It may well be supposed that cases may arise even in time of peace in which it would be highly injurious to the country to make public at a particular moment the instructions under which a commander may be acting on a distant and foreign service.  In such a case, should it arise, and in all similar cases the discretion of the Executive can not be controlled by the request of either House of Congress for the communication of papers.  The duties which the Constitution and the laws devolve on the President must be performed by him under his official responsibility, and he is not at liberty to disregard high interests or thwart important public objects by untimely publications made against his own judgment, by whomsoever such publications may be requested.  In the present case, not seeing that any injury is likely to arise from so doing, I have directed copies of all the papers asked for to be communicated; and I avail of the opportunity of transmitting also copies of sundry letters, as noted below.

JOHN TYLER.

WASHINGTON, February 20, 1843.

To the House of Representatives: 

I transmit to the House of Representatives a report from the Secretary of State, accompanied by a copy of the correspondence[88] requested by their resolution of the 29th of December last.

JOHN TYLER.

[Footnote 88:  Between the consul-general of the United States at Tangier and the Government of Morocco.]

WASHINGTON, February 20, 1843.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit to the Senate a report[89] from the Secretary of State, in answer to their resolution of the 14th instant.

JOHN TYLER.

[Footnote 89:  Communicating a copy of the commission and instructions issued to Daniel Webster, Secretary of State, to treat with Lord Ashburton, special minister from Great Britain to the United States.]

WASHINGTON, February 24, 1843.

To the Senate of the United States: 

I transmit to the Senate, in answer to their resolutions of the 20th of December and of the 9th instant, the inclosed copies of papers[90] from the Department of State, with an accompanying list.

JOHN TYLER.

[Footnote 90:  Correspondence with the United States minister to France relative to the quintuple treaty of December 20, 1841, and the Ashburton treaty of August 9, 1842.]

WASHINGTON, February 27, 1843.

To the House of Representatives: 

In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 22d instant, requesting me to communicate to the House “whatever correspondence or communication may have been received from the British Government respecting the President’s construction of the late British treaty concluded at Washington as it concerns an alleged right to visit American vessels,” I herewith transmit a report made to me by the Secretary of State.