Litchfield enquirer., 1840-12-17
WASHINGTON. Dec. ', ls4O.

quorum of either house present, adjourned without transacting any business.
 In the House 95 members answered to their names on the call of the roll. From Con. Brockwny, Boardman, Osborne and Trumbull.l Very few Senators were in their places. Only l6-none from Con.
 Therc will probably be quorum of both Houses present tomorrow, as two or three tr8 jus ot cars have come in today. It is not expected that the Presidents Message will be delivered to Congress betore Wednesday; in which case it will reach New York in time for the Friday morning papers, if the cars are not obstructed by the snow. The Post Office Department, learn, will not seud it by Express on this occasion, so that you will only get it by regular course of mail.
 Neither the President of tho Senate, or the President pro tcmpore (Mr. King) are here i; so that the Senate will probably be obliged to select pro tsmpore presiding officer for ness. Speaker Hunter is on the ground. 1 P. S.-Snow foot deep in this city, Mails and travelling greatly ohstructed.
 Tuesday. Dec. 8. In Senate, the Presto ent pro'tem. MT. King, took the chair, but a quo- rum (only 20 members) not being present, it adjourned to next day at l2 o'clock.
 In the House, 5l additional members ap- peared, (Smith and Williams of Con. of the number.) There now being quorum, few committees were proposed, but learning that the Senate could do nothing, the House adjd to 12 o'clock next day. Previous to which MT. J. O. Adams gave notice that he should move to rescind the rule of the last session respecting the reception of abolition petitions.
 Wednesday, Dec. 9. There being today a quorum of each House, the usual preparatory committees were appointed, when. about l o'clock the President communicated his Mes- sagc-and hero it is:
 Presidents Message.
 FelloD citizens of the Senate
 and House of Representatives
 Our devout gratitude is due to the Supreme Being for having gracously continued to our beloved coun-
 try through the vicissudes of another year, the in- valuable blessings of health plenty and Peace Sel dom has this favored land been so generally exempt- ed from the ravages of disease or the labor o the hus- bandman more amply rewarded; and never before have our relations with other countries been placed on more favorable basis than that which they go happily occupy this critical conjuncture in the af fairs of the world A rigid and persevering absti. hence from all interference with the domestic and po- itca relations of other states, alike due to the genius and distinctive character of our government and to the principles by which it is directed faithful ob. servance in the arrangement of our foreign relations, o the practice of speaking plainly deai,ng justly and servatlves of the peace of natons strict impartial. ity in our manifestations of friendship, in the com mercial privileges we coneede and those we require from others these, accompanied by disposition as prompt to maintain, Tn every emergency, our own rights, from principle averse to the invasion vernmen standing in the great family of nations of which we have just cause to be proud, and the advan. tages of which are experienced by our citizens hro out every portion of the earth which their enerpr sing and adventurous spirit may cary. them: Few, if any, remain insensible to the value of friendship, or ignorant o the terms on which 1t can be acquired, and by which 1t can alone be preserved series of questions of long sandlng, difficult in their adjustment and important in their consequences, in which the rights of our citizens and the honor of the country were deeply involved have, in tho course of few years, Ohe most of them during the success tul administration of my immediate predecessor been brought to satisfactory conclusion; and the most adjusted.
 Win all the PGwsrs the world our rss9as a@9thag @ serS9s has qsSe lowered above the other hemisphere, they have not cast their poren' tous shadows upon .our happy shores Bound by no entangling alliances, yet linked by common nature and interest with the other nations Of manklnd our aspirations for the preservation opeace in whose solid and civzing riumghs all may participate with generous emulation. Yet it behoves us to be pre- tain those just and enlightened principles of national intercourse for which this government has ever con tended. In the shock of contending empires, t is themselves with defensive armor, that neutral nations can maintain their independent rights
 The excitement which grew out of the territorial Britain having in great measure subsided, it is hop: cd that favorable period is approaching for it's final settlement. Both governments must now be conyln. ced of the dangers with which the question is fraugh and it must be their desire as is their interest that this perpetual cause of irritation should be removed as speedily as possible. In my last Annual Message, you were informed that the proposition for commis Bii'an had heen received, and ,ha. counterprojec including, also, provision for the certain and final adjustment of the limits in disputc was then before tho British Government for its 'co!lsldeiation. The onswcr of that government, accompanic" py addi uona propositions of it's own, was received through it's Minister here, since your separation These were promptly considered such as were deemed correct in principle, and consistent with due regard to the just rgh:s of the United States, and of the State Of Maine, concurred in; and the reasons for dissenting from the residue, with an additional suggestion on our part, communicated by the Sscretaty ol State to Mr. Fox. That Minister, not feeling himself sufficiently cusson, felt to be his duty to refer the matter to his own government for it's further decision. Having now been for time under its advisement, spec character of the points still in difference and the un doubted disposition of both parties 10 bring tho matter to early conclusion, look with entire confidence to prompt and satisfactory termination of the nego- tiaton. Three commissioners were appointed short ly after the adjournment of Congress- under the of the last session providing for the exploration and vey of the line which separates the States Of Maine and New wilampshFe from the British Provinces; they have been actively employed until their progress interrupted by the nclemency ot the season, and will resume their abors as soon as practicable in the ensu ing year.
 is understood that their respective examinations will throw light upon the subject in controversy, and serve to remove any erroneous impressions which may have been made else W here prejudical 10 the rights of tho United States It was, among other I sons, with view of preventing the endorsements lmDed0