Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-12-24
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To the Senate and House Of
REPRESENTATIVES of the United States:

all things for numberless benefits conferred
upon us as people. Blessed with genial
seasons, the husbandman has his gamers
filed 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 the means of subsistence, the
greatest evil which we have to encounter,
IS a surplus Of production beyond the home
demand, which seeks, and with difficulty
finds, a partial market in other regions.
The health of the country, with partial ex-
ceptions, has for the past year been well
preserved; and under their free and wise
institutions, the United States are rapidly
advancing towards the contamination Of
the high destiny which an overruling Prov
idence seems to have marked out for them.
Exempt from domestic CONFUSION, and at
peace with the world, we are left free to
consult as to the best means Of securing
and advancing the happiness of the people.
Such are the circumstances under which
you now assemble in your respective
chambers, and which should lead us to
unite in praise and thanksgiving to that
great Being who made us, and who pre-
serves US nation.
congratulate you, fellow citizens, on
the happy change in the aspect of our for
eign affairs since my last annual message.
Causes Of complaint at that time existed
between the United States and Great Bril-
tain, which, attended by irritating circum-
stances, threatened most seriously the pub
lie peace. The difficulty of adjusting ami.
caby the questions at issue between the
two countries, was in no small degree aug
mented by the lapse of time since they had
their origin. The opinions entertained by
the Executive on several of the leading
topics in dispute, were frankly set forth in
the Message at the opening of your late
session. The appointment of a special
minister by Great Britain to the United
States with power to negotiate upon most
points Of difference, indicated desire on
her part amicabIy to adjust them, and that
minister was met by the Executive in the
same spirit which had dictated his mission.
The Treaty consequent thereon, having
been duly ratified by the two governments,
copy, together with the correspondence
which accompanied it, herewith commu.
ncated. trust that whilst you may see
in it nothing Objectionable, it may be the
means of preserving, for an indefinite Pc
riod, the amicable relations happily existing
between the two governments. The ques-
ton of peace or war between the United
States and Great Britain, is question of
the deepest interest not only to themselves,
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 enter
prise, which, no longer apprehensive of in
terruptions, adventure its speculations in
the most distant sea; and, freighted with
the diversified productions of every land,
returns to bless our own.
There is nothing in the Treaty which, in
the slightest degree, compromits the honor
or dignity of either nation. Next to the
settlement of the boundary line, which
must always be matter of difficulty be.
tween States as between individuals, The
question which seemed TO threaten The
greatest embarrassment, was that connected
with the African slave trade.
By the 10th article of the Treaty Of
Client it was expressly declared tina,
"whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconcia
BILE with the principles of humanity and
Justice; and whereas, both His Majesty and
the United States are DESTROYS of continu
ing their efforts to promote its entire abo
ltion, it is hereby agreed that both the
contracting parties shall use their best en-
deavors to accomplish so desir able an OBJ
iect." In the enforcement of the laws anc
treaty stipulations of Great Britain, prac
tice had threatened to grow up on the par
of its cruisers, of subjecting TO visitation
ships sailing under the American flag
which, while it seriously involved our mari
time rights, would subject to vexation
branch of our trade which was daily in
creasing and which required the fostering
care of the Government. And although
Lord Aberdeen, in his correspondence will
the American ENJOYS at London, expressly
disclaimed all right 10 detain an American
ship on the high seas, even if found with
cargo of slaves on board, and restricted tn
British pretension to mere claim to vsi
and enquire, yet it could not well be dis
cerned by the Executive of the Unite,
States, how such visit and enquiry cou
be made without detention on the voyage
and consequent interruption to the trade
1t was regarded as the right Of search, pre-
sented only in new form. and expressed
in words; and therefore felt it to be m
1.at:no,l,, Inoln.n -