I shall prepare to surrender the Executive trust to my successor and retire to private life with sentiments of profound gratitude to the good Providence which during the period of my Administration has vouchsafed to carry the country through many difficulties, domestic and foreign, and which enables me to contemplate the spectacle of amicable and respectful relations between ours and all other governments and the establishment of constitutional order and tranquillity throughout the Union. FRANKLIN PIERCE. SPECIAL MESSAGES. WASHINGTON, _December 2, 1856_. _To the House of Representatives_: I transmit herewith a report[63] from the Secretary of State, in compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 7th of August last. FRANKLIN PIERCE. [Footnote 63: Stating that the correspondence in the Departments of State and of the Navy relative to Hamet Caramally had been transmitted to Congress.] WASHINGTON, _December 8, 1856_. _To the Senate of the United States_: I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty between the United States and Siam, concluded at Bangkok on the 29th day of May last. FRANKLIN PIERCE. WASHINGTON, _December 10, 1856_. _To the Senate of the United States_: I transmit to the Senate, for its consideration with a view to ratification, a treaty for the settlement of the questions which have come into discussion between the United States and Great Britain relative to Central America, concluded and signed at London on the 17th day of October last between the United States and Great Britain. FRANKLIN PIERCE. WASHINGTON, _December 12, 1856_. _To the Senate and House of Representatives_: I transmit a copy of a letter of the 20th of May last from the commissioner of the United States in China, and of the decree and regulations[64] which accompanied it, for such revision thereof as Congress may deem expedient, pursuant to the sixth section of the act approved 11th August, 1848. FRANKLIN PIERCE. [Footnote 64: For judicial jurisdiction by acting consuls or vice-consuls of the United States in China.] WASHINGTON, _December 15, 1856_. _To the Senate and House of Representatives_: I transmit to Congress an extract from a letter of the 22d ultimo from the governor of the Territory of Kansas to the Secretary of State, with a copy of the executive minutes[65] to which it refers. These documents have been received since the date of my message at the opening of the present session. FRANKLIN PIERCE. [Footnote 65: Containing a history of Kansas affairs.] WASHINGTON, _December 29, 1856_. _To the Senate of the United States_: