Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-12-25
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To The Senate and House Of Representatives.
of Me United Skates.

IN COHiuB uppetIeT, leHOW-CllLeHs, W
enter again upon the discharge of the du-
ties with which the people have charged us,
severally, we find grea, occasion to rejoice
in the general prosperity of the country.
We are in the enjoyment Of all the bless
ings Of civil and religious liberty, with I'M
examped means of education. knowledge,
and Improvement. Through the year which
is now drawing to close, peace has been
in our borders, and plenty in Our habita
tions, and although disease has visited some
few portions Of The land with distress and
mortality, yet in general the health OF the
people has been preserved, and we are all
called upon, by the highest obligations Of
duty, to renew our thanks and devotions to
our Heavenly Parent, who has continued
10 vouchsate TO US the eminent blessings
which surround US, and who has so slgnally
crowned the year with his goodness. If
we find ourselves increasing, beyond exam
pie, in numbers, in strength, iii wealth, in
knowledge, in every thing which promotes
human and social happiness, let us ever re-
member our dependence, for all these, on
the protection and merciiu dispensatons.
of Divine providence.
Since your last adjournment, Alexander
Mcleod, British subject, who was indie,
ed for the murder Of an American citizen,
and whose case has been the subject of
correspondence heretofore communicated
to you, has been acquitted by the verdict
of an impartial and intelligent jury, and
has, under the Judgment Of the Court, been
regularly discharged.
Great Britain having made known TO this
Government that the expedition which was
fitted out from Canada for the destruction
Of the steamboat Caroline, in the winter oil
1897, and which resulted il, the destruction
of said boat, and in the death OF an Amer.
lean citizen, was undertaken by orders EN-.
anating from the authorities of The British
Government. in Canada, and demanding the
discharge OF Mcleod, upon the ground that,
il engaged in that expedition, he did moth
ing but fulfil the orders of his Government.
has thus been answered, in the only way in
which she could be answered by Govern
ment, the powers OF which are distributed
among its several departments, by the fun
damenlal law. Happily for the people OF
Great Britain, as well as those OF the Uni
ted States, the only way by which an in
dividua arragned for criminal offence.
before the courts Of either, can obtain his
discharge, is by the independent action OF
the judiciary, and by proceedings equally
familiar TO the courts of both countries.
II in Great Britain power exists in the
Crown to cause 10 be entered a noAle prose-
qui, Which is not the case with the Execu
tive power of the United States upon It
prosecution pending in State court: yet
there, no more than here, can the chief Elk
ecutve power rescue prisoner from Gus
tody without an order Of the roper trlbu
nal directing his discharge. The precise
state Of the proceedings at which such or
der may be made, is matter Of municipal
regulatian exclusively, and not to be com
planned OF by any other Government.
In cases Of this kind, Government be.
comes politically responsible only when its
tribunals OF last resort are shown to have
rendered unjust and injurious judgment in
matters not doubtful. To the establishment
and elucidatlon of this principle, no nation
has lent its authority more efficiently than
Great Britain. Alexander Mcleod having
his option either to prosecute writ OF Ell.
ror from the decision of the Supreme Court
OF n. York which had been rendered upon
his application Tor a discharge, to the SUI
preme Cour, OF the U. States, or to submit
his case TO the decision of a jury, preferred
the latter, deeming it the readiest mode oI
obtaining his liberation, and the result has
fully sustained the wisdom Of his choice.
The manner III which the Issue submitted
was tried, will satisfy the English Govern
ment that the principles OF justice will ne
yer fail to govern the enlightened decisions
Of the American tribunals. ] cannot fail
however, 10 suggest to Congress The pro
prletv, and, in some degree, the necessity
of making such provision by law. so far as
thew can cunstitutiOnally do so, for the re
moval, at their commencement, and at the
option of the party, OF all such cases as
NAV hereafter arise, and which may invove
The faithful observance and execution oil
our International obligations, from the
State to the Federal Judiciary. This Gov
eminent, by our institutions, is charged
with the maintenance OF peace, and The
preservation of amcabIe relations with The
nations OF the earth, and ought 10 possess
without question, all the reasonable anc
proper means OF maintaining the one anC
preserving the other-whist just conf
dence is felt in the Judiciary of the STATES
vet the Government ought to be cOmpe-
tent in itself for the ulflment Of the hgt
duties which have been devolved upon il
under the organic law by the States them
selves.
In the month OF September, a party OF
armed men from Upper Canada invaded
the territory Of the United States and for
chilly seized upon the person Of one Grogan,
and, under circumstances of great harsh
mass lurriedly carried him beyond the lin.