo preotionnielO provide for the payment of the amount, with in. barest, clue to these last mentioned contractorsi'as well as tb make the necessary appropriations :top the services of the Pest Office Deportment for the i curren fiscal Sear. Tho failure to pas.] the Pan :Office bill, necessarily gives birth to eeriou3 ono itleetion. Congress, by refusing to gam the gekt 7 reel appropriation hills necessary to carry ou tho Government, only not only arrest its action, font might destroy its existence. The Army, the Nate' the Judiciary, iu short, every Department of the Government can no longer perform their function! if Congress refuse the money necessary for thfilr support. If this failure should teach the coati , try the necessity of electing a fell Congress :',in- sufficient time to enable the President to coneena them in any emergency, even immediately after the old Congress has expired, it will have Poch - productive of great good. lu a time of sudden and alarming danger, foreign or domeette, which all animas must expect to encounter in their prof grebe, the very &ideation of our institutions may, be staked upon the msumbling of Congress withe out delay. If, under such circumstances, the President should end himself in the conditio n la, which he was placed at the oleic of the last Col* grass, with nearly half the States of the Union" destitute of repreeentatives, the consequenen might be disastrous; I therefore recommend rif e Congress to carry into effect the rrovieiona of thb. Constitution on this subject, nail to pries a law ape pointing coma day prortous to the 4th ef March la each• year of odd number, for the election of representatives, throughout all the States. The I ; knee already nop.luted a day fur the , toadies et t. electors for Pro:inked, nail Vico Preeident, and, „, a t this measure Las been arrears.' by the cuuntey' r , 1 would ngain express a 11102 t decided - opinion r e in favor of tier construction of a Pacific Itaitrond; : .ru for the reasons stated in my two lett anneal mese : tio sages. When I reflect upon what would be the; ..,,n ( defenceless condition of our States owl Trento.' cite ries Went of the Rooky Slountiius, in case of a .ki e , war with a naval - power sofficieutly strong to in terrupt all intercourse vita theirs by the wan 'mue fit, actors the Isthmus, I urn still more couvlnced O n , than ever of the vast importance of this Railroad. q, I hues never doubted (tie constitutional compe- l u e tency of Cringreis to provide for its emostruction, . ; I . ' but this is exclusively nailer the wag making , t ee power, besides, the Constitution exprersly ro- ,till quires, as an imperative duty, that rho United toe States shall protect each of the States against I n invasion. lam nt a loss to conceive how this V protection can be afforded to California and O re . gen against such a naval power by any other means. I repent the opinion contained in my last annual Message that it would be inexpedient for the Gowernmerit to noderteke this great work by agents of its own appointment, and tinder its direct and exclusive control. This would increase the patronage of the Executive to ridnogerons extent, and would foster a system of jObblng and corruption which no vigilance orethe part of fed. ertil efficers could present The construction •of this read ought, there• fore to bo entrusted to incorporated companies, or other agencies,..sho would exercise that active and vigilant supervision over it which can be4n. spired alone by a sense of corporate cud Ind!• vidual interest I venture to assert that the ad. ditienal oast of transporting troops, munitions of war, and rteceenry eapplies for the army, zeroes . . the net interveningeegaine to our ppseeasinei on the Pacids coast, wasld he greater in 'nal it war than the whole aireount reqmred to construe:stem road. And yet this resort would, after all,. be inadequate for their defence Mid protection. 11 - e have yet scarcely reeonted from the habits of extravagant expenditure Produced by our over flowing treasury derririg several years prior to the commencement of my administration. The financial rovernes which -we have since ex perienced, ought to teach us all to scrutinize one expenditures with the greatest vigilance, and to reduce them to the lowest possible point. The Executive Departments ofelite Government have devoted themselves to the accomplishment of this object with considerable success, MS will ap pear from their different reports and estimates. To these." invite the scrutiuy of Congress, for the purpose of reducing them still lo'wer , if ' this he practicable, consistent with the great public interest, of the country. In aid of the polity of retrenchment, I pledge myielf to examine close ly the bills a ppropriating lands or money, so-that if any of these should inadvertently pass both Houses, as must sometimes be the case, I may afford them an oPPeeteeely for reconsideration ; at the same time,wo ought never to forget that true public economy consists, not in withholding the means necessary to accomplish important ne tional objects confided to me by- the Constitution, but in taking care that the, money appropriated for these purposes shall be faithfully and fn. gaily expended. It will appear from the report of the Sceretary of the Treasury, that it is ex tremely doubtful, to say the least, whether we shall be able to pass through the present and the next fiscal year without ;providing additional revenue. This can only to accomplished by strictly *coefining the appropriation within the estimates of the different Departments, without making au allowance for any additional expendi tures, which Congress may think groper in their discretion to authorize, and without providing for the redemption of any portion of the $20,- 000,000 of treasury notes which have been al ready issued. In the event of a deficiency, wbich e l consider probable, this ought never to be supplied by a resort to additional loans. It would be a ruinous practice, in the dap of pease and prosperity to go on increasing the na tional debt to meet the ordinary expenses ,of the ' Government. This policy would cripple our-re sources and impair oar credit, in case the exis , teems of war ohould render it necessary to borrow money. ) ° Should ouch a deficiency occur as I apprehend, I would recommend that the tecesesry revenue be :be-; raised by an increase of our-present duties on ; imports. I. need not repeat the opinions ex 'll '''' ; incased in my last annual Menage as to the best mode and muerter of accomplishing the object, ' e s' , ee ; and shall now merely observe that these have ed since undergone no change. ", Tbe Report of the Secretary of, the Tiensury e will explain in detail the operation's of that do ' pertinent of the Government. The receipts into the Treasury, from all seurcee, during the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1859, including the loan authorized by the act of 14th Juno, 1858, and the issues of Treasury notes authorized by ex• 4 : fisting lawn, were $81,692,471.01, which SUM, t Y '' .;with the balance of $6,398,316.10 remaining in al the Treasury at the commencement of that fiscal r• . ',° . year, made an aggregate for the service of the se veer of $ 88 ,090,777.11. e : , 4 , . : The public expenditure, dining the fiscal year • eadingeOteJune, 1859, amounted to $83,751,511. of ~ Of this ence, $17,403,285.11 were applied e , to the payment of interest on the public debt, i awl the redemption of the issues of Treasury , I. pores. The expenditures for all other branches e „ or the public service during that &zeal year were, - :e'' therefore, $66,346,22e 16 The helegeo remain as Mg in the Treasury July let, 1859, being the ~e eornmencemeut of the present fi scal year, was ee . $1 33e,273 et. The receipts into the Treasury ee; . during the first quarter or the present fiscalyear, i. cemmencingJuly Ist, 1859, wore $20,618,868.85 ; , c , of this amount, $3,821,300 was received on ac 'a count of the loan and issue of Treasury notes; ,- the amount ,of $16,707,505.8e baring been re eiived during the quarter from the ordinary emarcee of public revenue. The estimated re e7 ceipts for the remaining three quarters of the . present fiscal year, to the 30th June, 1860, are 1 $50,426,400. ~, .; Of this arnoriet, it ie estimated that $3,756,400 Will ho received for Treesery notes, which may .., bee, issued under the fifth section of the act of I the 54 of elarch last, and $1,170,000 on account or the loan authorized by the Act of June 14th, , 185 e, making $6,920.400 from these extraortli trey source, , and 543 , 300 , 000 from the ordinary sources of the public revenue, making an aggre gate, with the halence in the Treasury, en_lhe lee or JOT, 1839, of $75,384,541 89, for the estimated tneene of the pretreat fiscal year, end- Mg June 30th, 1860 The expenditures during the:first (platter of the present fiecal year, were $20,007,174 78; $4,664,366 76 of this sum were applied to the payment of interest on the public debt sod the redemption of the issues of Treasury bates, end the remainder,' being $15,342,808, were applied to the ordinary expenditures during the qeerter. The estimated expenditure, during tie. reran:Ming three- quarterre to Jure 30, 1860, ar e 5 49 ,395358.23 ; of which earn $2,886,621.34 ere estimated for the interest on the public debt. The; ascertained wing estimated expenditure fer the fiscal year ending 20th June, 1860, on cc- . count of. public debt, are accordingly $7,650,- 95e,10, end for the ordinary expenditures of the Government,: $53,451,744 80, making an aggre. gate , . of $61,002,732.90 ; leaving an estimated balance in the Treesury on the 30th June, 1860, of $1 4 , 2 81,80340. The estimated receipts dur ing etre next lineal year, ending the 30th June, 1861 e ere $66,225,000, which, - with the balance - estieneted, as before stated, as remaining in the Treeenry on the 50th June, 1860, will make an aggregate for the service of rho next fiscal year, of $89,606,808.40. The estimated expenditures during the next fisoal year, ending 30th June, 1861, are $66,- 714,928.79. Of this amount, $3,882,661.34 will , re required to pay the interest on the public debt; leaving the sum of $63,328,307.45 for the .. ,estimated ordinary expenses in the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1861. Upon these estimates, a balenee will be left in the Treasury, on the 30th ' Junes 1861, of $13,891,879.60. But` his balance, as well as that estimated to remain in the Treasury on the tat July, 1860, will be reduced, by such appropriations as sluall e made by law to carry into effect certain In dian 4 treatlee during fhb present fiscal year, asked for by the Secretary ef the Interior, to - the mount of $530,350e and upon the estim ates of .j) ha Peetmaster General, for the service of his epaitment the last fiscal year, ending 30th June 859,- emonnting to $4,296,009, together with he Nether estimate of that officer for the service f the :present fiscal year, ending 30th June, 860, being $5,526,324, ma king an aggregate of 10,161,683. Should these appropriations -be ade,:its requested by the proper Departments, he balance in the Treasury, on the 80th June, 561, will not, it is estimated, execreed $3,530,- .96.61 l ';- I tree, , ,mit the reports of the Secretaries of the i avy,. , tit' the Interior, and of the Postmaster I etteral.„ They each contain valuable informa -1 to n andimportant recommendations, well worthy o the Serious consideration of Congress.. It will a pearjrom the Report of the Secretary of War, t at thearmy expenditures have been materially 13 s opinion offers every guarantee that the re d anon *ill be permanent. The estimates of the D pertinent for the next year have been reduced tt arty two millions of dollars below the estimates to the present fiscal year, and half a million of d liars below the amount granted for this year at the last session of Congress. The expendi es of the Post Office Department daring the p et fiscal year, ending on the 30th of June, 1 1 "9, exclusive of payments for mail eervice sp chilly , provided for by Congress, out of the ge oral ; Treasury, amounts to $14,944,493.83, en its receipts to 87,968,484.07, ehowiug a do lly, ency , to be supplied from the Treasury of $(3 995,00'9 26, against $ 5 ,235,677.15 for the year / en ing 30th June, 1858. The increased cast of trleporlation, growing out of the expansion of th service required by Congress, explains this ra id aegmentation of the expenditure. It is gr Hying.; however, to observe an increase pf rec ipts for the year ending on the 30th June, 18,0, equal to $481,591.21, compared with these in tie yeai ending on the 30th June, 1858. H estimated that tbo deficiency for the cur qa fiscal'year rill be $8,988,424.04, but that for lo year ending 30th June, 1861, it will not en eed $1,34:4463.00, should Congress adopt the nf reform proposed and urged by the ce/ osier General SLUGS the month of March, .t.r nclutteut4 have been made In the erpendi- Ire , amounting to $1,826,471 annually, which, JR , Vet', did not take effect until after the Qom en.einent ef the present final year • The period em. to hhvo arrived for deterteining the newt on, bother this Department shall become a pert n u. t and over-increasing charge upon the Teem. try, or shall bd pezmitted to resume the self ista ping iolicy which has no loos controlled its imi istration. The course of legislation recom• end d by the Postmaster General, for the relief Eh. Department from its present embarrass int. and for restoring it to Its artghtal index nde ce, is deservice of your early and earnest And cmtion t onchnium, I would again commend to GO 03: I .erality of CObgrfT3 the local Interests of the District Coluxnbia. Surely the city hag th name ..cf Washington, and destined._ - fob age to be the Capital of our unit prolpe f ous Confederacy, has etrr favorable regard. =UZI I Ati:fr I or scriov, ocenttloct of th !„tilfimt ;. I = l / 4 1171 r• , 1 ' 44 Aver • y esa l e by ; roc tb tcnribi • thick!. P.tct, .1 atlre Ote , r ti
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