Message from the President of the United States to the Two Houses of Congress at the Commencement of the First Session of the Thirty-Sixth Congress [House of Representatives, 36th Congress, 1st session, Ex. Doc.] by Buchanan, James - 1860

Washington: George W. Bowman, Printer, 1860. Good - Very Good condition (see photos). A solid reading/reference copy of this 542-page "Abridged" edition. Only very light wear to the spine ends. One tiny hole at the rear hinge (see photo). Previous owner's name on flyleaf. The front free endpaper is partially gone and the rear free end paper is missing. Bound in the original brown cloth. The spine is gilt-stamped "Message and Documents, Abridged in one Vol." Front and rear covers are both elaborately blindstamped with ornaments and patriotic eagle/shield symbols. The spine is also blind-stamped "House of Reps." NOT a library discard. NO underlining. NO margin notes. A small percentage of pages are age-toned or show light foxing. However the vast majority are clean with NO foxing. This is the House of Representatives version, 36th Congress, 1st Session, Ex. Doc. [unnumbered]. Altogether there are 542 pages. The volume begins with President James Buchanan's State of the Union message (pp. 3-26) with Accompanying Documents (pp. 27-90). Buchanan briefly mentions "the recent sad and bloody occurrences at Harper's Ferry," and discusses in some detail the troubles with Mexico, Nicaragua and Paraguay, as well as the need to construct a Pacific railroad and to establish a territorial government over Arizona to protect the population (nearing 10,000 souls) from "murder, rapine and other crimes." Next are the reports from the Secretary of the Interior Jacob Thompson including his Commissioners of Indian Affairs, General Land Office, Pensions, Public Buildings, etc. (pp. 91-211). There is much of interest in the reports from the Secretaries of War and the Navy (pp. 213-497). For example, Secretary of War John B. Floyd concludes that extensive experiments have demonstrated "that camels constitute a most useful and economical means of transportation for men and supplies through the great deserts and barren regions of our interior." Floyd also gives details on events in the Utah Territory, the apparent immunity enjoyed by the Mormons from Indian hostilities, the need for law enforcement in Texas and along the Mexican border, the insurrection at Harper's Ferry (complete with lists of names of the insurgents and those killed.) The final section (pp. 499-542) constitutes the Postmaster General's report (e.g. the contract with Cornelius Vanderbilt, railroads, Pacific mail service, New Orleans by way of Panama, Great Overland mail, San Antonio, California, etc).. First Edition. Hardcover. Good-Very Good condition. 8vo. (ii), 542pp.