I am, of course, aware that the bill proposes only to provide indemnification for such valid claims of citizens of the United States against France as shall not have been stipulated for and embraced in any of the treaties enumerated.  But in excluding all such claims it excludes all, in fact, for which, during the negotiations, France could be persuaded to agree that she was in any wise liable to the United States or our citizens.  What remains?  And for what is five millions appropriated?  In view of what has been said there would seem to be no ground on which to raise a liability of the United States, unless it be the assumption that the United States are to be considered the insurer and the guarantor of all claims, of whatever nature, which any individual citizen may have against a foreign nation.

FRANKLIN PIERCE.

WASHINGTON, March 3, [1855.]

To the House of Representatives: 

I return herewith to the House of Representatives, in which it originated, the bill entitled “An act making appropriations for the transportation of the United States mail, by ocean steamers and otherwise, during the fiscal years ending the 30th of June, 1855, and the 30th of June, 1856,” with a brief statement of the reasons which prevent its receiving my approval.  The bill provides, among other things, that—­

  The following sums be, and the same are hereby, appropriated, to be
  paid out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for
  the year ending the 30th of June, 1856: 

For transportation of the mails from New York to Liverpool and back, $858,000; and that the proviso contained in the first section of the act entitled “An act to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the fiscal year ending the 30th of June, 1852,” approved the 21st of July, 1852, be, and the same is hereby, repealed:  Provided, That Edward K. Collins and his associates shall proceed with all due diligence to build another steamship, in accordance with the terms of their contract, and have the same ready for the mail service in two years from and after the passage of this act; and if the said steamship is not ready within the time above mentioned, by reason of any neglect or want of diligence on their part, then the said Edward K. Collins and his associates shall carry the United States mails between New York and Liverpool from the expiration of the said two years, every fortnight, free of any charge to the Government, until the new steamship shall have commenced the said mail service.

The original contract was predicated upon the proposition of E.K.  Collins of March 6, 1846, made with abundant means of knowledge as to the advantages and disadvantages of the terms which he then submitted for the acceptance of the Government.  The proposition was in the following terms: 

  WASHINGTON, March 6, 1846.