restored without odo drop of blood having been shed in its accomplishment by the forces vfthw United States. The restoration of comparative tranquility in that Territory furnishes the means or obser ving calmly, and appreciating at their just alue, the events hichhave occurred there, and the discussions ol which the government of the Territory has been the subject. We perceive that controversy concerning its future domestic institutions was inevitable ; that no tumin prtidense, no form of legisla tion, no wisdom on the part of Congress, could have preferred this. It is idlo to suppose that the particular pro visions of their organic law were the cause of agitation. Those provisions were but the oc casion, or the pretest of an agitation, which was inherent in the nature of thing. Con gress legislated upon the subject in such terms as were most cousooant with the principle of popular sovereignty which underlie our go.v ' eminent. ' It could not hence legislate other wise without doing violence to another great principle of our institution, the imprescripti ble right of equality of the several States. We perceive, also, that sectional interest! and party passions have been the great imped iment to the salutary operation of the organic principles adopted, and the chief cause of the successive disturbances in Kansas. The as sumption that, because in the organization of the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas, Con gress abstained from imposing restraints upon .them to which certain other Territories had been subject, therefore disorders occurred in t'uo latter Territory, is emphatically contradic ted by the fact that none have occurred in the former. Those disorders were rot the consequence, fa Kansas, of the freedom of self-government coiiccJsd to that Territory by Congress, but of unjust interference on the part of persons not inhabitants of the Territory. Such interfer ence, wherever it has exhibited itself, by acts of insurrectionary character, or of obstruction to processes of law, has been repelled or sup pressed, by all the means which the constitu tion and the laws place in the hands of the Executive. In those parts of the United States where, by reason of the inflamed state of the public mind, false rumors and misrepresentations have the greatest currency, it has bean assumed that it was the duty of the Executive not only to suppress insurrectionary movements in Kansas, but also to se to the regularity of lo cjI elections. It needs little argument to show that the Presidont h.is no such power. All government in the United States rests aubsUriti-illy upon popular election. The free dom of election is liable to be impaired by the intrusion of unlawful votes, or the exclusion of lawful ones, by improper influences, by vio lence, or by fraud. But tins people of the United States are themselves all sufficient guardians of their own rights, and to suppose that they will not reme dy, in due season, any such incidents of civil freedom, is to suppose them to have ceased to be capable of self-government. The President f the United States has not power to inter pose in elections, to see to their freedom, to canvass their votes, or to pass upon their le gality in the Territories any more than in the States. If he had such power the government might iC republican in form, but it would be a mon archy in fact ; and if he had undertaken to ex crcise it in the case of Kansas, lie would have been Justly subject to the charge of usurpation, and of violation of the dearest rights of the people of the United States. Unwise laws, equally with irregularities at elections, are, in periods of great excitement, the occasional incidents of even the freest and best political institutions. But all experience demonstrates that in a country like ours, where the right of self constitution exists in the com plctest form, the attempt to remedy nn.ttise legislation by resort to revolution, is totally out of place, inasmuch as existing legal insti tutions afford more prompt and ellicatious means for the rcdres of wrong. I confidently trust that now.when the peace ful condition of Kansas affords opportunity for a1m reflection nnd wise legislation, either the legislative assembly of the Territory, or Cpn gress, will see that no act shall remain on its statute-book violative of the provisions of the Constitntion, or subversive of the great objects for which that was ordained and established, and will take all necessary steps to assure to its inhabitants the enjoyment of all the consti tutional rights, privileges, and immunities of the citizens of the United States, contempla ted by the organic law of the Territory. Full information of recent event in this Territory will be found in the documents com municated herewith from the Departments of Stato and War. -.- I rater you to the report of the Secretary of the Treasury forpai ticular information con cerning the financial condition of the govern rnjnt and the various branches of the public service connected with the Treasury Depart ment. -- . During the last fiscal year the receipts from customs were, f )V the first time, more than six ty four million nino hundred and eighteen thousand one hundred and forty-one dollars ; which, with the baUnce on hand up to the 1st of July, 1855, nnd ) the total resources of the year to amount to ninety-two million eight hundred and fifty thousand one hundred and seventeen dollars. The expenditures, icluding three million dollars in execution of the treaty with Mexico and including sums paid on account of the public debt,amountcd to sixty millions one hundred and seventy-two thousand four hun dred and one dollars;aand, including the latter, to seventy-two millions nino hundred and for ty eight thousand seven hundred and ninety two dollars, the payment on this account hav ing amounted to twelve millions seven hun dred and seventy-six thousand three hundred ar.d ninety dollars. On the 4th of March, 1853, the amount of the public debt was sixty-nine million one hun dred and twenty-nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven dollars. There was a subse quent increase of two million seven hundred and Gfiy thousand dollars for the debt of Tex as making a total of seventy-one million eigbt Lundred and seventy-nine thousand nine hundred and thirty-seven dollars. Of this sum of forty-five million five hundred and twenty five thousand three hundred and nineteen lol lars, including premium, has been discharged, reducing the debt to thirty million seven hun dred and thirty-seven thousand one hundred ""and twenty-nine dollars, all of which might be f ald within one year without embarassing the T- mblic service, but being not yet due, and on y redeemable et the option of the holder, can not be pressed to payment by the government. On examining the expenditures of tho last five years, it will be seen that the average, deducting . payments on account of the public debt, and ten millions paid by the treaty to Mexico, has hcen but awoat forty-eight millions of dollar. It is believed that, under an ceonomleul administration of the government, the averngo expenditures for the ensuing five years will not exceed that sum. tr'extraordinary occasion for its increase should occur. The acts granting bounty land will soon have been executed, while the extension of our frontier settlements will cause a continued demand for funds and augmented receipts, probably from fiat source. These considerations will justify a reduc tion of the revenue irom customs, so as noi in ex coed forty-eight or fifty million dollars. I think the exigency for such reduction id imperative, an I .again urge it open the consideration of Congres-. 7ks aaoont of redaction, at wll as the man. ner of effecting it, are questions ef great and g en eral interest; it being essential to industrial enter prise and the public prosperity, as well as the dic tate of obvious justice, that tho burden of taxat ion be made to rest as equally as possible Dpon all classes and all sections and interests of the country. I have heretofore recommended to your consid eration the revision of the revenue laws, prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Xreas ury, and also legislation upon some special ques tion's affeting the businees of that department, more especially the enactment of a law to punish the abstraction of books or papers from the files of tbe government, end requiring eil such books and papers, and all other public property, to be turned over by the outgoing officer to his succes sor; of a law requiring disbursing officers to de posit all public money in the Taults of the treasu ry, or in other legal depositories, a here the same are conveniently accessible ; and a law to extend existing penal "provisions to all persons who may become possessed of public money by deposit or oiherwise. and who ehall refuse or neglect, on due demand, to par the same into the treasury. I in. vile your attention anew to each of these objects. The army during the past year has been so con stantly employed against hostile Indians in various quarters, that it can scarcely be said, with propri ety of language, to have been a peace establish ment. Its duties have been satisfactorily perform ed, and wo have reason to expect, as a result of tho year's operations, greater security to the fron tier inhabitants than has been hitherto enjoyed. Extensive combinations among the hostile Indians of the Territories of Washington and Oregon at onetime threatened the devastation, of tho newly formed settlements of that remote portion of the country. From recent information, we are permitted to hope that the energetic and successful operations conducted there will prevent sm-h combinations in future, and secure to those territories an opportu nity to make steady progress in the development of their agricultural and mineral resources. Legislation has been recommended by ine on previous occasions to cure defects in tho existing organization, and to increase the efficiency of the army, and further observation has but served to confirm me in the views then expressed, nnd to en force on my mind tho conviction that such mea sures arc not on!v proper but necesary. I have, in addition, to invite the attention of Congress to a change of policy in the dfcttibution of troops, and to the necessity of providing a more rapid increase of the military armament. For de tails of these and other subjects relating to thear m v. I refer to the report of tho Secretary of War. The condition of th navy is not merely sati.;f.ic tory, but exhibits the most gratifying evidences of increased vigor. As it is comparatively small, it is more important that it should be as complete as possible in all the elements of strength ; that it should bo efficient in tbe character of its officers, in the zeal and discipline of its men, in the relia bility of its ordnance, nnd in the capacity of its ship. In nil these various qualities the navy baa made greot progress within the last few vtrs J The execution of the law of Ccnzress. of Februa ry ijj. '-to promote the efficiency of the navy, has been attended by tho most advantageous re sults. The law for promoting discipline among the men :s found convenient and salutary. Tho system of granting an honorablo discharge to fait h ful seamen on the expiration of tho period of their enlistment, and permitting them to re-enlist after a leave of ntaenco of a few months, without a ces sation of ray, is highly beneficial in its influence. The apprentice system recently adopted is evident ly destined to incorporate into the service a large number of our countrymen hitherto so difficult to procure. .Several hundred American boys are now on a three years' cruise in our national vessels. and will return well trained seamen. In the ordnance department there is a decided and gratifying indi cation of progress credituhle to it and to the coun try. The suggestions of the Secretary of tho Na vy, in regard to further improvements in that branch of the service, I commend to your favora ble action. The new frigates ordered by Congress are now afloat, and two of them in active service. They are superior models of naval architecture and with their loruiidable battery add largely to public strength and security. I concur in the views expressed by the Sec retary of tbe Department in favor of a still further increase ol our naval force. The report of the Secretary of the Interior presents facts aud views in relation to internal affairs over which the supervision of his de partment extends, of much interest and impor tance. The aggregate sales of public lands, during the last fiscal year, amount to 9,227,878 acres ; for which has been received the sum of SS, 821, 414. During the same period there have been located, with military sctip and land warrants, and for other purposes, 30,100,230 acres, making a total aggregate of 39,328,108 acres. On tlio 30th of September last, sur veys had been made of 10,873,699 acres, a larsce portion ofwhich is ready for market. The suggestion in this report in regard to the complication and progressive expansion of the business of the different bureaux of the de partment; to the pension system ; to the colo nization of Indian tribes, and the recommen dations in relation to various improvements in the District of Columbia, are especially com mended to your consideration. The report of the Postmaster General pre sents fully the condition of that department of the government. Its expenditures for the last fiscal year, were ten million four hundred and seven thousand eight hundred and sixty eight dollars; and its grossreceipts seven mil lion six hundred and twenty thousand eight hundred andjone dollars making an excess of expenditure over receipts of two million seven hundred and eighty seven thousand and forty six dollars. The deficiency of this depart ment is thus seven hundred and forty-four thousand dollars greater than for the year end ing June 30, 1855. Of this deficiency, three hundred ami thirty thousand dollars is attribu ted to the additional compensation allowed postmasters by the act of Congress of June 22, 1854. The mail facilities in every part of the country hove been very much increased in that period, nnd the largu addition of railroad service, amounting to seven thousand nine hundred and eight miles, has added largely to the cost of transportation. The inconsiderable augmentation of the income of tho Post OIEco Department under tho reduced rates fif Mwtajrc, audits increasing expenditures, must, fir the present, make it dependent to some extent upon tho treasury for support. The recom mendations of the Post Master (Jeneral. in relation to the abolition of tho franking privilege, and his views on the establishment of mail steamship lines deserve tho consideration of Congress I also call the special attention of Congress to the Ftntcuicnt of the Post Master l.'eneral respecting the sums now paid for the trnusortation of mails to the Panama Kailroad Company, and commend to their early and favorable consideration tho suggestions of that officer in relation to new contraets'fnr mail transportation upon that route, and also upon the lehuantepec and Nicaragua routes. Tho I'nitcd States continue in the enjoyment of amicable relations with all foreign powers. When my last annual message was transmitted to Congress, two subjects ot eoutroversv, one re lating to the enlistment of soldiers in this country for foreign service, and the other to Central Amer ica, threatened to disturb the good understanding between tbe United States and Creat llriiain. it the progress ami termination of the former ques tion you were informed at the time; and the oth er is now in the way of satisfactory adjustment, Tho object of tlic convention between tho Uni ted States aud tirent Rrliain of the 18th of April 1.')0, was to secure, for the benefit of all nations, the neutrality and tbe common uo of any transit way, or interoccanio communication, across iho Isthmus of Panama, which might bo opened with in the liniitsofCcntral America. The pretensions subsequently asserted by (jreat Rritnin, to domin ion or control over territories, in or near two of tbe routes, those of Nicaragua and Honduras, were deemed by the United States not merely incompat ible with tho main object of the treaty, but oppo sed even to iu express stipulations. Occasion of controversy on this point has been removed by an additional treaty, which our minister has conclu ded, and which will immediately be submitted to the Semi to for its consideration. Should the sup posed supplemental arrangement be concurred in by all the parties to be affected by it. the object contemplated by the original convention will have been fully attained. .-.. The treaty between the United States and Great Britain, of the 5th of Jane. Iio4, which went into effective operation in ISoj, put an end to cause of irritation between the two countries, by secu ring to the UDited States the right of fishery on the coat of the British North American provinces with advantages equal to those enjoyed by British, subjects. P.esides the signal benciiU of this treaty to large class of our citiicns engaged in a pur suit connected extensively with our national prosperity and strength, it has hud a favorable ef fect upon other interests in the provision it made for reciprocal freedom of trade between the United States and the British provinces in America. The eiperts of domestic articles to those provin ces during the last year amounted to more than twenty-two millions of dollars, exceeding those of the preccdiug year by nearly seven foilliocs of dollars; and tho .imports therefrom, dnring the same period, amounted to more than twenty -one millions. an increase of six millions upon those of the previous year. --- - . Tho improved condition of this branch of our commerce is mainly attributable to the above-inon-tioned treaty. Provison was made in the first article of that treaty for a commission to designate the mouths of rivers to which the common right of fishery, on the coast of the United States and the British Provinces, was uot to extend. This commission has been employed a part of two seasons but without much progress in ac complishing the object for which it was insti tuted, in consequence of a serious difference of opinion between the commissioners, not on ly as to the precise point where the rivers ter minate, but in many instances as to what con stitutes a river. These difficulties may be overcome, however, by resort to the umpirage provided for by the treaty. The efforts perseveringly prosecuted since the commencement of my administration, to relieve our trade to the Baltic from the exac tion ol sound dues by Denmark, have not yet been attended with success. Other govern ments have also sought to obtain the like re lief to their commerce, ami Denmark wasthus induced to propose an arrangement to all the European Powers interested in the subject; and the manner in which ht.r proposition was received, warranting her to believe that a sat isfactory arrangement with them could soon be concluded, she made a strong appeal to this government for temporary suspension of defi nite action on its part, in consideration of the embarasstnciit which might resnlt to her Eu ropean negotiations by an immediate adjust ment of the question with the United States. This request has been acceded to, npon the condition that the sums collected alter the 10th of June last, and until the lGth of June next, from vessels and cargoes belonging to our merchants, are to be considered as paid under protest and subject to future adjustment There is reason to believe that an arrange ment between Denmark and the maritime powers of Europe on the subject, will be soon concluded, and that the landing negotiation with the United States may then bo resumed and terminated in a satisfactory manner. With Spain no new difficulties have arisen, nor has much progress been made in the ad justment of pending ones. Negotiations entered into for the purpose of relieving our commercial intercourse with the Island of Cuba of some of its burdens, and providing for the more speedy settlement of local disputes growing out of that intercourse have not been attended with any results. Soon after the commencement ot the late war in Europe, this government submitted to the consideration of all maritime natiot.s two principles for the security of noutral com merce ; one that the neutral flag should cover enemies' goods except articles contraband of war; and the other, that' neutral property on board merchant vessels'belligerents, should be exempt from condemnation, with the excep tion of contraband articles. These were not presented 'as new rules of international law, having been generally claimed by neutrals, though not always admitted by belligerents. One of the parties to the war-g-Rnssia as well as several neutral powers, promptly acceded to these propositions; and the two other prin cipal belligerents, (Jreat Britain ami France, having consented to observe them for tho pre sent occasion, a favorable opportunity seemed to be presented for obtaining a general recog nition of them both in Europe and America. But Great Britain and Franco in common with most of the states of Europe, while for bearing to reject,did not affirmatively act upon the overtures id' the United States. While the question was in this position, the representatives of Kossia, France, Great Bri tain, Austria, Prussia, Sardinia and Turkey, assembled at Paris, took into consideration the subject of lnaiitimc rights, and put forth a declaration containing the two principles which this government had submitted, nearly two years before, to the consideration of mari time powers, and adding thereto the following propositions "Privateering is and remains abolished," anil "Blockades, in order to be binding, must be effective, that is to say, maintained by a force, sufficient really, to pre vent access to the coast of the enemy ;" and to the declaration thus composed of four points, two ofwhich had already been proposed by the United States, this government has been invited to accede by all the powers represen ted at Paris, except (Jreat Britain and Turkey. To the last of the two addditional proposi tions that in relation to bloekades there can certainly be no objection. It is merely the definition of what shall constitute the effectual investment of a blockaded place, a definition lor which this government has always conten ded, claiming indemnity for losses where a practical violation of the rule thus defined has been injurious to our commerce. As to tho remaining article of the declaration of the conference of Paris, "that privaleering is and remains abolished," I certainly cannot as cribe to the powers represented in the confer ence of Paris, any but liberal philanthropic views in the attempt to change the unquestion able rule of maritime law iu regard to priva teering. Their proposition was doubtless in tended to imply approval of the principle that private property i:pon the ocean, although it might belong to the citizens of a belligerent state, should be exempted from capture ; and had that proposition been so framed as to give lull effect to the principle, it would have re ceived my ready assent on behalf of tho Uni ted States. But the measure proposed is inadequate to that purpose. It is true that if adopted, pri vate property upon the ocean would be with drawn from one mode of plunder, but left ex posed, meanwhile, to another mode, which could be used with increased effectiveness. The aggressive capacity of great naval pow ers would bo thereby augmented, while tho defensive ability of others would be reduced. Though the surrender of the means of prosecu ting hostilities by employing privateers, as proposed by the conference of Paris, is mutu al in terms, yet, in practical effect, it' would be the relinquishment of a right of iittlo value to one class if states, but of osseqtial impor tance to another and a far larger class. It ought not to have been anticipated that a measure, so inadequate to tho accomplishment of the proposed object, and so unequal in its operations, would receive the assent of all maritime powers. Private property would be still left to the depredations of tho public armed cruisers. I havo expressed a readinesv on the part of this government, to accede to all the princi ples contained in tho declaration of the con ference of Paris, Provided that relating to the abandonment of pt jvatccring cat) be so amend ed as to effect the object for which, a is pre sumed, it was intended, tho immunity of pri vate property on the ocean from hostile cap ture. To effect this object, it is proposed to add to the declaration that "privateering is and remains abolished," the following amend ment : "And that the private property of sub jects ard citizens of a belligerent on the high seas, bhall be exempt from seizure by the arm ed vessels of the other belligerent, except it be contrabrand." This amendment has been presented not only to the powers which have asked our assent to the declaration to abolish privateering, but to all other maratime states. Thus far it has not been rejected by any, and is favorably entertained by all which have made any communication in reply. Several of the governments, regarding with favor the proposition of the United States, have delayed definite action upon it, only for the purpose of consulting with others, parties to the conference at Paris. 1 have the satis faction of stating, however, that the Emperor of Russia has entirely and explicitly approved of that Modification, and will co-operate in en deavoring to obtain the assent of other pow ers; and that assntancc of a similar purport have been received in relation to the disposi tion of the Emperor of the French. The present aspect of this important subject allows us to cherish the hope that a principle so humane in its character, so just and equal in its operation, so essential to the prosperity of commercial nations, and so consonant to the sentiments of this enlightened period of the world, will command tho approbation of all maritime powers, and thus be incorporated in to the code of international law. My views on the subject arc more fully set forth in the reply of the Secretary of the State, a copy of which is hero transmitted, to the communica tions on the subject made to this government, es pecially to tbe communication of Franco. 3hc government of the United States has at all times ri'girdo.l with friendly interest the otWcr States of Ameiica, formerly, like this country. Eu ropean colonies and now independent members of the great family of nations, but the unsettled con dition of some of them, distracted by frequent revolutions, and thus incapable of regular aad firm internal ndmini-tration. hastened to embarrass occasionally our public intercourse, by reason of wrongs which our citizens stifTer at their hands and w hich they arc slow to redress. Unfortunately it is against the Republic of Mex ico, with which it is our special desire to maintain a good understanding, that such eomplninU are most numerous; nnd although earnestly urged upon his attention, they have not ns yet received tlio consideration whi-h this govrrniuont had a right toexpect. While reparation for past injuries Las been withheld, others hate been added. The political condition of that cuuntry, however, has been such' as to demand forbearance, on tbe part of the United States. I shall continue my-efforts to procure for the wrongs of ocr citizens that redress which is indispeiisible to the continued friendly association of the two Republics. Tho peculiar condition of affairs in Nicaragua in tho early part of the present year, rendered it important that this government ihould have dip lomatic relations with that State. Through its territory has been opened one of the prin cipal thoroughfares across the isthmus con necting North and South America, on which a vast amount of property was transported, and to which our citizens resorted in great num bers in passing between tho Atlantic and Pa cific coasts of the United States. Tho protection of both required that tl.o ex isting power in that State should be regarded as a responsible government : nnd its minister was accordingly received. But he remained here only a short time. Soon thereafter the political affairs of Nicaragua uudetwent unfa vorable change, and became Involved in much uncertainty and confusion. Diplomatic representatives from fwo con tending parties have been recently sent to this government; but with the imperfect informa tion possessed, it was not possible to decide which was tho government do facto; and await ing further developements I have refused to receive either. Questions of the most serious nature are pending between tlicUnited States and the Re public of New Granada. Tho government of that Republic undertook, a year since, to im pose tonnage on foreign vessels in her ports, but tho purpose was resisted by this govern ment, as being contrary to existing treaty stip ulations with the United Slates, end to rights conferred by charter upon the Panama Kail road Company ,and was accordingly relinquish ed at that time, it being admitted that our ves sels were entitled to be exempt from tonnage duty in the free ports of Patiam i and Apm w.ill. But the purpose has been recently re vived on the part of New Granada, by the en actment of a law to subject vessels visiting her ports to the tonnage duty of forty cents per ton ; and, although the law h-.is not been put in force, yet the right to enforce it is still assert ed, and may, at any time, be acted on by the government oT that Republic. The Congress of New Granada had also en acted a law, during the last year, winch levies tax of more than three doll. us on every pound of mail matter transported aoross the Isthmus. The sum thus required to be paid m the mails of the United States would be nearly two mil lions of dollars annually, in addition to the large sum payable by contiact to the Panama Railroad Company. If the only objection to this exaction were the cxhorbitaney of-its a mount, it could not bo submitted to by the U nite States. The imposition, however," would obviously contravene our treaty with New Granada, and infringe the contract of that Republic with the Panama Railroad Company. The law provid ing for this tax was, by its terms, to take effect on the first of September last, but the local authorities on the Isthmus have been induced to suspend its execution, and to wait further instruction on the subject from the government of the Republic. I am not yet advised of tho determination of that government. If a mea sure so extraordinary in its character, nnd so clearly contrary to treaty stipulations, and the contract rights of the Panama Railroad Com pany, composed mostly of American citizens, should bo persisted in, it will be the duty of the United States to resist its execution. I regret exceedingly that occasion exists to invite your attention to a subject of still greater import in our relations with the Re public of New Granada. On tho 15th day of April last, a riotous assemblage of the inhabi tants of Panama committed a violent and out rageous attack on tho premises of the Rail road Company, and the passengers and other persons in or near the same, involving the death of several citizens of tho United States, the pillage of many others, and the destruction of a large amount of property belonging to tho Railroad company. I caused full investiga tion of that event to bo made, and tho result shows satisfactory that complete responsibility for what occurred attaches to the government of New Granada. I have, therefore, demand ed of that government lhat the perpetrators of tho wrongs in question should be punished; that provision should be made for the families of citizens of the United States who were kill ed, with full indemnity for property pillaged or destroyed. The present condition of the Isthmus of Pa nama, in so far as regards the security of per sons and property passing over it requires se rious consideration. Recent incidents tend to show that local authorities cannot be relied on to maintain the public peace of Panama, and there is just ground for apprehension that a portion of inhabitants am meditating further outrages, without adequate measures for the security and protection of persons or property having been taken, cither by the State of Pa nama, or by the general government of New Granada. - . ;- Under the guaranties of treaty, citizens of the United States have, by the outlay of seve ral millions of dollars, constructed a railroad across the Isthmus, and it has become the main route between our Atlantic and Pacific possessions, over which multitudes of our cit izens and a vast amount of property are con stantly passing to the security and protec tion of all which, and the continuance of the public advantages involved, it is impossible for the Government of the United States to be indifferent. I have deemed the recurrence of scenes of lawless violence in this quarter so imminent as to make it my duty to station a put of our naval force in the harbors of Panama and As pinwall, in order to protect the persons and property of the citizens of the United States in those ports, nnd to insure to them sate pas sage across the Isthmus. And it would, in ray judgment, be unwise to withdraw the naval force now in thoso ports, until, by fhe sponta neous action of the Republic of X. Granada, or otherwise, some adequate arrangement shall hare been made for the protection and securi tj' of a line of interoceanic communication so important at this lime, not to the U. States on'.y, but to all other maritime states both of Europe and America. Meanwhile, negotiations have been institu ted by means of a special commission, to ob tain from New Granada full indemnity for in juries sustained by our citizens on the Isthmus and satisfactory security for the general inter ests of the United States. In addressing to yon my last annual message the occasion seems to me an appropriate one to express my congratulations in view of the peace, greatness, aud felicity which the Uni ted States now possess and enjoy. To point you to the state of" the various departments of the government, and of all the great branches of the public service, civil ami military, in or der fo speak of the intelligence and integrity which pervades the whole, would be to indi cate but imperfectly the administrative condi tion of the country, and the beneficial effects of that on the general welfare. Ncr would it suffice to say that the nation is actually at peace at home and abioad; that its industrial interests are prosperous ; that the canvass of its marineTs whiten every sea: and the plough of its husbandmen is marching steadily onward to the bloodless conquest ol the continent, that cities and populous States are springing up, as if by enchantment, from tho bosom of our western wilds, and that the courageous energy of our people is making of these United States the great republic of the world. These results have not been attained without passing through trials and perils, by experience of which, and thus only nations can harden into manhood. Our forefathers were trained to (he wisdom which conceived and the courage which a chieved independence, by the circumstances which surrounded them, and they were thus made capable of the creation of the republic. It devolved on the next generation to consoli date the work of the revolution, to deliver the country entirely from the influences of con flicting transatlantic partialities or antipathies, which attached to our colonial and revolution ary history, and to organize the practical ope ration of the constitutional and legal institu tions of the Union. To us, of this generation, remains the not less noble task of maintaining and extending the power of the United States. We have, at length, reached that stage of the national ca reer, in which the dangers to be encountered, and the exertions to be made, are the inci dents, not ttf weakness, but of strength. In our foreign relations wo'aavc to attemper our power to til b,-ss happy Vendition of other re publics tiffiify'lf iyl pEt)rtuVel, in the calmness and consciousy dignity of right, by the side of the greatest and wealthiest of the empires of Europe, in our domestic rela tions, we have to gnard against the shock of tho discontents, the ambitions, the interests, and the exuberant, and, therefore, sometimes irregular impulses of opinion, or of action, which are the natural product of the present political elevation, the self-reliance, and the restless spirit of enterprise of the people of the United States. I shall prepare to surrender the Executive trust to my successor, and retire to private lifo with sentiments of profound gratitude to the good providence which, during the period of my administration, has vouchsafed to carry the country through many difficulties domestic and foreign, and to enable tne to contemplate the spectacle of amicable and respectful rela tions between ours aud all other governments, and the establishment of constitutional order and tranquility throughout the Union. FRANKLIN PIERCE. Wasuinc.tox, Dec. '2. 185G. A Washington letter writer says: As soon as the principal Southern members are all in, a caucus will be held in regard to national politics. I lelieve I have good ground fi r saying t'.iat the object of this caucus is neither to influence Mr. Buchanan now, nor attempt even the intimidation of the North, but simp ly to lay the foundation for a distinct Southern party, to accept the final issue on the slavery question, presented as it will be in 1S60. It is a desperate step, but perhaps the best and only way of deciding this question. In the late canvas there were so many side issues, indi rect influences and false pretences used that the Southern people are not satisfied. They do not believe it was an entirely anti-Southern vote. The j" therefore desire some positive is sue, so made as to preclude all doubt, and thus havo the direct vote of the American people upon the only question which can en danger tho Union or create domestic discord. That issue is simply whether the South shall extend with their system of slave labor side by side aud equally with the North. The Dem ocratic party hacks will have to clear tho track, for the locomotive is coming. Ilollowait PUU, the best Remedy in the Union for Female Complaints. These Pills are particularly recommended to the citizens of the Union for their oxtraordinary efficacy in female complaints ; ami their are alike val uable either to the daughter Verging into womanhood, or the mother at the turn of life. It has been proved beyond all contradiction, that those celebrated Pills will cure all disor ders to which females are peculiarly subject, and enable them to pass their critical periods of lifo without exposing themselves to those dangers they too ofteu incur by other treat ment. ' O.v Sunday tho 30th November, a son of Te ter Fink, of Somerset, Pa., during the absence of tho family, got hold of a gun and acciden tally shot a younger brother, causing instant death. Daniel J. Ncrf, of Ilollidaysburg, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to two years in the penitentiary, has been pardoned. Ilaftsiwm's fonnral. r ' . . - S. B. ROW. EDiron axi Peopbietorv CLEARFIELD, PA., DEC. 10, 1856. TBESIDSNrS EESSAGE. We occupy a large portion of our paper to day with the last annual message of President Pierce. A fair share of the document is de voted to a defence of the Administration in relation to Kansas, in wLich he lays the origin of the disturbances to the efforts of the east crn emigrant ail societies ; btt he fails to say aught against the efforts at colonization tnado by the pro-slavery men. He has by soma moans discovered that the Missouri Compro mise was "obsolete" and "null for unconstitu tionality," before its n-peal. lie indulges iu a lengthy and bitter attack upon th-j Republi cans, who, he siys, whii-it "protending only to prevent tbe spread of slavery into new States," were "realy influenced with a desire to changa the domestic institutions of existing States." This assertion of the President is simply false, and is a fair sample of others that lie makes. It is really humiliating to.witness the Chief Magistrate of the Nation use his high official sta!i-n to not cn!y denounce and abuse the op ponents of his measures and policy as enemies of the Constitution, the Union, and the peace of the country, but to grossly misrepresent them. Nothing more, however, could be ex pected from such a source. So much of the message as relates to the fi nances, as refers to the reports of the heads of Departments, to our foreign relations, &c, is clearly and pungently written. II. BcciiEn Swoope. This notorious indi vidual lias issued over his own name an "Ad dress," para lo.ticsl as it may seem, "to the -lincricans of Cleat field," which address was printed iu the Lvcofoco ofiice in this town. Je-hos-a-phat! what an awfully terrible fellow Bucheris just at this time ! Ho is "More peevish, cross and iq!netie. Than dog distract, or uioukcy tick,: and pitches into everybody, except straight Fillmore men, in the most magniloquent style, not forgetting to give the Jlcltmau's Journal a pop-gun salute as he passes along. He can beat Gulliver and I'arvn Munchausen at telling biz stories, and we know of no one who eonhl compete with him in this respect, unless it would be tPgt$ai, who it is said was kicked out of the infernal regions for lying. If any body will believe what he says, they can do. so, if they choose. For our own part, wc do not think it worth while to refute, as wc read ily can, his falsehoods; for whilst we would be disposing of one, he could have at leasts half dozen equally plausible ones manufactured to put in its plice. So you see, numerically considered, it would be a losing game for us. Bosides, wc have a simitar reason for refusing to particularly notice him that the lion bad for declining to meet the skunk in single combat. "How," said the skunk, "do you refuse f" "Yes," said the lion, "for although I should do ever so well in the combat, yet every one who came near me for a month would know that I had been in company with a skunk.7' Pnisoxtns Escaped. A Chase. On lasi Thursday when Mr. Ross, one of the Counry Commissioners, who boards with Sheriff Reed, went into the prisoner's room in the jail to make fire, David Hockenberry and John G. Stigert, both of whom had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment, for larceny, w4liuk, rushed by him and out of the door. Wuea they got out of the jail, they took down tho alley, followed by the Sheriffs son, a lad of a bout ten years of age, who kept in sight of tho runaways. The Sheriff hearing the noise, came out of his room, when he was informed of what was going on, and immediately went in pursuit. The runaways took down to the swamp back of Mr. Archibald Shaw's tlie boy following closely, and calling out "here they go." Finding themselves so hotly pursued, they took refuge under Mr. Shaw's new barn, where they were re-captured and lrui thence brought back and lodged in j-.iiU, The deficiency iu the Post Office Depart ment for this fiscal year, is about two millions seven hundred thousand dollars, or something more than cue hundred thousand over last year. Its operations have been greatly exten ded, and the facilities largely it-creased. A single fact, in this connection, furnishes a gratifying evidence of the growth of the coun try. During the last four years, there havo been added to the Tost Oiliee service some ton thousand miles of railroad being as much as had been brought intn i-omiisition in iho preceding ten years. ResiujjatiOx or Mabshal Dosalpsox The resignation of Donaldson, United States Mar shal of Kansas, reached Washington city last week, and has been accepted. A great effort is making to have him re-appointed in spite of Gov. Geary, but the President insists that Geary shall be sustained. The vacancy has not been filled. Mr. Fain, Deputy under Don aldson, is acting Marshal of the Territoty. Wixtek. Oa last Wednesday afternoon there was a sudden change in tbe atmosphero in this region, aud towards evening snow com menced falling rapidly. On Thursday morn ing the ground was frozen and continued so ever since. We ara now experiencing all tha rigors of winter.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers