Mobile register and journal., 1845-12-12


 tories with large army which she threatened,
 authorized the general assigned 10 the command 0
 lhe army ol occupation make requsitioRs for ad
 ditiona forces from several of the States nearest tin
 Texan territory, and which could mo,t expsditious
 fnFsish them, il, in hs opinion, larger fierce Ilal that snder his command. and the auxiliary aid whcl under like eircumSlances, he was authorized 10 re
 ceive from Texas, should be required. The conIin gency upon which the exercise of this authority de
 pended, has not occurred. The circumsIamces unde
 which two companies of State artillery from the cIi, of New Orleans were sent into Texas, and mustered into the service of the United SateF fully stated in lhe report of the Secretary of War. recommend to Congress that provision be made for the payment Of these troops. we'll as a small number Of Texan volunleers, whom the commanding general thought
 necessary 10 receive or muster into our service
 During the last summer, the first reg inent Of dEa- gOons made extensive excursions through the Indian coustry on our borders, part of them advancing nearly to the possessions of the Hudson's Bay Com pauy in the north and part as far NC tue South Pass of the Rocky mountains, and the head waters of the tribnary streams of the COorRdo of the West. The exhibition of this militar, force among the In- daa Tribes in those dIsant reglons and the councils held with them by the commanders of the expedi- tions, t believed, will have a sautary influence ia restraining them lrom hostilnies among themsel and maintaining friendly relations between them and ths United States. An interesting account of one of these excnrsons accompanies the report of the Sec retary of War. Under the directions of the War Department, Brevet Captain Fremont, of the corps VI toPuktaphiCh uab Dteu etupOyeu stnce lo4z m exploring the country yves, of the Missis- sippi. and beyond the Rocky mountains. Two ex- Peditions have already been brought to close, aud reports of that scientific and enerprsing officer have fara,shed much interesting and valuable information. He is now engaged in third expedition; hut it is not expected that this arduous service will be com pIeted in season to enable to communicate the result to Congress at the preseni session.
 The relations with the Indian Hihes of fa- vorabia character. The policy of removing them 0nAdfa far faAar naru mi 4ana west of tue Mi'sssppi and without the limits of the organised States and Ter Iritories, better sppreci aied by them than it was few years ago; while ed ucaton is now attended to. and the thabits of civ
 issd lie are gaining ground a,nong them.
 Serious difficulties of long standing continue to distract the several parties into which the Chero- kees are unhappiiy divided. The efforts of the government to adjust the difficulties between them have heretofore proved unsuccessful and there mains probability that this ddsrable object can be accomplished without the aid of further Legislation by Congress. will, at early period of your sion, present the subject for your consideration, eompanied with m exposilIon of the complaints and claims of the several parties into which the nation is divided, with view to lhe adoption of Bnc sures by Congress as may enable the executive 10 do justice to them respectively, and to put end, if possible, to the dssensions which have long pre- vailed. and still prevail, among them.
 refer you 10 the report ofthe Secretary of the Navy for the present condition of that branch of the sotionai defence; and for grave suggestions having for their object the increase of it's ecIeRcy, and
 greater econ~my in its management. During the past year the officers and men have performed their duty m satisfactory manner. The orders which have been giveR, have been execnted with prompt- ness and fidelity larger force than has often ior'aed one squadron under flag was readily concentrated in the gulf of Mexico, and apparently without unusual effort. It is especially to be ob- served, that notwithstanding the union of so consid- eraois force, uo act was committed that even the jealousy of rr ated power conld construe act oi aggression; and that the commander of the squad ron and hs officers, in strict conformity with their instructions, holding themselves ready for the most active duty. have achieved the still Purer glory of contributing to the preservation of peace. His pshesed that at all foreign stations the honor of our nag has been maintained, and that generally our ehips ofwar have been distinguished for their good discipline and order. am happy 10 add, that the display of maritime force which required by the events of ,he summer, has been made wholly within the usual appropriations for the servlce of the year, 90 that no additional appropriarions are required.
 The commerce of the United States. and with it the navigating interest. have steadily and rapidly increased since the organization of our government, unt, it is believed, we secoud to ibut one Power ia the wovd. and al no distant day we shall probably be inferior to Exposed as they must be, it has been wise policy to afford to these in- portant interests protection with our ships of war, distributed in the great highways of trade tn oughout the world. For than thirty years appropria- tions have been made, and annually expended. for the gradual ia crease of naval force. In peace, our navy performs the important duty of protecting our commerce; and, in the event of war, will. as has been, most efficient means of defence.
 The successful use of steam navigation on the | ocean has been followed by the introduction of war s.samsrs in great aud incfeasug numbers into the l nsviea of the principle maritime Powers of the world. 4 due regard to our own safety and to an efficient protection to our large and increasing commerce de- mands corresponding increase on our part. No country has greater facilities for the construction Of
 =. IL. .s-s.-u s.,u itself greater advantages from their enpoymeat.-l They admirably adapted to the protection of our commerce, to the rapid transmission of intelligence, and 10 the coast defence. In pursuance of the wise policy of gradual increase of navy, large sup pes of live oak timber, and other materials for ship building, have been collected, and are now under shelter and in good state Of preservation, while iron steamers can be built with great facility in va rious parts of the Union. The of iron ma | teriai. especially in the construction of steamers, which can enter with safety many of the harbors along our coast inaccessible vessels of great CT draught, and the practicabity of constructing them in the in,eror strongly recommends that libe- rai appropriations should be made for ths impor- tant object. Whatever may have been our policy in the earlier stages of the government, when the na- tioR tn its infancy. our shipping interests and commerce comparatively small, resources limit cd. population sparse and scarcely extending be- yond the limits Of the original thirteen States, that policy must be essentially different that we have arown from three to more than twenty millions of people ,-that our commerce, carried in our own ships, s found in every sea, and that our territorial boundaries and settlements have been greatly ex- padded. Neither our commerce, long line of coast ou the ocean and the lakes, be successful lydesaded against foreign aggressionby mea ms of for tifcations sl0pe. These essential at important commercial and military points, but our chiefreance for this object mus, be on well organised, eicIent navy. The benefits resulting from such navy are not confined to the Atlantic States Tie productions of the interior which seek a market abroad, di- rsctly dependent the safety and freedom of our ooninerce. The occupation of the Bailze below Nsw-orleaas by a hos,ile force would cmbarra.s. if net sfagnate, the whole export trade of Msssspp,, aad affect the value of agricultural products of the entire valley of that mighty river and its tributaries ;; It has Rever been our policy to maintain large standing armies in time Of peace. They are contra. " to the genius of free institutions. would i'm pose heavy burdens on the people, and be dangerous 10 public liberty Our reliance for protection and defence on the land must be mainly on our citizen soldiers, who will be ever ready they ever have been ready in times past, to rush with alacrity at the call of their country to her defence. Ths de- scrptioR of force. however, cannot defend our coast harbors, and inland seas, protect our commerce on the ocean the lakes. These must he protected by navy. e
 Cousiderng an increased nayal force, and cspecai- iy of siean vessels corresponding with our growth and importance nation, and proportioned to the increased and increasing naval power of other na- lioas, of importance regards our safety, and the great and growing interests to be protected by it, recommend the subject to the favorable cousde- ratioa of Congress. tyia 4 t8