WASHINGTON, _December 9, 1835_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives_.
GENTLEMEN: I herewith communicate, for the information of Congress, a
report of the Secretary of War, with accompanying documents, showing the
progress made during the present year in the astronomical observations
made under the act of the 14th of July, 1832, relative to the northern
boundary of the State of Ohio.
The controversy between the authorities of the State of Ohio and those
of the Territory of Michigan in respect to this boundary assumed about
the time of the termination of the last session of Congress a very
threatening aspect, and much care and exertion were necessary to
preserve the jurisdiction of the Territorial government under the acts
of Congress and to prevent a forcible collision between the parties. The
nature and course of the dispute and the measures taken by the Executive
for the purpose of composing it will fully appear in the accompanying
report from the Secretary of State and the documents therein referred
to.
The formation of a State government by the inhabitants of the Territory
of Michigan and their application, now pending, to be admitted into the
Union give additional force to the many important reasons which call for
the settlement of this question by Congress at their present session.