MILLARD FILLMORE.

WASHINGTON CITY, March 29, 1852.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I have the resolution of your honorable body adopted in executive session March 24, 1852, by which I am requested to return to the Senate the resolution advising and consenting to the appointment of George C. Laurason as collector of the customs for the district of New Orleans, provided a commission had not been issued to him, and in reply thereto I would respectfully state that prior to the receipt of said resolution I had signed the commission to Mr. Laurason and transmitted it to the Secretary of the Treasury, to whom your resolution was immediately referred; and I have the honor now to transmit his reply, by which it will be seen that the commission, after having been duly executed, was sent to the First Comptroller, where it still remains.  I suppose, according to the doctrine laid down in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1 Cranch R., 137), the appointment must be deemed complete, and nothing short of the removal of Mr. Laurason can enable me again to submit his nomination to the consideration of the Senate; but as the commission has not been technically issued to Mr. Laurason, I deem it most respectful to comply with your request by returning the copy of the resolution which notified me that the Senate advised and consented to his appointment.

MILLARD FILLMORE.

WASHINGTON CITY, April 6, 1852.

To the House of Representatives: 

In compliance with the resolution of the House of the 31st ultimo, I have the honor herewith to transmit a report from the Secretary of War, accompanied by the original manuscript report of Captain Thomas J. Crane, dated February 3, 1844, on the best mode of improving the navigation of the Ohio River at the Falls of Louisville, together with the original maps accompanying the same.

MILLARD FILLMORE.

WASHINGTON, April 8, 1852.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I herewith transmit to the Senate, in reply to their resolution of the 4th ultimo, a report from the Secretary of State, with accompanying papers.[20]

MILLARD FILLMORE.

[Footnote 20:  Relating to the relations between the United States and Japan.]

WASHINGTON, April 19, 1852.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States: 

I invite the attention of Congress to the state of affairs in the Territory of Oregon, growing out of a conflict of opinion among the authorities of that Territory in regard to a proper construction of the acts of Congress approved the 14th August, 1848, and 11th June, 1850, the former entitled “An act to establish a Territorial government of Oregon,” and the latter entitled “An act to make further appropriations for public buildings in the Territories of Minnesota and Oregon.”  In order to enable Congress to understand the controversy and apply such remedy with a view to adjust it as may be deemed expedient, I transmit—­