ted States, as contemplated by the orgauic law of the Territory Full information in relation to recent events in this Territory will bo found in the docu ments communicated herewith from the De partments of State and War. , I refer you to the report of ths Secretary of the Treasury for part icular in format ion con cerning the final condition oCthe government, and the various branches of the public service connected with the Treasury Department. During the last fiscal year . the . receipts from customs, wcro. for the first time, more i than $G4,000,000. and from nil. sources, $73,918,141 ; which', with the balance on hand up to the 1st of July, 1855, made the otal resources of the year to amount to 02, 850,117. The expenditures, including $3,000,000 in execution of the treaty with Mexico, and including sums paid on account of the public debt, amounted to G0, 172,401 ; and in cluding the latter, to $72,948,792, the pay ment on this account having amounted to $12,776,390. Ou the 4th of March, 1S53, the amount of the public debt was $09,129,939 There was a subsequent increase of $1,750,000 for the debt of Texas making a total cf 71, 879,937. Of this sum $45,525,319, inc'u dincr premium, has been discharged, redu cing the debt to $30,737,121 ; all which ruigtt be paid within a year without cmbar- raouinir tliA Tiiililif. Rfrvinf bnt hoin? not vet ttatsii'Q v . j j o J due. and only redeemable at the option of the holder, cannot be pressed to payment by the government. On examining the expenditures of the last five years, it will be seen that the average, deducting payments on account of the public debt and $10.000,000, ' paid by treaty to Mexico, has been but about $48,000,000. It is believed . that, under an economical ad ministration of the government, the average expenditure for the ensuing five - years will not exceed that sum, unless extraordinary occasion for its increase should occur. The acts granting bounty lauds will Eoon have been executed, while the extension of our frontier settlements will cause a continued demaud for lauds, and augmented receipts, probably, from that source. These consider ations will justify a reduction of revenue from customs, bo as Dot to exceed 48 or 50 millions of dollars. I think tbe exigency for such reduction is imperative, and again urge it upon the consideration of Congress. The amount of reduction, as well as the manner of affecting it, are questions of great industrial enterprise and public prosperity, as WfU as the dictate of obvious justice, that ' the burden cf taxation bo made to rest as equally as possible on all classes, and all tactions and interests of the country. I have heretofore recommended to your consideration the revision , of the revenue laws, prepared under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, and also legisla tion upon some special questions affecting the business of that department, more especially tho enactment of a law to punish the abstrac tion of official books or papers from the files of the government, and requiring all such books and papers and all other public proper- ty to be turned over Dy tne outgoing oitiecr to his successor ; of a law requiring disburs ing officers to deposit all public money in the vaults of tho Treasury or in other legal de positaries, where the same are conveniently accessible ; and a law to extend existing pc ral provisions to all persons who may become poBsosaed of public money by deposit or oth erwise, or who shall refuse or neglect, on due demand, to pay the same into, the Treasury. I invite your attention anew to each of these projects The army during the past year has been so constantly employed against hostile Indians in various quarters, that it can scarcely be said, with, propriety of language, to have been a peace establishment. Its duties have been satisfactorily pcrtormed, and we have reason to expect, as a result of the year's op erations, greater security to the frontier iu- Extensive combinations among the hostile In dians of the Territories of Washington and Oregon at one time threatened the devasta tion of the newly-formed settlements of that remote portion of the country. - From receut information, we are permitted to hope that the energetic and successful op erations conducted there will prevent such combinations in future, aad secure to those Territories an opportunity to make steady progress in the deTclopnieut of their agricul tural and mineral resources. Legislation has been rccoHmended by me on previous occasions to cure defects in the existing organization, and to increase the effi ciency of the army, and furthor observation has but Berved to confirni me in the views then expressed, mid to enforce on my mind the conviction that such measures aro not only proper but necessary. I. have, in addition, to invite tho attention of Congress to a chauge of policy in the dis tribution of troops, and to the necessity of providing a more rapid increase of the mili tary armament. For details of the? and other subjects relating to tho army, I refer to the report of the Secretary of War. The condition of the navy is not merely satisfactory, but exhibits the most gratifying evidences of increased vigor. As it is com paratively small, it is more importaut that it should bo as complete as possible in all the elements of streugth ; that it should be e3U cient in the character of its officers, in tho xeal and discipline of its men, in tho reliabili ty of its ordnance, and in the capacity of its . ships In all these various qualities the navy ha mode great progress within tho last few years. The execution of the law of Congress, of February 28, 1855, to promote the efiicien cy of the navy," has been attended by the most advantageous results. The law for pro- ttiilinff diantnlinn amnnir (tin nmn !o f ..... .1 MVV.M - " O - " 1.7 1UUUU convenient and salutary. The system of grant ing an honorable discharge to faithful seamen On the expiration of the .period of their enlist ment, and permitting them to re-enlist after a leave of absence of a few months, without ces sation of pay is highly beneficial in its influ ence. The apprcntice-sj-ttcin recently adop ted is evidently destined to incrporate iDto the service a large number of our country-, ruen hitherto so difficult to procure Several hundred Amcric&u loys are now on a three years cruiso in our national vessels, and will return well trained seamen In the ordnance department there is a decided and gratifying indication of progress creditable to it and to tho couutry. Th suggestions of the Secre tary of tie Navy, iu regard to further iui- nrjveiuent n that branch of the service. I i . . , commend , to your favorable action. - The new frigates ordered by Congress are now afloat, and two of them in active service. They are superior ; models of naval architec ture, and with.. their fraudable battery add largely to public strength" and-sccurity I concur in the views expressed by the Se cretary of the Department, in favor of a still further increase of our naval force. : The report of the Secretary of the Interior presents facts and views in relation to inter nal affairs, over which the supervision of his department extends, of much iuterest and im portance. . . The aggregate pales of the public lands, during the last fiscal year, amount to 9,227, 878 acres; for which has been received the sum of 8,821,414. During the same period there had been lo cated, with mibtarv serin and land warrants. and for other purposes, thirty million' one hundred thousand two hundred, and thirty acres, thus making a total aggregate of thir ty nine million three hundred and twenty eight thousand one hundred and eight acres. On the 30th of September last, surveys had been made of sixteen million eight huudrcd and seventy three thousand six hundred and ninety nine acres, a largo proportion of which is ready for market. The suggestions in this report in regard to the complication and progressive expansion of tho different bureaus of the department $ to tho pension system ; to the colonization of different Indian tribes, and the recommenda tions in relation to .various improvements in tho District of Columbia, aie especially com mended to your consideration. The report of the Postmaster General pre sents fully the condition of that department of tho government. Its expenditures for the laf-t fiscal year, were $10,407,808, and its gross receipts 7,620,801 making an ex cess of expenditure over receipts of $2,7S7, 040. The deGciency of this department is thus 744,000 dollars greater thau for the year ending June 30, 1853. Of this defi ciency, $330,000 is to be attributed tc tho additional compensation allowed postmasters by the act of Congress of June 22,-1854. The mail facilities in every part of the coun try is very much increased in that prriod, and the large addition of railroad service, amounting to 7,908 miles has added largely to the cot of the transportation. The inconsiderable augmentation of the income of the Post Office Department under the reduced rat s of postage, and its increas ing expenditures, must, for the present, make it dependent to some extent upon the treasu ry for support The recommendation of the Postmaster General, in relation to the aboli tion of the franking privilege, and his views, on the establishment of mail steamship lines, deserve the consideration of Congress. I also call the special attention of Congre.cs to the statement of the Postmaster General respecting the sums now paid for the trans position of mails to the Panama lUilroad Company, and commend to their early and favorable consideration the suggestions of that officer in relation to new contracts for mail transportation upon that route, and also upon the Tthuan tepee and Nicaragua routes The United .States continue iu the enjoy ment of amicable relations with all foreign powerB. ' When my last annual message was trans mitted to Congress, two subjects of contro versy, one relating to the enlistment of soldi ers in this country for foreign service, and tho'othcr to Central America, threatened to disturb good understanding between the Uni ted States and Great Dritain. Of the prog ress and termination of the former question you were informed at the time; and the)ther is now in the way of satisfactory adjustment. The object of the convention between the United States and Graat Dritain of the 19th of April, 1850, was to secure, for the benefit of all nations, the neutrality and common use of any transit way, or intcroceanic communi cation, across the'lsthmus of Panama, which might be opened within the limits of Central America. The pre tension subsequently asserted by Great Dritain to dominion or control over territories, in or near two of the routes, those of Nicaragua and Honduras, were deemed by the United States, not merely incompatible with the main object of the treaty, but oppo sed even to its express stipulations. Occa sion of controversy on this point has been re moved by an additional treaty, which our 3Iinioter at London has conclude! nml 1,;,.1 will be immediately submitted to the Senate- ior its consideration, bliould the supposed supplemental arrangement be coucurrcd in by all the parties to be effected by it, the Ob jects contemplated by the origiual convention will have been fully attained. The treaty between the United States and Great Dritain, of the 5th of June, 1854, which went into tractive operation ;n i sv" put an end to the causes of irritation between the two countries, by securing to the United States the right of fishery on the coast of the British North American provinces, with ad vantages equal to those enjoyed by British subjects , Besides the signal benefits of this treaty to a large class of our citizens engaged jn a pursuit connected to no inconsider blo degree with our national prosperity- and strength, it has had a favorable L other interests in the provision it made for rc- .ciprocaji iraae uetween tue United States and J.he British provinces in America. . ; The exports of domestic articles- to those provinces during the last: year .-amounted to more than $22,000.000,. exceeding those of tho preceding year by nearly $7,000,000 ; and the imports therefrom, during th c.imo period, amounted to more than giJl.000 000 I an increase oi l,u:UU,000 upon those of the previous year. - m. The improved couditioa f"th is branch of pur, commerce is .mainly attributed to the above mentioned ,ircaty. - ..... . Proyision was mde 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, vfsis not to extend This commission has beeu employed a part of two seasons, but without much progress in accomplishing tho obiect for which it wna in stituted, in consequence of a serious difference f ui opinion uetween tbo CDmmissioners, not only as to the precise point wherj the river terminates, but in many instances as to what constitutes a river. These difficulties, how ever, may be overcome by resort to the um pirage provided for by the treaty. ' ' . " The efforts, persevcringly prosecuted since the commencement, of, my administration,' to relieve, our trade to the Baltic from the exac tion of sound dues by Denmark, have not yet been attended with success. Othor ments have also sought to obtain a like relief to their commerce, and Denmark wag thus induced to propose an arrangement to all the European Powers interested jn the subject; and the manner in which her proposition was received, warrauting her to believe that a sat isfactory arrangement with them i-nn!,k,mn w concluded, she made a strong appeal to this goverument lor temporary suspension ol ueu nito action on its part, in consideration of the embarrassment which might result to her Eu ropean negotiations by an immediate adjust ment of the question' with the.Uuited States. This request has been acceded to, upon the condition that the sums collected after the 10th of June last, and until tho 10th of June next, from vessels and cargoes beloaing to our merchants, are tojbe considered as paid under protest and subject to future adjustment! There is reason to believo that an arrange ment between Denmark and the maritime powers of Europe on the subject, will be soon concluded, and that the pending negotiation with the United States may then be resumed and terminated in a satisfactory manner. With Spain no new difficulties have arisen, nor has much progress been niado 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 piovidlug for the iiioie speedy setYlemouC of local disputes growing out of iht inter course, have not yet been attondei with any results. 1 Soon after the commencement of the late war in Europe, this government suhnitted to the consideration of. all maritime ndtions.'two principles for the security of neitral com merce ; one, that the neutral flag shiuld cover enemies' goods, except articles contraband of war; aud the other, that neutral rnperty on board merchant vessels of beligerarts should be exempt from condemnation, with tho ex ception of contraband articles. Tjcsc were not presented as new rules of inberuatioual law ; having been generally claimed by neu trals, though not always admitted by leleige rents i ; One of the parties to the war Russia a well as Several neutral powers, piomptly ac-a ceded to these propositions; and thb two other' principal bcleigerents. Great Britain and France, having consented to obsorre them for the present occasion, a favorable opportunity seemed to be presented f r obtainimg a gener al recognition of the.m both in Europe and America . But yrc.it Britain and France, in common with most of the" states of Europe, while for bearing to reject', did 'not afiirmatively act upon the overtures of the United iStates. While tho question was in this position, the reprcsentntives of France, G rent Britani Aus tria, Prussia, Sardiuia and Turkey, assembled at Paris, took into con.siernf ion t!,Ki.iW..,.i.j,f maritime rights, and put forth a decla'ration contaiujng tho two principles which this gov ernment had submitted, nearly two yet rs be fore, to the consideration of maritime powers, and adding thereto the following propositions: -V Privateering is and remains abolished," and Btockades, in order to be binding, must be effective, that is to say, maintained by a force, sufficient really, to prevent access to the c)ast cf the enemy ;" and to the declaration thus composed of four points two of which had already been proposed by the United States, this government has" been invited to accede by all the powers represented at Pari?, except Great Britain and Turkey. To the last of the two additional propositions that in relation tol lockadcs there can certain ly be no objection. It is merely the definition of what shall constitute tho effectual investment of a blockade place, a definition for which this gov ernment has always contended claiming indemni ty for losses where a practical violation cf the rule thus defined lias been injuiious to our commerce. As to the remaining article of the declaration of the conference at Paris, " that privutcorinf is and remains abolished," I certainly cannot "as cribe to the powers represented in the conference of Paris, any but liberal and philanthropic views in the attempt to change the unquestionable rule of maritime law in regard to privateering. Their proposftion was doubtless intended toim ply approval of the principle that private proper ty upon the ocean, although it might belong to the citizens of a beligerent stare, should bu ex empted from capture , and had that proposition bcknso framed as to give full effect to the princi ple, it would have received my ready assent on behalf of the United States. But the measure proposed is inadequate to that purpose. It is true that if adopted, private pro perty upon the oceau would be withdrawn from one mode of plunder, but left exposed, me n while to another mode, which could be used 'with in creased effectiveness. The aggressive capacity of great naval powers would be thereby augmented, whdo the defensive ability of others woul-t be re duced. Through tho surrender of the means of prosecuting hostilities by employing privateers, as proposed by tne conference of Paris, is mutual in terms, yet in practical effect, it would be the re linquishment of a right of little value to one class of states, but of essential importance ty another ami a far larger class. It ought "ot to have beeu anticipated that a measure, a0 inadequate to the accORiplishnigit of the proposed object, and S3 unsqpal m its opera tion, would receive the assent of all maritime powers. Private property would be still left to the (leprc litems of the public armed cruisers. I have expresse.1 a roailinr-si ou tho p;rt of the government, to acceed to all the principles con tained in tne declaration of the conference of Pr . is, provided that relating to the abandonment of privateering, can be so amended as to effect the object for which, as is presumed, it was intended the immunity of private property on the ocean from hostile capture. To effect this object, it is proposed to add to the declaration Jhat'" priva teering is and remains abolished the following amendment: "And that the private property of subjects and citizens of a beligerent on the hi di seas, shall be axempt from seizure by the public armed vessels of the othcr beligerent, except it be TOutraUndaV-'iins has -been presented not only to the pewew which bare -askeOour assent to the dcclasation t. abolish privateering,- but to all other maritime states. ;TJu fkr it has not been reject ert by any, and is favorably 0 tcrta'ined by all which have made any communication in reply. Several of the governments, regarding with fa vor the proposition of tlm I7i,u...i f., i i layed any definite action upon it, only fur tho pur- . ..., ulvu uurai,, parties to the con lerence of Pans. I havf t)i enfra.; :.. owe ver that the Emperor of llussia has entirely find r V Tl iritln n 1 f il . ,. . J- . vr..,,,,,j npproveucn mat modification, and will co-operate in enileavnrinfr f,o,: : . of other powers ; and that assurances of a similar purport have been received in relation to the dis position of the Emperor of the French. rbe present aspect of this important subject al'.ows us to cherish .tho i... . . . iiini ii principle so humane m its character, so just and em,:, in Ji operation, so essential to the prosperity of com mercial nations, and j consonant to the senti ments of this enlightened period of 'the world,. I ... miuni.i l me approbation of.all maritime powers, and thus bu .i , . r international law. . ! i-ij .-wa on me suoject are more fully set forth in the reply of the Secretary of State a copv of winch is herewith transmitted, to the communica tions on the subject made to this government, es pecially to the communication of France The government of the United States lias at all timer regarded with friendly interest the other .States of America, f nmerly, like this country, European countries, and now independent mem bers of the great family of nations. - But the unsettled condition of some of them, distracted by frequent revolutions, and thus in capable of farm internal arimmiuti-Mti.-.n i... ed to embarrass occasionally , our public inter course, by reason of wrongs which our citizens sutler at their bauds, and which they are. slov to jedress. ' i . y ! Unfoituaatcly it is against the pLrnb!ic cf Hexico, with which it is our spec desire" to naintain a good understanding, at such com paiuts are more numerous ; ar although earn estly urged upon its attention they have not as y;t received the consideration which this govern ment his a right to exvect. While reparation Ar past injuries has bm withheld, others have ben added. The political condition of that (country, however, nas 1 en such as to demand forbearance on tie part of the United States. 1 shall continue my efforts to procure for the wrongs of our citizens that redress which is indis pensablo to the continued friendly associations of the two Itepoblics. Tho peculiar condition of affairs in Nicaragua in the early part of the present year, rendered it important that this government should have dip lomatic relation with that State. Through its territory had botn opened one of the principal thoroughfares ji-noa .. t.h . isthmus connecting North and South America on which a vast amount of property was transported, and to which our citizens resorted iu great numbers, in passing le tween the Atlantic sind Pacific coast of the Uni ted States. The protection of both required that the existing power in that State should be re garded as a responsible government ; and its min ister was accordingly received. But he remained here only a short time. -Soon thereafter the pejitical affairs of Nicara gauc underwent unfavorable changes, and De came involved in much uuecrtainty and con fusion. Diplomatic representatives from two contending parties havo been recently' sent to this government; but, with the imperfect in formation possessed, it was not possible to de cide which was4the government Je J'ucio ; nd , awaiting further developcjuentI have refus ed to receive either. Questions of the most serious nature are pending between the United States and the Bepnblicof New Granada. The government of that Republic undertook,! a year since, to impose tonnage duties on foreign vessels in her ports, but the purpose waw resisted by this government, as b.-ing c .ntia-y to existing trea ty stipulation with tho United States, aud to rights conferred by chaiacter upon the Pa naaia Jtailroad Company, and was according ly relinquished at that time, it boiug admit ted that our vessels were entitled to be ex empt from tonnage duty in tho free ports of Panama and Aspinwall ut the purpose has been recently revived. on the part of New Granada, by the enact ment of a law to subject vexsebi visiting her ports to the tonnage duty of forty ct ts per ton ; and, altho' the law has not been put-in force, yet the right to enforce it is still asser ted, and may, at any time, le acted on .by the government of that ltepublie. The Congress of New Granada has also en acted a law, during tho last year, w hit h levies a tax of more than three dollars ou evsry pouud of "mail matter transported across the Isthmus. The sum thus required to be pattt on the mails of the United States would b'i nearly two millions of dollars annually, in ad dition to the large sum payable by contract to the Panama Kailroad Company. If the only objection to this exaction were the exorbitan cy of its amount, it could uot be submitted to by the United States. The imposition of it, however, would obvi ously contravene our treaty with New Grana da, and infringe the contract of that Repub lic with the Panama Railroad Company. The law providing for ibis tax was, by its terms, to take effect on the 1st September last, but the local authorities on the Isthmus have been induced to suspend its execution, and to await further instructions on the subject from the government of the .Republic. I am not yet advised of the determination of that gov ernment If a measure so extraordinary in its character, and so clearly contrary to trea ty stipulations, and the contract rights of the Panama ilailroad Company, composed mostly of American eitizens, should bo persisted in, it will bo the duty of the United States ro re sist its execution. I regret exceedingly that occasion exists to invite your attention to a subject of still gra ver import in our relations with the Repub lic of New Granada, On the 15th day of April last, a riotous assemblage of the inhab itants of Panama committed a violent and outrageous attack on the premises of the Rail road Company, and the passengers and other persons in or near tho same, involving the death of several citizens of the United States, the" pillage of many others, and the destruc tion of a large amount of property belonging to the Railroad Company. ".. I caused full investigation of that event to be made, and the result shows satisfactorily that complcie responsibility for what occuned attaches to the government of rlew Granada. I have, therefore, demanded of that govern ment that the perpetrators of the wrongs in question should be puuished ; that provision should be made for the families of theitizens of the United , States who were killed, with full indemnity for the property pillaged or destroved. 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 serious consideration. Recent incidents tend to shfw that the local authorities cannot be relied on to maintain the public peace of Pa nama, and there ia jii6t ground for apprehen sion that a portion of the inhabitants are med itating further outrages, without adequate measures for the security- and protection of persons or property having been taken, either by the State of Panama, or by the general government of New Granada. Under the guaranties of treaty, citizens of the United States have, by the outlay of several millions of dollars, constructed a railroad across the Isthmus, and it has become the main route between our Atlantic and paciflc possessions, over which multitudes of our citzens and a vast amount of property are constantly pas sing to the security and protection of all which, and the continuance of the public ad vantages involved, ifc is impossible for the government of the United States to be indif ferent. " ' I havo, doomed the danger of the recur rence of scenes of lawless violence in the quar ter eo imminent as to make it my duty to sta tion apait of our naval force in the bir- bors of anama and Aspinwall, in order to protect no persons and property of the citi zens of e United States in those ports, and to insire to them safe passage across the Isth mus. And it would, in my judgment, be un wise p withdraw thc-naval force now in those por5 until, by the spontaneous action of the Rejtfblic of New Granada, or otherwise, some adequate arrangement shall have been madi for the protection and security of a line of in-te-oeeanlo communication so important at this tine', not to tU Unitovl i,i.ta nly, hut to all other maritime. States both Europe and Anier-ic- Meanwhile negotiations have been institu ted by means of a special commission, to ob tain from New Granada full indemnity for icjurics sustained by our citizens on the Isth-rr-us, ami satisfactary security for the geueral ilitercsts of the Ut-itcd States. In addressing to you my last annual mes sage, the occasion seems to me an appropriate one to express my congratulations in view of tho peace, greatness and felicity which the United States now possess aud enjoy. To poiot-ou to the state of the various depart ments of the government, and of all the great branches of the public service, civil and mili tary, in order to speak of the intelligence and tho integrity which pervades the whole, would be to indicate but imperfectly the administra tive condition of the country, and the benefi cbil effects of that on the general welfare. -- X(.r urmilil It enPFioto ny that th nafioruis actually at peace at. home and abroad ; that its industrial interests arc prosperous; that the canvas of its mariners whitens every sea; aud the plough of its husbandmen is marching pteadily onward to the bloodless conquest of the continent ; that oil its and populous States are springing up, as if by. enchantment, from the bosom of our western wilds, aud that the oouiajrcou? euergyofour people is making of these United States the great Republic of the world. These results have not been attained without passing through tiials and perilst by tho experience of which, and thus only, na tions can harden into manhooJV Our fore fathers wore trained to the wisdon which con ceived, and the courage which achieved inde pendence, by the circumstances which Fur rounded them, aud they were thu3 made capa ble of the creation of the republic It devol ved on the next generation to consolidate the work of the revolution, to deliver the country entirely from the influences of conflicting trai -satlantie partialities or antipathies, which at tached t. our colonial and revolutionary histo ry, and to organize the practical operation of the constitutional aud legal institutions of the Union.' To uf, of this generation, remim- tho no less noble task of inantaining and executing the power of the United States. We have at length reached that stage of the national ca reer, iu which the dangers to be ercounlered, andthc exertions to be made, arc the incident?, not of weakness, bnt of strength. In our for eign relatins we have to attemper our piwer to the less happy condition of other republics iu An erica, and to place ourselves in the calm ness and conscious dignity of risrht by the side of ths greatest and wealthiest c f tho cmpiecs of Europe. In our domestic relations, we have-to guard against the shock of the discontents, the ambi tions the interests, and the. oxulu rant. and. therefore, sometimes irregular impulses of opinion, or of action, which arc the natural product of the present political elevation the self-reliance and the restless spirit of enterpri se of the people of the United States. I shall prepare to surrender the Executive trust to my Mieeessof, and retnrn to private life with sentiments of profound gratitude to the good Providence which during the pt riod of my administration, has vouchsafed to carry the country tbrnu rh many difficulties, domcstc an-3 foreign, and to enable mc to contemplate the spectacle of amicable and respectful rela tions between ours and all other governments and the establishment of constitutional order and tranquility throughout tho Union. FRANK UN PIERCE Washington-, i)ee. 2, 1S5G. Thk Testimony ok a Political Oii-o-nknt. The Albany Evening Journal,-one of the leading organs of the black republican party, thus speaks of the retiring administra tion : " It is but simple justice to say that, so far as the financial interests of the country are concerned, they have been managed with ability and integrity. Though overruled fre quently in matters of appointment, the Presi dent has stood by Governor Marcy in his en lightened and fearless discharge of the re sponsible duties of the State Department. " Contrasted with the administrations of Tyler and Fillmore", in all that concerns per sonal felf-respeet ; and in all that belougs to the proprieties of high statiou, that of Gen. Pierce, proscnts a clean record. Nothing of the nepotism of those eras disgraces the pies ent. Gen. Pierce has not followed the bad example of hunting up and pensioning all sorts of relatives, partners, and, dependants. The Post Oflico Department has not beeu, as when in the hands of 'Fillmore. Hall & Ha ven,' a convenience . for political lazaroni. Nor has there been during General Pierce's administration cither a 'back stair's nt:aT e to the White House, or a 'kitchen-cabin it.' " MORALITY OF DIVORCES. Speaking one day of tho early Romans, Mr Webster said he could almost believe every thing related by, historians of their extraordina ry virtues, public and domestic when he dwelt upon the fact that, though their laws authorized divoicc yet, for the first Gve hun dred years, no individual ever availed him self of such a licence! It, was the domestic training," he said, " It was the mother who made aPublicola, a Camillius and Cariolinus. Women, protected by the inviolability of the nuptial bond, w tre invested with a diguity that igave authority to instruction, and made the do mestic hearth the nursery of heroes. Public virtue," he said, "fell with private morality.'. Under imperial Rome divorces were sought for and obtained upon the most frivolous pretext, and all domestic confidence was destroyed. The inevitable consequence was the loss of all pu blio morality. Men who had been false to their private obligations would not bo true to their public duties. Cresar divorced his wife and betrayed his country. Tho sancity of the nuptial bonds is, in my opinion, one of the principal, if not the chief cause of th. superior reflnement, freedom and prosperity enjoyed at the present time by Christian nations. Blankets were first made at Bristol, in Eng lrrl, by a poor weaver, whose name was Thomas Blankets, and who gave his name to hispxuliar manufacture of woolen cloths. ' SURVEYORS CONVENTION. At a Convention of Practical Surveyors held at the Hotel cf Major John Thompson, Ebcnsburg, Pa , oa the 3d day of December,' 1S5G; on inotiou, the Hon. Moses Canan! was called to the Chair, and John 31. Gibl bony, appointed fcccretary. after which the names of the following gentlemen were given iq : " 3Ioses Canan, Johnstown. Cambria Co. Pa. Richard J. Proud foot. Chest Springs, Cambria county. Pa ; Henry ScLnlan. Carrolltown, Cambria county, Pa. ; J. J. Noon, E bets burg, Cambria county,. Pa. ; Edward Shoe maker, J r.r Ebensburg, Cambria county. Pa. : S. D. Pryce, Ebensburg, Cambria county. ' Par; Stephen Lloyd. Ebensburg, Cambria county. Pa. ; Wm. Slick, Snmmerhill, Cam bria county. Pa J. B. McCorxuick. Johns town, Cambria county. Pa ; Thomas McCon nel, Wilmore, Catpbria county. Pa. ; E. A. Vickrov, Johnstown; Cambria county. Pa.; Wm. Reed, Shaver's Creek, Huntingdon county, Pa.; Wm. Christy, Alexandria, Huntingdon, county, Pa. ; Wm. Evans, Penn Run, Indiana county, Pa.; David Peeler, Indiana, Indiana county, Pa ; Edmund Page Indiana. Indiana county. Pa. ; Samuel l . - ... . v.urpenier, Mrcccsuurg estmorcland coun ty, Pa. ; David Hough, Philipsburg, Centre comity, Pa. ; H P. Trcziyuiny, 3Iilcsbarg. Centre county. Pa. : James J. r.n.n a' toona. Rlair county. Pa. ; John M. Gibbonv. I InitAi...... . 1(1 - . a .-. - - W - T u.jaus.iut-,. jijir eotiniy. j'a. ; John 1a. guttle. Clearfield, Clearfield county, Pa. ; ruucis vassiuav. rewry. Ulair countv. Pa - n niouon, 1'iessrs. tu'tle, Trcziyulny, win, Christ v. PriudfootlWl.r f,,..-' and idcCormick. were appointed a committee A . L I T V A . . x i. pori ousimss, xc.,Mr tue action of the Convention at its next sess-ion. On motion, adjourned to meet this evening at eight o'clock. - . Convention met agreeably to adjournment. The committee on business, through their chairman, reported as follows: Wiikkeas, We have been frequently called upon by parties with whom we haTe no ac quaintance, and who have no claims upon our knowledge, 'to give evidence of arduous duties performed for other persons, in the various and complicated cases of ejectment, without reasonable compensation Therefore, Lsufrftl, That we petition tho Legislature f t a redress of grievances, and humbly ask the passage of a law requiriug all personi, or suitors, when requiring the services and ex perience of practical j-urveyors to give evi dence, to pay or secure to the purveyor, a reasonable compensation. . per diem, for th fall time thus employed both in traveling to and attendance at Court JfcsrJctif. That -we pledge ourselves indi vidually, to use every endeavor to procure tne passage ul a taw to rcres the grievances complained of in the foregoing re.olutiou j all ot which, was unanimously adopted. On motion, Mssrs. Christy. Carpenter. Hough, Prder and Cass'rday. were appointed a commit fee to report a petition to be signed by the members of the Convention, and to be presented to the n- xt JcgLdaturc. asking f..r ihe passage f.f a liw proffering pi act ical pur veyors in their profession. ' Ou motion, adjourtiel to me. t to-morrow, at one o'clock, P. M Convention mot agreeably to adjournment The last appointed committee npoitfd a petition, as instructed in their Appointment, which was adopted and f igno, A stZr,, That we expect, and earnenflr solicit, Ihc co-operation and friendly aid f tlu gentlemen of the Bar, throughout the -Commonwealth, in obtaining legal rt dress of our grievances. 7.V-orv7, That these proceedings Le signed by the officers, and that Editors in general, be respectfully requested to give us a favor able iK'tiec. M CAN A N", Chairman. Jso 31. GiiiiiONEY, Scc'y. Popular Vote for President. The returns so far received comprise, over o. 050,000 votes. Those yet to come in will increase the aggregate to :i,SO0,fXW, or up wards. Fillmore's vote will exceed fOO.OOit. Majority against Fremont, thus far, 1,200, Olo ; against Uuchauan, 311,2Sr liuehanau 1.G72.J32 Ficmout 1,195,000 Fillmore 791.GG4 Buchanan over Fremont, thus far. 417.' The TKuniTonr ok Arizona " The res idents of the Gadsden purchase arc taking measures to orgauize that Territory, which they propose tocall "Arizona." ; They have elected Nathan P. Cook their delegate to Congress- to which body they will forward & memorial signed by two hundred and sixty names, praying for a division of the Territoiy of New 3Iexico, and the formation of a new government in the Gadsden purchase. The estimated population of th- Territory is about tcu thousand. Time of Electing U. S. Senator. As several laws for the election of Senator have been enacted, many cf our readers uot aware of the day upon which it takes'plaee. The act of July 2, 1S39, fixed the second Tuesday of January for election of U. S- Senator- The act of April, IS 1853, changed the time to the second Tuesday of February. The act of January 4, 1S50, repealed tho act of 1S53; so that the election of U- S. Scnrtor will take place on the second Tuesday of Jan uary next, the 13th. " Diamond- Cut Dlmoxd. Judge Lumpkin, of Georgia, recently related the following an ecdote to illustrate the plck of some men in an argument : An old Baptist preacher, so straight a Cal vanist that he leaned over backward, was de fending his doctrine against a roan as obsti nate as himself; at length the preacher said to his opponent - "Now look here, my friend, don't you believe what is to be will be?" ' No, I don't at all. I believo what is to be. won't be !" About So' clock on Sunday morning last at Circleville.Ohio, whilst a party of four persons were flaying cards, a dispute arose between a a man by tho name Thomas More and another person when 3Iooro caught up a corn cutter, and literally cut his antagonist to pieces. Thi murderer was arrested and lodged in jail. -Delawakk U. S. Senator. Gov. Cau sey has aj.poiuted Joseph P. Comegys, Esq . of Dover,- to fill tho vacancy occasioned by the death of.the Hon. John 31." Clayton