on the great body of the citizens
of the Republic. If in asserting rights or in repelling wrongs war
should come upon us, our regular force should be increased to an extent
proportioned to the emergency, and our present small Army is a nucleus
around which such force could be formed and embodied. But for the
purposes of defense under ordinary circumstances we must rely upon the
electors of the country. Those by whom and for whom the Government was
instituted and is supported will constitute its protection in the hour
of danger as they do its check in the hour of safety.

But it is obvious that the militia system is imperfect. Much time is
lost, much unnecessary expense incurred, and much public property wasted
under the present arrangement. Little useful knowledge is gained by the
musters and drills as now established, and the whole subject evidently
requires a thorough examination. Whether a plan of classification
remedying these defects and providing for a system of instruction might
not be adopted is submitted to the consideration of Congress. The
Constitution has vested in the General Government an independent
authority upon the subject of the militia which renders its action
essential to the establishment or improvement of the system, and I
recommend the matter to your consideration in the conviction that the
state of this important arm of the public defense requires your
attention. I am happy to inform you that the wise and humane policy of
transferring from the eastern to the western side of the Mississippi the
remnants of our aboriginal tribes, with their own consent and upon just
terms, has been steadily pursued, and is approaching, I trust, its
consummation. By reference to the report of the Secretary of War and to
the documents submitted with it you will see the progress which has been
made since your last session in the arrangement of the various matters
connected with our Indian relations. With one exception every subject
involving any question of conflicting jurisdiction or of peculiar
difficulty has been happily disposed of, and the conviction evidently
gains ground among the Indians that their removal to the country
assigned by the United States for their permanent residence furnishes
the only hope of their ultimate prosperity.

With that portion of the Cherokees, however, living within the State of
Georgia it has been found impracticable as yet to make a satisfactory
adjustment. Such was my anxiety to