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And the said resolution, as thus amended, was agreed to by the House. Mr. Holmes, of South Carolina, Mr. John Quincy Adams, Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Reuben Chapman, Mr. Bowlin, Mr. Vinton, Mr. Caleb B. Smith, and Mr. Reid were appointed the said Committee.

On motion of Mr. Brodhead,

Resolved, That the daily hour to which the House shall stand adjourned be 12 o'clock meridian, until otherwise ordered.

Mr. Cobb moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Clerk of this House, immediately after the passage of this resolution, place in a box the name of each member of the House of Representatives upon a separate piece of paper; that he then proceed, in the presence of the House, to draw from said box, one at a time, the said pieces of paper; and as each is drawn, he shall announce the name of the member upon it, who shall then choose his seat for the present session.

The said resolution was read; and pending the question of agreeing thereto,

On motion of Mr. Payne,

The House, at 2 o'clock and 20 minutes, adjourned until to-morrow at 12 o'clock meridian.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1845.

Mr. Cobb, by unanimous consent, moved the following resolution; which was read, considered, and unanimously agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That Benjamin B. French be, and he is hereby, appointed Clerk of this House for the 29th Congress.

Benjamin B. French appeared, and the oath to support the constitution of the United States, and the oath truly and faithfully to discharge the duties of his office to the best of his knowledge and ability, as prescribed in the act of the 1st June, 1790, entitled "An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths," was administered to him by the Speaker; and he thereupon entered upon the duties of his office. The rules being suspended for the purpose,

Mr. Charles J. Ingersoll presented a memorial of citizens of the United States, residing in the territory of Oregon, setting forth their numbers, wants, and condition, together with a description of that country, and praying for the establishment of a distinct territorial government, to embrace Oregon and its adjacent sea-coasts; and that the lands of the Wallamette valley and other necessary portions may be surveyed, and surveyors and land officers be appointed and located at convenient points; that donations of lands may be made according to the faith pledged by the passage of a law through the United States Senate, at the second session of the 27th Congress, entitled "A bill to authorize the adoption of measures for the occupation and settlement of the Territory of Oregon, for extending certain portions of the laws of the United States over the same, and for other purposes;" that navy yards and marine depots may be established upon the river Columbia and upon Fugett's sound, and a naval force adequate to the protection of said citizens be kept permanently in the adjacent seas; that a public mail be established, to arrive and depart monthly from Oregon City and Independence, and such other local mail routes be established as are essential to the Wallamette country and other

settlements; for the establishment of such commercial regulations as may enable us to trade in our own territory, at least on an equality with nonresident foreigners; for adequate means of protection from the numerous Indian tribes which surround us; for the purchase of territories which they are willing to sell, and for agents with authority to regulate intercourse between whites and Indians, and between Indian tribes; that all the overland routes may be thoroughly surveyed, and protection be given to emigrants; and that the star-spangled banner may be planted in, and unfurled over, this territory, and kept standing and floating over it, in a manner worthy the dignity and power of the nation.

Ordered, That the said memorial be laid upon the table.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Dickins, their Secretary:

Mr. Speaker: The Senate have adopted a resolution for the appointment of a committee to join such committee as may be appointed by this House, to wait on the President of the United States and notify him that a quorum has assembled, and that Congress is now ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; and the Senate have appointed Mr. Speight and Mr. Upham of the committee on its part.

And then he withdrew.

Mr. Bayly moved the following resolution:

Resolved, That the House now proceed to elect a printer for the House of Representatives of the 29th Congress.

The said resolution was read; when

Mr. Garrett Davis moved to amend the same by striking out all after the word "resolved," and inserting the following:

"That a committee of five be appointed to let the printing of this House to the lowest bidder, after ten days' advertisement in the newspapers printed in this city, the person or persons to whom it may be let being required to give bond with sufficient security for the proper execution of the work; and the necessary printing, in the mean time, the Clerk of this House is required to have done by the printers for the last House." And pending the subject, and by unanimous consent,

Mr. McDowell, from the joint committee appointed to wait on the President of the United States and inform him that quorums of the two Houses had assembled, and that Congress is ready to receive any communications he may be pleased to make, reported that the committee had waited on the President and discharged the duties for which it had been appointed, and that the President answered that he would make a communication in writing to the two Houses of Congress to-day.

And thereupon,

A communication in writing was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. James K. Walker, his private secretary, which was read, and is as follows:

Fellow-citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives:

It is to me a source of unaffected satisfaction to meet the Representatives of the States and the people in Congress assembled, as it will be to receive the aid of their combined wisdom in the administration of public affairs. In performing, for the first time, the duty imposed on me by the constitution, of giving to you information of the state of the Union, and recommending to your consideration such measures as in my judgment are necessary and expedient, I am happy that I can congratulate you on

the continued prosperity of our country. Under the blessings of Divine Providence and the benign influence of our free institutions, it stands before the world a spectacle of national happiness.

With our unexampled advancement in all the elements of national greatness, the affection of the people is confirmed for the union of the States, and for the doctrines of popular liberty, which lie at the foundation of our government.

It becomes us, in humility, to make our devout acknowledgments to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, for the inestimable civil and religious blessings with which we are favored.

In calling the attention of Congress to our relations with foreign Powers, I am gratified to be able to state, that, though with some of them there have existed since your last session serious causes of irritation and misunderstanding, yet no actual hostilities have taken place. Adopting the maxim in the conduct of our foreign affairs, to "ask nothing that is not right, and submit to nothing that is wrong,' it has been my anxious desire to preserve peace with all nations; but, at the same time, to be prepared to resist aggression and maintain all our just rights.

In pursuance of the joint resolution of Congress, "for annexing Texas to the United States," my predecessor, on the third day of March, 1845, elected to submit the first and second sections of that resolution to the republic of Texas, as an overture, on the part of the United States, for her admission as a State into our Union. This election I approved, and accordingly the chargé d'affaires of the United States in Texas, under instructions of the tenth of March, 1845, presented these sections of the resolution for the acceptance of that republic. The executive government, the Congress, and the people of Texas in convention, have successively complied with all the terms and conditions of the joint resolution. A constitution for the government of the State of Texas, formed by a convention of deputies, is herewith laid before Congress. It is well known, also, that the people of Texas at the polls have accepted the terms of annexation, and ratified the constitution.

I communicate to Congress the correspondence between the Secretary of State and our chargé d'affaires in Texas; and also the correspondence of the latter with the authorities of Texas; together with the official documents transmitted by him to his own government.

The terms of annexation which were offered by the United States having been accepted by Texas, the public faith of both parties is solemnly pledged to the compact of their union. Nothing remains to consummate the event, but the passage of an act by Congress to admit the State of Texas into the Union upon an equal footing with the original States. Strong reasons exist why this should be done at an early period of the session. It will be observed that, by the constitution of Texas, the exist ing government is only continued temporarily till Congress can act; and that the third Monday of the present month is the day appointed for holding the first general election. On that day a governor, a lieutenant-governor, and both branches of the legislature, will be chosen by the people. The President of Texas is required, immediately after the receipt of official information that the new State has been admitted into our Union by Congress, to convene the legislature; and, upon its meeting, the existing government will be superseded, and the State government organized. Questions deeply interesting to Texas, in common with the other States; the

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extension of our revenue laws and judicial system over her people and territory, as well as measures of a local character, will claim the early attention of Congress; and, therefore, upon every principle of republican government, she ought to be represented in that body without unnecessary delay. I cannot too earnestly recommend prompt action on this important subject.

As soon as the act to admit Texas as a State shall be passed, the union of the two republics will be consummated by their own voluntary consent. This accession to our territory has been a bloodless achievement. No arm of force has been raised to produce the result. The sword has had no part in the victory. We have not sought to extend our territorial possessions by conquest, or our republican institutions over a reluctant people. It was the deliberate homage of each people to the great principle of our federative union.

If we consider the extent of territory involved in the annexation-its prospective influence on America-the means by which it has been accomplished, springing purely from the choice of the people themselves to share the blessings of our union,-the history of the world may be challenged to furnish a parallel.

The jurisdiction of the United States, which at the formation of the federal constitution was bounded by the St. Mary's on the Atlantic, has passed the Capes of Florida, and been peacefully extended to the Del Norte. In contemplating the grandeur of this event, it is not to be forgotten that the result was achieved in despite of the diplomatic interference of European monarchies. Even France-the country which had been our ancient ally-the country which has a common interest with us in maintaining the freedom of the seas-the country which, by the cession of Louisiana, first opened to us access to the Gulf of Mexico-the county with which we have been every year drawing more and more closely the bonds of successful commerce-most unexpectedly, and to our unfeigned regret, took part in an effort to prevent annexation, and to impose on Texas, as a condition of the recognition of her independence by Mexico, that she would never join herself to the United States. We may rejoice that the tranquil and pervading influence of the American principle of selfgovernment was sufficient to defeat the purposes of British and French interference, and that the almost unanimous voice of the people of Texas has given to that interference a peaceful and effective rebuke. From this example, European governments may learn how vain diplomatie arts and intrigues must ever prove upon this continent, against that system of selfgovernment which seems natural to our soil, and which will ever resist foreign interference.

Towards Texas, I do not doubt that a liberal and generous spirit will actuate Congress in all that concerns her interests and prosperity, and that she will never have cause to regret that she has united her lone star" to our glorious constellation.

I regret to inform you that our relations with Mexico, since your last session, have not been of the amicable character which it is our desire to cultivate with all foreign nations. On the sixth day of March last, the Mexican Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States made a formal protest, in the name of his government, against the joint resolution passed by Congress, for the annexation of Texas to the United States," which he chose to regard as a violation of the rights of

Mexico, and, in consequence of it, he demanded his passports. He was informed that the government of the United States did not consider this joint resolution as a violation of any of the rights of Mexico, or that it afforded any just cause of offence to his government; that the republic of Texas was an independent Power, owing no allegiance to Mexico, and constituting no part of her territory or rightful sovereignty and jurisdiction. He was also assured that it was the sincere desire of this government to maintain with that of Mexico relations of peace and good understanding. That functionary, however, notwithstanding these representations and assurances, abruptly terminated his mission, and shortly afterwards left the country. Our Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Mexico was refused all official intercourse with that government, and, after remaining several months, by the permission of his own government he returned to the United States. Thus, by the acts of Mexico, all diplomatic intercourse between the two countries was suspended.

Since that time Mexico has, until recently, occupied an attitude of hostility towards the United States-has been marshalling and organizing armies, issuing proclamations, and avowing the intention to make war on the United States, either by an open declaration, or by invading Texas. Both the Congress and convention of the people of Texas invited this government to send an army into that territory, to protect and defend them against the menaced attack. The moment the terms of annexation offered by the United States were accepted by Texas, the latter became so far a part of our own country, as to make it our duty to afford such protection and defence. I therefore deemed it proper, as a precautionary measure, to order a strong squadron to the coasts of Mexico, and to concentrate an efficient military force on the western frontier of Texas. Our army was ordered to take position in the country between the Nueces and the Del Norte, and to repel any invasion of the Texan territory which might be attempted by the Mexican forces. Our squadron in the gulf was ordered to co-operate with the army. But though our army and navy were placed in a position to defend our own and the rights of Texas, they were ordered to commit no act of hostility against Mexico, unless she declared war, or was herself the aggressor by striking the first blow. The result has been, that Mexico has made no aggressive movement, and our military and naval commanders have executed their orders with such discretion, that the peace of the two republics has not been disturbed.

Texas had declared her independence, and maintained it by her arms for more than nine years. She has had an organized government in successful operation during that period. Her separate existence, as an independent State, had been recognised by the United States and the principal Powers of Europe. Treaties of commerce and navigation had been concluded with her by different nations, and it had become manifest to the whole world that any further attempt on the part of Mexico to conquer her, or overthrow her government, would be vain. Even Mexico herself had become satisfied of this fact; and whilst the question of annexation was pending before the people of Texas, during the past summer, the government of Mexico, by a formal act, agreed to recognise the independence of Texas on condition that she would not annex herself to any other Power. The agreement to acknowledge the independence of Texas, whether with or without this condition, is conclusive against Mexico. The independence of Texas is a fact conceded by Mexico herself, and she had

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