Special Message

To the House of Representatives of the United States:

I submit for the consideration of Congress the accompanying communication from A. Pageot, minister plenipotentiary ad interm of the King of the French, upon the subject of the tonnage duties levied on French vessels coming into the ports of the United States from the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, and proposing to place our commercial intercourse with those islands upon the same footing as now exists with the islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe, as regulated by the acts of the 9th of May, 1828, and of the 13th of July, 1832. No reason is perceived for the discrimination recognized by the existing Law, and none why the provisions of the acts of Congress referred to should not be extended to the commerce of the islands in question.

JOHN TYLER.