Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-12-12

PRRs.IDENTs roLK.

efshs Uuited iStsies nb %
o In fseamipg your labors In the service Il the
serple. Il 10 q subt'ct os sUucta'Uiatiot ihst
'',sre hes been no pcstd in out past history.
" hen sli tie elements u n6tioqai prosperity
ksse been ~ fully developed. Since your last
session no affecting dispensstion tus visited bur
Country; general good health hus prevailed !
sbundsnce has crowned the toll Of the husband
,nsn and labor in al IL branches Is feceivine
an ample reward, while education. science and
,he sr,s are rapidly enlarging the mesns OF 90.
rial Happiness. The progress Of cur country IN
her career Of greatness. not only Ii the vast ex.
-.;reuse Of our populstiou, but IN resousces end
wealth, and in the happy condition Of our people,
10 without example in the history Of nations 1
n A. the wisdom, strength, ard tene scence OF
our free irsstutiohs are 1nfolded. every day
odds fresh motives to conten,ment, aud fresh 10.
centives to pstrotism. .tg9
Our devoul and sincere acknowledgements are
due 10 the gracious Giver Of oil good, for the
"nmberlcss blessings which our beloved country
eotys So Il at b57 -ef11ls la-tau. 5ca Ieg 7
II lie source Of high satisfaction 10 know that
the relations of the United States with al other
nations, with single exception, arc Of the most
smcable character. 8 ncereiy attached 10 the
poiicy Of pesce, early adopted and steadily por-
sued BY this government, have anxiously desi.
red to cultivate and cherish friendship and CON-
mcrce with every Foreign power. The spri,
and hs5ts the Americsn people are tsvorsble
TO the maintenance Of such international hsrrno.
ny. .f- .l rglf ,ff ftrfe'e
In adhering TO this wise policy. q preliminary
md paramount duty obviously consists in the
.ncnt or sacrifice, and our nsticnal honor from
NODeoaAh 1kooo ho int nod
hazard. They admit Of no compromise or ne.
elec,, and must be scrupuiously and constantly
guarded. 10 their vigilsn: vindca,ion, collision
sod conflict with foreign Powers msy sometimes
hccome unavoidable. Such hss been our scru.
pulous adherence 10 the dictstee OF justice in
! our foreign intercourse, that, though steadily
end rapidly advancing In prosperity and power,
we hnve given no just cause Of complaint to any
nation, and have enjoyed the bless;ngs Of peace
for more than thirty years From . policy %
sacred to humanity, and 50 sslutsry In ts effects
upon our political sys,em we shouIe never be in-
duced voluntarily 10 depart.
The existing war with Mexico was neither
desired nor provoked by the United States. On
the contrary, oil honorable means were resorted
TO 70 avert il. After years Of endurance Of ag.
Rravaied end uDredresaed wrongs on our part,
Mexico, in violation Of solemn treaty stipula.
'lon., and Of every principle Of justice recogni-
zed by civilized nations, commenced hostiljties; I;
and thus, by her own act forced the war upon
~. Long before the advance Of our army to th-
.eft bank Of the Rio Grande, we had ample
.suss Of war against Mexico: and had the Uni.
ned States resor,ed to this extremity, we nigh,
have sopcsled to the whole civilized world foI
the justice Of our cause. s s, --f
deem il to be my duty to present TO you, or
the present occasion, . condensed review Of the
injnries we had sustained Of the causes whiet
led TO the war. and Of its progress since iss com
.mencement This is rendered the more neees
sAry because OF the Interpretations which
have TO some extent prevailed a. TO ITO Origin
and true character. The war has Been represen
ted ss unjust and unnecessary, and az an aggres
sion on our part upon weak and injured enemy
Inch erroneous views, though entertained by bu
few, have been widely and extensively eiicula
ted. not only at home, but have been sprea'
throughout Mexico and the whole world. NOR
.ffsctual means could not have been devised 4
encourage the enemy and pro,ract the wa. thai
10 advocate and adhere to their cause, and thu
give them aid and comfort
u 10 . source Of National pride and exultatiol
,hat the great body ofour people have throw
no such obstacles in the way Of the governmcn
IN prosecuting the war successfully, but hsv
>aown themselves to be smincntly patriotic, an
le,,iv 10 vi.,dics:s their country's honor end Ia
,eres,s st any sacrifice. The alscrity On
cromptness with which our volunteer force
rushed to the Geld Oh their country's call. prov
no, only their tstriotism, but their deep convie
ton that our cSuse just.
The wropps witch we have sudeeed ffoe
Mexico almost ever e.nce she became an u
dependent Power. and tho patient enduranc
with which No hsve borne them. a:e without
parallel In the history of modern cis,''sed M
tcos. There 10 reason to believe that u thes
wrongs bad bsen resented and resisted ia IN
6sst instance. the present war might have bee
svoidsd.. One Outrage, however, permitted
psS with impunity, almost necessarily encou
faged the perpetra,ion of:snother, until at las
Nsxico seemed TO attribute 10 weakness and ia
decision on our part forbearanes, which W
the olIspring OF magnanimity, end Of 4 sincer
jesifs 10 prceervs friendly relations with Oh
ter republic. aeafr - ~ lllla ses 90 sah'
Il Scarcely had Mexico achieved her indeper
dence, which The United Sistes were the fr,
among the nations to acknowledge, when Oh
commenced the syssrm Of insult and spolistio,
which she hes ever since pursued. Our citizeI
engaged in lawful commerce were imprisone
their vessels seized and cnr dag iosultec In h,
ports. II money was wanted, the lawless se
3ure and confscation Of our Inerchant vesse
and their cArgoes wssa q ready resource snd
TO accomplish their purp>sce il became pecess
~ to imp'ison the owners. eapteine snd crew
il wss done. Rulers superseded rulers In Me-
, leo in rapid succession, but still there was
chsnga in the system. of dgAyedsiion. TT
government OF the United Etates msde repe
ted rcclsmstioHs on behalf u its cnixens. b
,hesa were snswered blythe perpe,va,ion sf Ne
outrsgea. Promises Of redsess made by Aexi,
in the most solemn forms were ,possponrd
evsdeJ. The Ales and leecsds o. fths Qers,