The Secretary read the following report submitted by Mr. SPRAGUE on the 11th instant from the ComMilAffrs : The ComMilAffrs . having had under consideration the memorial of the Legislature of Massachusetts praying conrosefor reimbursementof money expended upon ortitle ations and in the purchase of gunsand ammunition and for procuring lens for coastdefenseand harbor obstructions for the common defense.beg leave to submit the following report: bx paperssubmittedto the committee consistof1. Joint memorial of the Senate and HoRep of Massachusetts. attested by their respectivoclerks.in which areconsidered the cfforts. but the outset of the rebellion of rebelagentsto engage this country in a foreign war; the bearing of such a war upon the contest: when; its edectswould be most seriously felt: whoseduty it wasto create means for defense refemng to the Secretary Y opinion State’s in his letter of October 14.1861.which is made a part ef this report.) stating the possibility of a war and his recommendations thereupon: the action of theState in view of this condition of affairs; and the reasons whg Congress should act favorablyin the matter of reimbusements for expendituresmade in the commondefense. 2. A message from Governor Alexander R. Bullock to the HoRepof Massachusetts in response to a call therefor. accounting for the expenditure of 8413.64028 for coast defenses and of.000subieetto warrant for fortifying Provincctown harbor. of 520000to $3.000 required to complete the fpourrteshinas Beossintonabraer eo.r.700for a telegraph from the to‘theState House; giving ren pmoennadfionrg the urgency of the expenditure and recoma memorial to genrosefor reimbursement. 3. COIQBBTHRXTISOR Dech e. an endix marked A. accounting in detail for $354346 1 expended under his direction in Europe and elsewhere. 4. John H. Read. quarterMGen of Massachusetts.report marked B. of ordnanceandordnance sugiplies on hand purchasedfor coast defense. A letter from the Secrets. of State.datedOcto ber 14.lb'fil.calling Governor ndrcw's attention to the threatenedstate of our foreign relations. 6. Governor Andrew's addressto the Legislature of Massachusetts, marked D. upon the defenseof the coast and the money expended to January. 1865.under the appronations of 81.000.000. i 10by the Legislature of asachusetts for const efensc. amounting to $354.3;1l6l. Some of the considerationsfavonn the Views of the memorialist and somethat are a verse.appear to he as follows: in the outset of the rebellion rebel emissaries andrebel sympathizers did nearly succeed in provokin war between this country arid GreatBritain and rance. A largenumber of their inhab itants. principally operatives and othersin and con nected with t ieir manufacturies.wereout of employment and destitute of the necessariesof life. Severance from the Union of the cottonStateswould furnish cotton to Europe at lower rices than otherwise and procurean exclusivemar etfor the product of European manufacturers. A favorableopportunity was presented to check the growing power of the U.S. raenpdusbtloicpatnh Ge ofuvrgtrhnemr sepnrtesa; dthoef lfiubteurrael prosperity of France demandingiaii outlet for her poor and miserable rural population into the salu nous climate and amen the etfeminate populations of Mexico. Added to which the frequent defeatof our arms invited interference.the consequenceof which waswar. The press throughout the country corroborated these views and the SecyState confirmed them by the followmg letter that he addressed tothe Governors of Statesnearesttoandmostexposed to attack: DEPTor Sure. WASHINGTON.October14.1861. Sin: The presentinsurreotionhadnot even revealed ietsigenlfcionuanrtmriesswthoenindvioskloeynthl cent rizienntesrhvaesntteine endftoor ftohre overthrow of the Governmentand the destruction of the FederalUnion. Theseagentsare known to have made their appeals to some of the more important States without success. It is that they will remain content nowti tlhik esluyc hroewfuesvaelsr. Indeed.it is understoodthat they are in ustriously cudeavoring to accomplish their GISI‘OYA purposes by degreesand by indirection. Taking a vantage of the embarrassment!of agriculture.manufactures and commerce in foreign countries. resulting from the insurrection they have inaugurated at. home. theyseek to involve our common country incontroversies with StatesWith which everypublic interest andevery interest of mankind require that it shall remain in relations of once.amity and friendship. I amable to state or your satisfaction. that the prospect of any such disturbance is n owless serious than it has bpenat any previous period during the ccnrse of the insurrection. Itis. nevertheless.necessary now as it hashitherto been.to tahe every precaution that is possibleto avert the evils of foreign war. to be superinducedupon thoseof civil commotion which we are endeavoring to cure. One of the mostobvious of such precautions is thatour portsand harbors on the seasandlakesshould bein a of ooniplete defensc: condition for any nation may be said to voluntarilyiiicnrdangerin tempestuous seuens when it fails to show that it has sheltered itself on every side from which thestorm might possibly come. The measureswhich the Executive can adopt in this emerzencyare such only as Congresshas sanetioned and forwhich it has provided. The President is putting forth the most dilim‘nt efforts to execute these measures and we have the great satisfaction of seeing that efforts. 2nded b' the fin o r, aid and support of a loyal. patriotic. antvself sadn flcing people.iTk‘ra idly bringing the military and naval forces of 21mU.S. into the highest state ofefliciciwy. But Congress was chiefly absorbed. during its rei nit extra session.with these measures and did not psovideas amply ascould be yished for the fortification of our sea and lake coasts. In previous wars loyal States have applied themselves by independent and separate actiVity to support and aid 0 Federal Governmentin its arduousresponsi bilities. The same disposition hasbeen manifested in a degree eminently honorable by all this loyal Statesduring the present insurrection. In View of this fact, and relying upon the increaseand continuanceof the some disposition on the part of the loyal States.the President has directed me to invite your considerationto thesuh'ectof the importanceof perfootingthe defensesof the State over which you preside and to ask on to submit the subject to the consideration oft e Legislature when itshall have assembled. such proceedingsby the State would require only a temporaryuseof its means. The expenditures ought to be made the subject of conference with the Federal Government. Being thus made with the concurrenceof the Government.for generaldefense.there is every reasonto believethat Congresswould sanction whut the State should do and would provide for its reimbursement. Should these suggestionsbe accepted. the Precident will direct proper agentsof the Federal Government to confer with you and to superintend.direct. and con duct the prosecution of the systemof defenseof your St to. Ilhnve the honor to beW.siirt. 'our obedientservant. I am H. SEWARD. His Excellency Jens A. Asnasw. onrraor of theSlateof Mcumchusetll. The executive dept of our Government uvailed itself of every occasionto excite the people and the States'oflicials to renewed efforts to recruik the army and the Navy and to fill up their respective quotas. The movementof the enemy upon the capital. the defeat of our arms or threatened foreign complication was made the occasion for more than ordinary appeals to greater efforts and sacrifices. During this condition of the public mind, a new enemy was announced by Mr. Seward's letter; the States that were most exposed were 1st called upon. The General Government.in exercising its whole power and every means that the country possessed to createa navy and to supply field and siege guns for army operations.had no meansat its disposal. nor were there any in the country unemployed. that the a Sgtaatienss ctould nvail themsclves of to devote to defenses a threatenedor real attack from European Powers or piratical vesselsthat had bee. but afloat and manned and werebeingput afloat an manned ostensibly as confederate cruisers but really asa part of the aggressive machinery that rebel emissaries and their colaborers the aristocratic and trading classes and their Governments in Europe had set on foot. In the outset those States had responded to all calls made upon them without an inquiry as to how the expenses were to be met. In the present call. Governor Andrew. of Massachusetts. under date January. 1862 called the attention of the Legislature of thatState to the real condition of affairs and obtained then and subsequently an appropriation of 51.000.000 for purposes of preparation.a er consultin with different officers cft c beneral ovornmentmn so far as their sanction could operate upon the disburseinents of money appropriated b a State. they gave it to the course firmly adopted y the authorities of Massachusetts who elected to procure heavy oneand ammunition from Europe. to provide plans 'or coast defenseand harbor obstruction and to erect defenses at opposed points. This dutywas committed to 2 commissions 3 of the most distinguished citiiiens upon each. The duties of one of these was to obtain supplies from Europe: the other to administer npon lioine defenses. T usnunsand lens were obtained and are now in the custodyof.iussachusetts. The material that was purchased in Europe b the agents of the State was aswell purchased asity the duty had been performed by agents of the General Government and though not of the pattern usedin our service was the best thnt ceiild be obtained in Europe. Thesethe incmorialist deSiresthe Government to receive and to pay the sumof their purchase. Massachusetts at the timoof the purchaseof this material. Was contribut in to the Government large supplies of war material. f her harbors or const had been successfully attacked these supplies would have England as well. also.assupplies fromthe other New States.in many of Which largei nanufacicries were estabhsbed or were being established for obtainin BUDEHB! of guns.ammunition.clothing.&c. Deprivof the so supplies. the contestwould probably have been prolonged if reductive of no other result: and no any doubts that in that event the materials in question would have been gladly received by the General Government and wonldhave been paid for as other material was paid for at the me. Time and the absence of open foreign aggressions 1 ceensasbaleryd the General Ghvernruentto procureall no war material from establishmentsthat had “i beencreated (during the fl progress of the war) in our own country. This alsoin uenced the State's expend itures: instead of expending the million iTppi opril ated. but little more than 1/3rd wase ed for. 1 'In this must be recopniied a prom t complianccivith t lie altered state(it it [laws as the Suite gaugedfurthof action when the U.S. had meansand leisure to meetits new obligniion, How far the alarm lliiit had been sounded by the SecyState and oiherwiscmnd the prompt response of the Slates had influence in producingwiser reflections and conclusions from the Governments heretofore referred to. can never be known. Undoubtedlyto the extent of that influence the States wmhaoksineg prompt action in assuming liabilities and in expenditurestomeetthe threatened danger. should be oubly honored and reimbursed. If it is considered.as it is contended that the country escaped a forei war by the merest accident.it is clear that it would have been a noglect of tho plainest duty as well as criminal and treasonable had the States that were appealed to neglectedor refusedto have responded to the call of the Secretary and the general opinion of the people. That Massuchusetts is contributing more to the income of the nation than any other State in proportion to her population is not. perhn s. a consideration that bears upon this question; at that the proportion of such contributions should be greatly augmented b requiring her to retain war material that was pure usedfor the common defense is a consideration more especiallyas the General Government hasan indirect control over such material and can alone decideas to the usesthat it maybe put to or how it may bedisposedof. The General Government have now. of course.no usefor this material. Its officials exercised no direct authority in its purchase. But it inn bereasonable to contend that reimbursement should bemadeto the similar action from the General Goverument that was taken by the State. In the absencealsoof written instructions or directions from the General Government touching the expenditiirc. Questions might ariseadverse to the poshtions assumedby the incmorialist. In this respectit is similarly situated to those claims that have re ccived favorable legislative action and some that are perhaps less favorably Situated. The committee have obtained information from beads of Depts and other oficers of the government. And have, after careful consideration.at rived at the following conclusions: Ip the beginningof the war the new States could. not obtain the necessary funds from their own resourccs oi disposoof their securities based thereon: hence their acts were subject to the General Government. Massachusetts. On the otherhand. couldread ily turn her securities into money; hence lier roadi ness and promptness at all times to respond to the reasonablecalls of the Government and the present case is an illustration of that condition of facts. Had the State not taken the initiative. the General government would or should have done so. e The SecyState wasJustified in warning the States of the impending danger of foreign aggressions. Massachusetts. her legislative and executiveoili cers.for their prompt responseto the warning is deservingthe t anks of the nation. The materials purchased ITO)“ some respects out of the control of the State and in that of the General Govomment. inasmuchas our Constitution and laws restrain its uses and sale. We think the Government should have exclusive title thereto. Someof the disbursementa were made upon the solicitation of the officers of the Government and others with their cooperation. All the expendituresas set forth in the memorial were made in the interest, on behalfof and to the advan e of the whole nation. They were available during t of they war. are now and will be hereafter and were properly and honorabl made and should be promptl reimbursed. There ore the committee recommen the passe go of the accompanying JtResolution.