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li iM-iu aflPWPf - ' - -;V . " "" " ; ' -V,. . .1 ' ' - -if " : _...'., j (} :?$i " . ? :''' ,.l. ^ 111 | S ^ ^3 U B ^J^yV i j ' VOLUME 3. CAMDEN, SOUTH-CAROLINA DECEMBER 10,1852. *; NUMBER 99. PRESIDENT'S ITIESSAtJJC. Fellow citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : The brief space which lias elapsed since the close of your last session lias been marked by no extraordinary political event. The quadrennial election of Chief Magistrate lias pitssed off with less thau the usual excitement. However iudi\iduals and parties may have been disappointed iu the result, it is nevertheless a subject of na tional congratulation that the choice has been effected by the independent suffrages of a freepeo pie, undisturbed by those influences which in other countries have too often affected the purity of popular elections. Our grateful thanks are due to au Ail-iuerciful Pro\ideuce, not only for staying the pestilence which iu different forms has desolated some of our cities, but for crowning the labors of the husbuaduian with an abundant harvest, and the nation generally with the blessings of peace and prosperity. Within a few weeks the public mind has bee n deeply affected by the death of Daniel Webster, fillinor at his decease the office ol Secretary of State. His associates in the Executive government have sincerely sympatliized with his family and the public generally on this mournful occasion. Ilis commanding taleuts, his great political and professional eminence, his well tried patriotism, and his long and faithful services, in the most important public trusts, have caused his death to be lamented throughout the country, and have earned for him a lasting place in our history. In the course of the last summer considerable anxiety was caused for a short time by au official intimation from the government of Great Britain that orders had been given for the protection of | the fisheries upon the coasts of the British provinces in North America against the alleged encroachmeuts of the fishing vessel of the Uuited States aud France. The shortuess of this notice and the season of the year seemed to make it a matter of urgent importance. It was at first apprehended that an increased naval force had been ordered tn fi?liincr orrnnnds tr> <virrv info ef feet the British interpretation of those provisions in the convention of 1818, in reference to the truo intent of which the two governments differ. It was soon discovered that such was not the dcbign of Great Britain, and satisfactory explanations of the real objects of the measure have been given both here and in London. The uuadjusted difference, however, between the two governments as to the interpretation of the first article of the conventioa of 1S18 is still a matter of importance. American fishing vessefe within nine or ten years have been excluded from waters to which they had free access for twenty live years alter the negotiation oi the treaty. In 1845 this exclusion was relaxed so far as concerns the Bay of Fundy, but the just and liberal intention of the llome government, in compliance with what we think the true con struction of the convention, to open all the other - outer bays to our fishermen, was abandoned, in consequence of the opposition of the colonies.? Notwithstanding this, the United States have, since the Bay of Fundy was reopened to our fishermen in 1845, pursued the most liberal coure toward the colonial fishing interests. By the revenue law of 1846, the duties on colonial fish entering our ports were very greatly reduced, and by the warehousing act it is allowed to be entered in bond without payment of duty. In this way colonial fish has acquired the monopoly of the export trade in our market, and is eutering to some extent into the home consumption.? These facts were among those which increased, the sensibility of our fishing interest, at the rnovc\ ment in qcstion. I These circumstances and the incidents above [ alluded to have led me to think the moment fa vorabJe for a reconsideration of the entire subject of the fisheries on the coasts of the British provinces, with a view to place them upon a.more liberal footing of reciprocal privilege. A willingness to meet us in some arrangement of this kind is understood to exist, on the part of Great Britain, with a desire on her part to include in one - comprehensive settlement, as well this subject as the commercial intercourse between the United States and the British provinces. I have thought that whatever arrangements may be made on these two subjects, it is expedient that they should be embraced in separate conventions. The illness ar.d death of the late Secretary of State prevented the commencement of the contemplated negotiation. Paius have been taken to collect the information required for the details of such au arrangement. The subject is attended with considerable difficulty. If it is found practicable to come to an agreement mutually acceptable to the two parties, conventions may be concluded in the course of the present winter. The control of Congress over all the provisions of such an arrangement, affecting the revenue, will of course be reserved. The affairs of Cuba formed a prominent topic in my last annual message. They remain in an ni'Msv rendition, and a feelin<? of alarm and ir U"V""V * "" 7 o ~ ritation on the ]>art of the Cuban authorities appears to exist. This feeling has interfered with the regular commercial intercourse between the United States and the island, and led to some acts of which we have a right to complain. But the Captain General of Cuba is clothed with no power to treat witn foreign governments, nor is - he in any degree under the control of the Spanish Minister at Washington. Any communication which he may hold with an agent of a foreign power is informal and matter of courtesy. Anxious to put an end to the existing invonveniencee, (which seemed to rest 011 a misconception,) I directed the newly-appointed Minister to Mexico to visit Havana, on his way to Vera Cruz, lie was respectfully received by the Captain General, who conferred with him freely on the recent occurrences; but 110 permanent arrange( ment was effected. Win the mean time, the refusal of the Captain w General to allow passengers and the mail to bo I f landed in certain cases, for a reason which docs | not furnish in the opinion of this Government t even a good presumptive ground for such a pro- c hibition, has been made the subject of a serious i remonstrance at Madrid ; and I have no reason ? to doubt that due respect will be paid by the e government of Iler Catholic Majesty to the representations which our Minister lias been instruc- ? ted to make on the subject. t It is but justice to the Captain General to add, j that bis conduct toward the steamers employed t to carry the mails of the United States to Ila- t vana has, v ith the exceptions above alluded to, t been marked with kindness and liberality, and i indicates no general purpose of interfering with \ the commercial correspondence and intercourse f between the island and this country. j t Early in the present year official notes were , c received from the Ministers of France and England, inviting the Government of the United ' c States to become a party with Great Britain and t France to a tripartite Convention, in virtue of 1 which the three powers should severally and col- c lectively disclaim, now and for the future, all in- i tctuiou to obtain possession of the Island of Cu- I ba, and should bind themselves to discountc- 1 nance all attempts to that effect on the part of \ any power or individual whatever. This invita- i tion has been respectfully declined, for reasons c which ;t would occupy too much space in this a communication to state in detail, but which led ? me to think that the proposed measure would be of doubtful constitutionality, impolitic, and 1; unavailing. I have, however, in common with s several of my predecessors, directed the Ministers ii of France and England to lie assured that the ii n?.,;nc? rs,. rl u iiilcu utaiw cijiaji tain iiv uvoi^no u^uiucw vu ba; but that, on the contrary, 1 should regard 1 its incorporation into the Union at the present o time as fraught with serious peril. g Were this island comparatively destitute of u inhabitants, or occupied by a kindred race, I fi should regard it, if voluntarily ceded by Spain, p as a most desirable acquisition. Uut, under ex- s isting circumstances, 1 should look upon its in- t: corporation into our Union as a very hazardous t measure. It would bring into the Confederacy s a population of a different national stock, spea- o king a different language, and not likely to liar- t< monize with the other members. It would pro- g bably affect in a prejudicial manner the industrial I interests of the South; and it might revive n those conflicts of opinion between the different t< sections of the country, which lately shook the e Union to its centre, and which have been so happily compromised. p The rejection by the Mexican Congress of the ? Convention which had been concluded between h that Republic and the United States, for the pro S| tectioli of a transit way across the Isthmus of n Tehuantepec and of the interests of those citi- Jj ac.is of the U11 licit fumes who had become pro- p p-ietors of the rights which Mexico had confer- d red on one of her own citizens in regard to that e; transit, has thrown a serious obstacle in the way o of the attainment of a very desirable national u ' , i .b.i it. ,i:r object, l am stui wining 10 nope ui.-ii, ui? un- v ferences on the subject which exist, or which t may hereafter arise, between the governments, p will be amicably adjusted.?This subject, howov ? or, has already engaged the attention of the t Senate of the United States, and requires no fi further comment in this communication. tl The settlement of the question respecting the o port of San Juan do Nicaragua, and of the con- o troversy between the republics of Costa Rica and it Nic iragua in regard to their boundaries, was n considered indispensable to the commencement tl rvf ft.ft ekin luifw/anri tllO t \\'C\ n^OHIW wllipfl f] was the subject of the Convention between the fi United States and Great Britain of the 19th r April, 1850. Accordingly a propositio i for the t< san e purpose addressed to the two governments o in that quarter, and to the Mosquito Indians, E was agreed to in April last by the Secretary of v State and the Minister of her Britanic Majesty. Besides the wish to aid in reconciling the differ- j. ences of the two republics, I engaged in the ne- c gotiation Iroin a desire to place the great work of a ship canal between the two oceans under t one jurisdiction, and to establish the important j, port of San Juan de Nicaragua under the gov- s eminent of a civilized power. The proposition t in question was assented to by Costa llica and ^ the Mosquito Indians. It has not proved equal- p lv acceptable to Nicaragua, but it is to be hoped j that the further negotiations on the subject which ^ arc in train will be carried on in that spirit of \, conciliation and compromise which ought always j. to prevail on such occasions, and that they will j Iz-.o/l EA o cntlcfaMnPV rncitlf A jv;avi iv/ <? o<?vi?7u?vvvij ^ I have the satisfaction to inform you that the t executive government of Venezuela has acknowl- a edged some claims of citizens of the United States i which have for many years past been urged by f our charge d'affaires at Caraccas. It is hoped t that the same i-ense of justice will actuate the I Congress of the Republic in providing the means a for their payment. I The recent revolution in Ruenos Ayrcs and i the confederated States having opened the pros- > pect of an improved state of tilings in that quar- I tor, the governments of Great Britain and France 1 determined to negotiate with the chief of the 1 new Confederacy for the free access of their com- f inorcc to the extensive countries watered by the I tributaries of the La Plata, and they gave a fnondlv notice of this nurnose to the United 1 " ,w,,v*v " i - i States, that we might if we thought proper pursue the same course. In compliance with this f invitation, our minister at Rio Janeiro and our c charge d'affaires at Buenos Ay res have been ful- ( ]y authorized to conclude treaties with the newly i organized Confederation, or the States compos- ( ing it. The delays which have taken place in s the formation of the new government have as \ yet prevented the execution of those instructions; ( but there is every reason to hope that these vast ( countries will be eventually opened to our com- 1 merce. * A treaty of commerce lias been concluded be- 4 tween the United States and the Oriental Re- i public ofUruguay, which will Ik; laid before the s Senate. Should I his Convention go into opera- t ion, it will open to the commercial enterprise of o >ur citizens a country of great extent and unsur- d lassed in natural resources, but from which for- t sign nations have hitherto been almost wholly I ixcluded. f The correspondence of the late Secretary of *> state with the Peruvian charge d'affaires relative 4 o the Lobos Islands was communicated to Con- \ jress toward the close of the last session. Since c hat time, on further investigation of the subject, a he doubts which had been entertained of the tile of Peru to those islands have been removed ; t tnd I have deemed it just that the temporary s vrong which had been unintentionally done her, c rom want of information, should be repaired by a in unreserved acknowledgment of her sover- \ _ ..... 1 I have the satisfaction to inform you that the b :ourse pursued by l'eru lias been creditable to c lie liberality of her government. Before it was i mown by her that her title would be acknowl- 1 dged at Washington, her Minister of Foreign t flairs had authorized our charge d'affaires to r ^iina to announce to the American vessels which t lad gone to the Lobos for guano, that the Peru- t ian government was willing to freight them on f ts own account. This intention has been carri- d d into effect by the Peruvian Minister here, by s m arrangement which is believed to be advanta- li ;cous to the parties in interest. L Our settlements on the shores of the Pacific lave already given a great extension, and in |( oinc respects a new direction, to our commerce j n that ocean. A direct and rapidly increasing s ri?op/>Aiir<o fins enmnrr nn with Pnst^rn Asia. ?lie waters of the Northern Pacific, even into the p Arctic sea, have of late years been frequented by 0 >ur whalemen. The application of steam to the q ;cneral purposes of navigation is becoming daily iiore common, and makes it desirable to obtain uel and other necessary supplies at convenient p ioints on the route between A>ia and the Pacific y hores. Our unfortunate countrymen who from ^ imc to time sutler shipwreck on the coasts of p he eastern seas a^e entitled to protection. Be- y ides these specific objects, the general prosperity 0 f our States on the Tacific requires that an at- n empt should l?c made to open the opposite re- a ;ions of Asia to a mutually beneficial intercourse. ,j L is obvious that this attempt could be made by j| o power to so great advantage as by the Uni- j, ed States, whose constitutional system excludes ,, very idea of distant colonial dependencies. 0 I have accordingly been led to order an ap I ropriate naval force to Japan, under the coin- f; land of a discreet and intelligent officer of the ii ighest rank known to onr service. He is in- \ tructed to endeavor to obtain from the govern- s< lent of that country some relaxation of the in- I' osnitalile ariil anll-snrij! ^ ursued for about two centuries, lie has been ti irected particularly to remonstrate in the strong fi it language against the cruel treatment to which a ur shipwrecked mariners have often been sub- v ctcd, and to insist that they shall be treated f< ritli humanity. lie is instructed however at v he same time to give that government the am- L lest assurance that the objects of the United t States are such and such only as I have indica- 1 cd, and that the expedition is friendly and peace- c ill. Notwithstanding the jealousy with which n lie governments of Eastern Asia regarded all r vcrturcs from foreigners, I am not without hopes r f a beneficial result of the expedition. Should y , be crowned with success, the advantages will e ot be confined to the UuiteJ States, but, as in c lie case of Chinq, will be equally enjoyed by all 1: he other maritine powers. I have much satis- t iction in staling that in all the steps prcparato- ? y 10 this expedition the Government of the Uni- r ?d States has been materially aided by the good c Rices of the King of the Netherlands, the only r iuropenn power having any commercial relations t rith Japan. t In i inssing from the survey of our foreign re-itions, I invite the attention of Congress to the 11 ondition of that department of the Government 1 o which this branch of the public business is en- 1 ? * 4 < ! ihIAMAAIIIOA hi, r>-kWAt(Vn r\AWOKJ I] I UMUU. * 'UI IIILCI^UUIOU Willi lUICI^U j'uuuo ias of late years greatly increased, both in con- 11 equcnce of our own growth and the introducion of many new States into the family of na- t ions. In this way the Department of State lias ci >ecome overburdened. It has, by the recent es- t ablishmctit of the Department of the Interior, t ieen relieved of some portion of the domestic q msincss. If the residue of the business of that J :ind, such as the distribution of Congressional t locumcnts, the keeping, publishing and distribuion of the laws of the IJ nited States, the cxecu- t ion of the copyright law, the subject of reprieves d md pardons, and some other subjects relating to a nterior administration, should be transferred e rom the Department of State, it would unques- t ionably be for the benefit of the public service, t would also suggest that the building appropri- I ited to the State Department is not fire proof; j mi. thorn is reason tn think there are defects ill \ ts construction, and that the archives of the Go- i eminent in charge of the Department, with the t irecious collections of the manuscript papers of Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and r \Ionroe, are exposed to destruction by tire. A c irailar remark may be made of the buildings ap- t iropriated to the War and Navy Departments. \ The condition of the Treasury is exhibited in c ,he annual report from that Department. f The cash receipts into the Treasury for the r iscal year ending the 30th June last, exclusive 1 >f trust funds, were forty-nine millions seven hun- ' 1 red and twentv-eirrht thousand three hundred ' ind eighty-six dollars and eighty-nine cents, ' ?40,728,380,89) and tlio expenditures for the c iame period, likewise exclusive of trust funds, s vere forty-six millions seven thousand eight hun- I Ircd and ninety-six dollars and twenty cents, ( $40,007,896,20,) of which nine millions four 1 lundrcd and fifty-five thousand eiglit hundred ^ ind fifteen dollars and eighty-three cents ($9,- 1 155,815,83) was on account for the principal and f riterest of the public debt, including the last in- 1 tallment of the indemnity b> Mexico, under the * rcaty of Ouadaloiipe Jlidalgo, leaving a balance ' if $14,032,135,37 in the Treasury on the first lay of July hist. Since this latter period, furher purchases of the principal of the public debt lave been -made to the extent of two millions our hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred ind forty-seven dollars and forty-nine cents, (?2,150,547,49,) and the surplus in the Treasury vill continue to be applied to that object, when:\er the slock can be procured within the limits, us to pi ice, authorized by law. The value of foreign merchandise imported i : *i.? i n i * i i.. .1 i iumiijj int* msi nscai year was iwo nunurca ana even millions two hundred and forty thousand me hundred and one dollars, ($207,240,101;) ind the value of domestic productions ex|)orted vas one hundred and forty nine millions eight lundred and sixty one thousand nine hundred tnd eleven doliars, ($149,801,911;) besides sevmtcen millions two hundred and four thousand ind twenty-six dollars ($17,204,02G) of foreign, nerchandise exported; making the aggregate of he entire exports one hundred and sixty-seven nilliotis sixty-five thousand nine hundred and hirty seven dollars, (108,005,937;) exclusive of he above there was exported forty-two millions ive hundred and seven thousand and two hun [red and eighty-five dollars (?42,407,285) in pecie; and imported from foreign ports five railions two hundred and sixty-two thousand six mndred and forty-three dollars, ( 5,262,043.) In my first annual message to Congress I cal?d your attention to what seemed to me some lefects in the present tariff, and recommended uch modifications as in my judgement were best daptcd to remedy its evils and promote the rosperity of the country. Nothing has since ccurred to change my views on this important uestion. Without repeating the arguments contained 1 my former message, in favor of discriminating rotective duties, I deem it my duty to call it our attention to some considerations affecting his subject. The first is the effect of large im ortations ot toreigns goods upon our currency, lost of tlie gold from California, as fast as it is oined, tinds its way directly to Europe in paylent for goods purchased. In the second place s our manufacturing establishments are broken own by competition with foreigners, the capital uvested in them is lost, thousands of honest and idustrious citizens aro thrown out of employicnt, and the farmer to that extent is deprived f a home market for the sale of his produce.? n the third place <he destruction of our manuicturcs leaves the foreigner without competition a our market, and he consequently raises the >rice of the article sent here for sale, as is now ron in the increased cost of iron imported from aiglaud. The prosperity and wealth of ever}: ivn .ritr-v Or-prttrl lipOtl ItS prOOUeilVO llltlUSry. The farmer is stimulated to exertion by nding a ready market for his surplus products, ncl l\r>npfittr>fl liv hoi nor Jihln to pvehnnnro t.hpm > ithout lass of time or expense of transportation jr tlie manufactures whichjiis comfort an 1 conenience requires. This is always done to the est advantage where a portion of thecommuniy in which he lives is engaged in other pursuits. Jut most manufactures require an amount of apital and a practical skill which cannot be commanded uuloss they be protected for a time from uinous competition frcm abroad. Hence the icccssity of laying those duties upon imported ;oods which the Constitution authorizes for rcvnue, in such a manner as to protect and cnouratre the labor of our own citizens. Duties lowevcr should not be fixed at a rate so high as o exclude the foreign article, but should be so jradtiated as to enable the domestic manufaetuer fairly to compete with the foreigner in our iwn own markets, and by this competition to edueo the price of the manufactured article to he consumer to the lowest rate at which it can >e produced. This policy would place the mehanic by the side of the fainter,create a mutual nterchange of their respective commodities, and hus stimulate the industry of the whole counry and render us independent of the foreign lations for the supplies required by the habits or icceasities of the people. Another question, wholly independent of pro cction, presents Jtselt ana tii.il is wnctncr me lutics levied should l>e upon the \ alue of the ariele at the place of shipment or where it is pracicable a specific duty graduated according to [iiantity as ascertained by weight or measure.? Vll our duties arc at present <td volurcm. A coram per centage is levied on the price of the ;oods at the port of shipment in a foreign counry. Most commercial nations have found it inlispensable, for the purpose of preventing fraud ,nd perjury to make the duties specific whenevr the article is of such a uniform value in weight ir measure as to justify such a duty. Legislaion should never encourage dishonesty or crime, t is impossible that the revenue officers at the >ort where the goods are entered and the duties mid should know with certainly what they cost 11 a foreign country. Yet the law requires that hey should levy the duty according to such cost. ?'They arc therefore compelled to resort to vey unsatisfactory evidence to ascertain what that :ost was. They take the invoice of the imporer, attested hy his oath, as the best evidence of vhich the nature of the ease admits. Hat every >ne must see that the invoice may be fabricated, md the oath by which it is supported false, by cason of which the dishonest importer pays a mrt only of the duties which are paid by the lonest one, and thus indirectly receives from the rensury of the United States a reward for his rand and neriurv. The reports of the Secretary >f the Treasury heretofore made on this subjecthow conclusively that these frauds have been practiced to a great extent. The tendency is to lestroy that high moral character for which our nerchants have long been distinguished ; to dcraud the Government of its revenue; to break lown the honest importer by a dishonest compeition ; and, finally, to transfer the business of mportation to foreign and irresponsible agents, o the great detriment of our own citizens. 1 herelbre again most earnestly recommend the adoption of specific duties, wherever it is practiI cable, or a home valuation, to>j>re\cnt these frauds. I would also again call your attention to the fact that the present tariff in sonje cases imposes a higher duty upon the raw material imported than upon the article manufactured from it, the consequence of which is that the duty operates to the discouragement of our own citizens. For full and detailed information in regard to the general coudition of our Indian affairs, I respectfully refer you to the report of the Secretary of the Interior and the accompanying documents. * * * * The report from the General Land Office shows increased activity in its operations. The survey of the northern boundary of Iowa has been completed with unexampled despatch. Within the last, vnnr 0 n99 oorrxa r%f lor*/l v J - ? VJVMJWV "VI vw VI J/UVHV IU1IU ua>^7 been surveyed, and 8,032,468 acres brought into market. ' Iu the last fiscal year there were sold. 1,553,071 acres. Located with bounty land warrants, 3,201,314 " Located with other certificates, 115 582 " Making a total of 4,870,067 " In addition, there were? Reported under swamp land grants, 5,219,188 " For internal improvements, rail roads, 4c. 3,025,920 " Making an aggregato of 13,115,175 " Being an increase in the amount of lands sold and located under land warrants of 569.220 acres over the previous year. The whole amount thus sold, located under land warrants, reported under swamp land grants, and selected for internal improvements, exceeds that of the previous year by 3,342,372 acres; and the sales would, without doubt, have been much larger but for the extensive reservations for rail roads in Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama. For the quaite: ending 30th September, 1852, there were sold 243,255 acres. Located with bounty land warrants, 1,387,116 " Located with other certificates, 15,649 " Reported under swamp land grants, 2,4S5,233 " Making an aggregate for the quarter of 4,131,253 i * * * J * * Every effort has been made to protect our frontier, and that of the adjoining Mexican States, from the incursions of the Indian tribes. Of about 11,000 men of which the army is compo1 1 ^ 1 1 * iL . 1 sen, nearly e,uuu are employed m me aeience of the newly acquired territory, (including Texas,) and of emigrants proceeding thereto. I am gratified to say that these efforts have been unusually successful. California and Oregon, and occasional depredations on a^portion^jof the.Rio _ state of that border region, the inroads of the Indians have been effectually restrained. Experience has shown, however, that whenever the two races are brought into contact, collisions|will inevitably occur. To prevent these collisions the United States have generally set apart portions of their territory for the exclusive occupation of the Indian tribes. A difficulty occurs however, in the application of this policy to Texas. By the terms of the compact by which that State was admitted into the Union, she retained the ownership of all the vacant lands within her limits. The government of that State, it is understood, has assigned no por tion ofher territory to the Indians; but as fast as her settlements advance lays it off into counties, and proceeds to survey and sell it. Tb's policy manifestly tends, not only to alarm and irritate the Indians, but to compel them to resort to plunder for subsistence. It also deprives this Government of that influence and control over them without which no durable peace can ever exist between them,and the whites. I trust, therefore, that a due regard for-her own interests, apart from considerations of huinan'ty and justice, w ill induce that State to assign a small portion ofher vast domain for the provisional occupancy of the small remnants of tribes within her borders, subject of course to her ownership and eventual jurisdiction. If sho should fail to do this, the fulfilment of our treaty stipulations with Mexico, and our duty to the Indians themselves, will, it is feared, become a subject of serious embarrassment to the Government. It is hoped, however, that a timely and just provision bv Texas may avert this evil. No'appropriations for fortifications were made at the two last sessions of Congress. The causoof this omission is, probably, to bo found in agrowing belief that the system of fortificatious adopted in 1816, and heretofore acted, on, requires revision. The subject certainly deserves full and'caretui investigation; but it should not be delayed longer than can be avoided. In the meantime there are certain works which have boon commenced?some of them nearly completed?designed to protect our principal seaports from Boston to New Orleans, and a few other important points. In nigard to the ueoessity for these works, it is believed that little difference of opinion exists among Military men. I therefore recommend that the appropriations uecessaiy to. prosecute them bo made. I invite your attention to the remarks on thfe suhiuct. and on othcis connected with bis Oe o / . partraent, contained in the accompanying report of the Secretary of War. Measures have been taken to carry into effect the law of the last session, making provision for [ the improvement of certain rivera and harbors, and it is believed thnt the arrangements made for that purpose will combine efficicnoy with economy. Owing chiefly to the advanced season when the act was passed, little has yet been done in regard to many of the works beyond making the necessary preparations, With respect to a few of the improvements, the sums already appropriated will suffice to completo them, but most of them will require additional appropriations. I trust that these appropriations will be made, and that this wise and beneficent policy, so auspiciously resumed, will be continued. Great earn