NOVEMBER 16, 1847.

The modifications and military contributions as above recommended by the
Secretary of the Treasury are approved by me, and the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of the Navy will give the proper orders to carry them
into effect.

JAMES K. POLK.




THIRD ANNUAL MESSAGE.


WASHINGTON, _December 7, 1847_.

_Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives_:

The annual meeting of Congress is always an interesting event. The
representatives of the States and of the people come fresh from their
constituents to take counsel together for the common good.

After an existence of near three-fourths of a century as a free and
independent Republic, the problem no longer remains to be solved whether
man is capable of self-government. The success of our admirable system
is a conclusive refutation of the theories of those in other countries