The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-12-13
PRESIDElNS MESSAGE.
TO the Senate and House Of
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To the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States
We have continued reason to express our profound
gratitude to the great Creator of all things for num-
beless benefits conferred upon us us People Bless
ed with genial seasons, the husbandman has his gar
ners filled with Abundance, and the neccssaries OF
life, to speak oi ITS Injuries, abound IN every d.
rccon While in some other nations steady and in
dustrious labor can hardly find the Of subsis
tencc the gre7test evil which have 10 encounter
is q surplus reproduction beyond the homo &C ard,
which seeks and with difficulty finds, partial MAJ k
ct in other re; ioaS. The he 18th Of TIL country with
partial exceptions, has for the past year been well pro
served and under their &C nj wise i sujiCn It @
United States rapidly advancing towards the col-
summation Of the high destiny which overriding
Providence seems to have marked ont for them. Tx
empt from domestic convnsio7, and 1T peace with
all the world, we are left free 10 consult TO the
best means discerning and advancing the happiness
Of the People. such are the circumstances under
which you now assemble in yOnr respective cham
bers and which should lead US to unite in praise and
thanks giving to that great Being who made Us, and
who preserves n nation.
] congratulate you, fellow citizens, on the happy
change in the aspect Of our foreign atfirs since NY
last annual message Causes Of con.plant at that
time existed between tho United States and Great
Britain, which, attended by irritating circumstances,
threatened most seriously the public peace. The d'
fculty OF adjusting ancnhly the questions at issue &c
tween the two countries, was in no small degree aug
mented by the lapse Of time since they had their orr
GIN The opinions entertained by the Executive
on several of the leading topics in dispute,
wer, frankly set forth in tho message at tho OPP
enng Of your late session. Tho appointment of a
special minister by Great Britain to the United States
with power to negotiate upon most of the points Of
difference, Indicated desire en- her part aacahly TO
nd Just them, and that minister met by the EXccu
tive in the spirit which had dictated his mis-
sion. The treaty consequent thereon, having been
duly ratified by the two governments, copy, togath
Al. A. i
herewith, communicated trust that whilst ycU sec
in it nothing Objectionable, it may be the means of
preserving Cor an indefinite period, the amicN6!e
ations h1rpy existing between the two governments
Tho question OF peace or war between the United
States and Great Britain, is question Of tho deepest
interest only to themselves, bat to the civilized
world, since it is scarcely possible that war coall
exist between them without ondangaring tho peace
of Christcndom. The immediate effect OF the treaty
upon ourselves will be felt in the security utorded TO
mercantile enterprise, which, longer apprchcnsvo
of interruption, adventures its specuaons in the most
distant sea; and freighed with the diversified Nroduc
tons of every land returns to bless own. There
is nothing in the treaty which, in the slightest degree
conproms the honor or dignity of either nation -
Next to the settlement Of the boundary line, which
must always he matter of difficulty between States
between individuals, the question which seemed
threaten tho grcatcst embarrassment, was th;
nected with the African slave trade.
BY the 9th article Ct tho treaty Of Ghent, it
expressly declared that whereas the traffic in slaves
is rreconcilabc with the principles Of humanity and
Justice; and whereas both His Aajesiy and the Unit
cd States DESTROYS orconinuing their efforts to
promote it's entire abolition it is hereby agreed that
both the contracting parties shall use their best
beavers to accomplish so desirable object" In
the enforcement Of the laws and treaty stpulations
of Great Britain, practice has throate cd to grow up
the part ofit5 cruisers OF sub 2ctrg 10 visitation
ships sailing under the American flag, which, Willie
it seriously involved maritime rights, would sub
jec TO vcxaton breach Of oar trade w!li was daily
increasing and which required the fostering care Of
the government And aIthoSgh Lord Aberdeen, in
his correspondence with the American EUvoys at
London, expressly disclaimed all right to deuin
American ship On the hghse0s, even il found with
cargo OF slaves board, and restricted the t'rtsh
pretenson to mere claim to visit and inquire, yet
coad not well he discerncd by the Executive ofthe
United States how such visit and inquiry could bo
made without detention on the voyage, and conse
quent interruption to the trade. 1t was regarded
the right Of search, presented only in form,
and expressed in different words; and therefore felt
to be my duty distinctly to declare, in my annual
message to Congress, that no such concession could
be made and, that the United States had both the
will and ability to enforce their own laws and to pro-
tect 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 remonstrance which he TeIt it
to be his duty to present to N. Guzot, and through
him to the King Of the French, against what has been
called the Quintuple treaty and his condact, in this
respect, met with the approval this Government.
In close conformity with those views tho Ell ghh article
of the Treaty was framed, which provides that
seach nation shall keep ahoat in the African sens
force not less than eighty guns, to separately and
apars ander instructions from their respective roy
ernments and for the enforcement of their respec-
tive laws and Obligations From this it will be seen
that the ground assumed in the Message has been
fully maintained, at the time that the s,ipula-
tions of the treaty of Client to be carried out in
good faith by the two countries, and that all pretence
is removed for interfering with our commerce for any
purpose whatever by foreign government. While
the United States have been standing up
for the freedom of the SEAS they have not thought
proper to make that pretext for avoiding fulfil
nent of their treaty stpuations, ground for giving
countennnce to trade reprohated by laws. A
SIM arrangement by the other great powers could