ion into full effect.

M. VAN BUREN.

WASHINGTON CITY, _April 18, 1840_.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of War,
accompanied by a letter from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
indicating the importance of an extension of the authority given by
the sixteenth clause of the first section of the act entitled "An act
providing for the salaries of certain officers therein named, and for
other purposes," approved 9th May, 1836.

M. VAN BUREN.

WASHINGTON CITY, _April 24, 1840_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit herewith a report and accompanying documents from the
Secretary of War, which furnish the information in relation to that
portion of the defenses[72] of the country intrusted to the charge and
direction of the Department of War, called for by the resolution of the
Senate of the 2d of March, 1839.

M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 72: Military and naval.]

WASHINGTON, _April 27, 1840_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I lay before the Senate a report[73] of the Postmaster-General,
in further compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 30th
December, 1839.

M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 73: Relating to the sale or exchange of Government drafts,
etc.]

WASHINGTON, _May 2, 1840_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit to the Senate a report[74] from the Secretary of State, which,
with the papers accompanying it, contains in part the information
requested by a resolution of the Senate of the 30th December last.

M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 74: Relating to bonds of the Territory of Florida.]

WASHINGTON, _May 9, 1840_.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

I communicate to the House of Representatives a report[75] from the
Secretary of State, which, with the documents accompanying it, furnishes
the information requested by their resolution of the 23d of March last.

M. VAN BUREN.

[Footnote 75: Transmitting correspondence with France, Sweden, Denmark,
and Prussia relating to the surrender to the United States of persons
charged with piracy and murder on board the United States schooner
_Plattsburg_ in 1817; correspondence relating to the demand by the
charge d'affaires of Great Britain for the surrender of a mutineer in
the British armed ship _Lee_ in 1819; opinion of the Attorney-General
with regard to the right of the President of the United S