The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-12-16
M ESS SAGE
FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE U. STATES
To the Senate and HOEse Or
Representatives. Of the Uaired States

In coming together, fellow citizens TO en-
ter again upon the discharge Of the duties with
which the people have charged Us, seVerally,
we find great occasion to rejoice in the gener-
nj prosperity Of The country We are in the
enjoyment of Of all the blessings of civil and
religious liberty, with uRexampled means Of
educaton, knowledge, and improvement.
Through the year which lie now drawing to
close, peace has been in our borders and plen-
" in our habitations; aud although disease has
visited some few portions Of the land with dis
tressapd mortality, yet in general the health Of
Ihspsop,e has.been preserved. and We are all
called upon by the highest obligations of duty
20 reusw our thanks aud our devotion to ouL
Heavenly Parent, who has continued 10 vouch
safe TO Us the eminent blessings which sur
round Us, end whe has SO slgna!Iy crowned the
year with his goodness II we find ourselves
increasing, beyond example, in numbers, in
strength, iu wealth, 10 knowledge, in every
thing, which promotes human and social hap
piness, let US remember our dependence, for
aFllhese, on the protection aud mercilul dis
pensalons Of Divine Providence.
Since your last adjournment, Alexander
Mcleod British subject who was indicted for the murder OF
correspondence heretofore communicated 10 you' mas
been acquitted by the verdict Of an impartial
and intelIIgent Jury, and has, under The judge
men of the court, bees regularly discharged
Great Britain having made knownto this
Government that the expedition which was hi
ted cut from Canada for the destruction OF the
steamboat {. Caroline, L The winter Of 1857. and
which resulted ia the destruction oil SAID boat
undertaken by orders emnat,ng from lhe au-
thorties of the British Government lnOanada
aad demanding The discharge OF McLeod up
on the ground that, if fengaged 10 that, exPed''
',iou, he did bu, fulfil the orders Of his Govern.
Sneni, has thusbeen answered in the"oniy wey
an which she could be answered bya aGoVes1-
~ment, the epowers ofwkich are dtslrIbuleda'
mong its several departments by tho funda'
mental law. Happily for the people OF Gress
Britain as well as. those Of the DATED States,
the. only mode by which "a iodiVidual, 'aFralgn'
.for criminal offence, before the courts ~efei-
sthsr, caa obtain bis discharge, is by the tHde"
pendent action Of the judiciary, and by pros
ceedings equally familiar to the'cour!s ofbeth d,
cosstsies. /
ifin Great Britan apower exiss in the
Crown 10 cause 10 be entered a nolle prosequI,
which is no, the case with the Executive pow
or Of the United States upon prosecution
pending ina State court, yet there, no moro
than here, can the chief y Txecutive power res
cue prisoner from custody without sn order
OF the proper tribunal, directing his discharge.
The precise stage Of the proceedings at which
such order may be made is matter ef manici-
pal regulation exclusively. and not TO com"
planned Of by any other Government In ca
,ses of this kind, aCoYernment becomes PolItl-
,caliy responsible only when ito tribunals otiast
resort are shown TO have rendered UNJUST and
luxurious judgements in matters not doubtful
To the establishment and calculation of This
principle, no nation has lent It's authority more
efficiently than Great Britain Alexander
Mcleod having HE option either TO prosecute
writ Of error from the decision Of the su-
court ofN.Y which had been rendered upon his apphca.
lion for a discharge, TO The Supreme Court OF
'Siales, or to submit his case TO the
decision Of ajury, preferred the latter, deem-
.ioe il the'radiest mode Of obtaining his liber-
alton; and the tesul! has fully sustained the
wisdom Of hts choice. The manner in which
the issue submitted wss tired will satisfy the
English Government that the principles otJus-
,lce will never fail to govern the enlightened
decision ofan American tribunal. ] cannot
rtad, however, 10 suggest to Congress the pro-
,priety. aud in some degree the necessity, OF
making such provisions by law, 80 far as they
sInsy cons,itulionally do so, for The removal at
the CONNIE ncement, and at the option Of The
tpariy, Of all such cases as may hereafter arise
and vhich,may involve the faithful observance
land exe cuon of our International obligations,
fromahe Stale 10 the Federal Judiciary. This
Government, by our institutions, 10 charged
with the maintenance ofpeace and the preser>
va,ion Of amicable relations with the nations ,
Of the earth, and ought to possess, without
% lea ion, all the reasonable and proper means
'oi m ,,n'alning the one aud preserving the 9th "
er. Whilst just confidence is feItin the Jude
cisty d flhe States, YET this Government ought
10 be competent in itself for the fulhlment Of
abe high duties which have been devolVed up .
"u IT, under the orgaaic law, BY the States !
Ahemselyes.
'lDihs month Of September, q party Of armed
anon from Upper Canada invaded the territory
Of the United States, and forciby seized upon
Ghe person Of one Gro9aa, snd, under circum- /
stances ofgreal hardness, hurriedlY carried 1
him beyond the limns Of the United Staes. and
delivered bin up to the authorities ofUpper
Canada. His immediate discharge was or
deTed by those authorities, upon the facts Of
4 - -k.nn IL II. 4 ln1u