Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-03-04
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
SentattVeS:

To The Senate and House Of Repre-
SentattveS:
1 transmit. herewith, to Congress,
copies Of the correspondence between
The Secretary of State& the Charg, d.
Affaires Of His Briranic Majesty. rel.
alive 10 the meditation Of Great Bri.
tian in our disagreement with France,
and TO The determination Of the
French Government to execute the
Treaty of IndemuiicatiOn, without
further delay, on the application for
payment BY the agent of the United
States. ....
The grounds upon which the med.
iaticn was accepted will be found
fully developed in the correspcn,
dence. On the part Of France the
mediation had been publicly accepted
before the offer Of il could be receiv.
ed here. Whilst each of the two
Governments has thus discovered a
just solicitude TO resort 10 all honora.
BILE means Of adjusting amicably the
controversy between them, it is q
matter of fcongralulaGon that the med.
iatioa has been rendered necessary.
'Under such circumstances, the antici.
patton may be confidently INDUCED
that The disagreement between the
United States and France will nol
have produced more than a tempora
ry arrangement The healing er.
lects of time, just consideration Of
the powerful motives for a cordial
good understanding between the tive
Nations, The strong inducements each
has 10 resp ct and esteem the other,
will no doubt soon obliterate from
their remembrance all traces Of that
disagreement.
Of the elevated and disintrrested
part The Government Of Great Briisn
hes acted, and was prepared 10 act, !
have already had occasion 10 express
my high sense. Universal respect,
and the consciousness of meriting it,
are with Governments as with men,
the just rewards Of those who faith.
fully exert their power to preserve
peace, restore harmony, and perpetu
ale good will.
may be permitted trust, at this
time, without suspicion of the most
remote desire to throw off censure
from The Executive, or to point it TO
any other Department or branch of
The Government, toIefor'to the want
Of effective preparation in which our
country was found at the late crisis.
From the nature OF our Institutions,
the movements Of The Government in
preparation for hoslililies must ever
be too slow for the exigencies of un.
expected war. ] submit it then 10
you, whether the first duty we owe TO
lhe People who have con6ded to US
their power is not 10 place our country
IL such an attitude as always TO be so
amply supplied with the means Of self
defence as to sford no induce ment / o
other na tions TO presume upon our
f.rbearance, or 10 expect important
advantages from a sudden assault,
either upon our commerce, our sea
cost, or our interior frontier. In case
of the commencement Of hoslililies,
during the recess Of Congress, the
time inevitably elapsing before that
body could be called together, even
under the most favorable cilcumstsn
ces, would be pregnant with danger,
and, it we escaped without signal
disaster or national dishenor, the hsz
ard Of both unnecessarily incurred,
could not fail 10 excite a feeling of
deep reproach, 1 earnestly recon.
mead TO you, therefore, 10 make such
provisions, that ia no future time shall
we be found without ample means to
Tepel aggression even although 1t may
come upon US without q Rote Of warn.
log. We are now, fortunately, 60
situated, that the expenditure for this
purpose will not be felt, and, if it
were, il would be approved by those
from whom all its means are derived,
and for whose benefit only it should
bc used with q liberal economy und
an enlightened forecast.
10 behalf OF these suggestions, !
caanot forbear repeating the wise pre-
ctpts OF one whose counsels cannot be
forgotten: "The UnitedS ought
not to indulge persuasion that, con
trary TO The order Of human events,
they will forever keep st distance
those painful appeals 10 arms, with
which the history Of every other na
lion abounds. There is rank due to
The United States among nations
which will be withheld, If not abso.
lutely losL by the reputation Of weak
npsa ~ ora desira IN avoid insult Wc