The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-30 00:00:00

order.

The following Message was then delivered :
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and of the House of
Representatives,—ln resuming your labours in the ser
vice of the people, it is a subject of congratulation that
there has been no period in our past history when all
the elements of national prosperity have been so fully
developed. Since your last session no afflicting dispen-
sation has visited our country; general good health has
prevailed; abundance has crowned the toil of the hus-
bandman; and labour in all its branches is receiving an
ample reward, while education, science, and the arts are
rapidly enlarging the means of social happiness. The
progress of our country in her career of greatness, not
only in the vast extension of our territorial limits, and
the rapid increase of our population, but in resources and
wealth, and in the happy condition of our people, is
without example in the history of nations.
As the wisdom, strength, and beneficence of our free'
institutions are unfolded, every day adds fresh motives
to contentment and fresh incentives to patriotism.
Our devout and sincere acknowledgments are due to
the gracious Giver of all good for the numberless bless-
ings which our beloved country enjoys.
It is a source of high satisfaction to know that the
relations of the United States with all other nations,
with a single exception, are, of the most amicable cha-
racter. Sincerely attached to the policy of peace, early
adopted and steadily pursued by this Government, I
have anxiously desired to cultivate and cherish friend.
ship and commerce with every foreign Power. The
such international to the maintenance of harmony. In
spirit and habits of the American people are favourable
to this wise policy, a preliminary and para-
mount
duty
obviously consists in the protection of our
nationalinterests from encroachment or sacrifice, and
adheringmoot
ournai national honour
hazard. They admit of no compromiseor ne-
glect, honour from reproach. These must be main-
tainedglect, and must be scrupulously iiszlconsiantly
with arded.ln
their vigilant vindication, collision and-conflict
fo-
reign Powers may sometimes become unavoidable. Such
has been our scrupulous adherence to the dictates of
justice, in all our foreign intercourse, that, though stea-
dily and rapidly ad. va ming in prosperity and power, we
have of complaint to any nation,
given no j ust cause
and have enjoyed the blessings of peace for more than
thirty years. From a policy so sacred to humanity, and
so salutary in its effects upon our political system, we
should never be induced voluntarily to depart.
The existing war with Mexico wa3 neither desired
nor provoked by the United States. On the contrary,
all honourable means were resorted to to avert it. After
years of endurance of aggravated and unredressed
wrongs on our part, Mexico, in violation of solemn
treaty stipulations, and of every principle of justice re-
cognised by civilised nations, commenced hostilities ;
and thus by her own act forced the war upon us. Long
before the advance of our army to the left bank of the
Rio Grande we had ample cause of war against Mexico;
and had the United States resorted to this extremity,
we might have appealed to the whole civilised world for
the justice of our course.
I deem it to be my duty to present to you on the pre-
sent occasion a condensed review of the injuries we
have sustained, of the causes which led to the war, and
of its progress since its commencement. This is ren-
dered the more necessary because of the misapprehen-
sions which have to some extent prevailed as to its
origin and true character. The war has been repre-
sented as unjust and unnecessary, and as one of aggres-
sion on our part upon a weak and injured enemy. Such
erroneous views, though entertained by but few, have
been widely and extensively circulated, not only at home,
but have been spread throughout Mexico and the whole
world. A more effectual means could not have been
devised to encourage the enemy and protract the war
than to advocate and adhere to their cause, and thus give
them "aid and comfort."
It is a source of national pride and exultation that the