vessels if necessary. The models have been furnished by the Navy Department and side wheels have been ordered, as being best tested and least liable to failure. The one boat is directed to be built at Richmond, Va., the other at Pittsburg, Pa., and contracts have been regularly entered into for their construction. The contractors have made and are making all necessary arrangements in procuring materials and sites for building, etc., and have doubtless been at considerable expense in the necessary preparations for completing their engagements. It was no part of the intention of the Senate in originating the bill, I am well convinced, to violate the sanctity of contracts regularly entered into by the Government. The language of the act, nevertheless, is of a character to produce in all probability that effect. Its language is "that no revenue cutter or revenue steamer shall hereafter be built (excepting such as are now in the course of building or equipment) nor purchased unless an appropriation be first made by law therefor." The building of the two cutters under contract can not be said properly to have commenced, although preparations have been made for building; but even if the construction be ambiguous, it is better that all ambiguity should be removed and thus the hazard of violating the pledged faith of the country be removed along with it.

I am free to confess that, existing contracts being guarded and protected, the law to operate in futuro would be regarded as both proper and wise.

With these objections, I return the bill to the House in which it originated for its final constitutional action.

JOHN TYLER.

PROCLAMATION.

[From Senate Journal, Twenty-eighth Congress, second session, p. 271.]

WASHINGTON, January 8, 1845.

To the Senators of the United States, respectively.

SIR: Objects interesting to the United States requiring that the Senate should be in session on Tuesday, the 4th of March next, to receive and act upon such communications as may be made to it on the part of the Executive, your attendance in the Senate Chamber, in this city, on that day at 10 o'clock in the forenoon is accordingly requested.

JOHN TYLER

I.

2.

QUESTIONS.

What is the duty of the President in case of an insurrection within a State? Page 2138.

What European nations protested against annexation of
Texas to the United States? Page 2179.

3. What States asked Congress to publish and distribute the decisions of the Supreme Court? Pages 2130, 2212.

4. What were the President's recommendations as to the establishment of a line of foreign mail steamships? Page 2203.

5. What are the principles of this Government respecting the rights of search and the immunity of flags? Pages 2048, 2069.

6. What American naval captain took possession of Monterey, Mexico, without authority? Page 2081.

7. What two Cabinet officers were killed by an accidental explosion of a gun on a war vessel? Page 2132.

8. What were the President's recommendations as to the establishment of a navy yard on the Mississippi? Page 2132.

9.

IO.

What are some of the advantages of trade with China?
Page 2066.

What important Germanic confederation was established in 1833? Page 2113.

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SUGGESTIONS.

During Tyler's administration the dispute as to the boundary line between the United States and Canada was settled by the Ashburton Treaty, q. v., Encyclopedic Index. For discussion by the President, see page 2015 and following, and page 2082.

The explorations of John C. Fremont, "The Pathfinder," forms an interesting epoch in the country's history. Opposite page 2049.

Dorr's Rebellion in Rhode Island is an important landmark in the growth of the country. Pages 2136 to 2139. (See Dorr's Rebellion, Encyclopedic Index.)

Read Tyler's Foreign Policy. Pages 1890, 2049, 2064, 2160, 2169, 2171, 2176, 2190, 2193, 2199.

NOTE.

For further suggestions on Tyler's administration, see Tyler. John, Encyclopedic Index.

By reading the Foreign Policy of each President, and by scanning the messages as to the state of the nation, a thorough knowledge of the history of the United States will be acquired from the most authentic sources; because, as has been said, “Each President reviews the past, depicts the present and forecasts the future of the nation."

2220-B

idary

the

起⋅強

James K. Polk

March 4, 1845, to March 4, 1849

SEE ENCYCLOPEDIC INDEX.

The Encyclopedic Index is not only an index to the other volumes, not only a key that unlocks the treasures of the entire publication, but it is in itself an alphabetically arranged brief history or story of the great controlling events constituting the History of the United States.

Under its proper alphabetical classification the story is told of every great subject referred to by any of the Presidents in their official Messages, and at the end of each article the official utterances of the Presidents themselves are cited upon the subject, so that you may readily turn to the page in the body of the work itself for this original information. Next to the possession of knowledge is the ability to turn at will to where knowledge is to be found.