The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-01-04 00:00:00

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The third annual message of Mr. Polk, the President of
the United States, is, as usual, a very voluminous docu-
ment.

As might have been expected, the affairs of Mexico are
referred to at great length. More than one-half of the
entire message relates to the past and present position of
the differences between the two republics. There is nothing
in the tone of the President which would lead to the an-
ticipation of a speedy cessation of hostilities. After allu-
ding to the prosperity of the country, and stating that
from their abundance they have been enabled to perform
the pleasing duty of furnishing food for the starving mil-
lions of less favoured countries, the message refers to the
" serious causes of complaint" against Mexico—reiterates
that the United States is the aggrieved nation—that in
self-defence they were compelled to repel the invader—
and " to vindicate national honour and interests" they
are called on to prosecute the war—although at every
stage a willingness has been manifested to terminate it by
a "just peace." The President adds, that the war has
been waged not only to redress grievances, but to obtain
indemnity for the future : that Mexico has no indemnity
to give but territory. And until she makes a cession of
territory sufficient to cancel past accounts, and provide for
the future, he recommends that no treaty of nears be
accepted. The boundary of the Rio Crande, and the ces-
sion to the United States of New Mexico and Upper
California, are named as the terms upon which negociations
for a treaty must be founded. The plea for such a require-
nient is, that Mexico is too feeble a power to govern these
provinces ; and that if the United. States relinquished
their occupation of it, and their claim to it as an indem-
nity, an effort would be made by some foreign power to
possess.it by conquest or by purchase, which the United
states would be hound to resist, as well as any attempt of
European nations to found a monarchy in Mexico. He
combats the opinion that the American army should be
withdrawn now, or indeed before an honourable peace is
concluded. There is danger, he thinks, in such a step.
" There can (he says) be no doubt that the peaceable
and well-disposed inhabitants of Mexico are convinced
that it is the true interest of their country to conclude
an honourable peace with the United States, but the ap-
prehension of becoming the victims of some military
faction or usurper may have prevented them from mani-
festing their feelings by any public act. The removal of
any such .apprehension would probably cause them to
speak their sentiments freely, and to adopt the measures
nee,essaryfor the restoration of peace. With a people
distracted and divined ,by contending factions, and a
government subject to constant changes, by successive
revolutions, the continued successes of our arms may
fail to secure a satisfactory peace. In such event, it may
become proper for our generals in the field to give encou-
ragement and assurances of prote.ction to the friends of
peaCe in Mexico, in the establishrnentand maintenance of
a free republic government of their own choice, able and
willing to conclude a peace which would be iust to them,
and secure to us the indemnity we demand. This may
become the only mode of obtaining such a peace. Should
such be the result, the war which Mexico has forced upon
us would thus be converted into an enduring blessing to
herself. After finding her torn and distracted by factions,
and ruled by military usurpers, we should then leave her
with a republican government, in the enjoyment of real
independence, and domestic peace and security, perform-
ing all her relative duties in the great family of nations,
and promoting her own happiness by wise laws and their
faithful execution."

The President states that about half a million of dol-
lars has been raised by the Customs duties imposed by the
United States forces, on vessels and goods entering the

porti in their possession, and intimates that measures
have been taken to divert for the future the internal re-
venues of Mexico into the coffers of the United States.
On this point he says :
" The policy of levying upon the enemy contributions
in every form, consistently with the laws of nations, which
it may be practicable for our military commanders, to
adopt, should, in my judgment 'be rigidly enforced, and
orders to this effect have accordingly been given. By
such a policy, at the same time that our treasury will be
relieved from a heavy drain, the Mexican people will be
made to feel the burdens of the war, and, consulting their
own interests. may be induced the more readily to require
their rulers to accede to a just peace."
He adds, emphatically, " I am persuaded that the best
means of vindicating the national honour and interest,
and of bringing the war to an honourable close will be to
prosecute it with increased energy and power in the vital
parts of the enemy's country." In the future prosecution
of the war, the enemy " must be made to feel its pressure
more than they have hitherto done." With the view of
continuing the war, he asks authority from Congress for
raising an addition to the regular army and to the volun-
teer regiments. He also asks for a loan to meet the or-
dinary expenses of the government, of 118,500,000, and
should the war with Mexico be continued till June, 1849,
he calculates that a further loan of 120,500,000 will be
required. The amount of the public debt is now
845,659,659, being an increase of 127,870,859 since the
4th of March, 1845. These loans will raise the debt to
192,030,498 dollars, which is paying dearly for military
glory.
Mr. Polk speaks favourably of the effects of free trade
as regulated by the laws o'f the states. He urges the im-
position of moderate duties on tea and coffee, and
suggests several modifications in the laws affecting com-
merce. He urges the need of more war-steamers for the
navy, and concludes his message by a reference to the
postages charged by the British Government upon letters
brought here by the American steamers, in respect to
which he states that a fair and just receprocity is all that
is required.