The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-15 00:00:00

and, from the cost of the whole, have become almost int.c-
erosible to the great mass of the community. They also
exhibit much of the incongruity and imperfection of livdy
legislation. As it seems to be getterallT conceded that
there is no "common law" of the United States to supply
the defects of their legislaticm, it is must important that that
legislation should be as perfect as possible, defining every
power intended to be conferred, every crime intended
to be made punishable, and prescribing the punish-
ment to be inflicted. In addition to some parti-
cular cases spoken of more at length, the whole
criminal code is now lamentably defective. Some
offences are imperfectly described, and others are entirely
omitted ; so that flagrant crimes may be eonvaitted with
impunity. The scale of punishment is no: in all cases
graduated according to the degree and nature of the
offence, and is often renderel more unequal by the different
modes of imprisonment, or penitentiary confinement, in the
different States.

Many iiTOf a permanent character have been intro-
duced into appropriation bills, and it is oft( n difficult to
determine whether the particular clause expires with the
temporary act of which it is a part, or continuo in force.
It has a..n frequently happened that enactments and pro-
-111110119 of law have been introduced into bills, with the
title or g,neral subject of which they have little or no con-
nection or relation. In tlis mode of legislation so many
enactments have been heaped upon each other, and often
with but litt:o eonsideratim, that in many instances it is
difficult to search out and determine what is the law.

The government of tho United States is emphatically a
government of written lawn. The statute.' should, there-
fore, as far as practicable, not only be made accessible tt
all but be expressed in language so plain and simple as to
be understood 6y all, and arranged in such method as to
give perspicuity to ovarysu'uect. Many of the States
have revised their 'midi: acts with great and manifest
benefit; and I recommend that prevision be raNle by law
fur the appointment of a ciratuissi,m to revise the public
statutes of the United States, arranging them in order,
supplying deficiencies, corrt,tiug ineongruiti.fs, simplifying
their language, and reporting them to Congress we its
action.

An act of Congress, approved 3eth September, Wee con-
tained a pro% i-ion for the extensions.: the Capitol, according
to such a plan as might be approved by the President, and
apyropriated one hundred thousand dollars to be expended
under his direction, by such architect as he should appoint
to execute the same. tip examining the various plans
which hail been submitted by various architects, in pur-
suance of au advertisement by a cemmittee of the senate,
no oue was found to be entirely satisfactory, and it was
therefore deemed advisable to combine and adopt the ad-
vantages of several.
The great object to be arcanteFslied was to make such
on addition as would afford ample and convenient halls for
the deliberations rel the tern Helms of Congresa, with suf-
ficient accorumodatiuue tar spectat ere, and suitable apart-
meats fur the committees and officers of the two branches
of the legislature. It was also desirable hot to mar the
harmony and beauty of the present structure, which, as a
specimen of architecture, is so universally admired. Keep-
ing these objects in view, 1 concluded to make the addition
by wings, detached front the present :militia& yet con-
nected with it by corridors.
This mode of enlargement will leave the present Caoitol
uninjured, and afford greeter advantages fur ventilation
and the adeni,:ion of light, nod wiil enebic the work to pro-
gress without interrupting the deLberations of Ceageese.
To carry this plan into effect I have appointed an experi-
eneed and competent architect. The corner slime was laid
on the 4th day of July last, with suitable ceremonies, since
which time tlee work has edvanced with thininendeble
rapidity, and the foundations of both wiugs are now nearly
complete.
I ngain commend to your faveurable regard the interest
of the district of Columbia, and cm') deem it nceeesary to
remind you that, although the inhabitants have uo voice in
the choice of representatives in Congress, they are not the
less entitled to a pat and liberal consideration in your
legislation. Aly conions on this subject were more fully
expressed in my last annuel communication.
Other subjects were brotteht to the Mention of Congress
in my lint atenuel meseage, to whom I would reepeetlully
refer. But there was one of more than ordinary interest to
wlech I again invite your special attention. I allude to the
recommendation for the appoiefineet of a commission to
settle private chime against the Unteed States. Justice to
individuals as well as to the government fruperetieely de-
mands that some more convenient and expeditious mode
than appeal to Congress should be adopted.
It is deeply to be regretted that in several instances of-
firers of the government, in attempting to execute the law
for the return of fueitives from labour, leave been opt uly
resisted, and their en'erte frustrated *eel defeated by lawless
and 'Meta mobs; that in one caw such resistance resulted
in the death of an estimable thins, au t in other serioues
injury ensued to those officers and to individuals who were
using their endeavours to suet lin the laws. Prosecutions
have been instituted agaiust the alleged eifewlerv, ho ter 41
they could be identified, and are still pending. I have re-
gar.ded it as my duty, in the ee eases to give all aid legally in
my power to the enforcement of the laws, awl I Khali con-
tinue to do so wherever and whenever their execution may
be resisted.
The act of Congress forthe return of fugitives' from labour
is one, required ieuel demanded by the express words of tho
constitution.

'I he constitution declares, " That no person held to scr-
I vice or labour in one state, under the laws thereof, emaping
into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regi-
culution therein, be discharged from such service or labour,
but shall be delivered up on the claim of the party to whom
such service or labour may he due." This constitutional
provision is equally obligatory upon the legislative, the ex-
ecutive, and judicial departments of the government, and
upon every citizen of the United States.
Congress must, however, from necessity, firAt act upon
the subject, by prescribing the proceedino necessary to
ascertain that the person is a fugitive, and the means to be
used for his restoration to the claimant. This was done by
au act passed during the first term ot• President Washing-
ton, which was amended by that enacted by the last Con-
gress, and it now remains tor the executive and judicial de-
partments to take care that those laws be faithfully exe-
cuted.

.141 injunction of the constitution is as peremptory and
as binding as any other; it stands exactly on the site
founitition as that clause which provide.% for tie return of
fugitives from justice, or that which declares that no bill of
attainder or ~.c post facto low shall lie passed, or that
which provides for an equality of taxation, according to
the census, or the clause declaring that all duties shall lie
uniform throughout the United States, or the important
provision that the trial of all crimes shall be by jury.
These several articles and clauses of the constitution, all
resting on the same authority, must stand or fall together.
Sonic objections have been urged against the details of
the act for the return of fugitives front labour ; but it is
worthy of remark that the main opposition is aimed against
the constitution itself, sad proceeds Irons persons and
classes of persons, many of whom declare their wish to
see that constitution uverturned. They avow their hos-
tility to any. law which shall give full and practical effect
to this requirement of the constitution. Fortunately, the
number of these persons is comparatively small, and is be-
lieved to be daily diminishing, but he tissue which they
present is one which involves the supremacy and even the
existence of the constitution.
Cases have heretofore arisen in which individuals have
denied the binding authority of acts of Congress, and even
States have proposed to nullify such ants, upon the ground
that the constitution was the supreme law of the land, and
that those acts of Congress were repugnant to that instru-
ment; but nullifications is now aimed, not so much against
particular laws as being inconsistent with the constitu-
tion as against the Constitution itself; and it is not to be
disguisedi that a spirit exists and has been actively at work
to rend asunder this union, which is our cherished inheri-
tance from our revolutionary fathers.
In my last annual message I stated that I considered the
series of measures which had been adopted at the previous
session, in reference to the agitation growing out of the ter-
ritorial and slavery questions, as a flied settlement in prin-
ciple and substance of the dangerous and exciting subjects
which they embraced ; and I recommended adherence to
the adjustment established by those measures until time and
experience should demonstrate the necessity of further legis-
lation to guard against evasion or abuse.
I was not induced to make this recommendation because
I though those measures perfect, for no human legi-lation
can be perfect. Wide differences and jarring opinions can
only be reconciled by yielding something on all sides, and
this result had been reached after an angry conflict of
many months, in which one part of the country was ar-
rayed against another, and violent convulsion seemed to
be imminent.
Looking at the interests of the whole country, I felt it to
be my duty to seize upon this compromise as the best that
could be obtained amid conflicting interests, and to insist
upon it as a final settlement, to be adhered to by all who
value the peace and welfare of the country. A year has
now elapsed since that recommendation was made.
To that recommendation I still adhere, and I congratu-
late you and the country upon the general acquiescence in
these measures of peace, which has been exhibited in all parts
of the republic. And not only is there this general acqui-
escence in these measures, but the spirit of conciliation
which has been manifested in regard to them in all parts
of the country, has removed doubts and uncertainties
in the minds of thousands of pod men concerning the du-
rability of our popular institutions, and given renewed as-
surance that our liberty and our union may subsist together
for the benefit of this and all succeeding generations.
MILLARD FILLMORE.
Washington, Dec. 2,1351.