Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-12-21
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


i ~ uIlIL DIk u HIs
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRE-
sENTATIvEs OF THE UNITED STATES:
We have continued reason to express our
profound gratitude to the Creator of all
things for numberless blessings conferred
upon us as a people. Blessed with genial
seasons, the husbandmon has his gamers
filled with abundance, and the necessaries
Of life, not to speak Of its Injuries, abound
in every direction, While in some other
nations steady and Industrious labor can
hardly find means of subsistence, the grca-
test evil which we have to encounter, is a
surplus of production beyond the home de-
mand which seeks, and with difficulty finds
q partial market in other regions. The
health Of the country, with partial eXccp-
tons, has for the past year been well pre-
served; and under their free and wise in
stitutions, the United States are rapidly ad-
vancing towards the contamination of the
high destiny which an overruling Provi-
dcnce seems to have marked out for them.
Exempt from domestic commissions and at
peace with the world, we are left free to
consult as TO the best means Of advancing
and securing the happiness of the people.
Such are the circumstances under which
you now assemble in your respective cham
bers, and which should lead us to unite in
praise and thanksgiving to that Great Be-
ing who made US, and who preserves us as
q nation.
congratulate you, fellow citizens, on
the happy change in the aspect of our TO-
reign affairs since my last annual message.
Causes of complaint at that time existed be-
tween the United States and Great Britain
which, attended by irritating circumstances
threatened most seriously the public peace.
The difficulty Of adjusting amicably the
question at issue between the two countries,
svas in no small degree augmented by the
lapse of time since they had their origin.
The opinions entertained by the Executive
on several of the leading topics in dispate,
were frankly set forth in the message at the
opening Of Your last session. The appoint
ment of a sreclal minister to by Great Bril-
tain to the United States with power to ne
goliatc upon most of the points at difference
indicated desire on her part amicably to
adjust them, and that minister was met by
the Executive liz the same spirit which had
dictated his mission. The treaty consequent
thereon having been duly ratified by the
two governments, n copy, together with the
correspondence which accompanied it, is,
herewith communicated. trust, that while
you may see in it nothing Objectionable, 1t
may be the means OF prescSvlng, Tor an IN
definite period, the amicable relations hap
PLY existing between the two governments.
rbo ofn nono c.x, hot d., 10 ut
Britain and the United States, is n question
of the deepest Importance, not only to them
selves, but to the civilized world, since it is
scarcely possible that war could exist be-
tween them without endangering the peace
of Christendom. The immediate effect of
the treaty upon ourselves will be felt in the
security afforded to mercantile enterprise.
which, nolonger apprehensive of Interrupt
ton, adventures It's speculation in the most
distant sea; and, freghtcd with the diversi-
fled productions of every land returns to
bless our own. There is nothing in the
treaty which in the slightest degree COM
promits the honor or dignity Of either ma
ton. Next to the settlement of the boun-
Diary line. which must always be matter
of difficulty between States as between in
dividuals, the question which seemed to
threaten the greatest embarrassment was
that connected with the African slave trade.
By the tenth article of the Treaty Of
Client, it was expressly declared that
.'whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconcila-
bic with the principles of humanity and
Justice; and whereas both His Majesty and
the United States are DESTROYS of continuing
their efforts to promote its entire abolition,
it is hereby agreed that both the contract
ing parties shall use their best endeavors to
accomplish SO desirable an object" In the
enforcement Of the laws and treaty stpula-
sions Of Great Britain, a practice had threa-
tened TO grow up on the part OF IFS cruisers,
of subjecting to visitation, ships sailing I'M
der the American flag, which, while it Sc
riousiy involved our maratime rights, would
subject to vexation a branch Of our trade
which was daily increasing, and which re-
.ouired the fostering care of our government.
And although Lord Aberdeen, in his COR
respondence with the American ENJOYS at
London, expressly disclaimed all right to
detain an American ship on the high seas,
even if found with cargo of slaves on
hoard. and restricted the British pretension
"a n mere claim to visit and enquire. yet it
could not well be discerned by the EXecu-
tive Of the United States how such visit and
enquiry could be made without detention on
the VOYAGE, and consequent interruption to