ay the expense
of opening diplomatic relations with the Papal States. The interesting
political events now in progress in these States, as well as a just
regard to our commercial interests, have, in my opinion, rendered such a
measure highly expedient.

Estimates have also been submitted for the outfits and salaries of
charges d'affaires to the Republics of Bolivia, Guatemala, and Ecuador.
The manifest importance of cultivating the most friendly relations with
all the independent States upon this continent has induced me to
recommend appropriations necessary for the maintenance of these
missions.

I recommend to Congress that an appropriation be made to be paid to the
Spanish Government for the purpose of distribution among the claimants
in the _Amistad_ case. I entertain the conviction that this is due to
Spain under the treaty of the 20th of October, 1795, and, moreover, that
from the earnest manner in which the claim continues to be urged so long
as it shall remain unsettled it will be a source of irritation and
discord between the two countries, which may prove highly prejudicial to
the interests of the United States. Good policy, no less than a faithful
compliance with our treaty obligations, requires that the inconsiderable
appropriation demanded should be made.

A detailed statement of the condition of the finances will be presented
in the annual report of the Secretary of the Treasury. The imports for
the last fiscal year, ending on the 30th of June, 1847, were of the
value of $146,545,638, of which the amount exported was $8,011,158,
leaving $138,534,480 in the country for domestic use. The value of the
exports for the same period was $158,648,622, of which $150,637,464
consisted of domestic productions and $8,011,158 of foreign articles.

The receipts into the Treasury for the same period amounted to
$26,346,790.37, of which there was derived from customs $23,747,864.66,
from sales of public lands $2,498,335.20, and from incidental and
miscellaneous sources $100,570.51. The last fiscal year, during which
this amount was received, embraced five months under the operation of
the tariff act of 1842 and seven months during which the tariff act of
1846 was in force. During the five months under the act of 1842 the
amount received from customs was $7,842,306.90, and during the seven
months under the act of 1846 the amount received was $15,905,557.76.

The net revenue from customs during the year ending on the 1