- • _ BY DAVID OYER. mmws mi-ami,i;. i tl-.O'-B ritis 'n.t of the Sevt'e nod oj i!it Uouxt of RtprtuniaHrtf: The constitution of the United State* pro ti-.i that Congress shall assemble annualy •, the first Monday of December,and it has a usual for the President to make no unmnication of a public character to the -enu e and House of Representative? until hiscd of their readiness to recieve it. I iuve deferred to this usage until the close of the first month of the session, but mv r'f ;iviell ms of duty will cot permit melon •>r to postpone the discharge of the obligo timt enjoined by the constitution upon the President "to give to the Congress inforiuu iion of the state of the Union, and rccoai nund to their consideration rnch measures as he shall judge necessary and expedi ent." It is a matter of congratulation ili-it the Republic is tranquilly advancing iu a career •f prosperity- and pease. . laniG-S relations: central amejuc.v. Whilst relations of amity continue to ex ist between the United States and all for i-isiu powers, with some of them grave ques tions are depending, which uuy require the cousi leratiuu of Congress. Of such questions, the most important is that, which has arisen ont of the negotia tions with great Bntaiu in reference to Ueu trai America. By the convention concluded between the two governments on the lUth of April, 1860 both parties covenanted, that "neither will over occupy or fortify,or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua, I Asia Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part ■ f Central America.'' It was the undoubted understanding of the United States, in making this treaty, that all the present Slates of the former re paoiie of Central America, and the entire ■ rritory of each, would thcueeforth enjoy tuiplete independence, and that both con : -acting parties engaged equally, and to the - mie extent, for the present and for tiic fu i-.v. and if cither tun had any claim of '.Tit- i • Central, America, such claim, and occpat'oa or authority under it, were ;rtsc vetlly relinquished by the stipulations •f the convention: and that no dominion wa.i ; hereafter to be exorcised or assumtd in ; oy part r>f Central America, by great Brit ain or the United States. This government consented to restrictions io.-i egartl t> . egbus uf mnnmtMf, wkeceia we had specific and peculiar interests, only upou the conviction that the like re-trio tious were iu the same sense, obligatory oti Great Brita in But for this understanding of the force and effect of the convention, it would never have been concluded by us. So clear was tiiis understanding on the part of the Uuited States, that, in correspon dence contemporaneous with the ratifica tion of the convention, it was distinctly ex press td, that the mutual o-jveuatrts of uon f-ecupation were not attended to apply to the British establishment at the Belize.— flu- qualification is to be ascribed to the fact: that, in virtue of successive treaties Ah previous sovereigns ~f the country. Great Britain has 11 timed a concession of the light to cut mahogany or dye-woods at the Balizc, but with positive exclusion of all domain or sovereignty; and thus it confirms the i .turn! corn-traction and understood import f the treaty as to all the rest of t lie region to which the stipulations ap plied. It however, became apparent, at an early day after entering upou the discharge of my p: -rent functions, that Great Britiuu still continued in the exercise jar assertion of large authority in all il.it part of Central America common.y called the 3lo*quito oast, anil covering the entire length of the •lata of Nicaragua, and a part of Costa Ri ca; that she regarded the Balizc as her ab solute domain, and was giadualiy extend ing its limits at the expense of the State of j. nduras; an 1 that she hid formally colon ized a considerable insular group known u ibc Bay islands, and belonging,of right, to that State. All these acts or pretensions of Great Britain, being contrary to the rights of tue States of Central America, and to the man ifest tenor of her stipulations with the Uni ted .States, as understood by this govern ment, have been tuide the subject of nego tiation through the American .Minister ill Itondon. I transmit herewith tue instruc tions to him on tlie subject, and the corres pondence between him and the British Sec retary for Foreign Affairs, by which you will jicrceive that tuo two governments differ vilely and irreconcileabiy as to the con struction of the convention, and i's effect on their respective relations to Central Amer ica. Croat Britain so construes the eonven tion, as to maintain unchanged all her pre vious pretentions over the Mesqaito coast, and in different parts of Central America. I hose pretentions, as to the Mosquito coast, we founded on the assumption of political relation between Gre.it Britiau and the rem nant of a tribe of Indians on that coas*,en 'vred iDto at a time when the whole country was a eolnui.il possession of Spain. It can not be successfully controverted, that, by e public law of Europe and America, no ossible act of such Indians or their predc- M =or* could confer on Great Britain any ditical rights. Great Britain dees not allege the assent i 5 :' dti as the origin of her claims or. the , ■ vipum coast. riu) ( b:is, on the contrary, ' j icpeaic 1 and successive treaties, renouu -1 'ud r dtnq'ii.i'.ieJ nil pretensions of iter A * an i recognized the fill and sovereign iu the luost unequivocal Yet these pretensions, M without * " J ' •■'ulation iu th-i beginning, and thus P !" *'®diy ahjtired, r?re, at a r.*ceo r period A Weekly Paper, Devoted to Literature, Politics, tlie Arts, Sciences, Agriculture, &c,, &c—Terms: Two Dollars per annum. revivod by Great Britain against the Cen tral American States, the legitimate suc cessors to all the aneieut jurisdiction of .Spain in that region. They were first ap plied to only a defined part of the coast of Nicaragua, afterwards to the whole of its Atlantic coast, anil lastly to a part of the coast ot Costa Rica; and they are now reas serted to this entent, notwithstanding en gagements to the United States. On the eastern coast of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the interference of Great Brit ain, though exerted at one time iu the form of military occupation of the port of Sail Jit-.iii del Norte, then in the peaceful pos session of the appropriate Authorit iesof the Ouutral American States, Is uow presented by her as the rightful exercise of a protec torship over the Mosquito tribe of Indi ans. But the establishment at tue Balizc, now reaching far beyond its treaty limits into the State of Honduras, arid ihat of the Bay is lands, appertiiiuug of right to the same State, are .as distinctly colonial governments as those of Jamaica or. Canada, and there fore contrary to the very letter hs well as the spirit of the convention with the United States, as it was at the time of ratification, and now is, understood by this govern ment. The interpretation which the British gov ernment, thus in assertion and act, persists in ascribing to the convention, entirely cnanges its character. While it holds us to all our obligations, it in a great measure releases Great Britaiu from these, which constituted the consideration of this govern ment ior entering into the convention. It is impossible, in my judgment, for the Uni ted States to acquiesce in such a construc tion of the respective relations of the two governments of Central America. Jo a renewed call by this government upon Great Brriain, to abide by, and carry into effect, the stipulation* of the conven tion according to its obvious import, by with!,-awing from the possession or col onization of portions of the Central Ameri can States of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, the British government has at length replied, affirming that the operation of the treaty is prospective only, and did not require Great Britain to abandon or con tract any poresasions held by her mCentral America at the date of its conclusion. This reply substitutes a partial issue, in tue place of the general one presented by the I uited States. The British government pa*se- over the question of the rights of Grim Hrrfaiiry real of sUpf'jaeT, fa CaStm America, ail assumes that she had such rights at the date of the treaty, and that ! those rights comprehended the protector ship of tue AI >s juitn Indians, the extended I jurisdiction and limits of the Baiise, and the colony of thoßty islands, and thereupou proceeds by implicaliou to iufer, that, if the stipulation* of the treaty be merely future m effect, Great Britain may still continue to hold the contested portion.* of Central America. The United States cannot ad mit either she inference or the premises. We .-toaddy deny, that, at the date of the treaty Great Britain had any possessions there, other than the limited and peculiar establish ment at the Balize,and maintain that, if she had any, they were surrendered by tha con vention. This government, recognizing the obli gations of the treaty, has of course, desired to see it executed iu good faith by both parties, and in the discussion, the rehire, has net looked to rights, which we might assert, i'ldepeudcnriy of the treaty, in con si leration of our geographical position and of other circumstances, which create for us reutlon* io the Oentral American States different from tho*c of any government iu Europe. The British government, in its last com manicatiou, although well knowing the views of the United States, still declares ili it it sees no reason way a conciliatory spirit nny not enable the governm -nts in overcome all obstacle* to a satisfactory ad jsstn-eat of the subject. Assured of the corre. tness of the con struction of the treaty cju.sta.ntly ad.iered to by this government, aid resolved to in sist on the right., of the United State*, yet actuated also by the satnn disirc, which is avowc-t by tho British government, to re move all causes of serious misunderstand ing between two nations, associated by so many ties of interest and kindred, it his ap peared to me proper not to consider an ami- Cable solution of the contra versy hone less. 'i'.iere i*, however, reason to apprehend, that with Great Britain iu the actual oieu pat'ou of the disputed territories, and the treaty therefore practically mill, so far as regards our rights, this international diffi culty cannot long remain undeteruiiued, without involving in serious danger the friendly relations, which it u the interest as weli as the duty of bo'n countries to cherish and preserve. It will afford un sincere gratification, if future efforts shall result iu the success, anticipate 1 heretofore with more confidence than the aspect of the case permits toe now to eotertaiu. . KECKt'TiIEST. One other subject of discussion between United States an l Great Britain has grown out of tne attempt, which the exi gencies of the war ill which she is engaged with Russia induced her to make, to draw recruits from the United States. iPfs the traditional and settled policy of the United States to maintain impartial neutrality during th * wars which fro.u tiiuo to time occur among the great powers of the world. Pcrformiug all the duties of neutrality towaid* the respective bellige rent state*, we may reasonably expect them uot to interfere with our lawful enjoyment of its benefits. Notwithstanding tiie exis tence of such hostilitms, oar citizens retain the iu .ii-jdu t! riglp to continue ill their uc j customed pursuits, by land or by sea, at . home or abroad, subject only to such rt | stricliuns iu this relation, as the laws of war, the u*age of nations, or special trea ties. may impose; and it is our sovereign ; right that our territory and jurisdiction shall not be invaded by either of tin- belligerent parties, tor the transit u f their- armies, the | operations of their tbcts, the levy of troops for their service, the fitting out of cruisers ; by or against either, or any othrr act or iu cideut of war. And these undeniable rights of neutrality, individual and national, the Uuited States will under no circumstances ; surreuder. In pursuance of this policy, the laws of the Uuited States do uot forbid their eTti i 7,ens to sell to either of the fielligereut powers articles, contraband of war, or to j take munitionsof war or .soldiers on hoard | their private ships for transportation: and, ! although, in so doing, the individual eiti ! zeu exposes his property or pension to some of the hazards of war, hia arts do n-it. iu : votve any French of uational neutrality, "or of themseives implicate the government. 1 Thus, during the progress of the present ■ war in Europe, our have, without national responsibility therefore, sold gun powder .and arms to all buyers, regardless of the destination of these article*. Our merchantmen have been, and still continue to be, largely employed by Great, Britain and by France, in transporting troop-, pro visions, and inanitions of war to the princi pal seat of military operations, and iu bring ing home their sick and wounded soldiers;, hut such use of our mercantile marine is not interdicted either by the intern ition tl, or by our municipal law, and therefore doe not comprouiit our neutral relations with Russia. Bat our municipal law, in accordance with the law i>f nations, peremptorily for bid-, not ouiy foreigners, but our own citi zen*, to St oat, within the limits of the United States, a vessel to commit hostili ties against any state with which the United States are at peace, or to increase the force of any foreign armed vessel intended for such hostilities against a friendly state. Whatever concern may have been felt by either of the bcllig rent powers lest pri vate armed cruisers, or other vessels, in the service of one, might be fitted out in the por's of this country to depredate on the property of the other, ali such fears have proved to be utterly groundless. Oar citi zens have been withheld from any such act or purp.-sy i?v good faith, ap4 by .respect for tiled Aw. ' ' Wddie the laws of the Ur'nn are thus pe remptory in their prohibition of the equip ment or armament of belligerent cruisers in our ports, they provide not less absolutely that no person shall, within the territory or jurisdiction of the Uuited Slates enlist or enter himself, or hire or retain another per son to cniist or enter himself, or to go b y iltd lhe limits or jurisdiction of the United States avirli intent 10 bo enlisted or entered, in the service of any foreign state, either as ' a soldier, op as a marine or seaman on board of any vessel of war, letter of uur qno or privateer. And these enactments ;.re also in etricf conformity with the law of nations, which declare* that no state has :he right to raise troops for land or sea ser vice :u another state without its consent, — and ilia', whether forbidden by the munici pal law or not, the very attempt to do it, without such consent, is an attack on the national sovereignty. Such being the public right? and the mu nicipal law of the United States, no * diei tndo on the subject was entertained bv this governm'.-.nt, when, a year since, the Brit ish Parliament passed ari act to provide for the enlistment of foreigners in the military service of Great Britain. Nothing on t tie face of the act, < sur vey and establish ;bc boundary line, which I divides the Territory oi Y-hashiugton Rom the contiguous British possessions. By reas.m of the extent ami iejfeortsnce of the country iu dispute, there bus beau tm mijiettt, danger of collision beiwgcn the sub jects of Great Britain and tho, citizens of the United .States, including their rcspoct . ivo authorities in that quarter* The pros j peet of a speedy arraageaienbv contribn j ted hitherto to induje ou bnthtridc- forbear ance to as make so rue new j arrangement ou the.subject, and has invi- ! ted the governments interested, including ti-e L uiteil Sta'cs, to be represented in a convention to assemble for tire purpose tf receiving and considering a proposition, which she iatooils to submit, for the capi- : talizatiou of the Sound dues, ar.d the dks- i tributiuu of the sum to be paid as couuuu- j tat ion among the governments, according j to the respective proportions of their tnara- ; time commerce t.< and from the Baltic, i j have declined in behalf of the United States to accept this invitation, for the most cogent reasons. One i>, that Ben mark docs not offer to submit to the convention ; the question of her right to levy the Hound dues. A second is, that if the convention ! were allowed 10 take cognizance of that particular question, still it would not L.i Competent to deal with th • great interna- j t tonal principle involved which affects the right iu other cases of navigation and com- j uiercial freedom, ar- well as that of aec >s to toe Baltic. Above ail, by tbe express terms of the progo>;tU>n it is contemplated, that the consideration of the Sound dues j shall be commingled with, and iuade saber- 1 ulnate to, a matter wholly extraneous, 1: balance ut power among the gnveruuieuU j of Europe. While, however, rejecting this proposi- : titmguid insisting in the right of free transit into and from the Baltic, 1 have expressed to Denmark a willingness, on the [.art of ; the United .States, to pluire übe rally with | other pouters' in compensating her for an;, j commerce shall heron I - , icr derive frown expenditures made by her for the improvement and safety of the nav igation of tbe Sounder Be!re. 1 lay before you, hcrewi iu sundry docti- ! moots on the subject, iti which toy views are move fully disclosed. Should no satis factory arrangement be soon concluded, 1 shall again call your attention to tbo sub- ; jrct, with ii-CQinniendatiou of sn h meas ures as may appear to be required i:i order to .assert and sac'.ire the rights c. the 1, til ted .States, so far as they arc affected by the pretensions of Denmark. FKASO I announce with much gratification, that .-luce the adjourn incut of the last Congress, tbe question, than exi-t'ng between this government and that of Trance, respecting 'Fr h Co'tptl Ji.t T ■ T .. i been s&'.istactorily UewrfuTned, and tan t relations of tbe two government coutlude to be of the tries 1 fnanuiv nature. - ORSECK. A quo#: ion, also, cinch ba< been pending ■ for several years between the United State; 1 aud the Kingdom of Greece, growing oat of the sequestration, by public authorises o! that country, of property belonging to tin present American consul :-l Athens, and which bad been tin* subject of very rartu s; discussion heretofore, b .• recently been set tle I to the satisfaction to the party niter- ' estei and of bo T h governments. SPAIN. With Spain, t r-.-m ful relation* ar still maintained, and souia progress hu be :u made in securing the redress of wr ings complained of bv this goTernwvi'. Spain has not only disavowed and di-ap; riv -i tbe conduct of tbe officers, vrho l'logdv seized and detained the sreamei Black War ner at Havana, btrt has also paid the sum claimed as indemnity for the 10-s thereby inflicted on citizens of the United States. In consequence of a destructive hurri cane, which visited I,'ubu in 1811, tin. sa- ; r.rauie authority of that island issued a de- : cree. permitting the ituportat! >n, for the period of six months of certain building materials and provision--, free of du'y, but revoked it when about half tit-? period only had clasped, to tbe injnty*fclttzen* of the United State*, who had pro-ceded t- act 011 tlic faitb of that decree. The Spanish gov ernment refused inofai-riScartftu to the par ties aggrieved untii recently,when it wis assented to, pay mutt being promised to be ; made so soon as tbe amount due can be as- . ccrtair.ed. Satisfae?: v.i claimed for tin- arrest and i search of the steamer K! Dorado has not j yet been accorded, but there is reason to | oelieve that it will be, and that ease, with others, continues to be urged on the atteu- | trou of the Spanish government. Id • not ' ahaiJ'ion ttie hope tf concluding wi-h Spin., some general arrangement, which, 'f it 00 not wholly prevent the recurrence of I!!th en i ties in Oubt, will render them 1 =.•• fre- ; quout, whenever they shall occur facilitate | their more speedy settlement. Mtxrbo. The ir.tciposition of this government has ' beeu invoked by many of its citizens, 0:1 ar count ot injuries done to their pers mj and j property, for which the Mexican republic is i responsible. The unhappy' situation ot that country, for some time | Ist, has not allowed its government to give due con- . sideration to claims of private reparation and bus appeared to call for and justify some forbearance ju syab matters ou the part of this government. CENTRAL AMERICA. Iu regard to the Auieric tn republics, which, froiu tb./ir proximity and other con- I siduratious, have peculiar 'relations to this government, while it has been my constant I aim .strictly to observe all Ihe obligations of j political friendship and of good neighbor- [ hood, obstacles to this have arisen in soui l j of them, from their own jnsaffl jienj power j to check lawless irruptions, which in effect i throws moat of the task ou the United States, i Thus it is that the distracted iateruhi cop- j ditionof the State of Nicaragua has made | it incumbent on me to appeal to the good ' faith of our citia.'tu to abstain f roe:, unlaw- i ! lal iutcrvciiiiort in its affair*, and to adopt ! 1 prevutitive n.co'sotes to the same end, which,! I oil & fcitiiilar orcastou, bad the best renuh* ; I in reaisutlng the peace of the Mexican States | of Sonora aud L wer Caitforsts. Tf.KATILS. [ Since the la*t ----ion of Congress a trea-1 | fy of ai.iity, commerce, and navigation, and ; 1 fertile surrender of fugitive criminals,.with j the kiodom of the Two Ste'iics; a treaty of j ; friendship, commerce., and tiivigaiion with ! j Nicaragua; arid con vrqtion of commercial i ; reciprocity with the Uttuaian kingdom,have ! j been negotiated. Tbe bitter kingdom and ' j the State of Nicaragua have also heeded to j i .-■• ilcciaraiion, iiicagniziag as iaternational ; i rights the j.riueiples cunt Tned in the con- ; ; vent;.m between the I nitcd Stales and ' i Russia of the of July, 185*. These treaties and coaveotioos will be laid before ; . tile He.nate for latiiiCiUioU. TREAhCHV. The stab-ments made, in my but ann nl j message, respect in ;: the atieipatod receipts and expenditures ->f the Treasury,hate bn u • substautiaHy voiiacu. It appears froth thct r port of the Seer>- . tary of tbe T.ea-.iry, that the receipts du- : i riitr tic last fiscal year ending June JO,' | lb-si, from all sources, were sixty-five mil- ! - boa three tin us ;n 1 nine hundred and tbir- ' iiv dollars, at.dT. t the public expenditure! I 1 for tb • same period, exclusive of payment i .'• account of tbe tmblic debt, amoubted tn ! , fifty-h'x n-iiliou three UnVidreJ and sixty | five thousand tit.-ee hundred and nincty | tiiiv.• dollars. During the <- in? p-ri-vi, the ! . payments made in t-demptiou of the put.-! , lie debt, itu.'niding interest and premium. ] , amounted to nine indium eight hundred and j j forty-:* mr tb usmd five huudtvd aad tvreu ! ty- ight dollars. Tin; balance in the Treasury at the ty-' ; ginning of the prcsrut fiscal year; July 1, i-Bv.">. was eighteen million nine hundred - 1 and tbirry-OiJt; thousand nine hundred an i i I seveuty-feii dollars: the rooeipts for the : first quarter, and the estimated receipts for ; ; the ri-maititiig tl •toe-quart' s, tnuoottt, t>- gct'uer, to sixty-seven ii.dU.ei nine hundreil | and ciglitcen tbousand s -ve'n hundred and 1 thirty-four dollirs thus affording fa all, as : ' lite avalalile r--so :i-s of the cnrrcrit Sseul i sum eighty-six million eight : hundred arid teu doti.os. If. to the actual exvoi.Trr.rcs of tin f;.--t j quarto.-.-f tiie <■ : of the Tic..- ti.-y, the suni total will be sev cnty-otic uiiiibiu tv. • lii.ndt -i and tw. n?;.- 1 six thonsaml eight hlud.-i.-d aud forty-six i dollars tln-reby leaving an estimated bal j anc® iu the treasury on Jtdv 1, 1 of j ut'teca uifilio-j .-:ix buiid.-eJ atid tweary- ' i three thoitsriu.! eight hundre'l aud six'v • ' three i.i bars -an i lorry one cent;. Iu in j S" Vf cXjVnuifdrijT (if the 1 res. Nt ii-.-il ;.-ir ar > included three militia dollars to meet the last instalment of the tea Sii'liioi..; provided for in the late ity ml.li yi.'xi-.-iq at 1 sev. 'i iv.ilHon -cv , en honored and fifty thouu' I dollar* ap . prqpritod on m -pant of t debt duo to : Texas, which two sums make ;:l aggregate 1 amount i.f ten ml.lion seven hundred ami City (liinisaod dollars, a: d reduce the cx ( pend it tires-, ae '.mi or cs!i:ii-tieU, f.r ordina ry < i jjets forty i.iorio'i five hiu. ircd and eighty-. three tuyu.su.d mx iiuu li .1 aid thirtv-Mic : dollars, -1.11 ic.Ju itduii being ni .de of suh } soqu.-Ut pryuii'tus. tint whole public ?.•!•! |of the i-ccr.i! govrntiuj-uit re.jiaiaiug at r't.is ; tirn 1 is less than f. r y million doila- Viie rsmnaui ut certaiu oilier govern ment sti cits, atuo tna.-g to two h-tudrpd and flirty-three tbotmn 1 iioilara, rcfe.-re- in sopcrior to that, by which th j fl-s-.a! lot unless of the gov., r. - ; tu.nt 1 cow coiv.iacte J. Nu.wi.h. tandit:g ■ j the groat nuiiiber of public ag.o.its of cyi j lection and dLsburscmcdt, it is beiieve.l that ; the checks and guards provided, including I the roqcirovj 'X'. nf munthly return:?, render 1 I it scarcely po.ssihlo for any considerable fn.- amy corisiicrul in fraud oil the part of those j agents, or neglect involving hazard of i serious public b ss, to escape uetefetioii. 1 i.ivutv.'. e rawer !lt cowuivttditi-m, hcrct.;- forc made by uii-, of tbe 00.! ?! .uent of 3 law declaring it felo'ty oil the part of p ib- ' j l.c officers to i.-isert fa's s p.ttries in their . | books of r-.-eo.- l or a v-ount, or to m ike ! false returns, art I also requiring thetn <>:. the tcruiination of their servi'-e to deliver Ito their suuccs.mii'4 til boukr, rcbords and ■ other cif j vts cf a pMo'ic nature in their j custo'ly. | Derived as our public revenue D, in ehi.f | part, fr0,,1 duties on imports-, its lUjgnitß'ie : affords gratifying eviiicn.-e f the priw? • r : ity, not only of mr cotuaicrcc, but o, the other great interests opeu wh ea t.:u p!l is. "ihe principle ?hat ail ruonevs not re-, ".aired f„r the ourreirt expenses of tue gov- ' ernuieot shoald remain f.r active etnpiny : ment in tbe hunts of tha peopie, and the coaspii-ions fact that ti.o annual revenue I i trom nil- sources exce-eds,by many millions ; of iioii irs, the aa.ouat needed tor A rra l dent iiud econoiahutl a iniuistrWtioii of gab | lie affairs, caaat rail to ruggest the pro- I pricty of an early irftsiwi and redaction ; of* the tariff of duties on iiuporcs. It is ; now so genorAliy conceded tn .t tas purpose ! of revenue nJme can justify the imposition lof duties or, imports table# a:iJ schedules, 1 which auqacstiou inly tojuire essential ! ui . iideations, a departure from tb_i pri.'i- J cipLx of iui3 present tariff is not a'atu-ipv , tu 'd. 1 VOL. ->9, \0 3. I a::*.**:. i Ti* urutr, during thep.;-t year, ha I.- r. i actively engage Ain defending the lut'lan ' frontier, lite state of ti.e service peraiiuitig • Out few ami small garrisons in our peruia j lie tit lorufjotmons. fh ni>iui ual r6g:tncuM authorized at the - tost ses-ion of Cciigt-e-.i ; !::txe been reeiuitsd ULllt>:it to the liar | ■•••ter of ti.?se:v •ert;. l uircii o-f our tnwpa h-ivt !a r t; ist.t-.i additional evidence of their i courage, zeal, t>iiti• capacity to meet any j ri'tj ui-;. i.-n, ivit:eh their country may Utah 4 ■upon 11* 'in 1'.." tLedetalix ot d;e military ■-jj.i'fftiionn, the di-lnbolieii of the t: j>, j and adiitujivdpnivUioto retpiired by the f aiilitary service. I refer to the report ti.e ■Secretary of V. ar &a<| the a& ••luynuyiiig ; document*. Experience, gathered from events which have transpired since my last annual use*-, -age. lias- but serve ! I ; confirm fh<> opinion then erpfes-:?:] of the propriety of making ' provisions, by a retired iisr. for diwbkd of ; ti .•rs, and for increased compensation to : ihti officers r-'tained' wo the Ist for active ■ ditty. AH the reason; which existed when i iti'.-e measures were reeotoiiviiiied on f.r --h iiirr ccasioa*, Continue lii'idi'leatimt i except so : r ■•ircuHistancc.s have given !o j soi.is Oi thctn .tddt'k.aal force. The n.' .' j i. uhhsiioas, heretofore made f.-.? ■ a j artij rcoigiuisalkti of the ante, are | a-i'J renewed- The thorough elementary ebucatku given to those of!h\ r>. who • menee their -• rvl v iiii the grade tf cad*', | ijuaktt'j thetii, !• a certain t.ve.-;!, tq pxf't I rui tis tiuite.-; f every arm of the •..-> ity; but to give toe highest eJli -k;6cy to artillery* , tcrjuirex the ■ rccricc at. d special study cf j tinny years; un-i it is not, therefore, believed* to be* IviitpJe to niaint.ii j, ij time of peace, 1 s laiger force of that sru than can be u-u il ly enipicycd ia the duties appertain hi to, i >:;e service u! fioid uid siege artillery. ■ Tiis duties if the staff .in abt its vario.u branches be mug to tie m-tvciacnt of troops ku 1 to Ctile-iet!U_ of .un aViity ill the C rid would nta.tfirialiy dep i; l u;*hi the al/iliiy with v. iieti those duties a-e .liacLargvJ. It , is ui.:, m in the ess-, of tiio art tilery, a upeciiSiyv, but retjmm also, an intimate i. iowSc ige < t the uytas of an offiret of i tie . i. . and i. is not dkmteed ChtUy to cem rif Sa tor oititer ntu te o ilie f~ s ! ii*.*, "if rii*-^ sU.thlc iitst ho siiali have served n: both. With ibis vie v, it was reaomcaded t a a torn, x uvea i tha: t .a hui.es oi the shuu.d be inaijiiy perfortued ay details frota tlrf line; atid vitk couvictiott of the advnn icp js w.dcu would result iVotu such a change it again preset::,:ti iorthe eoiisiueratiotiof Ccucr ■ ? *. .v vvr. The report of the Secretary of (he Navy, iMTß'vitb stibuii'.ted, eiiiittiis in t.l the navat operaUoii, of the past year together ■..•lib lac ore.-c.it oonuitiou oi the Ser ve, and it makes suggestions of further let'isiatiutj to wu'eL your attention is in vited. Th ' ' n of the si v steam frig ates, t • • * iiieb appr. priations wore untie by ia •' C'ttgros-, ii.is proecefeil lit tli-j must satis artery ntaciKr and uit'u fiie'u c apediii t., to warrant, the nciief that 1 they witi be ready for service turfy in the . n: sprh-tg. luip-i! :ai;t as th > adit l.• .i i our ouval force it sini rcuiatus • inadequate to the exigencies of the piinjec? lion of the extensive sea unii vs-f e.uuuHirci.il inrbio-ts of the I uited SuC la v fw ; tins fact and of the acknowledg ed wu t.,c policy oi a gradual and sysi->.u:tt ,e increase* of 'he navy, an appro priaiiuit :< l erikumeu led lor the cutistrttetuu: e! sot s'<- o *:oups 0.-war. In re.; .r ! to Hie steps tahtcn in etXtd' ir-rt of tii .' .art of Congress to promote the effi ciency of the tuvv, it is HHnecessary for c to say ir-' than t • cs.-r-.-s#- entire emi cnrreuce in the .!>s-. rv.-t'i o on that sub je'ct pir-ciited by the Secretary i.i it s re pott. * i'OST I IKICK. It v. " Is.' perceived, by the report ■? the ro.-tiu.i-un' tue'tiCfai, that tin grfc turo ot' ibo dupatUaent for <, w Sst-ai tear was tuidi<>a nine hundred and -ixty-ccfit th .-an I three hundred u.I ' foittrtwv dollars, and tbo gio- receipts seven niititon litrce Lundrcd and forty-two . iiiousau.l Oiu haadrt'd and tliir-e-.- x doi lars, uiak.ng nri exc >u of expend.rartjovju re'ceip:.- of two sis hundred ;<' twenty-*",* Yacn.. two fclJr.'ban 1 si: ■iHilars; atid li.at tiio co-t of ..••! tr.t i f.o taiio i ion tag ti. it year w.u six uuudrt'o and seventy-!'jar, thousand nine i.undrcl nwl fiiiy-twi, doitars gr.stor ib.au t'w pre \i> 14 - nr. of tii- L wvy exponii- - thus sui>- j i ied, U ' ' H.> .u :r:>oi to tax i