Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1841-12-25
MESSAGE
OF THE PR E SIDE IN |
To the Senate and House Of

Rfpr Seata,iDS Of the mated States;
In coming together fellow citizens, to enter
ag,in upon the discharge of the duties with
winch the people have charged Us, severaly' We
I'm ureat occasion 10 relnicc m the general
n~os,erity Of the country. We are IN the enjoy
ment of all the blessings OF civil and religious
liberty, with unexampled means OF education,
Knowledge, and improvement. through the
wear which is now drawing To close; peace
has been in our borders, and plenty in our hab'
;,alions. and although disease has visited some
few oonjons of the land with distress and
mortality, yet in general the health OF the PEG
pIe has been preserved, aud we are called upon
by The hsha, obligations oil dn'y, to renew our
thanks and our dc yotor 10 our heavenly Parent
who has continued TO vouchsaie to us the emf
men, blessings which surround US, and who has
50 sIgnally crowned the year with his goodness.
II we fad ourselves increasing beyond example,
in numbers. in strength, in wealth, in knowledge,
in every thing when promotes human and social
happiness, let us ever remember ou' oepen-
dence, for all these, on the protection and mercI-
Cu dispensaons Of Divine Providence,
Since your last adjournment, Alexander Nc
Laod, British subjeci,who was indicted tor The
murder Of an American citizen, and whose case
has been the subject Of correspondence here.
,olore communicated 10 YOU has been acquitted
BY 1.-The verdict Of an impartial ana Intelligent
Jury, and has under the judgment OF the Cod't
been regularly discharged
Gfeat Britain having made known to this GOV.
eminent that the expedition wIHch "a' l'Ued
ont from Canada for the destruction oil the steam
boa, Caohne, in the winter ct 1887, aud "hlch
resulted in the destruction OF SAID boat, and N
,he death Of an American citizen, was dDderta-
ken BY orders emanallng from he authorities OF
the British Government IN Canada, and de-
mandng the schag oil Mcleod upon Inc
gloual that, if engaged IA mat expedition
he did bu, luli the orders oil his government
has thu, been answered in the only way IN which
he could be answered by government, the pow
era Of which are distributed among It's severa
departments by the fundamental law. Happy
for the people o. Great Briilan, as well as 'nos'
Of the Lnied States, the only mode by wh'cf
an individual araigned for Il criminal offence
before the courts OF either, can obtain M
discharge, is bv he independent action OF The
Judiciary, aad by proceedings equally familiar t
tie Courts Of both countries.
Ii IN treat Ba,an q power exists N the
Crown 10 cause 10 be entered node prosequi
which Is moi he case with the Executive Powe
ortbe United States upon prosecution pend'o
in a State court: vet there, no more than mere
can the chief Executive power rescue Pfisone
from custody without an rider OF the proper II
banal directing his discharge. The precls
stage OF the proceedings at which sucn o'd'
may b. made Is matter Of municipal Teguato
exclusively, and not to be complained OF by an
other Government. In cases OF this KIND
Government becomes politically responsible o.
" when its tribunals ofast resort are shown
have rendered unjust and injurious judgments
matters not doubtful. To the establishment al
calculation Of this principal, no nation has le
lis authority more efficiently than Great Brita
Alexander Mcleod having his option either
prosecute writ of error from the dec!slon
the Supreme Court Of New York, which b
I been rendered upon his application Tor q
i charge, to the Supreme Court OF the U. Stat
or to submi, bis case TO the decision OF aJu
4 preferred the latter. deeming |! the readi'
mode Of obtaining his liberation, and the res
has fully sustained the wisdom OF his chIoce'
/ The manner in which the issue submitted
tried, will satisfy the English Government tt
the principles Of justice will never fail to g.