The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-16 00:00:00

there is no " common law" of the United States to supply
the defects of their legislation, it is most 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 punishment to
be inflicted. In addition to some particular cases
spoken of more at length, the whole criminal code is now
lamentably defective. Some offences are imperfectly de-
scribed, and others are entirely omitted ; so that flagrant
critnes may be committed with impunity. The scale of
punishment is not in all cases graduated according to the
degree and nature of the offence, and is often rendered more
unequal by the different modes of imprisonment, or peniten•.
tiary confinement, in the different States.
Many laws of a permanent character have been intro-
duced into appropriation Bills, and it is often difficult to
determine whether the particular clause expires with the
temporary Act of which it is a part, or continues in force.
It has also frequently happened that enactments and pro-
visions of law have been introduced into Bills, with the
title or general subject of which they have little or no con-
nexion or relation. In this mode of legislation so many
enactments have been heaped upon each other, and often
with but little consideration, that in many instances it is
difficult to search out and determine what is the law.
The Government of the United States is emphatically a

Government of written laws. The statutes sh'ould, there-

fbre, as far as practicable, not only be made accessible to
all, but be expressed in language so plain and simple as to
be understood by all, and arranged iu such method as to
give perspicuity to every subject. Many of the States have
revised their public Acts with great and manifest benefit, and
I recommend that provision be made by law for the appoint-
ment of a commission to revhe the public statutes of the
United States, arranging them in order, supplying deficien-
cies, correcting incongruities, simplifying their language, and

reporting theM to Congress for its action.
An Act of Congress, approved Atli September, 1,50, con-
tained a provision for the extension of the Capitol, according
to such a plan as might be approved by the President, and
appropriated one hundred thousand dollars, to be e Kpended
under his direction, by such an architect as he should appoint
to execute the same. On examining the various plans

which had been submitted by various architects, in pur-
suance of an advertisement by a committee of the Senate,
no one was found to be entirely satisfactory, and it was
therefore deemed advisable to combine and adopt the advan-

tages of several.
The great object to be accomplished was to make such
an addition as would afford amp:e and convenient halls for
the deliberations of the two Houses of Congress, with suf-
ficient accommodations for spectators, and suitable apart-
ments for the Committees and officers of the two branches of

the Legislature. It was also desirable not to mar the har-
mony and beauty of the present structure, which, as a speci-
men of architecture, is so univgsally admired. Keeping
these objects in view, I concludeer to make the addition by
wings, detached from the present building, yet coonected
with it by corridors:
This mode of enlargement will leave the present Capitol
uninjured, and afford greater advantages for ventilation and
the admission of light, and will enable the work to progress
withont interrupting the deliberations of Congress. To
carry this plan into effect I have appointed an experienced
and corn etent architect. The corner stone was laid on the
4th day of July last, with suitable ceremonies, since which
time the work has advanced with commendable rapidity,
and the foundations of both wings are now nearly complete.
I again commend to your favourable regard the interest cf
the district of Columbia, and only deem it necessary to re-
mind yon that, although the inhabitants have no voice in the
choice of representatives in Congress, they are not the less
entitled to a just and liberal consideration in your legislation.
My opinions on this subject were more fully expressed in my
last annual communication.
Other subjects were brought to the attention of Congress,
in my last annual message, to whom I would respectfnlly
refer. But there was one f more than ordinary interest to
which I again invite your special attention. I allude to the
recommendaticn for the appointment of a commission to
settle private claims against the United States. Justice to
individuals as well as to the Government imperatively 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
officers of the Government, in attempting to execute the
law for the return of fugitives front labour, have been
openly resisted, and their efforts frustrated and defeated by
lawless and violent mobs ; that in one case such resistance
resulted in the death of an estimable citizen, and
in others serious injury ensued to those officers
and to individuals who were using their en-
deavours to sustain the laws. Ibosecutions have.
been instituted against the alleged offenders, so far as
they could be identified, asid are still pending. I have re-
garded it as my duty, in these cases to give all aid legally in
my power to the enforcement of the laws, and I shall con-
tinue to do so wherever and whenever their execution may
be resisted.
The Act of Congress for the return of fugitives from la-
bour, is one required and demanded by the express words of
the Constitution.
The Constitution declares, " That no person held to service
or labour in one state, under the laws thereof, escaping into
another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation
therein, be discharged from such service or labour, but shall
be delivered up on the claim of the party to whom such ser-
vice or labour may be due." this constitutional provision is
equally obligatory upon the legislative, the executive, and
judicial departments of the Government, and upon every
citizen of the United States.
Congress must, however, from necessity, first act upon the
subject, by prescribing the proceedings necessary to ascer-
tain that the person is a fugitive, and the means to be used
for his restoration to the claimant. This was done by an
Act passed during the first term of President Washington,
which was amended by that enacted by the last Congress,
and it now remains for the executive and judicial depart-
ments to take care that those laws be faithfully executed.
The injunction of the Constitution is as peremptory and
as binding as any other; it stands exactly on the same
foundation as that clause which provides for the return of
fugi ives from justice, or that which declares that no bill of
attainder or ez poet facto law shall be passed, or that
which provides for an equality of taxation, according to
the census, or the clause declaring that all duties shall be
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.
Some objections have been urged against the details of
the Act for the return of fugitives from labour ; but it is
worthy of remark that the main opposition is aimed against
the constitution itself, and proceeds from persons and
classes of persons, many of whom declare their wish to see
that Constitution overturned. They avow their hostility 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 believed to
be daily diminishing, but the 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 acts 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 nullification is now aimed, not so much against
particular laws as being inconsistent with the Constitution,
as against the Constitution itself; and it is not to be disguised
that a spirit exists and has been actively at work to rend
asunder this union, which is our cherished inheritance 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
sessions, in reference to the agitation growing out of the ter-
ritorial and slavery questions, as a final 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
thought those measures perfect, for no human legislation 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 or many
months, in which one part of the country was arrayed 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
acquiescence in the 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 good men concerning the durability of
our popular institutions, and given renewed assurance that
our liberty and our union may subsist together for the benefit
of this and all succeeding generations.
MILLARD FILLMORE.

Washington, Dec. 2, 1851.

SEABORNE MAILS.
[N signifies that the malls are sent front the General Post-office
by the night—and M by the morning—dispatch.]

When made np In From what
PLACES. iGeneralPost-ofdice port dis- When
due.
London. patched.
America (by Brit. pkt.)Nl Dec. 19 Liverpool.. Arrived
America (by U.S. pkt.) N Dec. 23 .. .. Liverpool .. Dec 18
America (by U.S. pkt.) M Dec. 17 .. Sonthampt. Dec. 25
Africa (%Vest coast).. N 14th of the month Plymouth Jan. 3
Alexandria* ........ N 19th & 30th of mo. Dover .. Dec. 18
Belgium N Daily ......Dover Daily
Brazil . 9th of the month Southampt. Jan. 16
Buenos Ayres .. M 9th of the month Southampt. Jan. 16
California(viaChagres)M 2cl & 17th of month Southampt. Dec. 20
Cape of Good Hope N 14th of month Plymouth.. Jan. 3
Constantinople* .. N 7th 17th 27th of mo Dover • • Dec. 21
Central America .. M2d & 17th of men. ISouthampt. Dec. 20
Channel Isles N Mon., Wed., & FrLlSoutkampt. Tn. MEW
Chili . 31 17th of the month Southampt. Dec. 20
France & N Twice daily .. Dover .. Twicedaily
Greece° N 7th 17th 27th of mo Dover • • Dec. 20
Hamburgh N Tuesday & Friday London .. Ties, Sat.
Holland .. Wednes. & Satur. London .. Mea.Thur.
Honduras .. N 17th of the mouth Southampt. Dec 2.)
Ireland .. .. id& N; Twice daily .. Holyhead Twicedaily
India(via Sonthamp.) 31 20th of the month Southampt. Dec. 24
India (via Marseilles) N Bth& 24th efmonth Dover • . Dec. 17
Mediterranean (via
Southampton) 11120th of the month Sonthampt. Dec. 24
Mediterranean (via
Marseilles) .. N Bth& 24th ofmonth Dover • • Dec. 17
Mexico .. M2d of the month.. Sonthampt. Jan. 5
Madeira .. •• 1119th of the month Southampt. Jan. 16
*
7th,17 th,l9th,Mb Dover Dec. 18
Meta • • •• & 30th of month
Naples* N sth 15th 25th of me Dover .. Dec. 22
Papal States* N sth 15th 25th of mo Dover Dec. 22
Peninsular.. 7th 17th 27th of ino Southampt. Arrived
17th of the month Sonthampt. Dec. 20
Para Tuscany* ▪ N sth 15th 25 th of mo Dover Dec. 22
West Indies .▪ .
17th of the month Southampt. Dec. 20
West Indies (except
Havanna & Nassau) 111 2d of the month .. Sonthainpt. Jan. 5

The mails to those c,
French packet via Marsei
The direct Havre mail
month will bo made up ti

12d of the month .
ountries thus mar'
Illes.

Itionthainpt.lTan. 5
ked (*) are conveyed

from London via
three times a week

Southampton during this
only, instead of daily.

CASE OF DETERMINED SUICIDE AT DOVER.—On
night, about ten o'clock, a London gentleman,
as far can be at present ascertained, is H.
Lwrrehhpuoisraseed,nayame,
committed suicide.l at Rogers' Terminus Inn, Beach-
street, opposite the railway terminus, by hanging himself.
The unfortunate gentleman had been staying at the above
inn on that day. He is supposed to have attempted to
destroy himself by drowning, having been found in the har-
bour the same afternoon, where it was then supposed he had
accidentally fallen. Some person on the spot succeeded in
saving him.

IMPROVEMENTS IN ST. JAMEs's•PARK.—Men have
been for some time engaged in St. James's-park and the
enclosure in removing all the rotten and decayed trees in
the place, and planting with young ones. Many of the trees
had been there so many years that the trunks were com-
pletely hollow, and the wood like sponge. A similar clear-
ance is to be made of the dead wood in the other parka and
Kennington.