Political Quotes

In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of January 5, I herewith transmit a report from the Secretary of the Navy, with copies of the proceedings of the courts-martial in the cases of Lieutenants Weaver and Conner.

It appearing by certain provisions contained in a late act of the general assembly of Virginia, entitled 'An act incorporating the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company,' that the assent of Congress will be necessary to carry the said act into effect.

According to my judgment it cannot be derived from either of those powers, nor from all of them united, and in consequence it does not exist.

I have to state that having referred the resolution to the Secretary of State, and it appearing, by a report from him, that no such document had been deposited among the archives of the Department, I examined and found among my private papers a letter of that description marked 'private' by himself.