New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To tll SenaLe cna House of

found gratitude 10 the great Creator OF all thing5
Tor numberless benefit, conferred upon Us as Fec
| pie. Blessed with genial seasons, the husDandman
has his garners filled with abundance, and the ne
cessarics of life, not to speak OF Its luxuries,
| abound III every direction. While In some other
| nations steady and industrious labor can hardly
| find the means Of subsistence, the greatest evil
which we have to encounter is surplus of produc-
lion beyond the home demand which seeks, and
with difficulty finds, partial market III other re-
gons The health of the country, with partial ex-
ceptons, has for the past year been well preserv-
ed; and under their free and wise Institutions, the
United States are rapidly advancing towards the
consummaton OF the high desusy which an over
| ruling Providence seems TO have marked out loT
them. Exempt from domestic convulslon, and at
peace with all the world, are lett tree 10 consult
| as 10 the best means of securing and advancing
| the happiness Of the People. Such are the circum-
| stances under which you assemble in your re-
| spective chambers, and which should lead Us to
unite in praise and thanksgiving that great Be-
| ing who made US, and who preserves ration.
| congratulate you, tellow-cilizens, the hap
py change the aspect of our foreign affairs since
| my last annual message. Causes OF complaint at
| that time existed between the United States and
| Great Britain which, attended by irritating cir
| cunstances, threatened most seriously the public
peace. The difficulty of adjusting amicably the
questions at issue between the countries, was
in no small degree augmented by the lapse ottime
since they had their origin The opinions enter
tained by the Executive several OF the leading
topics in dispute, were irankly set forth In the
Message at the opening ofyour late session. ne
appointment of special minister by Great Bri-
tain to the United States, with power to negotiate
upon most of the points of difference, Indicated "a
l. IL. Il, hor,, a.,,t
that minister was met by the Executive in the same
spirit which had dictated his missien. The Irea-
,y consequent thereon, having been duly ratified
by the two Governments, copy, together with
the CORES pondence which accompanied it, is,
herewith, communicated. trust that whilst you
may see in it nothing objectionable 1t may De the
means of preserving, for an indefinite period, the
amicabe relations happily existing between the
two Governments The question of peace or wal
between the United States and Great Britain, Is
question OF the deepest interest not only to them
selves, but to the civilized world since 1t Is scarce
" possible that war could exist between 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, no longer apprehensive OF inter
ruption, adventures its specuiutlons IN the most
distant sea- and freig hted with the diversified pro-
ductons of every land, returns to bless our own
There is nothing in the TIenty which, IN the sg ht-
est degree comprSmits the honor or dignity OF e-
,her nation. Next tosthe settlement of the boun-
dary line. which must always be a matter of diff
| Guilty between States as between individuals the
question which seemed to threaten the greatest
embarrassment was that connected with tile Airl-
| can slave trade.
| Bv the 10th article of the Treaty Of Client 1t
| was expressly declared that whereas the traffic
in slaves is ,rreconcbe with the principles OF hu-
| manty and Justice; and whereas both HIS MaJes-
| and the United States are desirous of continuing
| their efforts TO promote its entire abolition, 1t Is
hereby agreed that both the contracting parties
shall use their best endcavors to accomplish so de-
srable an object" In the enforcement OF the laws
and treaty slipulations OF Great Britain, prac-
tice had threatened to grow up on the part OF It's
| cruisers Of subiecting to visitation ships SAILING
under the American flag, which, while 1t seriously
involved our maritime rights, would subject TO
vexaton branch Of our trade which was daily
increasing and which required the fostering care
of the Government. Ard although Lord Aber-
deem. in his correspondence with the American En-
VOWS at Lopdon expressly disclaimed all right TO
detain an American ship on the high seas, even II
found with a cargo OF slaves on board and re-
stricied the British pretension to a mere claim TO
visit and inquire, yet it could not well be discern
ed BY the Executive OF the United States how such
visit and inquiry could be made without detention
on the voyage, and consequent lnterrupuon 10 the
trade. IL was regarded as the right of search,
presented only in new form, and expressed In
different words and | therefore felt II TO be my
duty distinctly to declare, in my annual message
10 Congress- tha, no such concession ceuld be
made, and that the United States had both the
Will and the ability TO enforce their own laws, and
TO protect their flag from being used for purposes
wholly forbidden by those laws, and obnoxious to
the moral censure OF the world
Taking the Message as his letter of instructions,
our then minister at Paris felt himself required TO
assume the same ground in a remoRsIance which
ne felt it to be his duty TO present TO NJ. Gulzot
and through him to the King of the French
against what has been called the Quntupe ,reaty
and his conduct, in this respect, met with the aP-
proval of this Government In close conformity
with these views the eighth article OF the Treaty
was framed, which provides thar each natien
shall keep afoa, in the African seas force moi
less than eighty suas, to act separately and apart
under instructions from their respective Govern
men,S, and for the enforcement of their respec,
tive laws and obligations" From this 1t will be
seen that the ground assumed in the Message has
been fully maintained at the same time that the
srpuiations of the Treaty of Ghent are 10 be car
J, ried out in good faith by the two countries and
that all pretence is removed for interference with
our commerce for any purpose whatever by for
eign Government. While, therefore the United
States have been standing up for the freedom Of
the seas, they have no, thought proper to make
thai pre,ext fer avoiding fuflment of theis
!, Treaty s'ipulations, d ground ior giving counie-
! nance to trade reprobated by our laws. A sirai
I lar srrangeEnea, by the other great powers could
not ialf to sweep from the ocean The slave trade
wi'seas Tue interpoleuen Of any new princic!e IL
. / ,hs J