Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-06-02
MESSAGE.

transmitted to both Houses of Congress the follow
ing
MESSAGE.
To he Senate DAD House Of Representatives. Of N,
Unified States:
Fellow. CITIZENS:
You have been assembled in your respective
halls at legislation under a proclamation bearing
the signature of the iustrious citizen who was "a
lately called by the dirrc, sufragcs OF the people Ia
the discharge of the important functions of their
chief executive Office. Upon the expiration Of a
single month from the day OF his installation he has
pad the great debt OF nature, leaving behind him a
name associated with the recot ction OF numerous
benefits conferred upon the country during a long
lite oi patriotic Devotion With this public bereaye
ment connected Other considerations which will
not escape the attention OF Congress. The prcp1.
rntonS necessary for his removal the seat Go
yernncnI in view 81 Il residence Of four years mus,
have devolv'd upon the tate President heavy ex
pendltrreS, which, VI permitted 10 burden the limit
cd resources of his private fortune, may tend serI-
ous!y to the embarrassment OF his surviving iami.
ly; and II "a therefore respectfully submitted 10
Congress whether the ordinary principles Of Justice
would no, dictate the prOprIety Of its legislative
lnterposition. BY the provisions Of the fundanen-
tai law, the powers and duties al the high station
to which he was cleeIetlshaye dcvolved upon me-
and in the dispositions Of THE representatives OF tho
States and OF the people will be lound To "A great
extent a solution Of the problem to which our nsti
buttons are for the first time subjected.
In entering upon the duties of this Office did no;
feel that 1t would be becoming in me TO disturb VIA,
had been ordered Ivy my lumented predecessor
Whatever therefore may have been my opinion, orr
ginaiIy, rs 10 the proprciy Of converting Congress
at SO early day from that of its late adjournment
] foutd a new and controlling inducement not Ia
interfere with the patriotic desires of the late Pies-
dent ia the novelty OF the situation in which was
81 une xpeetedy placed. My first wish, under such
circumstances, would necessarily have been to have
called to7ry aid in the administration Of Public nf
fairs, the combined wisdom OF the two Houses of
Congress, IN order to take their counsel and advice
as 10 the best mode OF cxtric,iing the Government,
nnd the country FROM the cmburTussm weighin,
lac willy on both. am then most happy IN finding
myself, so soon after my accession To the Presidency
surrounded by the immediate representatives of the
Staos aud People.
No important changes having taken place in on.
foreign relations since the last session Of Congress il
Is not deemed necessary this occasion To 90 into
detailed staicsmeat IN regard To them. | am h. p-
ply TO say that see no hing TO destroy the homo OF
being able To preserve peace. :.
The ratification Of the treaty with Portugal has
been duly exchanged between the two Govern.
ments This Government has not been inltteutiyo
Ia the interests Of those of our citizens who have
claims on the Government of Spain founded on cx-
press treity S'ipulations, and a hope is INDUCED
that the representations which have been made to
that Government un this subject may lead ere long
Ia beneficial results
a correspondence has taken place between the
~ anu TIE Minister OF Her
me Majesty accredited 10 this Government, on the
subject OF Alexander McLeod's Indictment and iui
prisonmCnt, CO pes of which are herew TIA commu-
ncated To Congress.
In addition to what appears from these papers,
IL may be proper 10 state that Alexander Mcleod
has been heard by the Supreme Court OF the STATE
OF New York, on his motion To- be discharged from
imprisonment, and that the decision Of that Court
has not rs yet been pronounced.
The Secretary of State has addressed 10 me n
VaV txun .pl,t IL
morcc OF the country, which will receive my con.
sidera,iOn, and winch have the honor to commune
cate To Congress.
90 far il depends on the course Of this Govern
mcnt, our relations Of good will and friendship will
bc sedulouSly cultivated with all nations. The
true American policy will lie found TO consist in the
exercise of spirit oi Justice be manifested in the
discharge OF all our international Obligations TO tho
weakest Of the family OF nations well us to the
most powerful. Occas 1nai conflicts of opnion IN, -
arise, but when the discussions incident to them are
] conducted IN the language of trnth and with a
strict regard TO justice, the scourge OF war will for
the most part be avoided. The time ought to he
regarded as gone by when reso't TO arms is to bc
esteemed tho only proper arbilcr OF national die.
rences.
The censusrecently taken shows q regularly pro-
gressIyc increase in our population. Upon the
breaking out of the war ofthc Revolution our mum.
beers scarcely cquaed three millions of souls: the
already exceed seventeen millions, aud will continue
10 progress ~ n nlio which duplicates in periuJ
Of about twonty years. The old States con
t,in territory sufficient IN itself 10 mant Tin pop.
ulatIon OF additional Millions and the most populou.
Of the new States may even yet he regarded rs bu
partially settled, white of the new lands on this side
OF the Rocky Mountains, TO say nothing of the i'm.
menSc region which stretches from the base of those
mountains to the mouth Ofthe Columbia river about
770,OO0,O00 Of acres, coded and uncodod still re-
main 10 he brought into market. We hold out "a
the people Uf other countries an invitation TO com,
and settle among us members Of our rnpdIy.
glowing family; and for the blessings which we of
fer them, require Of them 10 look upon our roun
ty rs their country, and to unite with us in fla,
great task Of preserving our institutions, and there
Ivy perpctuaiiHg our liberties. No motive exists fo
foreign conquest. We desire but to reclaim our Al
most illimiubc wilderness :, and to introduce int,
their depths the lights OF civilization. While "a,
shall nj all times TO prepared To yindcate the ma
tona honor our most earnest desire will DC 10 main
tain an unbroken peace.
7. In presenting the foregoing views canno, with
hold the Expression oi tho opinion that there exists
nothing IN the extension uf our en1pire over otr No
knowcdged possessions 10 excite the alarm Of tb,
patriot Tor tho safety Of our institutions The FeJc
rduvo System, leaving to each State the care of II,
domestic concerns, anj dcvOivng on the FEEDER,
GOyefnmenlthosc ol General import admits I'm safe
W Oi the greatest expansion; but NJ tine same t,,,a
deem propcrto add, thai there will be fund /,
exist AZ al inesan imperIous necessity for restrain
ing oil the iunciionircs Of this Government viii,
the range OF their respective powers, thereby n,e
serving JUST Dhiihce between the powers crn Dtef
% this Government and those reserved 10 the St,t,
ard to tho People
From the report Of the Secretary Of the Tre,.urv
you will porcevo that the fiscal means preqrnt All
accrung are insufficient to supply the wants of the
GOvemmcnt iOr tho current year. The balance In
tic Treasury on the fourth day Of March last, rot
covered by outstanding drafts and exclusive OF tru.i
funds, is estimated at S56OOOO. This includes the
sun OF 900 deposited tho mint and its branch
TO procure metal foe coming and in process OF
Coinage, and which could not 6e Withdrawn with
ont Inconvenience; thus leaving subject to drslt in
Wo various repositories the sum Of S6i5OOO By
virtue OF two several acts Of Congress the Secretary
OF We Treasury was authorized to issue, on and ef
.Sr 'hcourth day Of March last, Treasury notes to
INC amount OF S5,il3,0OO, making an aggregate
available fund Vt s6,O5s, 600 on hand
%, nut THIS iund was chargeabe with Outstanding
treasury notes fedoemable in the current wear and
interest thereon 70 the estimated amount of Eve nit
lions two hundred and eighty thousand dollo,s--
There Is also thrown upon the Treosurv tho nav
mont OF large amount Of demands accrueJ m ,sbole
OF ~ part in former years, which will eXhnust tbc
ayailablo means Of the Treasury, and lava tbe oc
cruing revenue, reduced as u is in amount hnrdcn
Ell With debt and charged with the current xpenses
o. the Govemmeni. The aggregate amount of o,,t-
standing appropriations on the fourth day of March
hsI~as sSS ,4S9GIG SO, Of which s2l, 900 will