From the State of Wisconsin, The honorable { Isaac P. Walker. The honorable David R. Atchison, President pro tempore, resumed the chair. On motion by Mr. Breese, Ordered, That the Secretary acquaint the House of Representatives that a quorum of the Senate has assembled, and that the Senate is ready to proceed to business. On motion by Mr. Bradbury, Ordered, That the daily hour of meeting of the Senate be twelve o'clock, meridian, until otherwise ordered. Mr. Cameron submitted the following resolution; which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That each Senator be supplied, during the present session, with newspspers, as heretofore, not exceeding the cost of four daily papers. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Campbell, their Clerk: Mr. President: I am directed to inform the Senate that a quorum of the House of Representatives has assembled, and that the House is ready to proceed to business. The House of Representatives have passed a resolution for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States and inform him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; and Mr. Wentworth, Mr. Rockwell, and Mr. Shepperd have been appointed the committee on their part. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution of the House of Representatives for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States and inform him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; and, Resolved, That they concur therein. On motion by Mr. King, Ordered, That the committee be appointed by the President of the Senate pro tempore; and Mr. King and Mr. Davis, of Massachusetts, were appointed. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. On motion, The Senate adjourned. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1848. The honorable George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, resumed the chair. The honorable Jesse D. Bright, from the State of Indiana; the honorable William L. Dayton and the honorable Jacob W. Miller, from the State of New Jersey; the honorable James A. Pearce, from the State of Maryland; and the honorable John M. Niles, from the State of Connecticut, attended. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Campbell, their Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a resolution for the election of two chaplains, of different denominations, one by each House, to serve during the present session, who shall interchange weekly; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. Mr. King, from the committee appointed on the part of the Senate, jointly with the committee on the part of the House of Representatives, to wait on the President of the United States and notify him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make, reported that the committee had performed the duty assigned them, and that the President replied he would make a communication to the two Houses at 12 o'clock this day. The following message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Walker, his secretary: Fellow-citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives: Under the benignant Providence of Almighty God, the representatives of the States and of the people are again brought together to deliberate for the public good. The gratitude of the nation to the sovereign arbiter of all human events, should be commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy. Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world. The troubled and unsettled condition of some of the principal European powers has had a necessary tendency to check and embarrass trade, and to depress prices throughout all commercial nations; but notwithstanding these causes, the United States, with their abundant products, have felt their effects less severely than any other country, and all our great interests are still prosperous and successful. In reviewing the great events of the past year, and contrasting the agitated and disturbed state of other countries with our own tranquil and happy condition, we may congratulate ourselves that we are the most favored people on the face of the earth. While the people of other countries are struggling to establish free institutions, under which man may govern himself, we are in the actual enjoyment of them-a rich inheritance from our fathers. While enlightened nations of Europe are convulsed and distracted by civil war or intestine strife, we settle all our political controversies by the peaceful exercise of the rights of freemen at the ballot box. The great republican maxim so deeply engraven on the hearts of our people, that the will of the majority, constitutionally expressed, shall prevail, is our sure safeguard against force and violence. It is a subject of just pride, that our fame and 'character as a nation continue rapidly to advance in the estimation of the civilized world. To our wise and free institutions it is to be attributed, that while other nations have achieved glory at the price of the suffering, distress, and impoverishment of their people, we have won our honorable position in the midst of an uninterrupted prosperity, and of an increasing individual comfort and happiness. I am happy to inform you that our relations with all nations are friendly and pacific. Advantageous treaties of commerce have been concluded within the last four years with New Grenada, Peru, the Two Sicilies, Belgium, Hanover, Oldenburg, and Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Pursuing our example, the restrictive system of Great Britain, our principal foreign customer, has been relaxed; a more liberal commercial policy has been adopted by other enlightened nations, and our trade has been greatly enlarged and extended. Our, country stands higher in the respect of the world than at any former period. To continue to occupy this proud position, it is only necessary to preserve peace, and faithfully adhere to the great and fundamental principle of our foreign policy, of non-interference in the of the House of Representatives has assembled, and that the House is ready to proceed to business. The House of Representatives have passed a resolution for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States and inform him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; and Mr. Wentworth, Mr. Rockwell, and Mr. Shepperd have been appointed the committee on their part. The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution of the House of Representatives for the appointment of a joint committee to wait on the President of the United States and inform him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make; and, Resolved, That they concur therein. On motion by Mr. King, Ordered, That the committee be appointed by the President of the Senate pro tempore; and Mr. King and Mr. Davis, of Massachusetts, were appointed. Ordered, That the Secretary notify the House of Representatives thereof. On motion, The Senate adjourned. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1848. The honorable George M. Dallas, Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, resumed the chair. The honorable Jesse D. Bright, from the State of Indiana; the honorable William L. Dayton and the honorable Jacob W. Miller, from the State of New Jersey; the honorable James A. Pearce, from the State of Maryland; and the honorable John M. Niles, from the State of Connecticut, attended. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. Campbell, their Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a resolution for the election of two chaplains, of different denominations, one by each House, to serve during the present session, who shall interchange weekly; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. Mr. King, from the committee appointed on the part of the Senate, jointly with the committee on the part of the House of Representatives, to wait on the President of the United States and notify him that a quorum of each House has assembled, and, that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make, reported that the committee had performed the duty assigned them, and that the President replied he would make a communication to the two Houses at 12 o'clock this day. The following message was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Walker, his secretary: Fellow-citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives : Under the benignant Providence of Almighty God, the representatives of the States and of the people are again brought together to deliberate for the public good. The gratitude of the nation to the sovereign arbiter of all human events, should be commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy. Peace, plenty, and contentment reign throughout our borders, and our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world. The troubled and unsettled condition of some of the principal European powers has had a necessary tendency to check and embarrass trade, and to depress prices throughout all commercial nations; but notwithstanding these causes, the United States, with their abundant products, have felt their effects less severely than any other country, and all our great interests are still prosperous and successful. In reviewing the great events of the past year, and contrasting the agitated and disturbed state of other countries with our own tranquil and happy condition, we may congratulate ourselves that we are the most favored people on the face of the earth. While the people of other countries are struggling to establish free institutions, under which man may govern himself, we are in the actual enjoyment of them-a rich inheritance from our fathers. While enlightened nations of Europe are convulsed and distracted by civil war or intestine strife, we settle all our political controversies by the peaceful exercise of the rights of freemen at the ballot box. The great republican maxim so deeply engraven on the hearts of our people, that the will of the majority, constitutionally expressed, shall prevail, is our sure safeguard against force and violence. It is a subject of just pride, that our fame and 'character as a nation continue rapidly to advance in the estimation of the civilized world. To our wise and free institutions it is to be attributed, that while other nations have achieved glory at the price of the suffering, distress, and impoverishment of their people, we have won our honorable position in the midst of an uninterrupted prosperity, and of an increasing individual comfort and happiness. I am happy to inform you that our relations with all nations are friendly and pacific. Advantageous treaties of commerce have been concluded within the last four years with New Grenada, Peru, the Two Sicilies, Belgium, Hanover, Oldenburg, and Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Pursuing our example, the restrictive system of Great Britain, our principal foreign customer, has been relaxed; a more liberal commercial policy has been adopted by other enlightened nations, and our trade has been greatly enlarged and extended.' Our, country stands higher in the respect of the world than at any former period. To continue to occupy this proud position, it is only necessary to preserve peace, and faithfully adhere to the great and fundamental principle of our foreign policy, of non-interference in the |