of the Secretary of the Treasury "that it is
desirable that the State of Alabama and the other Southern States should
be allowed to assume and pay their proportion of the direct taxes now
due," and therefore recommend the necessary legislation by Congress.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, _April 4, 1866_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I transmit to Congress a report from the Secretary of State, with the
accompanying papers, relative to the claim on this Government of the
owners of the British vessel _Magicienne_, and recommend an
appropriation for the satisfaction of the claim, pursuant to the award
of the arbitrators.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, _April 5, 1866_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I herewith transmit communications from the Secretary of the Treasury
and the Postmaster-General, suggesting a modification of the oath of
office prescribed by the act of Congress approved July 2, 1862. I fully
concur in their recommendation, and as the subject pertains to the
efficient administration of the revenue and postal laws in the Southern
States I earnestly commend it to the early consideration of Congress.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, _April 6, 1866_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

I transmit, for the constitutional action of the Senate, a supplemental
article to the Pottawatomie treaty of November 15, 1861, concluded on
the 29th ultimo, together with the accompanying communications from the
Secretary of the Interior and Commissioner of Indian Affairs.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, D.C., _April 7, 1866_.

_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:

I transmit a communication from the Secretary of the Interior, with the
accompanying papers, in reference to grants of land made by acts of
Congress passed in the years 1850, 1853, and 1856 to the States of
Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and Louisiana, to aid in
the construction of certain railroads. As these acts will expire by
limitation on the 11th day of August, 1866, leaving the roads for
whose benefit they were conferred in an unfinished condition, it is
recommended that the time within which they may be completed be extended
for a period of five years.

ANDREW JOHNSON.

WASHINGTON, _April 11, 1866_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 27th ultimo,
in relation to the seizure and detention at New York