The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-01-26
From The Journal Of Commerce.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ABROAD

Several of the En- glish and French papers speak IN
very harsh terms OF the Presidents Message. The
chief ground of censuIe, far we have noticed
the fact that President Tyler passed silence
the subject of State indebtedness, and especially the
INDUSTRIOUS doctrine Of reputation. One would sup.
pose that the Intelligent, editors of the London Tlmes
and Paris Journal Des Dtbats would know enough oi
the structure Of our institutions TO unde fsahd thai
the President of the United States has nothing TO do
with the affairs of individual States and that any ia
reference his part with State indebtedness or Stat
reputation, far from being dems ndod by hla Off
cal position, would be decidedly out of place, ana
would be regarded by the non-ndebed Slates, d.
well those most deeply involved. Each % 80
States is sovereign in its own sphere and it 10 only
when their affairs involve rectly our national Iell
lions with foreign powers, tina, il bee, mes the duty Of
the President and Congress 10 take cognzancs o.
them That time has not yet come. As 10 repuda-
ton in the in which it appears 10 be understood
in Europe it has no existence on this side Of he At
lantic No State has been reckless of it, honor,
and regard, of the common principles of justice
as to reludiate acknowledged debt The only
States, believe, which have repudated any por ion
of their debt, are mississippi and Michigan la these
cases it is urged that the terms which the bonds
were issued, were mol complied with that they
issued in violation Of the express letter of the Consli
tuition, that no value was received for them &C.
These preieXts mig be efficient TO Justify The
payment Of bonds tainted, if the question rested
solely between the original parties but cannot
be available when the bonds are held by par
ties who had no agency in, or knowledge OF, The
vice which attended their inception. To this adms
sion we have doubt the repudia'ing States will
come at last and in the mean time we know Of no
benefit which is likely to result TO any body from
misunderstanding or misrepresening the facts. The
total amount of bonds repudiated does not exceed
eight or nine million dollars a sum quite insignif
cant compared with the aggregate amount of State
Indebtedness, (Which approaches 5000, 600 000) but
sum, nevertheless, which is quite too large 10 be
withheld from those to whom il is due. The grea,
mass of State Indebtedness is not only acknowledge
but will be paid The country is emerging from the
terrible financial crisis which came upon il, and
States well individuals who were Temporarily
obliged to suspend payment are recovering their
energies and preparing TO do justice 10 their ciedi
tors. But we are wandering from the purpose which
we had in view at the outset, viz TO show that what
ever blame is chargeable to the non-payng and
pecially the repudialng States (and Toe not the
persons TO justify either, unless they have done al
they could do TO fulf their obligations the Pre-
sdent could not be expected to make their deoquen
cies a topic Of animadyerson in his annual Message
That such the universal sentiment OF the American
people who perfectly understand the relations sub
sisting between the General and State Governments
is evident from the fact that although both the lesd
ing political parties are disposed 10 the Pre-
sdent whenever they have opportunity, not man OF
either party, far have heard has ever
alleged il faul that he made alIusion in his Mes
sage to the above mentioned subjects. And further
we inclined TO believe that the paragraphs which
have been copied from the English and French pa
pers in reference to u Message, do express the
sentiments Of the great mass Of thinking in those
countries respectively. Our London correspondent,
who has rare opportunities TO acquant himself wilh
the state Of public feeling in England, and who IS
careful 10 avail himself Of the opportunities he en-
joys, thus writes under date of Sd instant.
"The Presidents Message has been well received
by the merchants and the respect bic portion Of pc
htcal parties. The Pslmerston print, the Mornrs
Chronicle, was quite rampant about the Oregon SUE
gestions and the Texan topic, and endeavored ge
up an excitement upon the question. The effort hap
PLY failed"