The Express. — London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

• I ...------._ radon that th ey may still entertain of being vela sub se the jurisdiction of Mexico. I hayite the early &act -.• Me consideration of Cannes to this important .. a . li ins New Mexico tad the Californias, there are other ' • provinces which have bees reduced to our posies ." by conquest. These other Mexican provinces are now pe oned s :iy our ty mi . t i tr i s s ad o eut a t ea cettnan pon a ders, ungudeer I ror t; • we of wet. They should onetime to be held u a of coercing ?delete* to Made to just terms of peace. &unwell as military officers are nailed to conduct such mie urasi e st. Adequate empeasstacia to he drawn from . ma tribations levied on the enemy should hs fixed by law for , is a O fficers as may be thus employed, What further Ravi ** say become necessary, and what final disposition it may i m proper to make of them, must depend on the future pro m. ef the war, and the muse which Mexico may think ;mem hereafter to pursue ' CI the views I entertain, I cannot favour the policy il j ek h as been suggested, either to withdraw our army alto or, to retire to a designated line, and simply hold and lased it- To withdraw our army altogether from the com mons they have made by deeds of unparalleled bravery, and M dj . expense oleo mucia blood and treasure, in • just war de cor part, •..nd one which, by the act of the enemy, we s ea aot houourahly have evot led, would be to degrade the Mies in its own estimation and in that of the world. in retire to a line, and simply hold and defend it, f old not terminate the war. On the contrary, it Mid encoerage Mexico to persevere, and tend to pro- oat it indsluitily. It is not to be expected that Mexico, I after refusing to establish such a line as a permanent b a .a.ey, settee our victorious army are in porassaion if o ase capital, a. .d in the heart of her country, would ▪ it um to bold it without resistance. That she ovoid continue the war, and in the most haraseing and / my* forms, then can be no doubt. A border wor k. of the meet savage character, extending ever a long line wild be nno uingly waged. It would require a large w o to be kept cAnstantly In the field, stationed at posts sail minims *Joao snob a line to protect and defend it. !hominy, relieved from the pressure of our arms on his easels and in the populous parts of the interior, would direct all attention to thin line, and, selecting an isolated post for s oak, would cournirrate hie forces upon it. This would be at:edition of affairs which the Mexicans, pursuing their !merits system of guerilla warfare, would probably prefer 0 say other. Were we to assume a defensive attitude on melte line, all the advantages of such a state of war would Met the aide of the suemy. We could levy no contributions visa him, or in any other way make him feel the pressure of tiewar,but must remain i nacos. sndawait his approach, being lassestant uncs minty at what point on the line, or at what goo las might make an assault. He may &tumble and °riot ' Ikea overwhelming force in the interior, on his own side of the One, and, concealing his purpose, make a sudden vault spot Mlle one of our posts so distant from any other as to rust the possibility of timely succour or reinforcemeats ; India this way our gallant army would be exposed to the longer of being cut off in detail ; or if by their unequalled Musty and prowess everywhere exhibited during this war, they should repulse the enemy, their numbers stationed at say nee pos. may be too small to pursue him. If the enemy be repulsed in one attack, he would have nothing to do but to retreat to his own side of the line, and, being in no fear of spanning army, may reinforce himself at leisure for ano ther attack au the same or some other post. He may, too, MN the line between our poets, make rapid incursion, into tie country which we hold, murder the inhabitants, commit depredations on them, and then retreat to the interior bet ,re a sufficient force can be concentrated to palm biol. Such would probably be the harassing character of a mere defensive war on our part. If our fortes, whea attacked, or threatened with attack, be permitted to erase the line, drive back the enemy, and conquer him, this would be again to invade the enemy's country, after having lost all the advantages of the conquests we have already made, by having voluntarily abandoned them. T. hold such a line successfully and in security, it is far from being certain that it would not require as large en army se would be necessary to hold all the conquests we have already made, and to continue the prosecution of the war in the heart of the enemy's country. It is also far from being certain that the expenses of the war would be di minished by such a policy. I am persuaded that the best means of vindicating the unwell honour and interest, and of bringing the war to an honourable close, will he to prosecute it with increased energy sad power in the vital parts of the enemy's country. ae, lnz annual menage to Congress, of December last, I that " the war has not been waged with a view to esequest; but having been commenced by Mexico, it has been carried into the enemy's country, and will be vigorously prosecuted there. with a view to obtain an honourable peace, and thereby secure ample indemnity for the expenses of the win, se well as to out much injured etherize, who hold large pecuniary demands against Mexico." Such, in my judg- runt, continues to be our true policy—indeed, the only policy which will prohably accuse a permanent peace. It has never been contemplated by me, se an object of the war, to make a permanent conquest of the republic of Mexico, or to annihilate her separate existence as an inde. pendent nation. On the contrary, it has ever been my desire j that she should maintain her nationality, and, under a good government adsp•ed to her eoadition, bee free, independent, and prosy rous republic. The United States were the first Mons the nations to recognise her independence, and have ' always desired to be on terms of amity and good neighbour hood with her. This she would not suffer. By her own conduct we have been compelled to engage in the present war. In its prosecution we seek not her overthrow as a action ; bat, in 'indicating our national honour, we seek to obtain redress for the wrongs she has done us, and indemnity for our just demands against her. We demand an honour able peace; and that peace must bring with it indemnity for the past, and security for the future. Hitherto Mexico his refused all accommodation by which such a peace could be obtained. Whilst our armies have advanced from victory to victory, from the commencement of the war, it his always been with the olive branch of peace in their hands; and it has been in the power of Mexico, at every step, to arrest hostilities by ac cepting it. One great obstacle to the attainment of peace boo un doubtedly arisen from the fact, that Mexico has been 6o long held in subjection by one faction or military usurper after swathe; • and such has been the condition of insecurity in which th eir successive Governments have been placed, that each has been deterred from making peace, lest, for this very cause, a rival faction might expel it from power. Such was the fate of President Herrera's administration, in 1845, for bring disposed even to listen to the overtures of the United States to prevent the war, es is fully mallnsed by an official correspondence which took in the month of August last, between him and his gosernment, a copy of which is herewith com municated. " For this cause alone the revolution which dis placed him from power was set on foot " by General Paredes. Such may be the condition of insecurity of the peanut government. There can be no doubt that the peaceable and well-dis posed inhabitants of Mexico are convinced that it is the true interest of their country to conclude an honourable peace with the United States, bat the apprehension of becoming the victims of some military faction or usurper may have pre vented them from manifestieg their feelings by any public sot._ _ _ 14 after affording this encouragement and protection, and after all the persevering and sincere efforts we have made, from the moment Mexico commenced the war, and prior to that time, to adjust our differences with her, we shall ulti mately fail, then we shall have exhausted all honourable means in pursuit of peace, and most continue to occupy her country with our troops, taking the full measure of indemnity into our own hands, and meet enforce the terms which our Labour demande. To met otherwise, in the existing state of things in Mexico, and to withdrew our array without a peace, would not only leave all the wrongs of which we complain unredreased, hut would be the signal for new and fierce civil disseasioca and new revolutions—all alike hostile to peaceful relations with view to prevent the Ismly of the Maxima population frees 8• 1111 YI Op UM_ -Apjoit as, was the war 40•11111141111 on our Part rrovitints and aches •1111.11911 ruralised*, our army . by Mahon Aim we r e paid fat at Ye mid liberel prime weal MGM IT= pram Alter the lapse of a few marl* it that draw smarances and this Wit taintarat =L i t d dam the desired _ met Vat- the liesieen ' While the war bed besa senffaateet saamemEtseeard ins to the most liamene hid liberal ' Oberrflel by civilised nations, it was waged in a, he spirit on the part of Mexi co . Not apposhring mar hrbstereaos, the Mexican people generally taster hostile to On United States, sad availed thaastivon et opportunity to nun , snit the roosteavage 11110,100111.011011 Z Large cumbers of the population tea a may sad, engaged in guerilla Warfare, tO= lB ll7l - ill the most amid meaner, individual er met putted, whom amides' sr other causes had emealated Gem the main body of our army. bands of ensalmes end ranee infested the roads, harassed lour trains, and, wheamerk won La their power, out off oar I "TON rim llealemehaviag thee shown thalami% es to be wholly Incapable et ear &ebonite* and liberality, at wee deemed leper he Ms nearer ad smdacting the war, by sakYss them ks primate oseardlei to the I,ci usages ebsoreei ander gaffer alsesentonsos by all other 1 vilited mime. nooordingly, as early arthe 22nd of September, 1846, in ap Winm do were given the Secretary of War to Major-Gen. Taylor to " draw au " for our army •' from the enemy without paying for Mat. and to require contributions for its support,' if in that way he was sati.lied he could " got 'ban dant supplies for his fume." In directing the execution of them instructions much was necessarily lett to the discretion of the commanding saber, who was hest acquainted with the cirementaniies by which he was surrounded, the wants of the army, and the preotleability of throning the measure. Gen. Taylor. on the 26th of October, 1846, replied, from Monterey, that "It would have heart impossible hitherto, • and is go now, to sustain the army to any extent by forced erintributions of money or supplies." For the reasons swiped b him he did not adopt the policy of his truitruc• lions, but his readiness to do so, "should the army, in its &tare operations, mesh a portion of the moritry which may be suede to supply the troops with advantage." Re continued to pay for the ankles ad 'apply which were drawn from the enemy's country. Similar bistneetions were honed Is liejor-Geseral Scott on the 3d of April, 1847, who replied, hem Jalapa, ea the 20th of May, 1547, that, if it be expected that ° 1110 army is to support itself by forced contribeitkho levied wpm the country, we may rain and IMOI the inhibition, and starve ourselves." The same imsdes was wfma he Ma that had been given to Om. Taylor Is this rennet Oen. ilean, he the rases sodased by Ishii aleo continued to pay for the articles sr apply for the army which were drawn from the away. Altar the mm had reached the heart of the most wealthy portion of Mirr it was supposed that the obstacles whim had lies th at tim el prevented it would not be such as to maw imprestioable the levy of forted contributions for its ; and on the let of September, and again on the 6th rfn t her, 1847, the order was repea t ed in despatches ad dressed by the Secretary of War to General Scott, and his attention was again called to the importance of making the enemy bear the burdens of the war by requiring them to famish the means of supporting our army; and he was Ablated to adopt this policy, unless, by doing so, there was dander of depriving the army of the necessary supplies. Cope* of these despatches were forwarded to General Taylor for his government. . . . . . . _ . On the 31st of March last, I caused an order to be issued to our military and • naval commanders to levy and collect a military contribution upon all vessels and mer chandise which might enter any of the ports of Mexico in our military occupation, and to apply such contributions towards defraying the expenses of the war. Is directing this the object was to compel the enemy to contribute, u far as practicable, towards the expenses of the war. For the amount of contributions which have been levied in this form, I refer you to the accompanying reports of the Secretary of War, end of the Secretary of the Navy, by which it appears that a sum exceeding half a million of dollars has been collected. Measures have recently been adopted, by which the in ternal as well as external revenues of Mexico, in all places in onr military occupation, will be seised and appropriated to the use of our army and navy. The policy of levying 'upon the enemy contributions in every form. consistently with the laws of nati.ms, which it may be practicable for our military commanders to adopt, should, in my judgment, be rigidly enforced, sod orders to this effect have accordingly been given. By such a policy, at the same time that our own treasury will be relieved from • heavy drain, the Mexican people will be made to feel the burdens of the war, and, consulting their own inter* ere, may be induced the more readily to require their rulers to accede to a just peace. After the adjournment of the last session of congress, events transpired in the prosecution of the war which, in my judg ment, required a greater number of troops in the field than hail been anticipated. The strength of the army was accord. ingly increased by " secepting " the services of all the volun teer forces authorised by the act of the 13a of May, 1846, without putting a construction on that act, the correctness of which was seriously questioned. The volunteer forces now in the field, with those which had been " accepted," to " serve for twelve months," end were discharged at the end of their term of service, exhaust the 60,000 men authorised by that act. Had it been clear that a proper construction of the act warranted it, the services of an additional number would have been called for and accepted; but doubts exist ing upon this point, the power was not exercised. It is deemed important that Congress should, at an early period of their session, confer the authority to raise an adds tenni regular force to serve during the war with exico, and to be discharged upon the conclusion and ratification of a treaty of peace. I invite the attention of Congress to the views presented by the Secretary of War in his report upon this subject. I recommend, also, that authority be given by law to call for and accept the services of an additional number of volun trers, to be exercised at such time and to such extent as the emergencies of the service may require. In prosecuting the war with Mexico, whilst the utmost care has been taken to avoid every just cause of complaint on the part of neutral nations, and none has been given, liberal privileges have been granted to their commerce in the ports of the enemy in our military occupation. The difficulty with the Brazilian government, which at one time threatened to interrupt the friendly relations be tween the two countries, will, I trust, be speedily adjusted ' I have received information that an envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the United States will shortly be appointed by his Imperial Majesty ; and it is hoped be will come instructed and prepared to adjust all remaining differ ences between the two governments ia a manner acceptable and honourable to both. In the meantime, I have every reason to believe that nothing will occur to interrupt our amicable relations with Brazil. It is proper to inform you that the government of Peru has in good faith paid the first two instalments of the in demnity of 30,000 dol.. each, and the greater portion of the interest due thereon, in execution of the convention between that government and the United States, the ratifications of which were exchanged at Lima on the 31st of Oct., 1846. The Attorney-General of the United States, early is August last, completed the adjudication of the claims under this con vention, and made his report thereon, in pursuance of the act of the Bth of August, 1848. The sums to which the claimants are respectively entitled will be paid on demand at the treasury. I invite the early attention of Congress to the present con. dition of oar citizens in China. Under our treaty with that power American citizens are withdrawn from the jerisclic. tion, whether civil or criminal, of the Chinese government, and placed under that of our public functionaries in that country. By these alone can our citizen. be tried and pu nished for the commission of any crime ; by these alone can questions be decided between them involving the right. of person and property ; and by these alone can contracts be enforced into which they may have entered with the citizens or subjects of foreign powers. The merchant vessels of the United States lying in the waters of the five ports of China open to foreign commerce are under the exclusive jurisdic tion of officers of their own government. Until Courses shall establish competent tribunals to try and punish crimes, and to exercise junsdiction in civil eases, in China, Arne• rican citizens there are subject to no law what ever. Crimes may be committed with impunity, and debts may be contracted without any means to en force their payment. Inconveniences have already IrS.. united from the omission of Congress to legislate upon the subject, and still greater are apprehended. The British authorities in China have already complained that this go vernment has not provided for the punishment of crimes, or the enforcement of contracts against American citizens in that country, whilst their government has established tribu nals by which an American citizen can recover debts doe from British subjects. Our treaties with the Sublime Porte, Tripoli, Tunis, Mo ' recto, and Muscat, also require the legislation of Congress to carry them into execution, though the necessity for immedi , ate action may not be so urgent as in regard to China. The Secretary of State has submitted an estimate to defray the expenses of opening diplomatic relations with the Papal States. The interesting political evade now In progress in these states, as well as a just regard to our commercial Inte -1 rests, have, in my opinion, rendered such a MONISM highly expedient. Estimates have also been submitted for the outfits and salaries of chargas d'affairse to the republics of Bolivia Qua temala, and Ecuador. The manifest importance of nai -1 eating the most friendly relations with all the independent states upon this continent has induced me to recommend approprzatiosa necessary for the maintenance of these missions. I recommend to Congress that an appropriation be made, to be paid to the Spanish government for the purpose of dia -1 tribune= among the claimants in" the Amistad cue." A detailed statement of the condition of the finances will be presented in the annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury. The imports for the last fiscal year, ending oath* 30th of June, 1847, were of the value of 148,646,638 dollars, lof which the amount exported was 8,011,168 dole, leaving 138,634,480 don. in the country for domestic use. The,value of the exports for the same period, was 168,648,622 dole. ; of which 160,637,464 dole., consisted of domestic productions, and 8,011,168 dols., of foreign articles. The receipts into the treasury foe the same period emeeneded to 26,348,790 dole. 37e. of which there was derived hem emecess 23,747,864 dole. 66j. ; from sales of public lands 2,408,836 dol. 20o.• and from incidental and miscellaneous sasses, 100,670111 e. 61c. The last fiscal yaw, during whisk Me sensed was nmeived, embraced fire months mist the of the Tariff Aot of 1842, and sews midis whisk the Tariff act of 1846 was in foes. Dirlig mawthe ander the set of 1842, the amount releteed hem the sweimme *ha 7.8611.1011 MA 1100 ~ and &Asa t 4 a was nee* sear the see 411848, - the amount revived was 16,908,567 dole. 78e. • the United States. Besides, there is danger, if our troops were withdrawn be fore a peace was concluded, that the Mexican people, wearied with successive revolution', and deprived of protection for their persona and property, might at length be inclined to Yield to foreign influence', and to cast themselves into the arms of some European monarch for protection from the anarchy and suffering which would ensue. This, for our own safety, and in pursuance of our established policy, we should be compelled to resist. W. could never consent that Mexico should be thus converted into a monarchy governed by a foreign prince. Mexico is our near neighbour, and her boundaries are co terminous with our own, through the whole extent across the North Attleilelll continent, from ocean to ocean. Both politically and commercially we have the deepest interest in bee regeneration and preeperity. Indeed, it is impossible that, with any just regard to our own safety, we can ever become indifferent to her fate. It may be that the Mexican government and people have imieconstrued or misunderstood our forbearance, and our ob jects, in desiring to conclude an amicable adjustment of the existing differences between the two countries. They may have 'opposed that we would submit to terms degrading to the nation ; or they may have drawn false inferences from the supposed division of opinion in the United States on the abject of the war, and may have calculated to gain much limprorting it ; and, indeed, that we might altimately it altogether, without insisting on any indemnity, tscritoriel or otherwise. Whatever may be the false impres "cur under which they have acted, the adoption and prose cution of the energetic policy proposed must soon undeceive than. In the future prosecution of the war the enemy must be =de to feel its pressure more than they have heretofore dens. At its commencement it was deemed proper to con duct it in a spirit of forbearance and liberality. With this end In view early measures were adopted to conciliate, as far as a state of war would permit, the mass of the Mexican Population ; to convince them that the war was waged not ultaind the peaceful inhabitants of Mexico, but against their faithless government , which had commen ced hostilities ; to remove from their minds the false impressions which their derigning and interested rulers bad artfully attempted to mu/a, that the war on our part was one of conquest, that it , urii• war against their religion and their churches, which were to be desecrated and overthrown ; and th at their rights of person and private property would be violated. To ?Move these fees Impression, , our commanders In the field wire directed wrap nsly to respect their religion, their thurthes, and their church property, which wire in no man na labs violated ; they were directed also to respect the nenhof persons and property of all who should not take up vas against us. Aseeranote to this effect were given to the Mexican Pc 4 Ple by Major-General Taylor, in a proclamation lowed In Partisans of inamnetions boat the Secretary of War, in the %Ink of June, 1844, end again by Molar-Genets! @mlB ailo acted upon his own convictions of the propriety of *nag it in a proclamation of the 11th of May, 1847. la this spirit el liberality sad centillation, and with a • The net mane Ikon enstosin dining the loaf aiding an the Wet Deossiler t ll346, be the last year-wader eiperoffirm of the trig. el 1812, was 22,971,401de1m.185. ; lab the fast teweawo lea amber during the year wane ag the lat of Delenbaj 1947. heetißi the first year meter dee ed eadieseltbe Teal Ad *LI Ilabont3l,ffiffillite Wig aa *mew of ranee tan first year vadat thenellf en et Ls4l af : men thar a kioo,63o bob. owe that et dee lad year Web tin tariff of The ospendittues Ards, the Ina yaw Ababa as the 13th of June Let ware 69,461,177 deb. l6e ; of which 3,522,082 dole, 37a was. on aoeottig Cl payment of principal and lista* of the public debt, including treasury notes redeemed sad not fended. The expendi tures, exclusive of payment of public debt, were 56,929,095 doh, 280. It is estimated that the reed& into the treeamay ber the fiscal year ending on the 13th of 1848, inaladiog the balance in the treasury on the let of Jul. last, will amount to 42,886,645 doh. 80c., of which 31,000,000, it is -thinned will be derived from customs; 3,600,000 from the sale of the public lands ; 400,000 from incidental somas, taelatt imp idea made by the Solicitor of the Treasur and 6,286,294 drds. 56c. from loans already authorieed law, which, together with the balance in the Treasury on July 1 last, maks the sum animated. The expenditures for the same period, if peace with Mex ico chall not be concluded, and the army shall be increased as is proposed, will amount, including the necessary pay ments on account of principal and interest of the public debt and treasury notes, to 68,615,966 dole. 7c. 04 the Ist of the present month, the amount of the public debt actually incurred, inoluding treasury notes, was 44,659,659 dole. 40c. The public debt due on the 4th of March, 1345, including treasury notes, was 17,788,799 doh. 62e. ; and onnsanently the addition mad., to the public debt since that time is 27,870.849 dole. 78u. Of the loan of 23,000,000, authorised by the ent a the 28th of January 1846, the sum of 5 000,000 was pad out to the public creditors, or exchanged at par for epees* ithe remain ing 18,000,000 was offered for specie to the hand bidder not below par, by an adartiaentent issued by the Secretary of the treubry, and published from the 9th of February until the 10th of April, 1847, when it was awarded to the several highest bidders, at premiums varying from i of one per ant. to two per cent alma par. The premium has been paid into the treasury, and the sums awarded deposited in specie in the treasury as fast as it was required by the wants of the government. To meet the • toditures for the remainder of the present and for the next fiscal year, ending on the 30th of June, 1849, a further lean in aid of the ordinary revenues of the government will be necessary. Retaining a sufficient runlet In the treutny, the loan required for the remainder of the present fiscal year will be about 18,500,000 dots. If the duty on tea and coffee be imposed, and the graduation of the priee of the public lands shall be made at an early period of your anion ' u recommended, the loan for the present fiscal year may b e reduced to 17,000,000 of doh. The loan may be further reduced by whatever amount of expenditure* can be saved by military contributions col lected in Mexico. The most vigorous measures for the aug mentation of these contributions have been directed, and a very conaiderable sum is expected from that source. Its amount cannot, however, be calculated with any certainty. It is recommended that the loan to be made be authorised upon the same terms, and for the same time, as that which was authorised under the provisions of the act of the 28th of January, 1847. Should the war with Mexico be continued until the 30th of June, 1849, it is estimated that a further loan of 20,500,000 dollars will be required for the fiscal year ending on that day, in case no duty be imposed on tea and coffee, and the public lands be not reduced and graduated in price, and no military contributions shall be collected in Mexico. If the duty on tea and coffee be imposed, and the lands be reduced and graduated in price, as proposed, the loan may be reduced to 17,000.000 of dollars, and will be subject to be still further reduced by the amount of the military contribu tions which may be collected in Mexico. It is not proposed, however, at present, to ask Congress for aatherity to nego tiate this loan for the next fiscal year, as it is hoped that the loan asked for the remainder of the present fiscal year, sided by military contributions which may be co llected in Mexico, may be suf ficient. If, contrary to my expectation, there should be a necessity for it, the fact will be communicated to Congress in time for their action during the present session. In no event will a sum exceeding 6,000,000 doh. of this amount be needed before the meeting of the seesion of Con cress in December, 1848. The act of the 30th of July, 1846, " reducing the duties on imports," has been in force since the Ist of December last ; and I am gratified to state that all the beneficial effects which were anticipated from its operation have been fully realised. The public revenue derived from customs during the year ending on the Ist of December, 1847, exceeds by more than 8,000,000 dol.. the amount received in the pre ceding year under the operation of the act of 1842, which was superseded and repealed by it. he effects are visible in the great and almost unexampled prosperity which prevails in every branch of business. While the repeal of the prohibitory and restrictive duties of the act of 1842, and the substitution in their place of reasonable revenue rate. levied on articles imported accord ing to their actual value, has increased the revenue and augmented our foreign tr ade, all the great interests of the country have been advanced and promoted. Whilst the interest* of agriculture, of commerce, and of navigation, have been enlarged and invigorated, it is highly gratifying; to observe that our manufactures are also in a prosperous condition. None of the ruinous effects upon this interest which were apprehended by tome, as the result of the operation of the revenue system established by the act of 1846, have been experienced, On the contrary, the number of manufactories, and the amount of capital invested in them, is steadily and rapidly increasing, affording grati fying proofs that American enterprise and skill employed in this branch of domestic industry, with no other advantages than those fairly and incidentally accruing from a just aye tens of revenue duties, are abundantly able to meet seam fully all competition from abroad, and still derive fair and remunerating profits. While capital invested in manufactures is yielding ade quate and fair profiu under the new system, the wages of labour, whether employed in manufactures, agriculture, commerce, or navigation, have been &unmerited. The toil ' log millions, whose daily labour furnishes the supply of food and raiment, and all the necessaries and comforts of life, are receiving higher wades, and more steady and permanent employment, than in any other country, or at any previous period of our own history. So successful have been all branches of our industry, that a foreign war, which generally diminishes the resources of a nation, has in no essential degree retarded our onward pro greys, or checked our general prosperity. With such gratifying evidences of prosperity, and of the successful operation of the revenue act of 1846, every con sideration of public polity recommends that its shall remain unchanged. It is hoped that the system of impost duties which it establidied may be regarded as the permanent policy of the country and that the great interests affected by it may not again be subject to be injuriously disturbed, as they have heretofore been, by frequent and sometimes sudden cheeses. I For the purpose of increasing the revenue, and with out changing or modifying the rates imposed by the act of 1846 on the dutiable articles embraced by its pro visions, I again recommend to your favourable conside ration the expediency of levying a revenue duty on tea and coffee. The policy which exempted these articles from duty during peace, and when the revenue to be derived from them was not needed, ceases to exist when the country is engaged in war, and requires the use of all its available resources. It is a tax which would be so generally diffused I among the people, that it would be felt oppressively by none, and be complained of by none. It is believed that there are ' not, in the list of imported articles, any which are mere pro. perly the subject of war duties than tea and coffee. It is estimated that three millions of dollars would be derived annually by a moderate duty imposed on these articles . . . . — Should Congress avail itself of this additional source of revenue, not only would the amount of the public loan rendered necessary by the war with Mexico be diminished to that extent, but the public credit, and the public con fidence in the ability and determination or the government to meet all its engagements promptly, would be more firmly established, and the reduced amount of the loan which it may be necessary to negotiate could probably be obtained at cheaper rates. Congress is therefore called upon to determine whether it is wiser to impose the war duties recommended, or, by omitting to do so, increase the public debt annually three millions of dollars so long an loans shall be required to pro secute the war, aad afterwards provide, in some other form, to pay the semi annual interest upon it, and ultimately to extinguish the principal. lf, in addition to thee* duties, Congress should graduate and re duoe the price of such of the public lands se ex perienee has proved will not command the prices placed upon them by the government, an additional annual income to the treasury of between half a million and a million of dollars, it is estimated, would be derived from this source. Should both measures receive the sanction of Congress, the annual amount of the public debt necessary to be contracted during the continuance of the war would be reduced near four millions of dollen. The duties recommended to be levied on tea and coffee, it is propoesd shall be limited in their duration to the end et the wee, and until the public debt rendered necessary to be seedemeed by it shall be dis- I (tined, The amount of the labile debt to be contracted should be limited to the lowest practical sum, and should be extinguished as early after the eseelusion of the war as the means of the treasury . will permit. With this view, it is reemmealled that, u soon as the war shall be over, all the surphr in the ream* not needed for other inikpmedie else mme dmil easidare a oinking fund and be appliod to the afthe Smiled debt, and that authority be conferred law he that The ad tithe 6th of August, 1846, " to eefakiYY a ware homing system," has been in eperation wens than a year, end*, peeved to be an impeetent a Di the hata .1 1846, la augmenting the roue and atenmt the ems pewee of the mantry. Whilst it tended to aslarp commerce, it has been besaildal to oar manafeetatie, by diminishing freed tales at auction of ilweiga goods et low prim to raise the dudes to be advanced on them and by drift theraadens in the market. The sy n e: e i; te dlitsegh Innedened by the expeeknee of other eosin was *did, sew in the Vatted draws, and is s el improwneet in some of its provhions. The Secretary el the Treasury, upon whoa was devolved large discretionary power in carrying tie measure into effect, has collected, mad h sow consedag, the prestical results of the system In rho eesakiee, whine it has keg kees'erabikked, and willrgest et en emly pried of oar maks Melt father e s =l= n d d iras kimi, iavestigadoo, as may mike It By the sot te provide for the beide cepaleatioie of the , and for the oolleedok glib trapkr& dieliner tiesaiN the public rowans," id beaks Sire tme.ftsal as Meld agents of the gemeameet, and the paper eamemay heath bY them mes so longer permitted to be Feasived In 11. C li el=eltressney ernated by this cat meet tab oreetie• ea lie . Ith et linvary thet. Usher the month setehthind by b. the _public amiss taw been eddy kept, end absinth by the direst el sat the gemeemethaigebil end thrar etemthire me et aelleare bath mule item points Wertheim to = .111Milwagmhoia,imidsgulgmy ha hi dim tiaggem or ▪ inemmenimeeth the Made et the emery. . While Use thee mthatimes el the peernment have them conducted with AM are, nailer this system, It has bad a salutarya abashing and preventing an un due inflation of the pepereterremy loaned by the teaks which exist under state thimbles Iteguistug, sa it dem, all dues to the goveraniest to be paid in gold end ether, lln rasa Is to matzoth enemethr teem of beak ppm by the beaks .ported to the emelt In their midt . tar the ream thet a S are at ell deuellashie ee be called me by the bidden el notes for their redemptica, in ether to obtain' spiels the the payment of duties sad other public dues. The heath, therefore, must keep their ithisses within mama Beebe, and be always •is A temditlem to meat seek mile. or ma the heard et bobs eompelled to napes& speeds payments, sod bn themity discredited. The meseat of speeds imported bee the United States du*. the last final year woe 24,121,289 dole., of ',bilk them vas re tained in the country 22,276,170 do. Had the throw dem end system prevailed, and the public mamma been pima en delimits in banks, nearly the whole cif this menet wesM have gone into their inmate, not to be themes Me eireebthea by them, but to be withheld hen the Mails oldie pee* es a currency, and made the boa 'trot new emit esemmens theme of bank paper. A laigageepeeden et the spade has been paid tato the treamay der pabile duet ; after having been, to a Feasted. essethed st the mint, has been paid out te thiegmblia. seediMth end gene late Wends lion es a cluresey emmedthe meth Themmeent el pet; and I it'll' coin mew fie elesebeisa in the *sentry is larger than at my deemse piths& The demesial system eetablished by the constitutional treasury has been, ads far, eminently succembal in its opera tions ; and I reeemnini an adherence to all IN issue-del provisions, and ethesielly to that vital yeseithei width wholly separates the gemessuat hese edl thamezion with banks, and excludes lassek payer thenall rename re ceipts. In some of its details, not Involving its gametal the system is defective, and will require 11110411.11111111= defects, and such amendments es era deemed newer y, was set forth in the lest annual repeat GE the beatedery et the Treasury. These amendments me spin seennammeded the early and favourable consideration of Conroe During the past year the coinage at the mint and its branches hu exceeded 20,000,000 dole. This has consisted chiefly in converting the eau of foreign countries into American coin. The largest amount of foreign coin imported has been re ceived at New York, and if a branch mint ware established at that city, all the foreign coin received at that port could at once be converted into our own coin without the expense, risk, and delay of transporting it to the mint for that purpose, and the amount mound would be much larger. Experience has proved that foreign coin, and especially 1 1 foreign gold coin, will not circulete extensively as a cur- 1 rency among the people. The important measure of ex tending our specie currency, both of gold and silver, and of ' diffusing it among the people, can only be effected by con verting such foreign coin into American coin. I repeat the recommendation contained in my last annual message for the establishment of a branch of the mint of the United States at the city of New York. All the public lands which had been surveyed and were ready for market have been proclaimed for sale during the past year. The quantity offered and to be offered for sale under proclamations issued since the let of January last amounts to 9,138,631 acres. The prosperity of the western states and ter ritories in which these lands lie will be advanced by their speedy tale. It is estimated that not lees than ten millions of acres of the public leads will be surveyed and be in a condition to be proclaimed for sale during the year 1848. In my last annual message I presented the reasons which, in my judgment, rendered it proper to graduate and reduce the price of such of the public lands as have remained unsold fur long periods after they had been offered for We at public auction. Many millions of acres of public lands lying within the limits of several of the western states have been offered in the market, and been subject to sale at private entry for more than twenty years, and lerge quantities for mon...than thirty years, at the lowest price prescribed by the existing laws, and it has been found that they wilt not command that price. They must remain unsold sad uncultivated for an in definite period, unless the price demanded for them by the government shall be reduced. No satisfactory reason is per ceived why they should be longer held at rates above their I real value. At the present period an additional reason exists for adopting the measure recommended. When the country is engaged in a foreign war, and we must necessarily resort to loans, it would seem to be the dictate of wisdom that we should avail ourselves of all our resources, and thus limit the amount of the public indebtedness to the lowest possible sum. I recommend that the existing lure on the subject of pre emption rights tee amended and modified as as to operate prospectively, aid to embrace all who may Fettle upon the public lands and snake improvements upon them before they are surveyed, as well as afterwards, in all cases where such settlements may be nude after the Indian title .ball have been extinguished. The attention of Congress was invited, at their last and the preceding session, to the importance of establishing a temtorial government over our possessions in Oregon, and it is to be regretted that there was no legislation on the subject. Our citizens who inhabit that distant region of country are still left without the protection of our laws, or any regularly organised government. Before the question of limi:o and boundaries of the territory of Oregon was de finitely settled, from the necessity of their condition, the in habitants had established a temporary government of their own. Besides the want of legal authority for continuing the government, it is wholly inadequate to protect them in their rights of person and property, or to secure to them the enjoy ment of the privileges of other citizens, to which they are entitled under the constitution of the United States. They ehould have the right of suffrage, be represented in s terri torial legislature, and by a delegate in Congress, and pewee all the rights and privileges which citizens of other portions of the territories of the United States have heretofore en joyed, or may now enjoy. Our judicial system, revenue laws, laws regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes, end the prat/amen of our laws generally, should be extended ever them. The preservation of peace with the Indian tribes residin west of the Rocky Mountains will render it proper that au. thority should be given by law for the appointment of an &de -1 gusto number of Indian agents to reside among them. I recommend that • surveyor-general's oft, be estab lished in that territory, and that the public lands be sur veyed and brought into market at an early period. I recommend, also, that /Tanta upon liberal terns, ef li mited quantities of the public lands be made to all citizens of the United States who have emigrated, or who may here after within a prescribed period emigrate to Oregon, and settle upon them. These hardy and adventurous citizens, who have encountered the dangers and privations of a long and toilsome journey, and have at length found an abiding place for themselves and their families upon the utmost verge of our western limits, should be secured in the homes which they have improved by their labour. I refer you to the accompanying report of the Secretary of War for a detailed account of the operations of the various branches of the public service connected with the depart ment under his charge. The duties devolving on this de partment have been unusually onerous and responsible dui , mg the past year, and have been discharged with ability and mama, Paeiiic relations continue to exist with the various Indian tribes, and most of them manifest • strong friendship far the United States. Between one and two thaniand Indians belonging to several tribes, have been removed during the year from the east of the ltisaissippi to the country allotted to them west of that river, as their permanent home ; and arrangements have been made for others to follow. . _ . Since the Otter Vii4;i:wltitihe Cherokees, the feuds among them appear to have subsided, and they have become more united and contented than they have been for many years put. The commissioaers, appointed In pursuance of the act of Jane twenty-seventh 1847, to settle claims arising oat of the trash of 1836.38 with that tribe, have ezeouted their dationami after a patient inatiu, and a full and fair aumbeilon dell the oresh h al e berme them, slued their lakes in math of MK. , Linder the Illa the walieethey &salads, enhered bg 1M het of the Sal et Mira is" the earoddea dower the veins tribes batwings pAll AWN dr ram* yeas te die heeds ef ii . m . Lmlesi el te their elialk ae sea penmen se they night TY is required bp the lawe preview* sift. meet of the fierestory el the Nary preemie • and gratifying omen* et lie wadi ties and epenideee the naval memos bider the past year. Our 111011iNffill has been penned with inereand ealkily, and with salet7 sad sweerea, la every quarter at the Oslo vole I the protection dear fiee, width the navy Ms annial Se be ris it the sett tmatee l. = d elha neektine poem are alsig le lb* navies large earabees et VW 1411111111014 it wet a whet pokier at our part to axis idler Willem to our navy. The Our war reamers estlreihei by the act of the third of Minh, 1847, see esetateel enninedea. . IA Ciiiitisitie the kw weir stensete authedied by this mt, the demetay et the Navy has la memos at its pm vigor, solimil has mann" fee the multitudes of fin steammt, le be employed Is the maspereellea et tie United Melee aria These eleemen MI be the ot des essiamters, but an to be bat w min the mad *Mien of • naval sestarente be tin anderil Navy Departessat, and F be 110 sesstoseled es to ..des dims =Mak at the leen peleible aspen isle war sistams et the Let *lam" I ink Who eseismisinigstunt el the Postassim Omani lee s deleiledi eatt t esaisM of the *mai don Ind //that derstanst Ended the Mkt par. It ia MOM to sheet panes. dies the Me sees of , eti asiwithenading the great imam el mei suniw, ta. mean merlved he the year wane isliehnt I* rears all thempeseu imithst no farther aid MU be required km the tiesemy he Mel wpm& reaproul end matidestory pond immet hei hem made by the PostmeMerseeseral with thus arbies Mem atm and no' difficulty Is apprehended is midarehailar anementents with all other powers with whkdt we may have communicatioao by aril steamers, ezent with Great ritain. On the snivel of the het M tin Animism Metesza bound to Enema, at isaime g lem 1M tank of 11.110 last, the BMA gemoties ineseedthe eased= of diserism aatiop pelisses ea all lean mid *tan malign aatlisr, ..--ou-when I regard it as no less a recognition on the part of everybody here of the right, indisputable and in- alienable, of all those who are actively engaged in the work and busbies of life to elevate and to improve themselves, so far as in them Ike, by all good wenn- I feel as if I stand here to swear brotherhood to all the young men in Glasgow-and I may lay to all the e women in Glasgow (laughter and cheers); being mu i no portion to take any tender vows upon myself-al as if we were pledged from this time henceforth to make ersamen maw together in one of the most laudable emit worthily 0 helot - eye Ladies and gentlemen, a limaken mem must be lamas in such a design as that which brier we together this night; for without it, nothing can be does, but with it every thing. lt is a common cause of right, God knows, for it is idle to. suppthe that the &dean loges of such an institution u the Glasgow Athenteual will stop within its own walls or be confined to Its own members. Through all the society of this great and important city, up wards to the highest and downwards to the lowest, it mast, I know, be felt for good. Downward in • clearer perception of, end sympathy with, those social miseries which can be alleviated, and those wide open doors to vice and crime that can he abut and barred ; and upward in a greater intelli gent, increased efficiency, and higher knowledge of all who partake of its benefits themselves, or who commutdeate, as all must do, in • greater or lee degree, some por tion to the circle of relatives or friends in width they move. Nor, ladies and gentlemen, would I say for any man, however high his social position, or however great his attainments, that he might not find something to be learnt even from immediate contact with such institu tions. If he only saw the goddess Knowledge coming out of her secluded palaces and high places, to mingle with the throng, and to give them shining glimpses of the delights which were lung kept hoarded up, be might lane some thing. If he only saw the energy and the coursee of those who earn their daily bread by the labour of their band; or heads, come night after night, as to a recreation, to that which was, perhaps, the whole absorbing liminess of his path, there might still be something very wholesome fth him to learn. But when he could see in each places theft genial and reviving influences-their substitution of the contemplation of the beauties of nature and art, and of the 'Adam of great men, for mere sensual enjoyment or alipid idleness-at least he would learn this, that it 11 at once the duty and the interriet of all good members of misty to encourage and protect them. I took yent a* to say at an Atheneum in Yorkshire a few weeks sines, and I think it a point most important to be borne in mind on such commemorations es these, that when such societies are objected to, or are decried on the ground that in the views of the objectors, education among the people has not succeeded, the term education is used with not the least reference to its real meaning, and is wholly misander stood. Mere reading and writing is not education ; it would be quite as reasonable to call bricks and mortar architecture -oils and colours art-reeds and catgut music-or the child's spelling books the works of Shakespeare, Milton, he Boon-u to call the lowest rudiments of education educa tion, and to visit on that moat abused and slandered word their failure in any instance. And precisely because these are not education because, generally speaking, the word has been uaderetooil in that sense a great deal too long; be cause education for the btu:Mess of life, and for the due cultivation of domestic virtues, is at least as important from day to day to the grown person as to the child; because real education, in the strife and contention for a livelihood, and the consequent necessity incumbent on. a great number of young persons to join to the world when they are very young, is extremely difficult ; it is because of three things that I look upon mechanics' Math enticing and etheamume as vitally important to tl.e well being of society. It is because the rudiments of education may there be turned to good account in the acquisition of sound principles, and of the great virtues, hope, faith, and charity, to which all our knowledge tends. It is because of that I take it that you have met in educatioa's name to night. It is • great satisfaction to me to occupy the place I do in behalf of an infant institution ; • remarkably fine child enough (laughter)-of a vigopmf ceretitutioe but &ie infant gill. 1 esteem myself singularly fortunate in know ing it before its prime, in the hope that I may have the pleasure of remembering it in its prime, and when it has attained to its lusty maturity, that I was • friend of its yoeth. It has ehthdy oared through some of the disorders to which children are liable; it succeeded to an elder brother of is very meritorious character, but of rather a weak constitution, and which expired when about twelve months old from, it is said, a destructive habit of getting up early in the morning it succeeded this elder brother, and has fought manfully through • sea of troubles. Its friends have often been muck concerned for it ; its pulse has been exceedingly low, being only 1,250 when it was expected to have been 10,000 ; several relations an I friends have even gone so far as to walk off once or twice in the melancholy belief that it wee dead. Through al! that, assisted by the indomitable energy of one or two nurses, to whom it can never be sufficiently grateful, it came triumphantly; and now of all the youthful members of its family I ever saw, it has the strongest attitude, the healthiest look, and the brightest and most cluerful air. As the axiom, " Heaven helps those who help themsolvea," is truer in no case than it is in this, I look to the young men of Glasgow,from such a put and such 'present, fora noble future.% everything which has been done in any other athenaeum, I confidently expect tosee done here ; and when that shall be the ease, and when there shall be great cheap schools in connec tion with the institution, and when it has bound together for ever all its friends, and brought over to itself all those who look upon it as an objectionable institution-then, and not till then, I hope the young men of Glasgow will rest from their labours, and think their study done. If the young men of Glasgow want any stimulus or encouragement in this wise, they have one beside them in the persons of their fair townswomen which is irresistible. It is a meet delightful circumstance to some, and one fraught with inestimable be nefit to institutions of this kind, that at a meeting of this nature those who in all things are our best examples en couragers, and friends, are not excluded. The abstrac t idea of the graces was in ancient times associated with those arts which refine the human understanding; and it is pleasant to see, in the rolling of the world, the graces popularising the practice of those arts by their example, and adorwag it with their presence. I am happy to know that iii the Glas gow Athenaeum there is a peculiar bond of union between the institution and the fairest part of creation. I understand that the necessary addition to the small library of books, being difficult and expensive to make, the ladies have gene rally resolved to hold a fancy bazaar fur the sale of th ei r o wn work, and to devote the proceeds to this admirable purpose . -(applause) : and I learn with no less pleasure that her - Majesty the Queen, in • graceful and womanly sense of the excellence of this design, has consented that the bazaar shall be held under her royei patronage. (Applause.) A. Henna, Esq., M.P., and Dr. EWING, in appropriate speeches, proposed and seconded the first resolution-" That the rise and progress of the Glasgow Atheneum constitute an interesting event iu the history of this city ; and there is every reason to believe that the institution will continue to prove eminently prosperous, from its peculiar adaptation to the intellectual wants of this large and rapidly increasing 1 community."-Carried. A BLeek, Esq., Lord Provost of Edinburgh, in a suitable speech, proposed, "That this meeting vie ws with much eppros i bation that portion of the constitution of the Atheneum l whereby numerous facilities are afforded to its members for the cultivation of various branches of general literature, a subject which opens up • source of mental cultivation, moral , ith . proeement, and delightful recreation to all classes." i _Profemor Arrotne seconded the resolution, on being pot by the chairman, was unsoimenely agreed to. Professor TitOlMort said: The resolution which I have to eall your attention to, has be its purpose, to ask your appro bation that it may be made lbw loading feature in this insti lotion to diffuse the knowledgethemence, literature, and art. I beg to propose-That this teeming is highly gratified to that it ei the intuition of the directors of the to use every lesawa la their power to aid in the of a nowledge of mime and art, by the gyms* a nation is ensisisedgml amebied. fr lii 0011111, Bag, Edisbnegb, who was remised with mush misuse, said, Wow me to thank you he the cordial greeting yaw have noorded ms. It reads amenitione now of 23 yew' standing. Ghost'', no the ama town oat of my own native city in whin I venni le appear bolas • pub lie andante ; and the welmneemitish I mosind la Glasgow la MS was sin as maseinged no laths leant en which I this estered s an wink/ base we lees eignient. Many she sow nese to nowise at limailaw probably not horn. ft is my peat privilege le ban Oat virtue, wienee and art have bees sdvansed be thet aspen which is worthy of the nal ;of sea. t . i. ..., had alluded to the state of .Giagew la the of the ninny. I am not yet three mate yam bet I seediest That is 1797 there wee only sae Nash that ilested from Edinburgh for Glasgow by way of POW et six in the morning, and only reached blamw Mimeses Mita. (Laughter.) About seven rigs larm, Ik e voyage to Dwalswton wee performed in a row boat, as the Clyde, in bar hews down, with wind and tide, and in about five hours upwards. There was likewise a boat eu Helansbtagl. ; the only other senveyance was a caravan, ia which it was my misfortune ewe to travel a five hours' journey. If I were asked what bed astendishad the thanes which has now been effected by 111111Erhosts and railways, I eland answer, edemas and art Is it to inn we lima this en bet in ampule the reseletisa I hen Ibur n %ran le open to ? it hatless aile thin snow is The how ahem frenisti islinumi by Sir Rohn have ben *On gene Nemineries of " Godless ednemitea." It l ess ben eigmetal le an, that they ere imieded In same dna, rains/ roliglian tailreellea se be &den hen the paean I weed eel upmarket's, taslita trans the Wien van ; in that den anneenemilly imply that Neiman le met Ild the highest tragedian to the welfare of i siessidad. anon I wend ihine le be the haewholge of adore, correctly observed and glinnekelly artongsel How e . 0 whole the Author of /. Thom h hat one anower. The e t great God who made the endOse earth, sadist whom ,e ' we live sad non, and have en being. Who Ink 'the :. inn human mind I The arm gran Dan& The ewe queue. is-has He wiped the nail whisk be made, to the world /rived which He amide ? Who woad in to sawn in the that they should Ism at inaugural densinitedisa i end, the i A* ghe he the mrandArklah Se hr following the example of ldeasherga sad elltarirge towns, imagnon the wadi Ni He has Stank , who wadi say des re. an haviug similar samodatien . they 'heed . ben wad g wee gseeno es and , andea, sad se Mow up reiria, presided over by ems iftiat the nist distinahhed we whisk doe yin Dan in miebliand between of the 4a7. It was Tiodtaa that their OA aldseihedrara we N. made he I I ninny Mead Minden should take plea on Dee. 93, end tits soh of in arenas on pang pinetpies. The rave el we Ike hid la having Wen es Mr. Olathe Diann, that nationn gun I enbnithe to the anis that the this his mount M nide ea the session . Bonn the meeting nil& sad us hen 11111140* this oily wed in of Tuesday erinlng In the Clarinll. hie bola dine des toed. The dans of seas lie The Chairmandlia Clitsanam Dionne, was seeraved with =la lie peat Creator in ssiabilaing loud applause. Mkt tide whom bed rebeihd, he sad, the uneiries, and an port of it to easest, kin Ladles and geattemeas, let no begin by annowesleg te apes me ' ere written fa the PM& gesweyiblon th e 11.11111111110 Nei vat oda the mann of =Of net araffee eat whin are be we te ahoy. Lot yaw reemnien we 5 meld, la dagie einelain me sin ea inis.4 7 . a it is by inside we see the infant/Ohs with ~ I erne imaimig yea. met why aimed of the wee niseriable Ibis beiabfal gran yen gains' greallig rani' amain k ite . liaape-the • aranally swabs, under ms domosimmi. no .sines limlainissmompll 4, Et yes aes of ile thinert gran within ime_ .._. bat whin I masa then with the kin their thsainade and Maio& of .Ogle' , Ipenes* of this brEllant siesenly-nbas I regard rest ma the belpien align, seen mainassi ednidiall nun* sad enreingeniat no the of remedy et tinn. It le maly a Ira yew which she took mei to Greet SAMAR, or which went into the' British Pomaillos as thdr way to France and other Orb of lberspe. The sib* of the order of the Bdtisk l'est-elbe is to wheat ell laden and Mbar RAM: Wompaveld by Anted ma Woomma to alai, posloge, ene_peouge mini boss pail ea then to the Und id Metes, while rittv imi7 entresepertod hl Isitish stamen me melded to pay but a single pootesne This magus wee adopted with the avowed °loom of protecting the British line of mail stems* war noosing between Heston and Liverpool, end if palmitin& te ematinne must speedilyteet so end to the Jonnemotadow el sh believe eel mist mike by Americas ante mil glut in British elsesesee a monopoly of the bailees. Ititest end Mr reciprocity is all that we deeire, and qattt 11th we snot insist. By our laws no such discri deeliea made spinet British steamers bringing letters We ewe pate, let ell Were arriving is the United States ereseldeet te the somi• rats of postage, whether brought in Bdthis ese Amodem vomit I refer you to the report of the Possownemeeseval !bra full statement of the fern of the *se, sad of the steps taken by him to correct this inequality. Be has exerted all the power oonferred upon him by the existing laws. The Minister of the United Stites at Leaden has brought the subject to the attention of the British gevensment, and is now engaged in tiegedetions Sze tike pap» of adjusting nelprocal portal anemones** whirl shall be equally just to both countries. Should he fail in ecistindlng such arrange ments, and shield Greet Britain *slit on enforcing the un equal sad uaJt. ammo she has adopted, it will become seemenry he wake witildesol powers on the Ponmester. General. is ceder te Nish* him to meet the emergency, and to put our own straws on as equal footing with British steamers engaged in transporting the mail between the two countries ; and I recommend that such powers be conferred. In view of the existing state of our country, I trust it may I net be inappropeiate, in closing this communication, to tail *eliv4 re .wends of wisdom end admonition of the first and mot atilMses of my predecessors, in has farewell address to his emmodoyetimi. greatont and beet of men, who served his country en sal lowed it so moth, foresaw, with " serious eon sea, • the dow to ear llaiea " of characteriaing parties by geogreghisel anedinieediss--Nortliern end Southern . At lantic and Western—whew 4 1 = 1 : se en may endeavour to excite • belief that time is a dismal interests and views,"emil warmed bio osmium= maim* it. So deep GNI edema was hi emenvielea et the Importance of the Union, and of preserving the bay between its stilterent that decimal to hie essaatrysma in that ram, " It is of lids moment that yon should properly mama theinnnesse wise el your nedeaal union to your ediestive and individual happium ; Met . should cherish • earbal, habitual, sa d immovable attimeat to it; somas. tenter yourselves to *hilt Ind to speak WA es a palladium of pow political moiety and proeperity ; watching for its pre. sermitisa with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may mom even a suspicion that it can in any event be abousdosed : and indignantly frowning upon the first dawn ing of every attempt to alienate any portion of our count ry from the rest, sr to enfeeble the sacred Cm which now link together the various parts." After the lapse of half a century, these admonitions of Washington tell upon as with all the force of truth. It is difficult to estimate the "immense value" of our glorious union of confederated states, to which we are so mach in debted fur our growth in population and wealth, and for all that constitutes us a great and happy nation. How unim portent are all our differences of opinion upon minor ques tions of public policy, compared with its preservation ; and how scrupulously should we avoid all agitating topics which msy tend to distract and divide tie into contending parties, separated bygeographical lines whereby it may be weakened or endangered. Invoking the blessing of the Almighty Ruler of the Uni verse upon your deliberations, it will be my highest duty, no less than my sincere pleasure, to 00-operate with you in all measures which may tend to promote the honour and en during welfare of sur common country. Washington, Dee., 1847. Janu K. Potts. Tag TAY.—We stated a few days ago that the Tay, which left with the West India and Mexican mails on the 2nd inst. had put into Corunna, having received some damage, and was expected to leave on the 13th. The Iberia brings intelligence that she put back to Coranna three times, and Stilly left on the 19th, but it was not known whether she left for St. Thomas or Btrmuda. C: 71 ~~i.~~y • r 1 7 - r' SU Court. WINDSOR, THURSDAY.— Prince Albert, attended by the Marquis of Aberoorn, Cal. the Hon. C. B. Phipps, and Col. Bouverie, left the Castle at four o'clock this after noon for town. H. A. H. will dine at Buckingham Palace, and will honour the performance of the Westminster Play with bis presence, anti will afterwards rtturn to Windsor Castle this night. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening included the Duchess of Kent, the Marchionem of Aberc Lady Mare Howard, the Lady in Waiting of the Duchess of Kent, Baroness de Speth, Mr. G. E. Anson, Sir George Couper, General Wemysa, Capt. Hon. A. Gordon, and Dr. Meyer. The Marquis of Ormonde has arrived at the Castle, and has succeeded Lord Waterpark an the Lord in Waiting to the Queen. . . . . Admiral Sir E. C,odrington has succeeded Lieut.- Col. Hon. A. N. Hood u the Groom in Waiting to her Majesty. Trig COAST DEFENCES.—We are enabled to state upon the best authority, that a commission appointed by the Master. General of the Ordnance, consisting of Lieut.-Col. Hardinge, K.H., director of the Laboratory Department of the Royal Arsenal; Lieut.-Col. Colquhoun, of the carriage department; and Major Sandbar's, R.E., has been sitting for some time at Woolwich, to consider the subject of extending the coast defences, and of strengthening the existing lines of fortifleatidn. In pursuance with instructions the com missioners have visited the whole of the eastern, southern, and western coasts of England, and have inspected every place where they have judged it probable that a hostile fleet would, in the event of a war, attempt a landing. An exten sive correspondence ha also been opened up with the various pilots at the outports, with the view of ascertaining the spots where it would be practicable for an enemy to attempt a landing, even in flat-bottomed boats and launches, in order that the whole of our coasts may be effectually guarded against the possibility of a surprise. The report of the corn. mittee will be referred to the Muter-General when completed. THE BARRISTERS' BALL IN AID OP DISTRESSED NIIIDLIWONEM was given last night at the Hanover-square Rooms. The attendance was numerous, and the company, the majority attired in fancy costume, kept up the amuse ment till a late hour. The ball was opened by eight young ladies tastefully dressed in imitation of Jenny Lind so La Figlia del heglinsetdo. I NQO MTH, YESTERD IT.—CHILD MURDERS.—Before Mr. Bedford, adjourned, at the Rising Son, Charles-street, Oroevenor-square, on the body of a newly-born female child. On the morning of the 4th, as a carter named Turner was crossing Blisabsth-bridge, Pimlico, he picked up a parcel, the wrapper of which was a piece of green calico, and on opening it fouad the child in question quite degd.—Mr. Churchill, surgeon, of Finlike, said that he had examined the deceased, which was born alive. There was a bruise on the forehead, but no other external marks of violence. On the re-assembling of the jury there was nothing to add to the foregoing, and a verdict was returned of " Wilful mur der against some person or persons anknown." —Same coroner and place, touching the death of a male child found in Hyde- park. —A labourer named Beaton proved finding the deceased near the statue of Acisilla on Tuesday morn ing.—Mr. Bloxam, parish surgeon, deposed that the de ceased had been born alive, and bad evidently died from neglect and exposure to the cold.—The Coroner hav,ng re marked that it was frightful to think of the great increase of the crime of child murder, thejury returned a verdict of "Wil fat murder against some person or perm= unknewn."— MaNehanoirran.—Before Mr. W. Carter, at the Two Sawyer*, Poiamsroad, Lambeth, on the body of Mary Morton, aged 72.—Policeepostable Mole said that on Mon day mai% week he saw a horse and cart going along the Westainelne-gisad at a furious rate. Deceased was crossing the read, end was knocked down by the cart. The driver, who efts eftesiling up upon seeing what be had dose, vrhippedadebneres, nod drove on famer than before. Wit ness pensmolidmi eft& mg ot breath, when he last sight at hint, and had Nee eftieteoftred in vain to find out who he was, orb wham the cart belonged.—Mr. Wad e said the deceased was his mother-in-law. She was the widow of Richard Modes, the late Admiralty barge-keeper. On the ' evening be irmillion he hand her In the surgery of Mr. Bryant ift eialsomaiblie Mea t gad had be teamed to his own regitomeft—Nr. Habilmenoftmgeeft, said, ea Madly weeft, be saw tho u :and head leftlllll ideate, abou t brig mil the Anis of the left asliblealuan. mil tamed, and mood beg death eft oftftlag last.—'lla jury returned a verily of apiot ems pea= or pommy; unknown.— The wars inelftested by the coroner to use every mar ties to dad out thus guilty party. _ GLASGOW ATHEN/RUM SOIREE. The first twin's, osausoolorativo of tie *sag of C Greer Alherwee, leek pin ea Turley aler City AA, Thr lerileeleu roe spoor Orebee ler The roma reeeollag it err Les 02111114.11181111•111, iW Ulan ell thee re air asseree earl dere. It sew members bereft 1,916 ire 1,100 amebas. At the eermummeut at thia indi!astiaa, It ire re:dyed