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 o