be amongst the very first to urge its repeal, if it be found not to subserve the purposes and objects for which it may be created. Nor will the plan be submitted in any overweening confidence in the sufficiency of my own judgment, but with much greater reliance on the wisdom and patriotism of Congress. I cannot abandon this subject without urging upon you, in the most emphatic manner, whatever may be your action on the suggestions which I have felt it to be my duty to submit, to relieve the Chief Executive Magistrate, by any and all constitutional means, from a controlling power over the public Treasury. If, in the plan proposed, should you deem it worthy of your consideration, that separation is not as complete as you may desire, you will doubtless amend it in that particular. For myself, I disclaim all desire to have any control over the public moneys, •other than what is indispensably necessary to execute the laws which you may pass. Nor can I fail to advert, in this connexion, to the debts which many of the States of the Union have contracted abroad, and under which they continue to labor. That indebtedness amounts to a sum not less than $200,000,000, and which has been retributed to them, for the most part, in works of internal improvement, which are destined to prove of vast importance in ultimately advancing their prosperity and wealth. For the debts thus contracted the States are alone responsible. I can do no more than express the belief that each State will feel itself bound, by every consideration of honor as well as of interest, to meet its engagements with punctuality. The failure, however, of any one State to do so, should in no degree affect the credit of the rest; and the foreign capitalist will have no just cause to experience alarm as to all other State stocks, because any one or more of the States may neglect to provide with punctuality the means of redeeming their engagements. Even such States, should there be any, considering the great rapidity with which their resources are developing themselves, will not fail to have the means, at no very distant day, to redeem their obligations to the uttermost farthing; nor will I doubt but that, in view of that honorable conduct which has evermore governed the States and the people of this Union, they will each and all resort to every legitimate expedient, before they will forego a faithful compliance with their obligations. From the report of the Secretary of War, and other reports accompanying it, you will be informed of the progress which has been made in the fortifications designed for the protection of our principal cities, roadsteads, and inland frontier, during the present year ; together with their true state and condition. They will be prosecuted to completion with all the expedition which the means placed by Congress at the disposal of the Executive will allow. I recommend particularly to your consideration, that portion of the Secretary’s report which proposes the establishment of a chain of military posts from Council Bluffs to some point on the Pacific ocean within our limits. The benefit thereby destined to accrue to our citizens engaged in the fur trade, over that wilderness region, added to the importance of cultivating friendly relations with savage tribes inhabiting it, and at the same time of giving protection to our frontier settlements, and of establishing the means of safe intercourse between the American? settlements at the mouth of the Columbia river and those on this side of the Rocky moun
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