James Buchanan: “The principle of the liability of Paraguay having been established by the highest political acts of the United States…”

I deem it proper to invite the attention of the Senate to the fact that with this day expires the limitation of time for the exchange of the ratifications of the treaty with Costa Rica of 2d July, 1860.

Before accepting this proposition I have thought it right to take the advice of the Senate.

The safety of the immense amount of public property in this city and that of the archives of the Government, in which all the States, and especially the new States in which the public lands are situated, have a deep interest.

The dispatch of Mr. Dallas being in the original, its return to the Department of State is requested.