The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
az Sennte and Houae Of

To the Senate and House of
: We have continued cause for expressing
our gratitude TO the Supreme Ruler of the
Universe for the benefits and blessings which
our country, under his kind Providence, has
enjoyed during the past year. Notwithstan-
ding the exciting scenes through which we
have passed, nothing has occurred 10 disturb
the general peace, or 10 derangc the har-
mony of our political system. Fhe great
moral spectacle has been exhibited of a ma
ton, approximating in number TO 20,990,000
people, having performed the high and i'm
portant function Of electing their Chief
Magistrate for the term of four fears without
tbs commission of any acts Of violence, or
the manifestation ola spirit of insubordina-
ton to the laws. The great and inestima-
BILE right of suffrage, has been exercised by
all who were invested withit, under the laws
of the different States, in a spirit dictated
alone by a desire, in the election of the
agent, to advance the interests of the coun-
Try, and to place beyond jeopardy the in
stitutions under whichit is our happiness to
live.
That the deepest interest has been mani
tested by all our countrymen in the result Of
the election, is not less true, then highly
creditable to them. Vast mnllitudes have
assembled, from time to time, at various
places, for the purpose of canvassing the
merits and pretensions of those who were
presented Tor their suffrage; but no armed
soldiery has been necessary to restrain, with
in proper limits, the popular zeal, or to pre-.
vent violent outbreaks. 4 principle much more
controlling was found in the love oforder and
obedience to the laws, which, with mere in
dividual exceptions, every where possesse.
the American mind, and controls with an in
fiuence far more powerful than hosts of ar
med men. We cannot dwell upon this pic
fure without recognizing in it that deep ant
devoted attachment on the part of the PEG
pie, to the Institutions under which we live
which procIaims their perpetuity. The
great objection which has always prevailed
against The the election, by the People, o
their Chief Executive officer, has been tn
apprehension of tumults and disorders, whic
might involve in ruin the entire Government
A security against this, is found not onl
in the fact before alluded 10, but in the aC
ditionaI fact that, we live under a cou
fedetacy embracing already twenty-six State
NJ one of which has power 10 control tn
election. The popoular vote in each Stat
is taken at the time appointed by the law:
and such vote is announced by the Electo
rial College, without reference to the de
cision of other States. The right ofsufrag
and the mode of conducting the election
regulated by the laws of each State; and ih
election is distinctly federative in all i
prominent features. Thus it is that, unlik
what might be the results under a consolid;
ted system, %riotous proceedings, shouI
they prevail, could only effect The election
in single States, without disturbing, 10 an
dangerous extent, the tranquility of other
The great experiment of poll ical confede
acy-each member Of which is supreme;
10 all matters appertaining TO us local int