oident to the character of the service re- The commissioners appointed to revise
quired of our tr.iops have furnished adili- and codify the laws of the District have
tional evidence of ibeir courage, zeal, and made such progress in the performance of
capacity to meet any requisition, whichMheirtaKk.au to insure its completion in
their country may make upon them. Fur ! the time prescribed by the act of Congress,
the details of the military operations, the J Information has recently been received,
distribution of the troop", and additional that the peace of the settlements in the
iirovisiotis required by the military service, Territories of Oregon and Washington is
refer to the report of the Secretary of! disturbed lv hostilities on the part of the
War and the accompanying doeuinentM. ! Indians, with indications of extensive cotn-
Kxperienee, gathered from events which
Live transpired since luv last annual mes
sage, lias but served to cotihrui tlie opinion
lunations of a hostile character among the
tribes in that quarter, the more serious in
their possible etteet by reason of the unde-
then expressed of the propriety of making i termined foreign interests existing in those
provision, by a retired list, for disabled of-1 Territories, to which your attention has
ficers. and for increased compensation to already been especially invited. Ktfieient
the officers retaiued on the list for active measures have been taken, which, it is be
duty. All the reasons which existed, lieved, will restore quiet, and afford pro
when these measures were recommended , teetion to our citizens,
on forni'T occasions, continue without mod-! In the Territory of Kansas, there have
Such is the constitutional t
government, the practical A
which has carried us, and us ft
modern republics, through i
generations of time without tbl
drop of blood shed in civil
freedom and concert of actir
bled us to contend successfu'
tie-field against foreign foes,
thefeeble colonies into powcrf'
has raised our industrial pro
our commerce, which tran,
the level of the richest and
nations of Kurope. And thea
tation of our political institut'
objects, combining local sell
with aggregate strength, ha?
the practibility of a governm
to cover a continent with
I Mates.
ification. except so tarsus circumstances been acts prejudicial to good order, but as The Congress of the Unit
have given to some of them additional force. 1 yet none have occurred under circumstan-j in effect, that congress of
The recoiumen Jations, heretofore made ces to justify the interposition of the feder- j which good men in the Oh"
for a pnrtial reorganization of the army, al Executive. That could only be in case
are also renewed The thorough element- of obstruction to federal law, or of organ
ary education given to those officers, who ized existence to territorial law, assuming
commence their service with the grade of the character of insurrection, which, if it
cadet, qualified them, to a certain extent, should occur, it would be my duty prompt
to perform the duties of every arm of the lv to overcome and suppress. I cherish
service : but to give the highest efficiency the hope, however, that the occurrence
to artillery requires the practice and spec- of any uch untoward event will be pre- , ative action rests in the com
lal study (if many years; and it is not, vented by the sound sense of the people ot j manciit confederation presi
therefore, believed to be advisable to main- the Territory, who, by its organic law pos- ! constitution. Our balance
taiu. in time of peace, a larger force oft hat sessing the right to determine their own j the sejierute reserved right
arm than can he usually employed in the domestic institutions, are entitled, while and their equal rcpresentntt
duties apiicrtamin" to the service of field deporting themselves peacefully to the tree ; ate. I hat mdcjH'iidcitt soy
J no i . . .1 . - r .1 . I . 1 I . . f .!. .. . .. :.
anu siege artillery, l lie duties 01 mc exercise 01 mat rigiu, aim must oe protect
sought for, but could net
which imparts to America
from the mutable league foi
tit in, from the wars, the tun
iiiid vague aspirations lifter t
power, which convulse from
the governments of Kuroe.
erv one of the States, wit
cd in the free enjoyment of it, without in- rights of local self-goveniuv
teiference on the part of the citizens of each by their co-cquiil py
any ot the States.
The southern boundary line of this Ter
ritory has never liecn surveyed and estali
lished. The rapidly-extending settlements
in that region, and the tact that the mam
staff in all it various branches belong to
the movement of troops, and the 'efficiency
of an army in the field would materially
tlcpeud upon the ability with which those
duties arc dischirged. It is not, as in the
case of the artillery, a speciality, but re
quires !.-. a:i intimate knowledge of the
duties of an officer of
lint doubted that, to
tioii ot an oine.T tor either the line or the
general st:ir, it is desirable that he sh all
have served in both. With tills view, it
was recommended on a former oera-ion
that the duties of the staff should be main
ly performed by detail from the line; and
with conviction of the advantages which
Would result frimsii'h a eh uige it is again
presented for the consideration of Congress.
NAVY.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy,
herewith submitted, exhibits in full the
naval operation of the past year, together
with the prci nt condition of the service,
and it wakes suggestions ..f further legisla
tion, to nhich your attention is invited.
Th- construc t! m of the six steam frig
ates, for which appropriations were madf
by the b'-T Congress, has proceeded in the
most satisfactory manner, and with such
expedition, a to warrant the belief that
they will be ready for service early in the
coining pring. Important as this addi
tion t ir naval force is, it still remain
iuadc mat- to the contingent
Ua ...... ..-..:. ... .if f ti.t o.t.'liill.i.
van commercial interests of the United of grievance, having but remote connexion ' a,ld ''.v express reservnti-
State. Iii icw of this fact and of the ac- with anv of the constitutional functions or '' Pmeii, m me t,
knowledge wisdom of the policy of a ' duties of the federal government. To ! .IulIS- f irn-at iiowcr of
gradual and systematic increase of "the na- whatever extent these question-exhibit a ; lt''1 t0 """l"'s,'s of
yy, an appropriation is recommended for . tendency menacing to the stal-ility of the ; ("'""cral welfare, ex. luih.
the construction of six steam sloops-of-war. , constitution, or the integrity of the Union, j taiiiuiiz to the local legisla
In regard to the steps taken in cxe-.-u-" and no farther, thev demand the consider- j al aU and t,l0SC l'f
t .i . '... '.. ... ..r .1... r.."! tr. . ; wcllare anil common d
HON Ul UIU dll "I '.UU.ir.-l Ml lnFtiiw.. ...v. a.i.'o ui 111 u.. ,, .u
efficiency of the navy, it is unnecessary for , presented by him to Congress,
me to sav more than to express entire con-' Before the Thirteen Colonies became a
currence' in the observations on that sub- confederation of independent States, they
ject presented bv the Secretary in his rc- ( were associated only by community or
.... 1 (mnu .ilt'intM ,.r,(ro. til- ttffmri j 1 Tto-
1 ' .,,st nnicr. ! sition. ami bv the mutual' tie" of common 1 ,lot 1, ft to the s'T:,riu
It will be perceived, by the report of the dependence on tJreat Hritain. When
Postmaster General, that the gross expen- ( that tie was sundered, they severally a-
the line, and it is route between Independence, in the State
inplete the ediica- of Missouri, and New Mexico, is contigu
ous to tins line, suggest the probability
that embarrassing question ( jnrisdii torn
may consequently ari-e. For these and
other considerations, I commend the sub
ject t o your early attention.
CONSTlTl TtoN Al.TIIKoRY oFTHKlioVt RN
MIAT. I have thus passed in review the general
state of the Union, including such particu
lar concern!, of the federal government,
whether of domestic or foreign relation, as
it apieared to mc desirable and useful to
bring to the special notice of Cotigrc
Unlike the great Mate of Kurope and Asia,
and many of those of America, these Uni
ted State are wasting their strength nei
ther in foreign war or domestic strife.
Whatever of discontent or public dissatis
faction exists, is attributable to the imper
fections of human nature, or is incident to
all governments, however perfect, which
."uch subjects
at", was the fundamental ,
constitution. Without it tl
never have existed. IIoweT
larger States might ! to ?
government so us to give fc
tion its proportionate weig
nioti counsel-, they kne it
llliles. they eoni-i cfcd to tl
ioithorlty 'to exercise at loa
lliieiuv on all the iiicit-nn-i
lil"Iit, whether Icifislatikd
through their equal r pn
Senate. Indeed, the larji
selves could not b le faili
that tile same jer was
to them, for the security
metie interest ugaiu-t
force nf the general govr
word, tie' original States
h rmaneui league on the .
of ex'rting their coinnioii
dt fence of the whole, and
hut of utterly excluding e
reeijiro.al aggr".in. Karl'
itself to all the others, u
take, nor pennit, any cut
or intermeddling with, am
rights.
Where it was deemed r
hiunaii wisdom can devise.
of political notation, as occupy the public i ulir "f t!'e Stll!l's
n, ii,. I eoiisUt to a ..rent evt. nt. of eva,'- ' K"ii.ia.oieo ... uu- . nu
exigencies or geration of inevitable evils, or over zeal in ! tl-i-M Ik. - .i1k'si"(, r-l,
seacoastand social ituproveiuenr, or nieie imagination ''' the limitation 01 tl
wards defined by specif
lieing matters only of 4
the States themselves,;'
and foreign government
i of their common and gem
State.
Of the circumstances c
diture of the department for the last fiscal ! turned the powers and rights of absolute self- 1,11 H n!f!,s-
year was nine million nine hundred and government. The municipal and social insti 1 1,', ' ti',''s: const itmni)f
sixty-eight thousand three hundred and tutions of each, its laws of property and of j ?' th(" Lhl"" Mnnl
forty-two dollars, and the gross receipts personal relation, even its political organi- j ln"11 ntuyr f;in.
seven million three hundred and forty-two zation. were such only as each one chose tiie l,,icull,tnt
thousand one hundred ami tbirty-six" dol-; to establish, wholly without interference j 'T 'V
lars, making an excess of expenditure over . from any other, ln the language of the t'10 u0,ti"'r" ' la
rcceijits of two million six hundred and i declaration of Independence, each State I A jMiptilation of thif
twentv-six thousand two hundred and six j had ' full power to levy war, conclude : iection. existed in ma
dollars ; and that the cost of mail trans-; peace, contract alliances, establish com- j but was more imnieroB
portation during that year was six hundred inerce, and to do all other acts and things 0116 concernment in tl
and seventy-four thousand nine hundred which independent States of right may ; North, on account of n
and fifty-two dollars greater than the pre-; do." The several colonies differed in eli- j climate "1 prodiictiot.
vious year. Much of the heavy expend!-j mate, in soil, in natural productions, in seen that, tor the same
tures, "to which the Treasury is thus sub-! religion, in systems of education, in legisla- ! population would dimir..
jected. is to be ascribed to the larg quan-! tion, and in the forms of political admin- I later, cease to exist, -tity
of printed matter conveyed by the ; istration ; a.id they continued to differ in j might increase in othe
mails, either franked, or liable to no pos- i these respects when thry voluntarily allied character ami magiiit
tage compared with that charged on let-! themselves as States to carry on the war of of l",'al "J-'1'1-". ,l0t. Iu la
tere ; and to the great cost of mail service ; the revolution. " lv, but still more in so
on railroads and by ocean steamers. The j The object of that war was to disenthral j ('"!l'r .,, ti,e "l
suggestions of the' Postmaster General on 1 the United Colonics from forcipu rule, j constitution,
the subject deserve the consideration of j which had proved to be oppressive, and Hence, while the f
Congress. i to separate tneni permanently ironi the i as wen oy me enuracrt
INTERIOR.
j mother country : the political result was
The report of the Secretary of the Inte-! the foundation of a federal republic of the
riorwill engage your attention, as well for fee mcnoi tne coiomes, consiuuieo,
useful suggestions it conti.ins, as for the s they were, in distinct, and reciprocally
interest and importance of the subjects to ! independent, State governments. As for
which thev refer. I the subject races, whether Inaian or Afn-
Thc aggregate amount of public land ! can, the wise and brave statesmen of that
sold during the last fiscal year, located I day, being engaged in no extravagant
with military scrip or land-warrants, taken scheme of social change, left them as they
up under grants for roads, and selected as were, and thus preserved themselves and
swamp lands by the States, is twenty-four their posterity from the anarchy, and the
million five hundred and fifty-seven thou ever-re-umng civil wars, which have pre-
and four hundred and nine acres; ofi vailed in other revolutionized huropean
which the portion sold was fifteen million
seven hundred and twenty-nine thousand
five hundred and twenty-four acres, yield
ing in receipts the sum of eleven million
four hundred and eighty-five thousand
three hundred and eighty dollars. In the
colonies of America.
When the confederated States found it
convenient to modify the conditions of their
association, by giving to the general gov
ernment direct access, in some respects, to
the people of the States, instead of confi-
same period of time, eight million seven . nine it to action on the States as such,
. 1 . , . i , . , . i i i . . r .. -
hundred and twenty-three thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four acres have been
surveyed ; but, in consideration of the quan
ty already subject to entry, no additional
tracts have been brought into market.
The peculiar relation of the general
government to the District of Columbia
renders it proper to commend to your care
not only its material, but also its moral in
terests, including education, more espe
cially in those parts of the district outside
of the cities of Washington and Georgetown.
they proceeded to frame the existing con
stitution, adhering steadily to one guiding
thought, which was, to delegate only such
power as was necessary and proper to the
execution of specific purposes, or, in other
words, to retain as much as possible, con
sistently with those purposes, of the inde-
fendent powers of the individual States,
'or objects of common defence and securi
ty, they intrusted to the general govern
ment certain carefully-defined functions,
leaving all others as the undelegated rights
of the separate independent sovereignties.
to"it, as by' those not eir
fore refused to it, was)
this matter in the s
fence, it was placed tin
guard of the Union, in
against either mvasi
Icuce, like all other loi
several States. Each '
tilated, as well for itsd
of its citizens, and t
State became solemn!'
giance to the constitu
held to sevice or labor
into another, should n
any law or reeulat?
charged from such
should be delivered t
party to whom such 6
be due by the laws of
Tims, and thus on
guaranty of all the
against interference i.
was the present fonnt
lished by our father
us ; and by no other
for it to exist. If j)B
ppect the rights of ftf
ly intermeddles witfc i
a portion of tbc St'
their institutions i
fulfil their obligation
longer United friepit
ed hostile ones, W