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J5r
.-ar'i-ffr i-s-L iv4i6: juutcu- s
XoUhaveSbeea assembled m tourresnec-,
atearit:? ths sifffitatuire o the illastrious cUi-4
;!kt!rth$.3re5 Utelrvcalled iy 'the diredt
i cuEhjcs "of the people: to the dbarge 16(
: iriue luijroriaiJviuuviigna -iii meir vinu uae
; 5.1 cutWe ofBce I Upbiribe exmration roT a siri
gie.monia iroai lae a ay 01 nis lnsiauauon.
Jbe has paid i the.ereat deb of nature, leac
,in? oeuinu mm a name-associaieu wiui ine
Plecollectioh: ofufneroui
upon the country duri h alohsr I i fe of patri
otic tlevotipnif With this pubHq bereave-
' oent are - OOnnected r other considerations
which will hot escape the attentioa of Coii
:VZ :(tessThe preparati ons hecessary for. h is
v residehce m ifbutyears must bavede
folded upon the lato President heavy expen
s- -l oiiureswnoiijiTOiue puraen tne
-J g timj teaieu rf ei
" :,tend setiouilyjtoi jtnORenibaassment of his
l. ortiving Caniiiyj and it is therefore Aspect-
;r ; tuny suDmmett 10 congress Tvnetncr the or;
;7;dinary principles
xata xne DrooneiViOi its ieinsiaiive.inierposi'
Jtiry:rihftroV
; latWj toe powers ant duties ot me .-mgn sia
- ijon to which be waas elected have devolved
UDonine and in the dispositions of the rep.
resentatives of thejStates and of the people
" wSlI W fonndio a fereat extent a solution of
the problem to which our institutions are for
. . ines nrsi time suojt;cieu .
i i i-In enterinfffupon the duties of th'13 office
I; did not feel that it would be becoming in
me to disturb what had' been ordered by my
lamented predecessor, i Whatever therefore
tniy have been rty) opinion, originally, as to
the propriety i of Icon vening Congress at so
early; a day from that ofit3 late adjournnlent,
1 1. -fqiind a ne'jSLitidla controlling inducement
j not to. interfere With'the patriotic desires o
h the late Presicientl in the novelty of the situ
V etion in which I was so unexpectedly placed
U My first wish, liniler such circumstances
would necessarily have been to have called
to my aid, in the administration of public af-
. fairs, the combined; Wisdora of the.two Houses
. of Congress, in order to take their counse
and advice as to1 the best mode of extricat
; ing1 the Government and the country from
ine emDarrassments weignmg neavuy on
' both; l am then most, happy in finding my
self, so soon after my accession to thePresi
dency, siirrodnded by the immediate repre
. resentati ves of the States and people.
ITSJolmSwtant changes having taken plac
in our forefgn relations since the last session
of Congress," it is not deemed Necessary on
this occasion to go into a detailed statcmen
. in. regard to them.; I I am happy to say that
- 1 see nothing. to destroy the hope of bein
" able to preserve peace.
The ratification of the treaty with Portu
gal has been duly i exchanged between the
t twot Governments; ' This Government has
not been inattentive to the interests of those
of our citizenslwbo have claims on the Gov-
efniiieut tf Ouam founded u pi trrty
stipulations, and a hope is indulged that the
repfesentationai which j have been made to
' that; Government on this subject may lead
re ilone to beneficial results.
! A Correspondence has taken place between
the Secretary of State ;and the Minister of
Her Britannic i Majesty accredited to this
' Government, op the sdbject of Alexander
McLeod's indictment and imprisonment, co
pies of .which are herewith communicated
to. Congress '
In addition to 'what appears from these pa
! pers, it may be! proper to state that Alexan-
der McLeod has been heard by the Supreme
Court of the State of New York on his mo
tion to be discharged j from imprisonment,
. and that the decision of that Court has not
as vet been pronounced.
TJie Secretary of State has addressed to
r "me a paoer lioon two subiects, interesting to
!the commerce of he country, which will re
ceitre mr consideration, and which I have
the honor to communicate to Congress.
j j So far as it depends on the course of this
I Government, our relations of good-will ana
:' .friendship will be-sedulously cultivated with
. all nations. jTlieltrue American policy will
be found to consist: in the exercise of a spi
rit of justice ! to be. manifested in the dis
, charge o( all oqr international obligations,
to the weakest of the family of nations, as
well as to the most powerful. Occasional
conflicts of opinion may arise, but when the
discussions- incident to them are conducted
ia.the language of truth, and with a strict
regard to justice the scourge of war will for
the most part be, avoided. The time ought
to be regarded as having gone by when a re
Sort to arms is to be esteemed as the only
proper arbiter of national differences.
The cerfsus recently taken shows a regu-
Upon the breaking! out of the war of the Re
volution, our numbers scarcely equalled three
millions of souls j; fihey already exceed sev
enteen millions,; arid will continue to pro
gress in a ratio which duplicates in a period
of about iwenty-thrpc years The old States
t contain a territory sufficient in itself to main
tain a population of additional millions, and
the most populous jof the new States may
even yet be regarded as but partially set
tled, while of the liew lands on this side of
the Rocky Mountains, to say nothing of the
immense region which stretches from the
. base of those mountains to the mouth of the
Columbia river, about 770,000,000 of acres,
ceded and unceded,still remain to be brought
into market. We hold out to the people 'of
other countries; a n-; invitation to come and
settle among us jisj members of our rapidly?
gTOwingfamjly ; ;and, for the blessings which
we offer them, we require pf them to look
upon our country as their country, and to
- unite with us: in the; great task of preserving
. our institutions.! and thereby perpetuating
L jojujr liberties. I. No" rhovc exists for foreign
; ponqiiest. ; We idestre but to reclaim our al-
moat illimitable wildornesses, and to intro
dace' into their deptlia the; lights of civiliza
; jfibri. While iwe;a,hMl at alt times be pre'
paistTto viridicatci the national honor, our
most- earnest desirewill be to maintain an
Iqresehtinihe i fbregotngrieWS, l'cah
flo withhold.thc expressioa of the opinion
i-uav .iuere exi?n3 noming in ine exieasion pi
our empire oyer our Acknowledged posses
sions' to excite the aTarai of the patriot for
saieiy oi our. ins wiuiions. -, 4 ne x euera
ive system, leaviDg to each State the care
pf its depestic concerns, and devolving on
the -Federal Government those of general
lmpprif aamits in saieiy 01 tne greatest ex
pansion, but. at the same time, i deem it
proper to add that there will be found to ex
isi, at an times an imperious necessity ior
restraining all the functionaries of this Gov
ernment within the ranee of their respective
powers, thereby preserving a just balance
between the powers granted to this Govern
merit and those reserved to the States and to
the people.
' From the report of the Secretary of the
Treasuiy,feyoui will: perceive that the fiscal
uicuiis jircBt-iii, auu accruing are insuiiiuitini
to supply the wants of the Government for
tbe eurrerit vear. The balance in the Trea-
sufy on the fourth day of March last, riot
covered, by outstanding drafts and exclusive
oftrust fundsj is estimated at $860,000.--Thislncludes
thesum of $215,000 deposited
in tne, mint ana its prancnes to procure me
tal : for. coming and in ; process of coinage
anqhichteould f riotibe withdrawn without
iijwrivenienge iitnus leaving suDject 10 cirait
in the various deDositorie the aura of S845.
wyy. ijoy virtue o'twoiberai acts 01 vjob
gress, the Secretary of the Treasury was;au
thprized to issue, on and after the fourth day
of March last. Treasury notes to the amount
of $5,41 3,000, making an aggregate availa
ble fund of 86,058,000 on hand.
But this fund was chargeable with out
standing Treasury notes redeemable in the
current year and interest thereon to the es
timated amount of five million tw'p hundred
and eighty thousmd dollars. There is alio
I thrown upon the Treasury the payment of a
large amount of demands accrued in whole
or in part in former years, which willexhaust
the available means of the Treasury, and
leave the accruing revenue, reduced as it fs
in amount, burdened with debt and charged
with the current expenses of the Govern-
msnf. , The aggregate amount of outstand
ing appropriatipns on the fourth day of. Match
last was 833,429,616 50, of which $24,210,
000 will be required during the current year;
and iherc will also be required for the usurbf
the War Department additional approp'ria
tions to the amount of two million five hun
dred and eleven thousand one hundred arid
thirtytvo dollars and ninety -eight cents, the
special objects of which will be seen by re
ference to the report of the Secretary of War.
Ths anticipated means of the Treasury
are greatly inadequate tp this -demand. The
receipts from customs for the last three quar
ters of the last year, and the first quarter bf
the. present year, amounted to $12,100,000 ;
the receipts for lands for the same time to
$2,742,450 ; showing an average revenue
from both sources of $1,236,870 per month.
A gradual expansion of trade" growing out of
a restoration of confidence, together with j a
reduction in the expenses of collecting, and
punctuality on the part of collecting officer,
may cause an auuition to me mommy re
lr?iptg frnm.thft guslomilheyare estima-J
ted for the residue of the year, from the fourth
of March, at $12,000,000 ; the receipts from
the public lands for the same time arc esti
mated at $2,500,000; and from miscellane
ous sources at $170,000 ; making an aggre
gate of available fund within the year of
$14,670,000; which will leave a probable
deficit of $11,406,132 98. To meet tlfis,
some temporary provision is necessary, untM
the amount can be absorbed by the excess of
revenues which are anticipated to accrue at
no distant day.
There will fall due within the next three
months Treasury notes of the issues of 1840,
including interest, about $2,850,000. There
is chargeable in the same period for arrear
ages for taking the sixth census $294,000 ;
and the estimated expenditures for the cur
rent service are about $8,100,000, making
the aggregate demands upon the Treasury,
prior to the first of September next, about
$11,340,000.
The ways and means in the Treasury, and
estimated to accrue within the above named
period, consist of about $694,000, of funds
available on the 28th ultimo; an unissued
balance of Treasury notes authorized by the
act of 1841, amounting to $1,955,000, and
estimated receipts from all sources, of $3;
800,000, making an aggregate of about $6
450,000, and leaving a probable deficit oh
the 1st of September next of $i,845,000. j
In order to supply the wants of the Gov
ernment, an intelligent constituency, in view
of their best interests, will, without hesita
tion, submit to all necessary burdens. But
it is nevertheless importantso toimpose them
as to avoid defeating the just expectations
of the country, growing out of pre-existing
laws. The act of the 2d March, 1833, corn
monlv called the compromise act, should not
be altered except under urgent necessities
"which are not believed at this time to exist.
One year only remains to complete the serie$
of reductions provided tor by that law, at
which time provisions made by the same law
and which then will be brought actively irj
aid of the manufacturing , interests of the
Union, will not fail to produce the most ben
eficial results. Under asystem of discrimU
nating duties imposed for purposes of reve
nue, in unison with the provisions 6i exist
ing laws, it is to be hoped that our policy
will, in the future, be fixed and permanent;
so as to avoid those constant fluctuations
which defeat the very objects they have in
view. We shall thus best maintain a posU
tion which, while it will enable us the more
readily to. meet the advances of other coun
tries calculated to promote our trade and
commerce, will at the same time leave in
our own hands the means of retaliating with)
greater effect unjust regulations. ' j
In intimate connexion with the question!
of revenue is that which makes provision foij
a suitable fiscal agent capable of adding in
creased facilities in the" collection and disj
bursement of the public revenues, rendering
more secure their custody, and consulting a
true economy in the great multiplied and del
icate operations of the Treasury Department.
Upon cuch aniigent depends, in ah eminent
degree, the establishment of a currency of
uniform value, which is of so great impor-
i - -f . : . - j i . . . . ..: r -- ----- - - . - - ' ki i n
tarice to allthe essential interest30f sbcielrr
andJoathe wisdom ;to be: manifested 1 in iu
creation much depends Sointimately in
terwoveri are its operations, not only with the
interests ot Individuals, but with those jof the
States," that it may be regarded in a great de
gree as controlling both. If paper be used
as tne chief medium of circulation, and the
power be vested in the Government of issu
ing it at pleasure, either in the form of Trea
sury drafts or anv other, or if Banks be used
ai the public depositories, with lrerty to re-
garu an surpiuases irom day ta flay, as so
much added to their active capita, prices are
exposed to constant fluctuations, and indus
try " jto severe suffering. In the one case, po-
uiicui considerations, uirectea to pariy pur
posjes, tnay control, while excessive cupidi
ty' may prevail in the other The public is
thus constantly liable to imposition. Ex
pansions and contractions may follow each,
other in rapid succession, the one engender
ing a reckless spirit of adventure and spec.,
ulatior), which embraces States as well as in
dividuals ; the other causing a fall in prices
and accomplishing an entire change in the
aspect of affairs. Stocks of all kind's rapidly
decJine-'-individuals are ruined, and States
embarrassed even in their efforts to meet
with punctuality the interest on their debts.
Such, unhappily, is the state of things now
existing Writhe IJnited
may? readily be traceto the CJk:s abbv
referred Xo The public reyenseSWon being
removed from the thenSank ofctISfUnited4
States, under an order of a late President,
were placed in selected State Banks, which,
actuated by the doublemotive of conciliating
the Government and augmenting their pro
fits to the greatest possible extent,. enlarged
extravagantly iheir discounts, thus enabling
all other existing Banks to do the same.
Large dividends were declared, which, stim
ulating the cupidity Of capitalists, caused a
rush to be made to the Legislatures of the
respective States for similar acts of incorpo
ration, which; by many of the States, under
a temporary infatuation, were readily grant
ed, and thus the augmentation of the circu
lating medium, consisting almost exclusive
ly of paper, produced a most fatal delusion.
An illustration, derived from the land sales
of the psriod alluded to, will serve best to
show the effect of the whole system. The
average sales of the public lands, for a peri
od of ten years prior to 1834, had, not much
exceeded $2,000,000 per annum." In 1834
they attained, in round numbers, to the
amount of $6,000,000. In the succeeding
year of 1835 they reached $16,000,000. And
the next year, of 1836, they amounted to the
enormous sum of $25,000,000. Thus crowds
ing into the short space of three years up
wards of twenty-three years' purchase of the
public domain. So apparent had become the
necessity of arresting this course of things,
that the Executive department assumed the
highly questionable power of discriminating
in the funds to be used in payment by dif
ferent classes of public debtors a discrimi
nation which was doubtless designed to cor
rect this most ruinous state of things by the
exaction of specie in all payments for the
public lands, but which could not at once
arrest the tide which bad so strongly set in.
ilence the r demands for specie became un:
easTngranoT cVrrespondirprosti!&tibn ra
pidly ensued under the necessities, crea
ted with the Banks to curtail their discounts,
land thereby to reduce their circulation.
:I recur to these things with no disposition
to censure pre-existing administrations of
the Government, but simply in exemplifica
tion of the truth of the position which I have
assumed. If, then, any fiscal agent which may
be created shall be placed, without due re
strictions, either in the hands of the adminis
trators of the Government, or those of private
individuals, the temptation to abuse will
prove to be resistless. Objects of political
aggrandizement may seduce the first, and
the promptings of a boundless cupidity will
assail the last. Aided by the experience of
the past, it will be the pleasure of Congress
o to guard and fortify the public interests,
n the creation of any new agent, as to place
them, so far as human wisdofn caif accom
plish it, on a footing of perfect security.
Within a few years past, three different
schemes have been before the country. The
charter of the Bank of the United States ex
pired by its own limitation in 1836. An
effort was made to renew it, which receiv
ed the sanction of the two Houses of Con
gress, but the then President of the United
States exercised his veto power, and the
measure was defeated. A regard to truth
requires me to say that the President was
fully sustained in the course he had taken
ty the popular voice. His successor in the
Chair of State unqualifiedly pronounced his
Opposition to any new charter of a similar
institution; arid not only the popular elec
tion which brought him into power, but the
elections through much of his term, seemed
clearly to indicate a concurrence with him
in sentiment on the part of the people. After
Jthe public, moneys were witiidrayir fromjhe
unitear states canK, mey were pracea in ae
posite with the State banks, and- the result
of that policy has been before the country.
To say nothing. as to the question whether
that experiment was made under propitious
or adverse circumstances, it may safely be
asserted that it did receive the unqualified
Condemnation of most of its early advocates,
and it is. believed was also condemned by
the popular sentiment. The existing sub
Treasury svstem does not seem to stand in
higher favor with the people, but has recent
ly been condemned in a manner too plainly
indicated to admit of a doubt. Thus, in the
snort period of eight years, the popular voice
may be regarded as having successively con
demned each of the three schemes of finance
to which I have adverted. As to the first,
it was introduced at a time (1816) when the
State banks, then comparatively few in num
ber, had been forced to suspendpecie pay
ments, by reafeon of the warrlficbad pre
viously prevailed withGreat Britain Wheth
er, if the United States Bank charter which
expired in 1811 had been renewed in due sea
son, it would have been enabled to continue
ppscie payments during the war and the disas
trous oeriod to the commerce of the coun
try which immediately succeeded, is, to say
the least, problematfcal : and whether the
United States Bank of 1816 produced a res
toration of specie payments, or the same was
accomplished through thelhstrtimentalityoi
other means, was a matter of some difficul
ty at that lime to determine Certain' it is,
that, for the first years of the operation of
that bank, its course was as disastrous as for
the greater part of its subsequent career it
became eminently successful. As to the
second, the experiment was tried with a re
dundant Treasury, which continued to in-,
crease until it seemed to be the part of wis
dom to distribute the surplus revenue among
the States, which, operating at the same time
with the specie circular, and the causes be
fore adverted to, caused" them to suspend
specie payments, and involved the country
in the greatest embarrassment. And, as to
the third, if carried through all the stages of
its transmutation, from paper and specie to
nothing but the precious metals, to say noth
ing of the insecurity of the public moneys,
its injurious effects have been anticipated by
the country in its unqualified condemnation.
What,is now to be regarded as the judgment
of the American people on this whole sub
ject, I have no accurate means of determin
ing, but by appealing to their more immedi.
ate representatives. The late contest which
terminated in the election of Gen. Harri
son to the. Presidency, was decided on prin
ciples well knownand openly declared : and,
while the sub-Treasury received in the re
sult the most decided condemnation, yet no
other sCal.e;esetmed tohate been
concurred in. To y6tr,4henl who have come
moredirectly from the body of our common
constituents, 1 submit the entire question,
as best qualified to give a full exposition
of their wishes and opinions. I shall be
ready to concur with you in the adoption of
such system as you may propose, reserving
to myself the ultimate power of rejecting
any measure which may in my view of it
conflict with the Constitution, or otherwise
jeopard the prosperity of the country; a pow
er which I could not part with even if I
would, but which I will not believe any act
of your3 will calt into requisition.
I cannot avoid recurring, in connexion
with this subject, to the necessity which ex
ists for adopting some suitable measure
whereby the unlimited creation of banks by
the States may be corrected in future. Such
result can be most readily achieved by the
consent of the Elates, to be expressed in the
form of a compact among themselves, which
they can only enter into with the consent
and approbation of thi Government ; a. con
sent which might, in the present emergency
of the public demands, justifiably be given
in advance of any action by the States as an
inducement to such action upon term3 well
defined by the act of tender. Such a mea
sure, addressing itself to the calm reflection
of the States, would find in the experience
of the past, and the condition of the present,
much to sustain it. And it is greatly to bel
1 1 1 l 1 I ' T
uouoieu wnexner any scnemc oi nnance can
prove for any length of time successful, while
the States shall continue in the unrestrained
exercise of the power of creating banking
corporations., This power can only be iimi-.
ted by their consent.
With the adoption of a financial agency
of a satisfactory character, the hope may be
indulged that the country may once more
return to a state of prosperity. Measures
auxiliary thereto, amfy in some measure,n
separably connected with its success, will
doubtless claim the attention of Congress.-
Among such, a distrbution of the proceeds
of the sales of the public lands, provided
such distribution does not force upon Congress
the necessity of imposingupon commerce hea
vier burdens than those contemplated by the
act of 1833, would act as an efficient reme
dial measure by being brought directly in
aid of the States. As one sincerely devoted
to the task of preserving a just balance in
our system of government, by the mainten
ance of the States in a condition the most free
and respectable, and in the full possession
of all their power, I can no otherwise than
feel desirous for their emancipation from
the situation to which the pressure on their
finances now subjects them. And, while I
must repudiate as a measure founded in er
ror, and wantiugconstitutional sanction, the
slightest approach to an assumption by this
Government of the debts of the States, yet
I can see, in the distribution adverted to,
much to recommend it. The compacts be
tween the proprietor States and this Govern
ment expressly guaranty to the States all the
benefits which may arise from the sales.
The mode by which this is to be effected ad
dresses itself to the discretion of Congress,
as the trustee for the States ; and its exercise,
after the most beneficial manner, is restrain
ed by nothing in the grants or in the Con
stitution, so long as Congress shall consult
that equality in the distribution which the
compacts require. Jn the present condition
of some of the States, the question of distri
bution may be regarded as substantially a j
question between directandindirecttaxation.
If the distribution be not made 4 n some form
or other, the necessity will daily become
more urgent with the debtor States for a re-
sorr. to an oppressive system of direct taxa
tion, or their credit, and necessarily, .their
power and influence, will be greatly dimin
ished. The payment of taxes, after the most
inconvenient and oppressive mode, will be
exacted in place of contributions for the
most part voluntarily made, and therefore
comparatively unoppressive. The States are
emphatically the constituents of this Govern
ment; and we should be entirjely regardless
of the objects held in view by them in the
creation of this Government if we could be
indifferent to their good. The happy effects
of such a measure upon all the States would
immediately be manifested. With the-debt-or
States it would effect the relief to a great
extenfof the citizens from a heavy burden
of direct taxation which presses with sever
ity on the laboring classes, and eminently
assist in restoring the general prosperity.
An immediate advance would take place in
the.price of the State secy rities, and the at
titude of the States would become once
more, as it should ever be, lofty and erect.
With States laboring under no extreme pres
sure fom debt, the fund which they would
derive from this source would enable them
to improve their condition in an eminent de
gree. So far as this Government is concern
ed, appropriations to domestic objects, ap
proaching in amount the revenue derived
from the land sales, might be abandoned,
and thus a system of nnaara1Lhrefbre
unjust legislation would be substituted by
one dispensing equality to all the members
of this confederacy . Whether' such j jrjistri
bution should be made directly to tbi States
in the proceeds of the sales, or in the form
of profits by virtue of tlio operations of any
fiscal agency having those proceeds as its
basis, should such measure be contemplated
by Congress, would well deserve its conside
ration. Nor would such : disposition of the
proceeds of the sales in any manner prevent
Congress from time to time from passing all
necessary pre-emption laws for the benefit
of actual settlers, or from making any new
arrangement as to the price of the public
lands which might in futurebc esteemed de
sirable. :l 1
I beg leave particularly to call your atten-
tention to the accompanying report from the
Secretarytof War. Besides the present state
of the war which has so long afflicted the
Territory of Florida, and the various other
matters of Interest therein-referred to, you
will learn from it that the Secretary has in
stituted an inquiry into abuses which prom
ises to develope gross enormities in connex
ion with Indian treaties which have beep ne
gotiated, as well as in the expenditures for
the removal and subsistence of the Indians.
He represents, also, other irregularities of a
serious nature that i hjivc grown up in the
tJractice of the Indian Department, which
will require the appropriation of upwards of
$200,000. to correct, and which claim the
immediate attention of Congress.
In reflecting on the proper means of de
fending the, country, we cannot shut our
eye3 to the consequences which the introduc
tion and use of the power of steam upon the
ocean are likely to produce in wars between
maritime States. We cannot vet see the ex
tent to which this power may be applied in
belligerent operations, connecting itself as
it does with recent improvements in the sci
ence of gunnery and projectiles ; but we
need have no fear of being left, in regard to
these things, .behind the most active and
skilful of other nations if the genius and en
terprise of our fellow-citizens receive proper
encouragement and direction from Govern
ment. True wisdom would, nevertheless, seem
to dictate the necessity of placing in perfect
condition those fortifications which are de
signed for the protection of our principal ci
ties and roadsteads. For the defence of our
extended maritime coast, our chiefreliance
should be placed on our navy, aided by those
inventions which are destined to recommend
themselves to public adoption. But no
time should be lost in placing our principal
cities on the seaboard and the lakes in a state
of entire security from foreign assault.
Separated as we are from the countries of the
old world, and in much unaffected by their
policy, we are happily relieved from the ne
cessity of maintaining large standing armies
in time of peace. The policy which was
adopted bv Mr. Monroe, shortly after the i
conclusion of the late war with Great Brit
ain, of preserving a regularly organized staff
sufficient for the command of a large milita
ry force, should a necessity for one arise, is
founded as well in economy as in true wis
dom. Provision is thus made, upon fillin?
up th rank ajKLfilabich," n .jeadybe.
done on any emergency, for the introduction
of a system of discipline both promptly and
efficiently. All that is required in time of
peace is to maintain a sufficient number of
men to guard our fortifications, to meet any
sudden contingency, and to encounter the
first shock of war. Our chief reliance must
be placed on the militia. They constitute
the great body of national guards, and, in
spired by an ardent love of country, will be
found ready at all times and at all seasons, to
repair with alacrity to its defence. It will be
regarded by Congress,! doubt not,atasuitable
time, as one of its highest duties to attend to
their complete organization and discipline.
The state of the navy pension fund requires
the immediate attention of Congress. By the
operation of the act of the 3d of March, 1837,
entitled An art for the more equitable ad
ministration of the navy pension fund," that
fund has been exhausted. It will be seen
from the accompanying report of the Com
missioner of Pensions that there will be re
quired for the payment of navy pensioners,
on the first of July next, $84.006,06, , and
on the first of Januarj', 1842, the sum of
$60,000. In addition to these sums, about
$6,000 will be required to pay arrears of
pensions, which will prolbablv be allowed be
tween the firstof July and thefirstof January,
1842,makinginthewholp$150,00606l. to
meetthese payments there is within lhecontrol
of the Department the sumof $28.040,leavinsr
a deficit of $121,966 06. The public frith
requires that immediate provision ehould be
made for the payment of t'lese sums.
In order to introduce into the navy a de
sirable efficiency, a new system of arcounta-
bility tnay be , found to be indispensably ne-
cessary. To mature apian having for us That this phenomenon may have an influ
object the accomplishment of an end so im-1 ence upon the temperature of our atmosphere
n)ritfnvnl lo meel thrr jt cx jcctn( un of
the country, require more time than has yet
been allowed to the Secretary at ihe head of
the Department. 1 he hope is indulged that
by the lime of your next regular session
measures of importance, in connexion with
this branch of the public service, may be ma-
tured for )our consideration.
Although the laws regulating the Post Of
fice Department only require from the officer
charged with its direction to report at the
usual annual session of Congress, the Post
master General has presented to me some
facts connected with the financial condition
of the Department which are deemed worthy
the attention of Congress. By the accompa
nying report of that officer, it appears that
the existing liabilities of that Department be
yond the means of payment at its command
cannot be less than five hundred thousand
dollars. As the laws organizing that branch
of the public service cunfine the expenditure
to its own revenues, uenciencies inerein can
not be presented tinder the tfsual estimates
for the expenses of Government. It must
therefore be left to Congress to determine
whether the monevs now due to contractors
shall he paid from the public Treasury, or
whether that department shall continue un
der its present embarrassments. It will be
w
seen by the -report of 4he Postmaster Gene
ral that the recent letting of contracts insev
feral of the States have been made at such -
uuceu rates oi compensation as to encourage
the belief jthat, if the department was relieved
from existing difficulties, its future operations
might bconducted without any5 further oall
optJii ihe" general Treasury,
The power of appointing to office is one
of a character the most delicate and responsible.-:
Ttie appointiag power js evermore-exposed
to be led into error. With anxious so
licilude to select the most, trust worthy for
official nation, I cannot be supposed to pos
sess a personal knowledge of the qualifica
tory of every applicant, . I deem it therefore
proper, in this most public manner, to invite
on the part of the Senate, a just scrutiny in
to the character and pretensions of every
person whom I may bring to their notice in
the regular form of a nomination for office.
Unless persons every way tiustworthy are
employed in the public ervi-ei corruption '
and irregularity will inevitably follow. I
shall, with the greatest cheerfulness, acqui
esce in the decision of that body, and, regard
ing it as" wisely constituted to aid the Exec
titive department in the performance of this
delicate duty, I shall look to its consent
and advice as given only in furtherance of
the best interests of the. country. I shall,
also, at the earliest proper occasion, invite '
the attention of Congress to such measures
as in my judgment will be best calculated to '
repUte and control ihe Executive power in
m! u?hVlly- imi.ort.tii subject.
your attention to theauiutory nt.ctnents
for the suppression of the tlave trade, which
may require to be rendered more efficient in
their provisions. There is reason to believe
that the traffic is on the increase. Whether
such increase is hi be asrribed to the aboli
tion of slave labor in the British possessions
in our vicinity, and an attendant diminution
in the supply of those articles wh'u'li enter
into the general consumption of the wor'd,
thereby augmenting the demand from other
quarters, and thus ciHimr for additional labor,
it were needless to inquire. The highest
considerations of public honor, as well as the
strongest piompiin? of humnnitv, require a
resort to the most vigorous efforts to suppress
the trade.
In conclusion, I beg to invite your particu.
lar attention to the interests of'this District.
Nor do I doubt thaU in a liberal spirit of leg
islation, you will seek to advance its com
mercial as well as its local interests. Should
Congress deem it to be its duty to repeal the
existing sub-Treasury law, the necessity of
providing a suitable place of deposite for the
public moneys which may he required with
in the District must be apparent to all.
I. have felt it to be due to the country to
present the foregoing topics to your' conside
ration and reflection. 'Other?, with which it
might not seem proper to trouble yoii at an
extraordinary session, will be laid before you
at a future thy. I am happy jn committing
the important affairs of the rnnntry into your
hands. The tendency of public sentiment. L
am pleased to believe, is towards the adop
tion, in a spirit of union and harmony, of
such measures sas will fortify the public in
terests. To cherish such a tendency of pub
lic opinion is the task of an elevated patriot
ism. That differences of opinion as to the
I jayans o rr.nmp'.imhing tl1pae.jfesii9.hje", pb
ject3 should exist is reasonably to he expect
ed. Nor can all be made satisfied with anv"
system of measures. But I flatter myself
with the hope that the great body of the peo
ple will readily unite in support of those,
whose efforts spring from a disinterested- de
sire to promote their happiness ; to preserve
the Federal and State Governments within
their respective orbits ; to cultivate peace
with all the nations of the earth nnjdst and
honorable grounds ; to exact obedience to the
laws; to enirench liberty and property hi
full security ; and, consulting the most rigid
economy, to abolish all useless expenses.
JOHN TYLER.
Washington, June 1, 1841.
Wasbisotow, June 4.
The Teport of the decretory of the Treasury on the
state of the Finances, &c. was yealerday transmitted
to bolh Houses of Uongipss. We shall publish It
entire as eaily as practicable. In the meantime we
state, for the information of our readers, that the Sec
retary explicitly recommend the establishment of a
central fiscal institution, having the leading feature
of a ISational Bank. National Intelligencer.
Black spot in thk Ssujt. A black spot
upon the Sun's disk, larger than a star of
the first magnitude, is plainly visible to the
naked eye, by looking througb a ' picceof
smoked glass, it is upon the western or
northwestern side, about one quarter of the
distance from the centre to the periphery,
and must be several thousand miles in diam
eter. It is to be hoped that some of our as
tronomers will watch its course and progress.
and thereby learn the period of- the Sun's
revolution oh its axis, and the inclination of
its axis to the plain ot the earth's orbit. r
;3 not improbable, when fve Compare til
geason thus far. with the cold summer of
1816, when similar phenomenon was ob-
served. The abstraction of a column of
Lays of a few thousand miles in diameter
for the space of six or eight months only,
vv a 1 1 certainly be no mean fraction of our or-
dinary supply. New York Exprets.
PRISTlKCi IKK., in 20 and 25 lbs. --and
Book do in 15 lb. keg-., just to band. They are
ottered for Gash, at 10 per CrnU on brsi cost, and et-
p-nse of getiing from New x ork. We intend to keep
the article contaatly, and will be happy to supply out
Editors. . W ILL. : rtiUlU
Paleigh, Jnne 7. . 7.
"TJOTICK. The Sulcriber. having qualified as
Jj AdnihiUlrator upon the Estate of Jons Uavcox,
dee'd. hereby gires notice to all persons having debts,
claims or demands against his intestate, to present
ihem to him for pnynieHt, properly proven, within the
lime prescribed by law, otherwise, ibis notice will be
plead in bar of iheir recuvery. And those iude'.rtett
to said iite!at, are requested lo make immediate
pavneit. He is also ready to make a final wntlement
of the Estate, add request ihe distributees and chil
dren of said John Baucem, deceased, t come for
ward and receive iheir sbar of the funds -now iu ni
ha.l. UR1AS BAUCOM.
Wake County, June t. 7 8'P r
MORE ffEfT SHOES ! -This day receited
direct from Philadelphia via Balumore,
24 pair Ladiea Paris Plaid Slippers
24 do. Mi&3es and Children do. "
JAMES M. TOttLES.
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