I lay before Congress a Report of the Surveyor of the public buildings, stating the progress made on them during the last season, & what is proposed for the ensuing one.

I took every measure within my power for carrying into effect the request of the House of Representatives of the 17th. of April last, to cause the South wing of the Capitol to be prepared for their accomodation by the commencement of the present session. with great regret I found it was not to be accomplished. the quantity of freestone necessary, with the size & quality of many of the blocks, was represented as beyond what could be obtained from the quarries by any exertions which could be commanded. The other parts of the work, which might all have been compleated in time were necessarily retarded by the insufficient progress of the stone work.