Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1838-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fellaio Citizens Of the Senate, N6#

and Of he H9uSe 0f hepresentqnges:
congratulate you on the favorable circum-
stances in the condition of our country, under
which you reassemble for the performance of
your official duties. Thoughthe anticipations
of an abundant harvest have, not every where
been realized, yet, on the whole, the'labors Of
the husbandman are rewarded with bountiful
return; industry prospers in its various chan
nels Of business and enterprise: general health
again prevails through our vast diversity of
climate; nothing threatens, from abroad, the
continuance of external peace; nor has any
thing at home impaired the strength Of those
fraternal and domestic ties which constitute
the only guaranty to the success and perna-
nency of our happy Union, and which, formed
in the hour of peril, have hitherto been honor
ably sustained through every viclssitude in our
national affairs. These blessings, which E.
vince the care and benefcence of Providence,
call for our devout and fervent gratitude. -
We have not less reason to be grateful for
other bounties bestowed by the same munif-
cent hand, and more exclusively our own.
Tie present year closes the first half centu-
ry of our federal institutions; and our system
differing from all others in the acknowledged
practical and unlimited operation which it has
for SO long period given to the sovereignty
of the people-has now been fully tested by
experience. ea
The constitution devised by our forefathers
as the framework and pond of that system,
then untried, has become q settled form of go
vernment; not only preserving and protecting
the great principles upon which it was found
ed, but wonderfully promoting individual hap
piness and private interests. Though subject
to change and entire revocation, whenever
deemed inadequate to all these purposes, yet
such is the wisdom of its construction, and SO
stable has been the public sentiment. that it
remains unaltered, except in matters of detail,
comparatively unimportant. 1t has proved
amply sufficient for the various emergencies
incident to our condition as nation A for
midable foreign war; agitating collisions be-
tween domestic, and, IN some respects, rival
sovereignties; temptations to interfere in the
intestine commolons of fneghboring countries;
the dangerous influences that arise in periods
of excessive prosperity; and the anti-republi-
can tendencies oil associated wealth-these,
with other trials not less formidable, have all
been encountered, and thus far successfully re-
sisted. 'l"A H.a
1t was reserved for the American Union to
test the Government entirely dependant on the
continual exercise of the popular will; and our
experience has shown that it is as benefcent
in practice as it is just in theory. Each sue
cessive change made in our local institutions
has contributed to extend the right of suffrage,
has increased the direct influence of the mass
of the community, given greater freedom to
individual eXertion, and restricted, more and
more, the powers of Government; yet the in
telligence, prudence, and patriotism Of the
people have kept pace with this augmented re-
sponslbility. In no country has education
been SO widely diffused. Domestic peace has
nowhere SO largely reigned. The close bonds
of social intercourse have in no instance pre-
vailed with such harmony over space SO vast.
All forms of religion have united, for the first
time, to dlffuse charity aud plety, because, for
the first time in the history Of nations, all have
been totally untrammelled, and absolutely free.
The deepest recesses of the wilderness have
been penetrated; yet, instead Of the rueeness
in the social condition consequent upon such
adventures elsewhere, numerous communities
have sprung up, already unrvaled in prosper
ity, general intelligence, internal tranquility,
and the wisdom of their political institutions.
Internal improvement, the fruit Of individual
enterprise, fostered by the protection Of the
States, has added new links to the confedera-
ton and fresh rewards to provident industry.
Doubtful questions of domestic policy have
been quietly settled by mutual forbearaEce;I
and agriculture, commerce, and manufac ures,
minister to each other. Taxation and pub
lie debt, the burdens which bear so heavily
upon all other countries, have pressed with
comparative lightn,ss upon us. Without
one entangEng alliance, our friendship is pr-
zed by every nation; and the rights of cur
citizens are every where respected, because
they are known to be guarded by a united,
sensitive, and watchful people. lfhF .%i{ol
| To this practical operation of our institu-r
tions, SO evident and successful, we owe that
increased attachment to them which is among
the most cheering exhibitions of popular sem
tlment, and will prove their best securtyin
time to come, against foreign or domestic as.
sault.ll i9.I9iHG gs@a sgi1.ilE aW 'ra) sGs ID
This review Of the results of our nstitu-
tons, for half a century, without exciting
spirit Of vain exultaJion, sho lld serve to i'm
press upon us the great principles from which
they lave sprung constant and direct SUPER
vision by the people over every public measure;
strict forbearance on the part of the Govern
ment from exercising any doubtful or disputed
powers; and a cautious abstinence from all in
reference with concerns which properly be-
long, and are best left to State regulations and
individual enterprise .l'2''" fWqi hlNa sqaAa
/ Full information of the state Of our foreign
affairs having beenirecently, on two different
occasions, submitted to Congress, i deem it.
necessary now to bring to your notice only
such events as have subsequently occurred, Or
are of such l., portance as to require particu-
lar attention. 20 N'etstf 's'i3'ssieni9s'
The most amcable dispositions continue to
be exhibited by all the nations with whom the
Government and citizens Of the United States
have an habitual intercourse, AT the date Of
my last annual message, Mexico was the only
nation which could not be included in SO graft