The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-12-21
ME $ SAGE :

mItted, tins day, 10 both Houses Of Con
gress, the following
MES SAGE
FelIow Citizens Of the Senate,
and Of The House Of Representative,
The vie" which have now To present IL
you of our affairs, Foreign and Domestic
realizes the most sanguine anticipations
which have been entertained of The public
prosperity. Ii we look TO the whole, our
growth, as nation, continues 10 be rapid
beyond example: If 10 the states which
compose il, the same gratifying spectacle il
exhibited. Our expansion over the vast
territory within our limits, has been great
without indicating any decline in those sec
tons from which the emigration has been
most conspicuous. We have daily gained
strength by native population in every
Quarter-a population devoted 10 our hap
Fy system Of government, aud cherishing
the bond of union with fraternal affection
Experience has already shown, that the
difference of climate, and of industry, pro
ceeding from that cause, inseparable in
such vast domains, and which, under other
systems, might have repulsve tendency,
cannot fail to produce, with us, under wise
regulations, the opposite effect. What one
portion wants, the other may supply, and
this will be- most sensibly felt by the parts
most distant from each either. forming.
thereby, domestic market, and an active
intercourse between the extremes, and
throughout every portion of the Union
Thus, by happy distribution of power
between the National and State Govern
ments, governments which rest exclusively
on the sovereignty of the people, and are
fully adequate 10 the purposes for which
they were respectively instituted, causes
which might otherwise lead To dismem
ment, operate powerfully TO draw us closer
together. In every other circumstance, a
correct view of the actual state of our
Union, must be equally gratifying 10 our
constituents. Our relations with foreign
powers are of ii friendly character, altho'
certain interesting differences remain unset
tied with some. Our revenue, under the
mild systee. Of t,npost aud tonnage, cont
tinues TO be adequate to all the purposes of
the government. Our agriculture, com
merce, manufactures aud navigation, fou-
rish. Our Notifications are advancing in
the degree authorised by existing appro.
pIiations to maturity and the progress is
made in the augmentation of the Navy, to
the limit prescribed for it by law. For
these blessings we owe 10 Almighty God,
from whom we derive them, aud with pro
found reverence, our most grateful and
unceasiuS acknowledgements.
In adyerting TO our relations with foreign
powers, which are always AN object of IT. e
highest importance, have To remark, that
of the subjects which have been brought
into discussion with tiFem during the pre-
sent Administration. some have been salts
faCtorily terminated ; others have been
suspended 10 be resumed hereafter, under
circumstances more favorable To success :;
and others are still in negotiation, with the
hope that they may be adjusted, with mu-
tual accommodation TO the interests and 10
the satisfaction of the respective parties
1t has been the invaliable object of this
government to cherish the most friendly
relations with every power, aud ON princi-
plies and conditions which might make
them permanent. A systenati. effort has
been made 10 place our commerce with
each power, on "A footing of perfect recipro
city to settle with each, in IA spirit Of
candor and liberality, all existing dfferen-
ces, and to Anticipate and remnve, 50 far rs
it might be practicable, all causes of future
variance.
Ithavng been stipulated by the seventh
article of the Convention of Navigation and
Commerce, which was concluded ON the
tw e1ty fourth June, eighteen hundred and
twenty two, between the United States and
France, that the said COny ention should
continue in force for two years, from the
frat of October, OF that year, and for an
indefinite term afterwards, unless one of
the parties should declare its intention 10
rcnOunce it, in which event il should cease
to operate al the end Of six months, from
such declaration and, no such intention
having been announced, the Convention
having been found advantageous TO both
parties, it has since remained, and still
remains, in force. AT the time when that
Convention was concluded, many interest
ing subjects were left unsettled, and part,
cularly our claim to indemnity for sp0lla
tons which were committed on our com
merce in the late wars. For these interests
and claims, il was in the contemplation Of
the parties, To make provision at a sub
sequent day, by more comprehensive and
de(nitiye treaty. The object has been duly
attended to since by the Executive, but, rs
yet, it has not been accomplished. Ii is
hoped that a favorable opportunity will
present itself, for opening negotiation,
which mny embrace and arrange all exist
ing differences, and every other concern, in
which they have common interest, upon
the accession of the present King of France,
an event which has occurred since the close
Of the last session Of Congress.
With Great Britain our commercial in
tercuurse rests on the sa,np footing that it
did at the last session BY the convention
of one thousand eight hundred aud fifteen,
the commerce between the United States
and the British dominons, IN Europe aud
the East Indies,was arranged on principle
of reciprocity. That convention was con
frmed and continued in force, with slight