Year: 1860

would be the case under a system of speci-
fc duties. They sink and rise with the
sinking and rising prices of the articles in
foreign countries. 1t would not be difficult
for Congress TO arrange a system Of speci
Gc duties which would afford additional sta
bility both to our revenue and our manu-
faetures, without any injury or Injustice to
any interest of the country. This might
be accomplished by ascertaining the aver
age value of any given article for Il series
OF years ut the place Of expectation, and by
simply converting the state of ad valorem
duty upon it, which might be deemed nee
essary for revenue purposes, into the form OF
n specific duty. SHch an arrangement could
not injure the consumer. If he should pay
II greater amount of duty one year this
would be counterbalanced by a lesser
amount the next, and in the end the aggre-
gate would be the same. | desire to call
your immediate attention to the present
condition of the Treasury, so ably and
clearly presented by the Secretary in his
report TO Congress, and to recommend that
measures be promptly adopted to enable il
to discharge its pressing obligations The
other recommendations of the report are
well worthy of your favorable consideration


REPORTS or DEPARTMENTS.


| herewith transmit to Congress the Re-
ports Of the Secretaries Of War, Of the Navy,
OF the Interior, and of the Post Master Gen
eral. The recommendations and suggestions
which they contain are highly valuable,
and deserve your careful attention. The re-
port OF the Post Master General details the
circumstances under which Cornelius Van
lerbilt, on my request, agreed, in the month
OF July last to carry the Ocean mails be
tween our Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Had
he not thus acted this important intercom-
munication must have been suspended at
least for a season. The Post Master Gener-
al had no power to make him any other
compensation than the postages ON mail
matter which he might carry. 1t was
known at the time these postages would fall
far short of an adequate compensation, az
well as Of the sum which the same service
had previously cost the Government Mr.
Vanderbilt in n commeudable spirit, was
willing to rely upon the justice Of Congress
to make up the deficiency, and ! therefore
recommend that aH appropriation be
granted for this purpose.


SERVICES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.


| should do great injustice to the Attor-
ney General, were to omit the mention Of
his distinguished services in the measure
adopted and prosecuted by him for the de-
tense Of the Government against numerous
aud unfounded claims to land in California,
to have been made by the Mexi-
;an Government previous to the treaty Of
'essiOn. The successful opposition to these
;laims has saved to the United States pub
ic property worth many millions of dollars,
md to individuals holding title under them
1t least an equal amount.


RELIEF FOR KANSAS.


It has been represented to me from
ources which I deem reliable, that the in
labitants in several portions of Kansas
lave been reduced nearly to o state Of
tarvation, on account of the almost total
allure Of their crops whilst tue harve5ts
q every other portion OF the country have
een abundant. The prospect before them
or the approaching winter is well calculated
0 enlist the sympathies of every heart
he dcstitution appears to be SO general
hat it cannot be relieved by private eontri-
utions, and they are in such INDECENT cir
umstanccs as to be unable to purchase the
Of life for themselves. ! refer
he subject to Congress If any Constitu-
lOnal measure for their relief can be de-
ised would recommend its adoption.


DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA


cordially commend to your favorable
egard the interests of the people Of this
district. They are eminently entitled to
our consideration, especially as unlike
he people Of the States, they can appeal TO
o Government except that Of the Union


JAMES BUCHANAN.