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tures by upwards of one hundred thousand dollars. It cannot be an over sanguine estimate to predict, that in less than ten years, of which one half have elapsed, the receipts will have been more than doubled. In the mean time, a reduced expenditure upon established routes has kept pace with increased facilities of public accommodation, and additional services have been obtained at reduced rates of compensation. Within the last year the transportation of the mail in stages has been greatly augmented. The number of Post Offices has been increased to seven thousand; and it may be anticipated that while the facilities of intercourse between fellow citizens in person or by correspondence, will soon be carried to the door of every villager in the Union, a yearly surplus of revenue will accrue, which may be applied as the wisdom of Congress, under the exercise of their constitutional powers, may devise, for the further establishment and improvement of the publie roads, or by adding still further to the facilities in the transportation of the mails. Of the indications of the prosperous condition of our country, none can be more pleasing than those presented by the multiplying relations of personal and intimate intercourse between the citizens of the Union dwelling at the remotest distances from each other.

Among the subjects which have heretofore occupied the earnest solicitude and attention of Congress, is the management and disposal of that portion of the property of the nation which consists of the public lands. The acquisition of them, made at the expense of the whole Union, not only in treasure but in blood, marks a right of property in them equally extensive. By the report and statements from the General Land Office, now communicated, it appears that under the present Government of the United States, a sum little short of thirty-three millions of dollars has been paid from the common Treasury for that portion of this property which has been purchased from France and Spain, and for the extinction of the aboriginal titles. The amount of lands acquired is near two hundred and sixty millions of acres, of which, on the first of January, 1826, about one hundred and thirty-nine millions of acres had been surveyed, and little more than nineteen millions of acres had been sold. The amount paid into the Treasury by the purchasers of the public lands sold is not yet equal to the sums paid for the whole, but leaves a small balance to be refunded; the proceeds of the sales of the lands have long been pledged to the creditors of the nation; a pledge from which we have reason to hope that they will in a very few years be redeemed. The system upon which this great national inter

est has been managed, was the result of long, anxious, and persevering deliberation; matured and modified by the progress of our population, and the lessons of experience, it has been hitherto eminently successful. More than nine-tenths of the lands still remain the common property of the Union, the appropriation and disposal of which are sacred trusts in the hands of Congress. Of the lands sold, a considerable part were conveyed under extended credits, which, in the vicissitudes and fluctuations in the value of lands, and of their produce, became oppressively burdensome to the purchasers. It can never be the interest or the policy of the nation to wring from its own citizens the reasonable profits of their industry and enterprise, by holding them to the rigorous import of disastrous engagements. In March, 1821, a debt of twenty-two millions of dollars, due by purchasers of the public lands, had accumulated, which they were unable to pay. An act of Congress, of the 2d March, 1821, came to their relief, and has been succeeded by others, the latest being the act of the 4th of May, 1826, the indulgent provisions of which expired on the 4th July last. The effect of these laws has been to reduce the debt from the purchasers, to a remaining balance of about four millions three hundred thousand dollars due; more than three-fifths of which are for lands within the state of Alabama. I recommend to Congress the revival and continuance for a further term, of the beneficent accommodations to the public debtors, of that statute; and submit to their consideration, in the same spirit of equity, the remission, under proper discriminations, of the forfeitures of partial payments on account of purchases of the public lands, so far as to allow of their application to other payments.

There are various other subjects of deep interest to the whole Union, which have heretofore been recommended to the consideration of Congress, as well by my predecessors as, under the impression of the duties devolving upon me, by myself. Among these are the debt rather of justice than gratitude to the surviving warriors of the Revolutionary War; the extension of the Judicial Administration of the Federal Government, to those extensive and important members of the Union, which, having risen into existence since the organization of the present Judiciary establishment, now constitute at least one-third of its territory, power, and population; the formation of a more effective and uniform system for the government of the Militia, and the amelioration, in some form or modification, of the diversified and often oppressive codes relating to insolvency. Amidst the multiplicity of topics of great national concernment which may recommend themselves to the

calm and patriotic deliberations of the Legislature, it may suffice to say. that on these and all other measures which may receive their sanction, my hearty co-operation will be given, conformably to the duties enjoined upon me, and under the sense of all the obligations prescribed by the Constitution.

Washington, 4th December, 1827.

The message was read; and,

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

On motion by Mr. Smith, of Maryland, Ordered, That it be printed; and,

On motion by Mr. Bell,

Ordered, That the number of copies be three thousand; and that fifteen hundred copies of the documents accompanying said message, be also printed.

The engrossed resolution directing newspapers to be furnished to the Senators during the present session, was read the third time, and passed. Mr. Eaton submitted a motion, which was read and considered, as follows:

In pursuance of a joint resolution of the Senate and House of Representatives, passed in 1819, regulating the subject of printing for the two Houses respectively, an election having been had by the Senate during the last session for a printer to the Senate, and Duff Green having, according to the provisions of said resolution, received the greatest number of votes; therefore,

Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Senate, the said Duff Green is duly elected printer of the Senate.

On the question to agree to the said motion,

It was determined in the affirmative, .

On motion by Mr. Chambers,

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Nays, 19.

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Ordered, That, until otherwise directed, the hour for the daily meeting of the Senate be 12 o'clock.

The Senate then adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1827.

The Vice-President communicated a letter from the Secretary of the Senate, enclosing statements showing the names and compensations of the Clerks and Messenger employed in his office, and of the Messengers in the employment of the Senate, and the amount of the contingent expenses of the Senate at the last session. The letter was read,

and,

On motion by Mr. Kane,

Ordered, That the letter and statements therein referred to, be printed.

The Vice-President communicated a letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting the proposals that have been made to him for printing and binding sixty thousand copies of the Abstract of Infantry Tacties; also five thousand copies of a System of Exercise and Instruction of Field Artillery, and five thousand copies of the System of Instruction and Manœuvres proposed for the service of the American Cavalry, as reported by the Secretary of War, on the 8th of January last. The letter was read.

Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill to Abolish Imprisonment for Debt; which was read; and

Ordered, That it pass to a second reading.

The Senate then adjourned.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1827.

The Hon. Jesse B. Thomas, from the State of Illinois, attended. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Clarke, their Clerk:

Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a resolution for the appointment of two Chaplains to Congress, to serve during the present Session; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate.

The Senate proceeded to consider the last mentioned resolution; and Resolved, That they concur therein.

Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives accordingly.

Agreeably to notice given, Mr. Noble asked and obtained leave to bring in a bill to authorize the Legislature of the State of Indiana to sell the lands heretofore appropriated for the use of Schools in that State. The bill was read; and

Ordered, That it pass to a second reading.

On motion by Mr. Hayne,

Resolved, That the Senate will, on Monday next, proceed to the appointment of the Standing Committees of this House.

The following written message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. John Adams, his Secretary:

To the Senate of the United States.

WASHINGTON, 6th December, 1827.

In compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 19th of February last, requesting a statement of all the expenses annually incurred in carrying into effect the act of March 2, 1819, for prohibiting the Slave Trade, including the cost of keeping the ships of war on the coast of Africa, and all the incidental expenses growing out of the operation of that act, I transmit a report from the Secretary of the Navy, with the statement, so far as it can be made, required by the resolution.

The message was read; and,

On motion by Mr. Rowan,

Ordered, That it be printed.

J. Q. ADAMS.

The bill to abolish Imprisonment for Debt, was read the second time, and considered as in committee of the whole; and

On motion by Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky,

Resolved, That it be referred to a Select Committee, to consist of seven members, to consider and report thereon.

Ordered, That Mr. Johnson, of Kentucky, Mr. Berrien, Mr. Macon, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Tyler, Mr. Barnard, and Mr. McLane, be the Committee.

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