The failure of the last Congress to make the requisite appropriations for legislative and judicial purposes, for the expenses of the several Executive Departments of the Government, and for the support of the Army has made it necessary to call a special session of the Forty-sixth Congress.

I, Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States, do, by virtue of the power to this end in me vested by the Constitution, convene both Houses of Congress to assemble at their respective chambers at 12 o'clock noon on Tuesday, the 18th day of March instant, then and there to consider and determine such measures as in their wisdom their duty and the welfare of the people may seem to demand.

I shall issue no new order on the subject at present.

Let appointments and removals be made on business principles and according to rules.

The custom-house should be a business office.

Convinced that the people of New York and of the country generally wish the New York custom-house to be administered solely with a view to the public interest, it is my purpose to do all in my power to introduce into this great office the reforms which the country desires.

The New York custom-house should be placed on the same footing with the New York post-office.

In answer to resolution of the House of Representatives of the 16th instant, requesting the Commissioner of Agriculture to forward to the House any facts or statistics in his office on the subject of forestry not heretofore reported, copies of the same, with accompanying papers, received from the Commissioner for this purpose, are herewith transmitted.

They are transmitted with the assurance that any measures that may be enacted in furtherance of these important interests will meet with my cordial approval.

They believed that our institutions were equal to any emergency, and that they ought to be maintained at the cost of property or of life.

In answer to the resolution of the Senate of April 16, 1878, I transmit herewith reports

The Government can not prepare for trial at said special term, because no fund appropriated by Congress can be made available for that purpose.

I can not approve a bill which in my judgment authorizes the violation of sacred obligations.

These reports are respectfully submitted for the information of Congress.

The form used for such nominations was one found to have been in existence and heretofore used in some of the Departments, and was intended to inform the Senate that if the nomination proposed were approved it would operate to remove an incumbent whose name was indicated.

No power exists in the Constitution authorizing the joint resolution or the supposed law--the only difference being that one would be more palpably unconstitutional and revolutionary than the other.

To the House of Representatives: I transmit herewith a letter from the Secretary of the Navy, in reply to the resolution of the House of Representatives adopted on the 26th instant, making inquiries relative to a naval force at Hayti.

It may be proper to state that the number of captains authorized by the second section of the act of 16th July, 1862, is now full.