The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-31 00:00:00

AMERICA.

TIIE

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

OPENING OF CONGRESS.

LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY.

We have this day received advices from New
York to the 9th instant inclusive, by the packet-ship
Ashburton. They contain full accounts of the open-
ing of the United States Congress, and a copy of the
President's Message, which is, as usual, a lengthy
document : a very considerable portion is devoted to
the state of affairs in Mexico, and the glorious deeds
of the army of invasion. The details of Mr. Tribes
mission are also given, and the terms on which he
was authorised to treat with Mexico. The President
recommends the occupation of Mexico until peace is
asked—an indemnity for the past, and security for
the future ; but it is needless thus to refer to the
several topics. We subjoin the Message itself, to-
gether with the latest Mexican and commercial news
received.

The steam-ship Britannia arrived at Boston on the
Bth, after a passage of 18 days. It is reported she
was off Holyhead this afternoon. She will have seven
days' later reeves from New York:

THE MESSAGE.

FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND OF
TILE ROUGE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

The annual meeting of Congress is always an in
teresting event. The representatives of the States
and of the people come fresh from their constituents
to take counsel together for the common good. After
an existence of near three-fourths of a century as a
free and independent republic, the problem no longer
remains to be solved, whether man is capable of self-
government. The success of our admirable system
is a conclusive refutation of the theories of those
in
other countries who maintain that " a favoured few"
are born to rule, and that the mass of mankind rou.it
be governed by force. Subject to no arbitrary or he
reditary authority, the people the only sovereigns
recognised by our constitution.
Numerous emigrants of every lineage and lan-
guage, attracted by the civil and religious freedom
we enjoy, and by our happy cordition annually crowd
to our shores, and transfer their heart, not less than
their allegiance, to the country whose dominLn be-
longs alone to the people.
No country has been so much favoured, or should
acknowledge with deeper reverence the manifestations
of the Divine protection. An all- wise Creator directed
and guarded u- in our infant struggle for freedom,
and has constantly watched over our surprising pro-
gress, until we have become one of the great nations
of the earth.
It is in a country thus favoured, and under n
Government in which the executive and legislative
branches hold their authority for limited periods,
alike from the people, and where all are responsib!e
to their respective constituencies, that it is again my
duty to communicate with Congress upon the statt-
of the Union, and the present condition of public
affai N.
During the past year the most gratifying proofs
are presented that our country has been blessed with
a wide-spread and universal prosperity. There has
been no period since the Government was founded,
when all the industrial pursuits of our people have
been more successful, or when labour in all branches
of business has received a fairer or better reward.
From our abundance we have been enabled to perform
the pleasing duty of furnishing food for the starving
millions of less favoured countries.