The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGI

The message of President Polk was read to the Ameri
can Congress at its opening on the 9th of December. I
commences by stating that there has been no period ii
which " all the elements of national prosperity have beer
so fully developed ; general good health has prevailed
abundance has crowned the toil of the husbandman ; ant
labour in all its branches is receiving an ample reward
while education, science, and the arts are rapidly enlarg.
ing the means of social happiness. The relations of the
United States with all other countries except Mexico are
of the most amicable character. After alluding to the
peaceful spirit of the American nation, and his own d
sire to culth

e mellow and commerce with every fo-
reign power, the President goes on to speak of the provo-
cation suffered by them from Mexico, as fully justifying
war, and to charge that republic with having commenced
hostilities. Scarcely had Mexico achieved her inde-
pendence (he continues) than she began to insult and
plunder the citizens of the United States who traded to
her ports ; and she had continued the system ever since,
in defiance of repeated promises and treaties. The de-
mands of the former for redress were met by Mexico ad-
raiding claims to the amount of 2,026,100 dollars, which
had, however, not been paid. The annexation of Texas,
he maintains, was no just cause of offence to Mexico,
since the states of that republic were severally indepen-
dent, except as they chose to unite for federal purposes,
and since the abolition of the state constitutions by the
military government formed at the Mexican revolution of
1835, freed all the states from their allegiance. All our
attempts to preserve peace have been met by insult and
resistance on the part of Mexico. The war will continue
to be prosecuted with vigour, as the best means of secur-
ing peace. It is hoped that the decision of the Mexican
Congress, to which our last overture has been referred,
may result in a speedy and honourable peace. The war
has not been waged with a view to conquest ; but having
been commenced by Mexico, it has been carried into the
enemy's country, and will be vigorously prosecuted there,
with a view to obtain an honourable peace, and thereby
secure an ample indemnity for the expenses of the war, as
well as to our much injured citizens, who hold large pecu-
niary demands against Mexico." He states that the
Pparush government has agreed to treat the holders of
Mexican letters of Marque as pirates. He recommends
that letters of marque should be issued in order to make
r,ePrisals against the Mexican flag. He proceeds to state
;nem imports for the year at 121,691,797 dollars, of which
'045,174 dollars were retained for home consumption :
the exports amounted to 113,488,516 dollars, of which
Th 102,141,893
e rdollars' worth was of domestic production.
eceints
dollars. ‘Thelat° the Treasury amounted to 29,499,247
expenditure to 28,031,114 dollars; and the
balance in hand on the Ist of July last was 9,126,439 dol-
lars. The amount of the public debt, including treasury
notes, on the Ist of December, 24 256 494 dollars, of
which 6,467,694 dollars hind been wasincur'red since March 4,
1845. If the war should be Continued to the 30th June,