I am in hopes we will have it settled this week.

Here again if we receive anything we must surrender something.

Perhaps the question of the payment by the United States of the annuities which were forfeited by the act of February 16, 1863, should not have been considered in connection with this negotiation for the cession of these lands.

I still entertain the same opinion, deeming it highly important, if not indispensable to the success of any negotiation which I might institute for this purpose, that the measure should receive the previous sanction of Congress.

In my late annual message I stated in reference to the purchase of Cuba that 'the publicity which has been given to our former negotiations on this subject and the large appropriation which may be required to effect the purpose render it expedient before making another attempt to renew the negotiation that I should lay the whole subject before Congress.'

The negotiation failed, however, in this particular, out of no disinclination to abide by the terms of the treaty on the part of the Zollverein, but from a belief that it would not fully comport with its dignity to do so.

Under every view which I have been able to take of the subject, I think that the interests of our common constituents the people of all the States, and a love of the Union, left the Executive no other alternative than to negotiate the treaty.

there is a prospect of opening a negotiation on the subject of the northwestern boundary of the United States immediately after the arrival at Washington of the newly appointed British minister, now daily expected;

We chose to make a practical settlement of the question.

Stating that no information is in possession of the Government of any negotiation of a treaty, or of any overtures to treat, for a cession of California by Mexico to England.

Having no authority to enter into the proposed negotiation, I can only submit the subject to the consideration of Congress.

I transmit a treaty negotiated with the New York Indians, which was submitted to your body in June last and amended.

It is my duty to state, as a cause of very great regret, that very serious differences have occurred in this negotiation respecting the construction of the 8th article of the treaty of 1803, by which Louisiana was ceded to the United States, and likewise respecting the seizure of the Apollo, in 1820, for a violation of our revenue laws.

It is much to be regretted that, although a negotiation has been long pending, such is the diversity of views entertained on the various points which have been brought into discussion that there does not appear to be any reasonable prospect of its early conclusion.

I lay before Congress communications just received from the plenipotentiaries of the United States charged with negotiating peace with Great Britain, showing the conditions on which alone that Government is willing to put an end to the war.

The instructions to those plenipotentiaries, disclosing the grounds on which they were authorized to negotiate and conclude a treaty of peace, will be the subject of another communication.