I transmit to Congress a copy of the treaty between the United States and the Kingdom of Siam, concluded on the 29th of May, 1856, and proclaimed on the 16th of August last, and call the attention of that body to the necessity of an act…

I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty between the United States and China, signed at Tien-tsin by the plenipotentiaries of the parties on the 18th day of June last.

I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty of amity and commerce between the United States and Japan, concluded at the city of Yeddo on the 29th of July last.

The resistance to rightful authority and the persevering attempts to establish a revolutionary government under the Topeka constitution which caused the people of Kansas to commit the grave error of refusing to vote for delegates to the…

The principle has been recognized in some form or other by an almost unanimous vote of both Houses of Congress that a Territory has a right to come into the Union either as a free or a slave State, according to the will of a majority of…

A wiser and better spirit seemed to prevail before the first Monday of January last, when an election was held under the constitution.

With my deep convictions of duty I could have pursued no other course.

The just equality of all the States has thus been vindicated and a fruitful source of dangerous dissension among them has been removed.

For these and other good reasons, I, James Buchanan, President of the United States, have thought it fit to issue this my proclamation.

will be stopped and compelled to return by the same conveyance that took them to the country.

an extraordinary occasion requires the Senate of the United States to convene for the transaction of business at the Capitol, in the city of Washington, on the 15th day of this month, at 12 o'clock at noon of that day

Whereas an extraordinary occasion has occurred rendering it necessary and proper that the Senate of the United States shall be convened to receive and act upon such communications as have been or may be made to it on the part of the…

For all these reasons I recommend to Congress to postpone the day of adjournment for a brief period.

Necessity now compels us to arrest it, at least so far as to afford time to ascertain the amount appropriated and to provide the means of its payment.

Without this the Treasury will be exhausted before the 1st of January and the public credit will be seriously impaired.

This disgrace must not fall upon the country.

I promise that not an hour shall be lost in ascertaining the amount of appropriations made by them for which it will be necessary to provide.

Adversity teaches useful lessons to nations as well as individuals.