The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-18 00:00:00

experience and action of the last session of Congress, as
furnishing assurance that the subject will not fail to
elicit a careful re-examination and rigid scrutiny.
"It IN-as my intention to present on this occasion some
rugge,tions regarding internal iinonvements by the
general government, which want of time at the close of
the la4t session prevented my sgbaiitting on the r::"..irn
to the House of Representatives -vith objections, of the
bill entitled An Act making appropriations for the re
pair, preservation, and completion of certain pubic
works heretofore commenced under authority of law ;'
but the space of this communication already occupied

with other matter of immediate public exigency Con-
strains me to reserve that subject for a special message,
which will be transmitted to the two Houses of Congress
at an early day,
" The judicial establishment of thelUnited States re-
quires modification, and certain reforms in the manner
of conducting the legal business of the government are
also much needed - but as I have addressed you upon
both of these subjects at length before, I have only to
call your attention to the suggestions then made.
" My former recommendations, in relation to suitable
provision for various objects of deep interest to the in-
habitants of the district of Columbia, are renewed.
Many of these objects partake largely of a national cha-
racter, and are important, independently of their rela-
tion to the prosperity of the only considerable organised
community in the Union entirely unrepresented in Con-

gtess.
" I have thus presented suggestions on such subjects
a 3 appear to me to be of particular interest or import-
ance, and, therefore, most worthy of consideration during
the short remaining period allotted to the labours of the
present Congress.
" Our forefathers of the 13 united colonies, in acquir-
ing their independence, and in founding this republic of
the United States of America, have devolved upon us,
their descendants, the greatest and the most noble trust
ever committed to the hands of men, imposing upon all,
and especially such as the public will may have invested
for the time being with political functions, the most
sacred obligations. We have to maintain inviolate the
great doctrine of the inherent right of popular self-go-
vernment ; to reconcile the largest liberty of the indivi-
dual citizen with complete security of the public order ;
to render cheerful obedience to the laws of the land, to
unite in enforcing their execution, and to frown indig-
nantly on all combinations to resict them ; to harmonise a
sincere and ardent devotion to the institutions of religious
faith with the most universal religious toleration ; to pre-
serve the rights of all by causing each to respect those of
the other ; to carry forward every social improvement
to the uttermost limit of human perfectibility, by the
free action of mind upon mina—not by the obtrusive in-
tervention of misapplied force ; to uphold the integrity
and guard the limitations of our organic law ; to pre-
serve sacred from all touch of usurpation, as the very
palladium of our political salvation, the reserved powers
of the several states and of the people ; to cherish with
loyal fealty and devoted affection this Union, as the
only sure foundation on which the hopes of civil liberty
re:4 ; to administer government with 'vigilant integrity
and rigid economy ; to cultivate peace and friendship
with foreign nations, and to demand and exact equal
justice from all, but to do wrong to none ; to eschew in-
ternieddling with the national policy and the domestic
repose of other governments, and to repel it from
our own ; never to shrink from war when the rights and
the honour of the country call us to arms, but to culti-
vate in preference the arts of peace, seek enlargement of
the rights of neutrality, and elevate and liberalise the
intercourse of nations, and by such just and honourable
means, and such only, while exalting the condition of the
Republic, to assure to it the legitimate influence and the
benign authority of.a great exaznple among all the powers
of Christendom.

" Under the solemnity of these convictions, the bless-
ing of Almighty God is earnestly invoked to attend upon
your deliberations, and upon all the counsels and acts of
the government, to the end that with common zeal and
common efforts, we may, in humble submission to the
Divine will, co operate for the promotion of the supreme
good of these United States.

FRANKLIN PIERCE.
" Washington, Dec. 4,1854."

CALIFORNIA.

The steam-ship Star of the West had arrived at
New York, with Californian advices to the 9th
nit., and upwards of three-quarters of a million of
dollars. •