The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-26 00:00:00

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

Pellets-Citizens of Vie Senate, and House of Represen-
tatives :
IVe have reason to renew the expression of our devout gra-
.• ftude to the Giver of all Good, fur his benign protection.
Our country presents, on every side, the evidence of that cou-
. tinned favour, under whose auspices it has gradually risen
from a few feeble aed dependent colonies, to a prosperous and
powerful confederacy. We are blessed with domestic tran-
quillity, and all the elements of national prosperity. The pes-
tilence which, invadinr, for a time some flourishing portion of
the Union, interrupted the general prevalence of unusual
health, has happily been limited in extent, and arrested in its
fP..tal career. The industry and prudence of our citizens are
gradually relieving them from the pecuniary embarrassments
under which portions of them have laboured—judicious legis-
lation, and the natural and boundless resources of the coun-
try, have afforded wise and timely aid to private enterprise,
and the activity, always characteristic of cur people, has
already, in a great degree, resumed its usual and profitable
channels.

The conditions of our foreign relations has not materially
changed since the last- annual Message of my predecessor.
We remain at peace with all nations; and no efforts ;on my
part, consistent with the preservation of our rights and the
honour of the country, shall be spared to maintain a position
so consonant to our institutions. We have faithfully sustained
the foreign policy with which the United States, under the
guidance of their first President, took their stand in the family
of nations—that of regulating their intercourse 'with ether
Powers by the approved principles of private life; asking and
according equal rights and equal privileges ; rendering and
demanding justice in all cases ; advancing their own, and dis-
cussing the pretensions of others, witCcandour, directness,
and sincerity ; appealing at all times to reason, but never
yielding to force, not seeking to acquire anything to them-
selves by its exercise.
A rigid adherence to this policy, has left this Government
with scarcely a claim upon its justice, for injuries arising from
acts committed by its authority. The most imposing and
perplexing of those of the United States upon foreign Govern-
mer.ts for aggressitns upon our citizens, were disposed of by
my prOeeessor. Independently of the benefits conferred upon
our citizens by restoring to the mercantile community so many
millions of which they had been wrongfully divested, a great
service was also rendered to his country by the satisfactory ad-
justment of so many ancient and irritating subjects of conten-
tion ; and it reflects no ordinary credit on his successful ad-
ministration of public affairs, that this great object was accom-
plished without compromising, on any occasion, either the
honour or the peace of the nation.
With European powers no new subjects of difficulty have
arisen, and those which were under discussion, although not
terminated, do not present a more unfavourable aspect for the
future preservation of that good understanding, which it has
ever been our desire to cultivate.
Of pending questions, the most important is that which
exists with the Government of Great Britain, in respect to our
north-eastern boundary. It is with unfeigned regret, that the
people of the United States must look bask upon the abortive
efforts made by the Executive for a period of more than half a
century, to determine what no nation should suffer long to
remain in dispute, the true line which divides its possessions
from those of otl er powers. The natur 3of the settlements on
the borders of the United States, and of the neighbouring ter-
ritory, was for a season such, that this perhaps was not indis-
pensable to a faithful performance of the duties of the Federal
Goverrment. Time has, however, changed the state of
things, and has brought about a condition of affairs, in which
the true interests of both conntries imperatively require that
this question should be put at rest. It is not to be disguised,
that with full confidence often expressed, in the desire of the
British Government to terminate it, we are apparently as far
from its adjustment as we were at the time of signing the
treaty of peace in 1783. The sole result of long pending ne-
gotiations, and a perplexing arbitration, appears to be a con-
viction on its part, that a conventional line must be
adopted, from the impossibility of ascertaining the true one
according to the description contained in that treaty.
Without coinciding in this opinion, which is not thought to
be well-founded, my predecessor gave the strongest proof of
the earnest desire of the United States to terminate satisfacto-
rily this dispute, by proposing the substitutution of a conven-
tional line, if the consent of the States interested in the ques-
tion could be obtained. To this proposition, no answer has
as yet been received. The attention of the British Govern-
meat has, however, been urgently invited to the subject, and
its reply cannot, I am confident, be much longer delayed.
The general relations between Great Britain and the United
States are of the most friendly character, and I am well satis-
fied of the sincere disposition of that Government to maintain
them ❑pon their present footing. This disposition has also, I
am persuaded, become more general with the people of Eng-
land than at any previous period.
It is scarcely necessary to say to you,", how cordially it is
reciprccated by the Government and people of the United
States. The conviction, which must be common to all, of the
injurious consequences that result from keeping open this irri-
tating question, and the certainty that its final settlement
cannot be much longer deferred, will, I trust, lead to an early
and satisfactory adjustment. At your last Session, I laid be-
fore you the recent communication between the two Govern-
ments, and between this Government and that of the State of
Maine, in whose solicitude, concerning a subject in which
she has so deep an interest, every portion of the Union parti-
cipates.
The feelings produced by a temporary interruption of those
barmoniou; relations between France and the United States,
which are due as well to the recollections of former times as
to a correct appreciation of existing interests, have been hap-
pily succeeded by a cordial disposition on both sides to culti-
vate an active friendship in their future intercourse. The
opinion, undoubtedly correct, and steadily entertained by us,
that the commercial relations at present existing between the
two countries are susceptible of great and reciprocally bene-
ficial improvements, is obviously gaining ground in France ;
and I am assured of the disposition of that Government to
favour the accomplishment of such an object. This disposi-
tion shall be met in a proper spirit on our part. The few and
comparatively unimportant questions that remain to be ad-
justed between us can, I have no doubt, be settled with entire
satisfaction, and without difficulty.
Between Russia and the United States, sentiments of good
will continue to be mutually cherished. Our Minister re-
cently accredited to that Court, has been received with a
frankness and cordiality, and with evidences of respect for his
country, which leave us no room to doubt the preservation in
future of those amicable and liberal relations which have so
long and so uninterruptedly existed between the two countries.
On the few subjects under discussion between us, an early and
just decision is confidently anticipated.
A correspondence has been opened with the Government
of Austria, for the establishment of diplomatic relations, in
conformity with the wishes of Congress as indicated by an Ap-
propriation Act of the session of 1837, and arrangements made
for the purpose, which will be duly carried into effect.
With Austria and Prussia, and with the States of the Ger-
man empire, now composing with the latter the Commercial
League, our political relations are of the most friendly charac-
ter, whilst our commercial intercourse is gradually extending,
with benefit to all who are engaged in it.
Civil war yet rages in Spain, producing intense suffering
to its own people, and to other nations inconvenience and re-
gret. Our citizens who have claims upon that country will be
prejudiced for a time by the condition of its Treasury, the in-
evitable consequence of long continued and exhausting internal
wars. The last instalment of the interest of the debt due un-
der the convention with the Queen of Spain has not been
paid; and similar failures may be expected to happen, until a
portion of the resources of her kingdom can be devoted to the
extinguishment of its foreign debt.
Having received satisfactory evidence that discriminating
tonnage duties were charged upon the vessels of the United
States in the ports of Portugal, a proclamation was issued on
the 11th day of October last, in compliance with the Act of
May 25, 1832, declaring that fact ; and the duties on foreign
tonnage which were levied upon Portuguese vessels, in the
United States, previously to the passage of that Act, are ac-
cordingly revived.
The Act of July 4, 1836, suspending the discriminating
duties upon the produce of Portugal imported into this coun-
try in Portuguese vessels, was passed upon the application of
that Government, through its representative here, under the
belief that no similar discrimination existed in Portugal to the
prejudice of the United States. I regret to state that such
duties are now exacted in that country upon the cargoes of
American vessels ; and as the Act referred to vests no discre-
tion in the Executive, it is for Congress to determine upon the
expediency of further legislation on the subject. Against
these discriminations, affecting the vessels of this country and
their cargoes, seasonable remonstrance was made, and notice
was given to the Portuguese Government, that unless they
should be discontinued, the adoption of countervailing mea-
sures on the part of the United States would become neces-
sary ; but the reply of that Government, received at the De-
partment of State through our Charge d'Affaires at Lisbon, in
the month of September last, afforded no ground, to hope for
the abandonment of a system so little in harmony with the
treatment shown to the vessels of Portugal and their cargoes
in the ports of this country, and so contrary to the expecta-
tions we had a right to entertain.
With Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Naples, and Belgium a
friendly intercourse has been uninterruptedly maintained.
RWith the Government of the Ottoman Porte and its depen-
dencies on the coast of the Mediterranean, peace and good
will are carefully cultivated, and have been fostered by such
good offices as the relative distance and the condition of those
countries would permit.
Our commerce with Greece is carried on under the laws of
the two Governments, reciprocally beneficial to the navi-
gating interests of both ; and I have reason to look forward to
the adoption of other measures which will be more exten-
sively and permanently advantageous.
Copies of the treaties concluded with the Governments of
Siam and Muscat are transmitted for the information of Con-
gress, the ratifications having been received, and the treaties
made public, since the close of the last annual session. Al-
ready have we reason to congratulate ourselves on the pros-
pect of considerable commercial benefit ; and we have, be-
sides, received from the Sultan of Muscat prompt evidence of
his desire to cultivate the most friendly feelings, by liberal
acts toward one of our vessels, bestowed in a manner so strik•
ing as to require on our part asgrateful acknowledgment.
Our commerce with the Islands of Cuba and Porto Rico
still labours under heavy restrictions, the continuance of which
is a subject of regret. The only effect of an adherence to
them will be to benefit the navigation of other countries, at
the expense both of the United States and Spain.
The independent nations of this continent have, ever since
they emerged from the colonial state, experienced severe trials
in their progress to the permanent establishment of Liberal po
litical institutions. Their unsettled condition not only inter-
rupts their own advances to prosperity, but has often seriously