Government

The Government of the United States is emphatically a government of written laws.

I call upon every officer of this Government, civil or military, to use all efforts in his power to arrest for trial and punishment every such offender against the laws of the country.

I did not consider the irregularities into which the surveyor-general had fallen as of sufficient magnitude to induce his dismissal from office at the time that the papers reached me

The special mission authorized by Congress for this purpose has fully succeeded in the accomplishment so far of the great objects for which it was appointed.

I feel it to be my duty to communicate, for your consideration, the rejected treaty.

With equal, if not greater, propriety might the United States demand of other governments to surrender their numerous and valuable acquisitions.

I have to inform the House that the Executive did not deem it his duty to interfere with the naval and military forces of the United States

For the Executive to assume such a power would be to assume a power of the most dangerous character.

I transmit herewith copies of the report and papers* referred to in a resolution of the Senate of the 20th of February last.

To the House of Representatives:I transmit herewith a report

I transmit herewith a report of the Secretary of War, prepared in compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 26th ultimo.

In compliance with your resolution of the 26th ultimo, I herewith transmit a report from the Secretary of the Navy.

To the House of Representatives of the United States: I transmit to the House of Representatives a report from the Secretary of State, with documents, containing the information requested by their resolution of the 26th ultimo.

The loss which the Government and the country have sustained by this deplorable event is heightened by the death at the same time and by the same cause of several distinguished persons and valuable citizens.

The Secretary of the Navy will be instructed to lay before you suitable estimates of the cost of constructing so many ships of such size and dimensions as you may think proper to order to be built.

I could not forego the favorable opportunity which has presented itself, growing out of the communication from the Secretary of the Navy, to urge upon you the foregoing recommendations.

The restrictions laid upon the power to transfer by the latter clauses of the act have rendered its passage of no avail at the present moment.

I would suggest the propriety of the passage of such an act without delay.