JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, April 13, 1848.

To the Senate of the United States: 

In answer to the resolution of the Senate of the 28th of March, 1848, I communicate herewith a report of the Secretary of War, transmitting a report of the head of the Ordnance Bureau, with the accompanying papers, relative to “the repeating firearms invented by Samuel Colt.”

Such is the favorable opinion entertained of the value of this arm, particularly for a mounted corps, that the Secretary of War, as will be seen by his report, has contracted with Mr. Colt for 2,000 of his pistols.  He has offered to contract for an additional number at liberal prices, but the inventor is unwilling to furnish them at the prices offered.

The invention for the construction of these arms being patented, the United States can not manufacture them at the Government armories without a previous purchase of the right so to do.  The right to use his patent by the United States the inventor is unwilling to dispose of at a price deemed reasonable.

JAMES K. POLK.

WASHINGTON, April 25, 1848.

To the House of Representatives of the United States: 

I communicate herewith a report of the Secretary of War, with accompanying documents, submitted by him as embracing the papers and the correspondence[18] between the Secretary of War and Major-General Scott, called for by the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 17th instant.

JAMES K. POLK.

[Footnote 18:  Relating to the conduct of the war in Mexico and the recall of General Scott from the command of the Army.]

WASHINGTON, April 29, 1848.

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

I submit for the consideration of Congress several communications received at the Department of State from Mr. Justo Sierra, commissioner of Yucatan, and also a communication from the Governor of that State, representing the condition of extreme suffering to which their country has been reduced by an insurrection of the Indians within its limits, and asking the aid of the United States.

These communications present a case of human suffering and misery which can not fail to excite the sympathies of all civilized nations.  From these and other sources of information it appears that the Indians of Yucatan are waging a war of extermination against the white race.  In this civil war they spare neither age nor sex, but put to death, indiscriminately, all who fall within their power.  The inhabitants, panic stricken and destitute of arms, are flying before their savage pursuers toward the coast, and their expulsion from their country or their extermination would seem to be inevitable unless they can obtain assistance from abroad.

In this condition they have, through their constituted authorities, implored the aid of this Government to save them from destruction, offering in case this should be granted to transfer the “dominion and sovereignty of the peninsula” to the United States.  Similar appeals for aid and protection have been made to the Spanish and the English Governments.