kind were expected to be made appears from the provision in the twentyfirst section of the act of 1799, "which enjoins collectors of the customs to submit their books, papers, and accounts to the inspection of such persons as shall be appointed for that purpose.' The purposes and objects of the commission will be explained by the commission itself, a copy of which, together with information on the other subjects mentioned in the resolution, will at the proper time be laid before Congress. To the Senate of the United States: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 11, 1842. In compliance with the request of the governor of the Territory of Iowa, I have the honor to submit the accompanying memorials* and joint resolutions* of the council and house of representatives of that Territory to your consideration. JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 14, 1842. To the House of Representatives of the United States: In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 3d instant, I transmit herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with copies of the papers requested by the resolution. To the House of Representatives: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 16, 1842. I transmit herewith a communication addressed to me by the Secretary of War, in relation to certain contracts entered into by a board of medical officers appointed for that purpose for the purchase of sites on the western waters for the erection of marine hospitals; and concurring fully in his views of the subject, I recommend that either an appropriation of $44,721 be made for the purpose of satisfying the claims of the individuals with whom the contracts were made or that the Department of War be authorized to reconvey to them their lands and annul the contracts. JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 18, 1842. To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: I have the honor to invite the attention of Congress to the accompanying letter, addressed to me by the Secretary of State. You will doubtless *Asking an appropriation to defray the expenses growing out of the dispute between the United States, within the Territory of Iowa, and the State of Missouri relative to the southern boundary line, an appropriation to defray the expenses of a convention for the formation of a State constitution, etc. + Relating to letters written in March, 1841, by Andrew Stevenson, United States minister at the Court of Great Britain, to Isaac Hull, commander of the United States squadron in the Mediterra nean, which caused a part of that squadron to return to the United States perceive the importance of furnishing a uniform rule for the guidance of the public officers in the matter referred to in the Secretary's letter * JOHN TYLER. To the House of Representatives: WASHINGTON, February 19, 1842. In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 8th instant, I have the honor to submit the accompanying communication from the Secretary of State and the correspondence on the subject. referred to by the resolution of the House. JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 21, 1842. To the Senate of the United States: I transmit to the Senate herewith a report from the Secretary of State, with an accompanying paper, ‡ in answer to their resolution of the 18th instant. To the House of Representatives: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 26, 1842. The resolution of the House of Representatives of the 21st instant, requesting the President of the United States to communicate to that body, "if not incompatible with the public interest, the state of the negotiation between the United States and the Government of Great Britain in relation to the northeastern boundary of the State of Maine, and also all correspondence on that subject between the two Governments not hitherto communicated," has been transmitted to me. Desirous always to lay before Congress and the public everything affecting the state of the country to the fullest extent consistent with propriety and prudence, I have to inform the House of Representatives that in my judgment no communication could be made by me at this time on the subject of its resolution without detriment or danger to the public interests. To the House of Representatives: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, February 28, 1842. I have the honor to submit copies of the correspondence § and other documents called for by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 2d February. *Relating to the mode of paying salaries, etc., of ministers and other diplomatic agents of the United States at the several Courts of Europe. †Relating to the colonial history of New York. Extract of a letter from the Department of State to the United States minister at London relative to the case of the brig Creole. Relating to an act of the legislature of South Carolina providing for the imprisonment of free negroes found on board vessels entering any of the ports of that State, complaints of the British Government relative to the operation of said act, etc. I am not informed of the existence of any official opinion of the late Judge Johnson on the unconstitutionality of the act or acts of the State of South Carolina upon the subject referred to in the resolution. To the House of Representatives: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, March 8, 1842. I feel it to be my duty to invite your attention to the accompanying communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, in relation to the probable demands which will be made upon the Treasury for the present quarter. It will be seen that, without arresting the requisitions which will be made by the War and Navy Departments for the months of March, April, and May, there will be an unprovided-for deficit of upward of three millions. I can not bring myself, however, to believe that it will enter into the view of any department of the Government to arrest works of defense now in progress of completion or vessels under construction or preparation for sea. Having due regard to the unsettled condition of our foreign relations and the exposed situation of our inland and maritime frontier, I should feel myself wanting in my duty to the country if ! could hesitate in urging upon Congress all necessary appropriations for placing it in an attitude of strength and security. Such recommendation, however, has heretofore been made in full reliance as well on Congress as on the well-known patriotism of the people, their high sense of national honor, and their determination to defend our soil from the possibility, however remote, of a hostile invasion. The diminution in the revenue arising from the great diminution of duties under what is commonly called the compromise act necessarily involves the Treasury in embarrassments, which have been for some years palliated by the temporary expedient of issuing Treasury notesan expedient which, affording no permanent relief, has imposed upon Congress from time to time the necessity of replacing the old by a new issue. The amount outstanding on the 4th of March, 1840, varies in no great degree from the amount which will be outstanding on the 1st of January next, while in the interim the new issues are rendered equivalent to the redemption of the old, and at the end of the fiscal year leave an augmented pressure on the finances by the accumulation of interest. The contemplated revision of the tariff of duties may, and doubtless will, lead in the end to a relief of the Treasury from these constantly recurring embarrassments, but it must be obvious that time will be necessary to realize the full anticipations of financial benefit from any modification of the tariff laws. In the meantime I submit to Congress the suggestions made by the Secretary, and invite its prompt and speedy action. JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, March 8, 1842. To the Senate and House of Representatives: In my message of the 7th of December I suggested to Congress the propriety, and in some degree the necessity, of making proper provisions by law within the pale of the Constitution for the removal at their commencement and at the option of the party of all such cases as might arise in State courts involving national questions or questions touching the faithful observance and discharge of the international obligations of the United States from such State tribunal to the Federal judiciary. I am urged to repeat at this time this recommendation by the receipt of intelligence, upon which I can rely, that a subject of Great Britain residing in Upper Canada has been arrested upon a charge of connection with the expedition fitted out by the Canadian authorities by which the Caroline was destroyed, and will in all probability be subjected to trial in the State courts of New York. It is doubtful whether in this state of things, should his discharge be demanded by the British Government, this Government is invested with any control over the subject until the case shall have reached the court of final resort of the State of New York and been decided in that court; and although such delay ought not, in a national point of view to give cause of umbrage to Great Britain, yet the prompt and instant rendering of justice to foreign nations should be placed among our highest duties. I can not, therefore, in consideration of what properly becomes the United States, and in anticipation of any demand from a foreign government for the discharge of one of its subjects, forego the duty of repeating my recommendation to Congress for the immediate adoption of some suitable legislative provision on this subject. To the House of Representatives: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, March 11, 1842. In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 23d ultimo, I communicate to that body a report from the Secretary of State, conveying copies of the correspondence* which contains the information called for by said resolution. To the Senate of the United States: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, March 12, 1842. I have reason to think that the rejection of Silas Reed as surveyorgeneral of Illinois and Missouri on the evening of the last day of the session of the Senate at the last session of Congress was founded in a misapprehension of facts, which, while it deprived the public of the services Relating to complaints of Spain and Portugal that the operation of the revenue act of September 11, 1841, infringed treaty stipulations. of a useful officer, left him to suffer a considerable degree of injustice in his reputation. After mature reflection upon all the circumstances of his case, and particularly of facts which have become known since his rejection, I have felt it my duty to submit his nomination for the same office anew to the Senate for its advice and consent. I therefore nominate Silas Reed to be surveyor-general of Illinois and Missouri, in place of Joseph C. Brown, removed. JOHN TYLER. To the Senate of the United States: MARCH 15, 1842. I take the earliest moment to correct an error into which I inadvertently fell in my message of the 12th instant, nominating Silas Reed to be surveyor-general for Illinois and Missouri. In that message I represent the nominee as being rejected by the Senate on the evening of the last day of the last session of Congress, when upon a more accurate inquiry I find that he was rejected on the 14th of August, 1841, and his successor nominated on the 23d August and confirmed on the 13th September, which was the last day of the last session of Congress, and which fact had become identified in my memory, upon which I drew when I wrote the message, with the fact of his rejection. I hasten to make the correction, not deeming it, however, of much moment in regard to the real merits of the nomination; for whether the rejection occurred on the last or any other day of the session, if done under a misapprehension or mistake of the facts, the Senate, I doubt not, will take equal pleasure in correcting the error. To the Senate of the United States: JOHN TYLER. WASHINGTON, March 17, 1842. In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 2d ultimo, requesting information in regard to the demarcation of the boundary line between the United States and the Republic of Texas, I transmit a report from the Secretary of State and the papers by which it was accompanied. JOHN TYLER. To the Senate of the United States: WASHINGTON, March 17, 1842. I have the honor to submit the accompanying report and documents* from the Postmaster-General, in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 16th February. JOHN TYLER. Statements of the quantity and cost of labor and materials for the new public buildings in Washington. D. C., etc. |