Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-06-19
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Tothe Senate and House Of Representatives.
W the United States:

% inc Lii2ten niGteS:
FELLOW CITIZENS - You have been
assembled in your respective halls Of Iegis.
lation under a proclamation bearing the
signature Of the iliustriols citizen who
was 50 lately called by the direct sufTrages
of the people to the discharge Of the i'm
p~orta1t functions of their chief executive
office. Upon the expiration Of b single
month from the day of bis installation, he
has paid the great debt Of nature, leaving
behind him q name associated with the
recollection Of numerous benefits confer.
red upon the country during a long life OF
patriotic devotion. With this public be-
reayement are connected other CONSIDERS
tons which will not escape the attention
Of Congress. The preparations necessary
for his removal to the seat of government
in view Of a residence of four years, must
have dcyolved upon the late President
heavy expenditures, which, il permitted to
burden the limited resources Of his private
fortune, may tend seriously to the embar-
rassment Of his surviving family and it
is therefore respectfully submitted to Con.
gress whether the ordinary principles of
Justice would not dictate the propriety Of
its legislative interposition. BY the pro-
visions of the fundamental law, the. pow
ers and duties Of the high station to which
he was elected have devolyed upon me,
and in the dispositions of the representa-
tives of the states and Of the people will
be found, to a great extent, u solution Of
the problem to which our institutions are
for the first time subjected.
In entering upon the duties Of this Of
flee, / did not feel that it would be becom-
ing in me to disturb what hadbeen ordered
by my lanented predecessor. Whatever
therefore may have been my opinion,
originally. as to the propriety Of conven-
ing Congress at SO early a day from that
of its late adjournment, | found a new
and a controlling %inducement not to inter-
fere with the patriotic desires of the late
President, in the novelty of the situation
In which | was SO unexpectedly placed.
Nv t,rst wish under such circumstances,
would n scessarily have been to have called
10 nv aio in the administration Of public
affairs, the combined wisdom of the two
houses Of Con, rress, in order to take their
counsel and adv zee as to the best mode of
extricating the government and the coun-
try from The emb. rrassments weighing
heavily On both. an then most happy
in finding myself so Soc after my Access
sion to the Presidency su rounded by the
immediate representatives ut the states
and people.
No important changes havl7 g taken
place in our foreign relations since the last
session Of Congress, it is not Ceeined
necessary on this occasion to go into a
detailed statement in regard to them. |
am happy to say that I see nothing to de-.
stroy the hope of being able to preserve
peace.
The ratification Of the treaty with por-
tugal has been duly exchanged between
the two governments, This government
has been attentive to the interests of those
of our citizens who have claims on the
government o. Spain founded on express
treaty stlpulations, and a hope i, INDUCED
that the representations which have been
made to that government On this subject
may lead ere long to beneficial results.
A correspondence has taken place be-
tween the Secretary Of State and the
Minister of her Brittanic Majesty accre-
dlted to this government on the subject Of
Alexander McLeod's indictment and inn
prisonmcnt, copies of which are herewith
communicated to Congress.
In addition to what appears from these
papers, it may be proper to state that
Alexander Mcleod has been heard BY the
Supreme Court of the state Of New York
on his motion to be discharged from inn
.prisonment, and that the decision Of that
court has ngt Is yet been pronounced.
The Secretary Of State has addressed
to Rae a paper upon two subjects, interest
ing to the commerce of the country, which
will receive my consideration, and which
| have the honor to communicate to
Congress.
So far as it depends on the course Of
this government, our relations of good will
and friendship will be sedulousEy cultivated
with all nations. The true American
policy viii be found to consist in the ex-
ercise of a spirit Of justice to be manifest
ed in the discharge Of all our international
obligations to the weakest of the family Of
nations as well as TO the most powerful.
Occasional conflicts of opinion NAV arise,
but when the discussions incident to them
are conducted IN the language Of truth
and with a strict regard to justice, the
scourge Of war will for the most part be
avoided. The time ought 10 be regarded
as having gone by when a resort to arms
is to be esteemed as the only proper arti-
ter Of national differences.
The census recently taken shows a re-
gu!arly progressive increase in our popula-
ton. Upon the breaking out of the war
OF the revolution, our numbers scarcely
eguaIled three millions of souls they al
ready exceed seventeen millions, and will
continue to progress in a ratio which du-
p'icates in 6 period Of about twenty-three
years. The old states contain a territory
sufficient in itself to maintain a population
of additional millions, and the most popu-
lous OF the new states may even vet be
regarded as but partially settled, while Of
the new lands on this side Of the Rocky
mountains, 10 ~say.nothing Of the immense
region which stretches from the base Of
those mountains to the mouth Of the Co
lurpbia river, about 770,000,0o0 acres ced-
ed and unceded, still remain to be brought
intoraarkst. We hold out to the people
Of other countries IN Insitstion TO come
and settlaamong Us as members of our
rapidly growing family and for the bless
ings which we offer them, We require Of
them to look upon our country as their
country, and to unite with US in the great