The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1840-01-24
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
FelEOD Citizens Of the Senate
and House of Representatives.:

of fire and disease have painfully afflicted
otherwise flourishing portions of our coun-
try; and serious embarrassments yet derange
the trade of many of our cities. But, not
withstandng these adverse circumstances,
that general prosperity which has been here
tofore so beautifully bestowed upon US by
the Author of all Good, still continues TO
call for our warmest gratitude. Especially
have we reason to rejoice in the exuberant
harvests which have lavishly recomPensed
we'll directed industry, and given to it that
sure reward which is vainly sought in vision
arv sneculations. / cannot indeed view with
ont necpliar satisfaction the evidences ahor-
ded by the past season of the benefits that
snrinq from the steady devotion of the hus-
bandman to his honorable pursuit. No
means ofIndiVidual comfort is more certain,
and no source of national prosperity is so
sure. Nothing can compensate people tor
a dependence upon others for the bread they
eat; and that cheerful abundance on which
the happiness of every one so much de-
ponds, is to be looked for no where with
such sure reliance as in the industry OF the
agriculturist and the bounties of the earth.
With foreign countries our relations ex7
hibit the same favorable aspect which was
presented in my last annual message, and
afford continued proof Of the wisdom Of the
pacific, just and forbearing policy adopted
by the First Administration of the Federal
Government, and pursued by its successors
The extraordinary powers vested in me by
an act of Congress, for the defence of the
country in an emergency considered so tar
probably as to require that the Executive
should possess ample means to meet it, have
not been exerted. They have, therefore,
been attended with no other result than to
increase, BY the confidence thus reposed in
me, my obligations to maintain, with rell-
gious exactness, the cardinal principles that
govern our intercourse with other nations.
Happily, in our pending questions with Great
Britain, out of which this unusual grant OF
authority arose, nothing has occurred to re-
quire its exertion; and as it is about TO re-
turn to the Legislature, trust that no flu
ture necessity may call for its exercise by
them, or its delegation to another depart
ment of the Government.
For the settlement of our north eastern
boundary the proposition profered by Great
Britain for commission of exploration and
survey, has been received, and a counter
project, including also provision for the
certain and final adjustment of the limits in
dispute, is now before the British Government
for its consideration. A Just regard to the
delicate state of this question, and a proper
respect for the natural impotence of the
State of Maine, not less than a conviction
that the negotiation has been already pro-
tracted longer than is prudent on the part of
either governments, have led me to believe
that the present favorable moment should
on no account be suffered to pass without
putting the question forever at rest. Ifeel
confident that the government of her Britain
mic Majesty will take the same view of this
subject, as am persuaded it is governed by
desires equally strong and sincere for the
amicable termination of the controversy.
To the intrinsic dffiulties of questions of
boundary lines, especially those described
in regions unoccupied, and but partially
known, is to be added in our country the
embarrassment necessarily arising out OF
our Constitution, by which the general gov
eminent is made the organ of negotiating
and deciding upon the particular interests
of the states, on whose frontiers these lines
are to be traced. To avoid another contro-
versy in which state government might
rightfullv claim to have her wishes consulted
previously to the conclusion of conventional
arrangements concerning her rights of ju
risdiction or territory. Ihave thoughtit ne
cessary to call the attention of the govern
ment of Great Britain to another portion OF
our contentious dominion, of which the
division still remains to be adjusted. refer
to the line from the entrance of Lake Supe-
Tior to the most northwestern point OF the
Lake of Woods, stipulations for the settle
ment of which are to be found in the seventh
article of the treaty of Client. The commits
sioners appointed under that article by the
two governments having differed in their
opinions, made seperate reports, according
10 its stipulations, upon the points of disa-
greement. and these differences are now to
be submitted to the arbitration of some
friendly sovereign or state The disputed
points should be settled, and the line desig-
mated, before the territorial government, OF
which it is one of the boundaries, takes its
place in the Union as a state; and rely
upon the cordial cooperation of the British
government to effect that object.
There is every reason to believe that dis
turbances like those that lately agitated the
neighboring British Provinces will not again
prove the sources of border contentious or
interpose obstacles TO the continuance of
that good understanding whiehit is the mu
tuai interest of Great Britain and the United
States to preserve and maintain.
Within the Provinces themselves tranquil
ity is restored, and on our frontier that mis-
guided sympathy in favor of what was pre-
sumed to be general effort in behalf Of po-
puIar rights, and which in some instances
misled few of our more inexperienced CT
tizens, has subsidized into rational convic-
ton strongly opposed to all intermedling
with the internal affairs Of our neighbors.--
The Deonle of the limited States feel. as Il