Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
tn The Senate and Ifonse Of


our gratitude TO the Supreme Ruler Of tie u
inverse for the bene fits and blessings which
our country under his kind Providence, has
enjoyed during the past year. Not"!tH-
standing the exciting scenes through which
we have passed. nothing has occurred TO Is
turb Tie general peace, or 10 deTan9e the mar
mony Of our political system. The great
mora! spectacle has been exhibited OF ma
ton approxi.nating il number t. 10000 .OoO
Of people, having performed The hiSh ana
imnortant function Of electlng Their Chiei
Magistrate for the term Of four years, with
ont The commission Of any acts Of violence,
or The manifestation OF spirit oil fnsuboTdna-
ton 10 the laws. The 9rea! and measurable
right Of suffrage, has been exercised Dy all
who were invested with II, Under the laws OF
the different States, IN spirit dictated alone
by a desire in the selection OF the agent, 10
advance The interests OF the country, ana 70
place hey ond jeopardy the institu'ions under
which ii is happiness to i've. bat Inc
deepest interest has been manifested by ali
our coultrymen in the result Of the election,
is not less true, than highly credtable To them.
Vast mutiitudes have assembled, from time 10
time, at various places, Tor the purpose Of
convassing the merits and pretehsions OF NOSE
who were presented for their suttrages; but
no armed soldiery has been necessary 10 re-
strain, within proper linits, the popular zeal
or to prevent violent outbreaks. A prIncipif
much more controlling was found IN the love
Of order & obedience to the laws, which with
mere individual xceptions, every where pos
sesses the American mind. and controls with
an influence far more powerful than hosts OF
armed men. We cannot dwell upon this Pic
ture without recognising 10 IL That deep ana
devoted attachment on the part OF the people,
20 the institutions under which we live, which
procams their perpetuiiy. The great OBJ
lection which has always prevailed against
the election by the People, Of their Chief Tx
ecutive officer has been the apprehension oil
tumuts and disorders, which might involve
in rum the entire Government. 4 security
against this, is found not only in the fact be-
fore alluded to. but in the additional fact thai;
W., live under IA conederacy embracing al
ready tWenty-six States; no one has
power to control the election. The pop
ular vote Of each State is taken at The time
appointed by the laws, and such vote IS an'
nounced by the Electoral College, without
reference to the decision OF The other States.
The right Of suffrage and the mode OF CON
Quoting The election is regulated by the laws
Of each State; and the election is distinctly
federatve in all its prominent features. Thus
il IS that, unlike what might be the results I'M
der cons olidated system, rIotous proceed
ings, should they prevail, could only affect the
elections in single States, without disturbing,
to any dangerous extent, the tranquility OF
others. The great experiment OF a politIca!
COME deracy- each member oil which IS su-
preme-as to all matters apperalning 10 lis
local Interests, and its internal peace and hap
piness.-while by a voluntary compact with
others, il conlides TO the united control OF all,
the protection of its cItizers, III matters not
donestc-has been SO far crowned Wlth sue
cess The world has witnessed It's RAPID
growth in wealth and population; and, under
the guide and direction OF a experimenting
Providence, the de, eopments of the past
may be regarded the shadowing forth oil
the mighty futcre. In the bright prospects
Of that future, we shall fad, as patriots and
philan.hropis,s, the highest Inducements TO
cultivate and cherish love Of union, and
TO frown down every measure and effort
which NAV be made 10 ALLEVIATE the States Q!
the People OF the States, iii sentiment and
feeling, from each other. \ rigid and close
adherence 10 the terms ot our political com
pact, and above all, sacred observance 0!
the guarantees of the Constitution, Will pre-
serve union on foundation which cannot be
shaken; while personal liberty is placed be-
yond hazard or jeopardy. The guarantee OF
religious freedom, OF the freedom OF the press,
OF the liberty OF speech Of the trsai by jury
OF the habeas corpus, and OF the domestic IN
s,itu,ions Of the States-eavlng the private
citizen in the full exercise oil the high and
enobling attributes of his nature, and 10 each
State the privilege which. can only be judi
ciously excr,ed by itself, OF consulting The
means best calculated TO advance is own
happiness; these arc the great and important
qua, antees Of the Constitution, which the
lovers Of liberty must cherish, and the advo-
Gates of union must cultivate. Preserving
these. and avoiding all interpretations by
forced construction, under the guise of ina
gined expediency, upon the Constitution, the
influence Of our political system is destined
to be as actively and beneficially felt on
the distant shores Of the Pacific, il is now
on those of the Atlantic Ocean. The only
formidable impediments in the way OF lis
successful expansion (,Ime and space are SO
far in the progress of modification. by the