dental protection to which he is fairly entitled under a revenue tariff, and to this surely no person would object. The framers of the existing tariff have gone further, and in a liberal spirit have discriminated in favor of large and useful branches of our manufactures, not by raising the rate of duty upon the importation of similar articles from abroad, but, what is the same in effect, by admitting articles free of duty which enter into the composition of their fabrics.

Under the present system, it has been often truly remarked that this incidental protection decreases when the manufacturer needs it most, and increases when he needs it least, and constitutes a sliding scale which always operates against him. The revenues of the country are subject to similar fluctuations. Instead of approaching a steady standard, as would be the case under a system of specific duties, they sink and rise with the sinking and rising prices of articles in foreign countries. It would not be difficult for Congress to arrange a system of specific duties which would afford additional stability both to our revenue and our manufactures, and without injury or injustice to any interest of the country. This might be accomplished by ascertaining the average value of any given article for a series of years at the place of exportation, and by simply converting the rate of ad valorem duty upon it, which might be deemed necessary for revenue purposes, into the form of a specific duty. Such an arrangement could not injure the consumer. If he should pay a greater amount of duty one year, this would be counterbalanced by a lesser amount the next, and in the end the aggregate would be the same.

I desire to call your immediate attention to the present condition of the treasury, so ably and clearly presented by the Secretary in his report to Congress, and to recommend that measures be promptly adopted to enable it to discharge its pressing obligations. The other recommendations of the report are well worthy of your favorable consideration.

I herewith transmit to Congress the reports of the Secretaries of War, of the Navy, of the Interior, and of the Postmaster General. The recommendations and suggestions which they contain are highly valuable, and deserve your careful attention.

The report of the Postmaster General details the circumstances under which Cornelius Vanderbilt, on my request, agreed, in the month of July last, to carry the ocean mails between our Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Had he not thus acted, this important intercommunication must have been suspended, at least for a season. The Postmaster General had no power to make him any other compensation than the postages on the mail matter which he might carry. It was known at the time that these postages would fall far short of an adequate compensation, as well as of the sum which the same service had previously cost the government. Mr. Vanderbilt, in a commendable spirit, was willing to rely upon the justice of Congress to make up the deficiency; and I, therefore, recommend that an appropriation may be granted for this purpose.

I should do great injustice to the Attorney General were I to omit the mention of his distinguished services in the measures adopted and

prosecuted by him for the defence of the government against numerous and unfounded claims to land in California purporting to have been made by the Mexican government previous to the treaty of cession. The successful opposition to these claims has saved the United States public property worth many millions of dollars, and to individuals holding title under them to at least an equal amount.

It has been represented to me, from sources which I deem reliable, that the inhabitants in several portions of Kansas have been reduced nearly to a state of starvation, on account of the almost total failure of their crops, whilst the harvests in every other portion of the country have been abundant. The prospect before them for the approaching winter is well calculated to enlist the sympathies of every heart. The destitution appears to be so general that it cannot be relieved by private contributions, and they are in such indigent circumstances as to be unable to purchase the necessaries of life for themselves. I refer the subject to Congress. If any constitutional measure for their relief can be devised, I would recommend its adoption.

I cordially commend to your favorab.e regard the interests of the people of this District. They are eminently entitled to your consideration, especially since, unlike the people of the States, they can appeal to no government except that of the Union.

WASHINGTON CITY, December 3, 1860.

JAMES BUCHANAN.

Mr. Sherman moved that the message and accompanying documents be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and printed.

Pending which,

Mr. Boteler moved to amend the said motion by adding thereto the following:

"And that so much of the President's message as relates to the present perilous condition of the country be referred to a special committee of one from each State."

Pending which,

Mr. Boteler moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered and put, first, Will the House agree to the said amendment?

Yeas.

And it was decided in the affirmative, {es

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The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are

Mr. Boteler moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

Under the further operation of the previous question the motion of Mr. Sherman as amended was agreed to.

Ordered, That the annual message and accompanying documents of the President of the United States be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and printed; and that

so much of the President's message as relates to the present perilous condition of the country be referred to a special committee of one from each State.

Mr. Sherman moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to.

On motion of Mr. Sherman, it was referred to the Committee on Printing, to inquire into the expediency of printing extra copies of the said message and accompaning documents.

And then,

On motion of Mr. Phelps, at 2 o'clock and 45 minutes p. m., the House adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1860.

Another new member appeared, viz:

From the State of New York, Edwin R. Reynolds, (elected to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Silas M. Burroughs,) who was sworn to support the Constitution of the United States, and took his seat in the House.

Several other members also appeared, viz:

From the State of Kentucky, Robert Mallory.
From the State of Georgia, Martin J. Crawford.

From the State of Louisiana, John M. Landrum and Miles Taylor.
From the State of Virginia, Muscoe R. H. Garnett.

From the State of Indiana, James Wilson.

From the State of Mississippi, William Barksdale and Lucius Q. C. Lamar.

From the State of Texas, John H. Reagan.

The following petitions and memorial were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 24th rule of the House, to wit:

By Mr. Pennington: The petition of Charles C. Penniston, in relation to his son whilst an apprentice in the United States navy; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Otero: The petition of Tomas Baca y Pino, praying for a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Hughes: The petition of Richard White and Samuel Sherwood. praying compensation for certain clerical services rendered the United States government from January 1, 1839, to January 1, 1843; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

By Mr. F. W. Kellogg: The petition of Nicholas Colley, praying for a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Reagan: The memorial of Thomas F. Crutchfield, asking to be released from liability for money destroyed by fire, belonging to the United States government; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House executive communications, as follows, viz:

I. The annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the state

of the finances; which was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Sherman moved that the usual number of extra copies of the said report be printed; which motion was referred to the Committee on Printing.

II. A letter from the Secretary of the Interior, transmitting a statement of the contingent expenses of his department during the last fiscal year; which was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Sherman, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported bills of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 861. A bill making appropriations for the payment of invalid and other pensions of the United States for the year ending June 30, 1862;

H. R. 862. A bill making appropriations for the support of the Military Academy for the year ending June 30, 1862;

which were severally read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed.

The Speaker having announced as the business first in order the motion submitted by Mr. Phelps, and pending when the House adjourned yesterday, to lay upon the table the motion to reconsider the vote by which the bill of the House (H. R. 24) to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union

The question was put, Shall the said motion be laid on the table?

And it was decided in the negative, {Xeys...

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The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are