trust, will justify me in exhorting my countrymen to rally upon and
maintain that ground as the best if not the only means, of restoring
peace and quiet to the country, and maintain inviolate the integrity of
the Union."

The annual Reports from the several departments were transmitted to
Congress with the Message. They state in detail, as usual, the condition
of the public service in each department of the government. We can only
make room, of course, for a condensed summary of their contents.

The Report of Mr. CONRAD, Secretary of war, is brief and clearly
written. The whole number of men at present enrolled in the U. S. Army
is 12,326, including officers. Of these, 7796 are under orders for
Texas, New Mexico, California, and Oregon, thus leaving but 4530 in all
the rest of the States and Territories. The Secretary, in view of the
recent alarming incursions of the Indians, on the borders of Texas and
New Mexico, urges an addition to the military establishment of the
country. A history is given of the operations of infantry in New Mexico
since last August. Mr. Conrad expresses the opinion, that the only
description of troops to put an end to these savage forays, is cavalry.
He says the Indians in that part of the country are excellent horsemen,
and well skilled in the art of war. To extirpate them, he calls upon
Congress to raise one or more regiments of mounted men. In this
connection, moreover, he thinks that if the inhabitants of New Mexico
were organized into a kind of protective militia of their own, much
would be done to preserve the lives and property of those Territories,
independently of Government relief. At all events the experiment, he
says, is worth trying. The operations of that portion of the army
employed in Oregon are next recapitulated, as are also those engaged in
the recent troubles with the Indians in Florida. The Secretary
entertains no apprehension of any farther disturbance there. A large
portion of the troops are withdrawn from the State, but sufficient are
left to meet any emergency which may possibly arise. The number of the
Indians there, we are told, is very small, probably not more than one
hundred, who, however, occasion annoyance to the whites; and these the
most efficient measures will be taken to remove. It is recommended that
a small force be sent against the Sioux tribe of Indians, in order to
compel obedience to the Chippewa treaty, which they have broken, and
which the United St