Democratic banner., 1850-12-16

roads leading into the country ara infested.
By them; whereby travelling il almost co..
tirsly arrested. The Mexican froatiss,
which, by the eleventh article ofths Tresty
Of GusdslOupe Hidalgo, w are bound 70
sgsinst the Indians within our Bot.
ders, is exposed to their incursions equally
with our own. The military forces STATEN.
ed in that country, although forming slssis
proportion Of the army. is represented
entirely inadequate to our own protectioa,
and the fulklnent Of our tresty stipulations4
wih Mexico. The principal deficiency 10
in cavalry. ! recommend that Congress
should, at as early a period as possible,
provide for the raising Of one or more Reg
iments of mounted men. -
For further suggestions on this subject,
and others connected with our domestic
Interests, in reference to our frontier, re.
fer you to the reports Of the Secretary Of
the Interior and Of the Secretary Of War;
! recommend, also, to your favorable
consideration, the suggestions contained 10
the last mentioned Report, and 'ina lstter
Of the Generai-in- Chief, relative to the es-
tsblishing an Asylum for the relief Of aisa.
.blsd and destitute soldiers. This subject
so strongly 70 your sympathies that
il would be superfuogs for me to say any.
thing more than barely to express my cor
'disl appreciation Of the proposed object.
The Navy continues to give protectiea
to our Commerce and other National inter-
ests, in the different quarters Of the globe,
and, with the exception Of . single steamer
ON the Northern Lskes, the vessels In CON-.
mission are distributed in six different
s~qusdrons.
The Report of the head Of tina! Depart.
ment will exhibit the services OF these
squsdrons, and Of the several vessels I'm.
|ployed 10 each, during the past year. th
a source Of grati6 cation that. while they
have been constant, prepared for any hos
tile emergency, they have everywhere met
with the respect and courtesy due, as vel
TO the dignity, ~ to the peaceful disposi.
|tion and JUS. purposes Of the Nation.
The two ~brigsntines accepted BY the
Government from a generous citizen Of
New York, and placed under the conmsnd
of an officer Of the Navy. to proceed to the
Arctic seas, in quest Of the British Com
mandeT. Sir John Franklin, and his com
|panions, in compliance with the act Of Con-
eress approved in May last, had, when last
heard from, penetrated into ahigh northern
latitude, but the success Of this noble 60:
|terprise il ye. uncertain.
invite your attention to the view ofour
present naval establishment and resources,
presented IN the, report Of the Secretary OF
the Navy, and the Observation-Disclosures made
for its improvement, together with the ma
val policy recommended for the security Of
our Pacific coasts, and the protection and
extension Of our commerce with Eastern
Asia. Our facilities for a larger PsrticiPa.
ton in the trade Of the East, By means OF
our recent settlements on the shores Of the
Pacific, are too obvioas to be overlooked or
|disregarded.
The questions 10 relation To- rsnk in the
Army and Navy, and relative rank between
officers Of the two branches Of the services
presented to the Executive BY certain res-
olutions Of the House Of Representatives.
the last session Of Congress, have been sub
mitted to . board ofodfcers in. each branch
of the service, and their report may be Z
Ipected at an early day. r i,
! also earnestly recommend the enact
ment Of q Law authorizing officers Of the
Army and Navy to be retired from the ser.
vice, when incompetent for its vigorous
and active duties, taking care to make suit.
able provision for those who have faithfully
served their country, and awarding distine-
Itions, BY retaining in command those Who
have been particularly conspicuous for gel.
lsntry and good conduct. While We &c.
knowledge the obligation Of the countIyto
msintain and honor those who, to the ex.
I%clnsion Of other pursuits, have devoted
themselves to its srduous aervicazf D OBJ
Iligstion should not be permitted 4 sgsfeis
with the efficiency ofths service iself.
I nm grati6ed at being able to state, that
THE estimates for Naval expenditures fs
the ensuing year are less BY more than ons
million than those Of the present, excepting
the appropriations which msy become mac
essary for the construction of the dock up..
ON the coast Of the Pacific, propositions fos
which are now being considered, and o
which Especial report may be expected ssf
lly in your present session.
There 10 an evident business in the 81.
gestions ofths ssms report; that appropris..