nd Office.

Concurring with the Secretary of the Treasury in the views he has taken
of the treaties and act of Congress touching the subject, I can not
discover that the President is invested with any power under the
Constitution or laws to withhold a patent from a purchaser who has given
a fair and valuable consideration for land, and thereby acquired a
vested right to the same; nor do I perceive that the sole legislative
resolution of the Senate can confer such a power, or suspend the right
of the citizens to enter the lands that have been offered for sale in
said district and remain unsold, so long as the law authorizing the same
remains unrepealed.

I beg leave, therefore, to present the subject to the reconsideration of
the Senate.

ANDREW JACKSON.

Washington, _February 3, 1831_.
_To the House of Representatives_:

I transmit to the House of Representatives a report from the Treasury
Department, in compliance with the resolution of the House of
Representatives of the 3d ultimo, calling for the correspondence in
relation to locating a cession of lands made or intended to be made by
the Pottawattamie tribe of Indians for the benefit of the State of
Indiana, etc.

ANDREW JACKSON.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

I communicate to the House of Representatives, in compliance with their
resolution of the 29th of January last, calling for information and
papers respecting the seizure of American vessels by the naval forces of
Portugal forming the blockade of the island of Terceira, a report from
the Secretary of State, which, with the documents accompanying it,
contains the information in his Department upon that subject, and avail
myself of the occasion further to inform the House of Representatives
that orders had before the introduction of the resolution referred to
been given to fit out a ship of war for the more effectual protection of
our commerce in that quarter.

ANDREW JACKSON.
_February 16, 1831_.

Washington, _February 19, 1831._
_The Speaker of the House of Representatives_:

I present for the consideration of Congress a report from the Secretary
of War, relative to a compromise of title of the island on which Fort
Delaware has been constructed.

ANDREW JACKSON.

(The same message was sent to the Senate.)

_February 22, 1831_.
_To the Congress of the United States_:

I transmit to Congress a letter from Mr. Rhind, stating the
circumstances under which he