Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FeUoap citizens ofthe Senate
and House of Representatives.

People, it is a subject of congratulation that
there has been no period in our past history,
when all the elements of national prosperity
have qeen so fully developed. Since your last
session no affecting dspensation has visited our
country general good health has prevailed
abundance has crowned the toll of the husband
man and labor in all its branches is receiving
an ample reward, while education, science and
the arts are rapidly enlargng the means OF So
cial happiness. The progress of our country
in her career of greatness, not only IN the vast
extension of our territorial limits and the rapid
increase of our population, but in resources and
wealth. and in the happy condition OF our peo-
pie, is without example in the history OF nations.
AS the WISDOM strength and benevolence of
our free Institutions are unt0lded, every day
adds fresh motives to concntment, and fresh M
centives to patriotism.
Our devout and sincere Acknowledgements are
due to the gracious Gycr Of all good for the
numberess blessings which our beloved coun-
try enjoys.
1t is a source of high satisfaction to know
that the relations Of the United States with all
other nations, with single exception, are of
the most amicable character. Sincerely attach
ed To the policy Of peace early adopted and
steadily pursued by this Government, ! have
anxousIy desired to cultivate and cherish
friendship and commerce with every foreign
Power The spirit and habits of the American
international harmony. In adherlng to this
wise policy, preliminary and paramount duty
obviously consists IN the protection OF our ma
tionaI lG ercsts from enCroachment or sacrifice,
and our national honor from reproach. These
must be maintained at any hazard. They adj
nit Of no compromise or neglect, and must be
scrupuousy aud constantly guarded. In their
vig,lant vudcation, collision and conflict with
foreign Powers may sometimes become una
VnidahH Such has been ScruDuIOlS adj
herence to the dictates of justice, in all our for
eign intercourse, that, though steadily ana rap
idly advancing in prosperity aud power, we
have given no Just cause of complaint to any
nation, and have onjryed the blessings Of peace
for more than thirty years. From policy SO
sacred to humanity, and 50 sautHry IN It's Ell
fects upon our political system, we should new
err he induced Voluntarily 10 depart
The existing war with Mexico was neither
desired nor provoked by the United States. On
the contrary, all honorable means were resort
ed to, to avert it. After years Of endurance OF
aggravated and uurpdre5sed wrongs on our
part, Mexico, in violation Of solemn treaty stp-
ulations, and Of every principle OF justice recoS-
nlZed by civilized nations, commenced hosIN-
ties and thus, by her own act, forced the war
upon Us. Long before the advance of our ar
my to the left bank of the Rio Grandc, we had
ample cause of war against Mexico and had
the United States reaorted To this extremity, we
might have appealed to the whole civilized
world for the justice OF our cause.
| deem it to be my duty to present to you, on
the present occasion, a condensed review OF the
injuries we had sustained, Of the causes which
led to the war; aud of its progress since its coin
lnencement This is rendered the more neces-
sary because of the rnisapprehenSons when
have to some extent prevailed rs to its origin
and truo character. The war has been repre-
sented as NV u,t and unnecessary, and as one OF
aggression on our part upon weak and InJuI-
ed enemy. Suce erroneous views, though en-
tertaned by but few, have been widely aud eX-
tensvely circulated not only ut home, but have
been spread throughout Mexico aud the whole
world. A more etiectual means could not have
been devised to encourage the enemy and pro-
tert the war than to advocate and adhere To
their cause, and thus give them . aid and COM
fort"
1t is source Of national pride and eXuta-
ton, that the great body of our people have
thrown no such obstacles in the way Of the
Government in prosecuting the war successful
ly, hut have shown themselves to he cunently
patriotic, aud ready to vndicate their cOuntry's
honor and interests at any sacrifice. The alac-
rty and promptnesS with which oar volunteer
forces rushed to the field their country's call,
prove not only their patriotism, but their deep
conviction that our cause is just.
The wrongs which we have suffered from
Mexico almost ever since she became an indie
pendent Power, aud the patient endurance with
which we have borne them, are without Il par
allel in the history of modern civilized nations.
There is reason to believe that if these wrongs
had been resented aud resisted in the first in
stance, the present war might have been avoid
ed. One outrage, however, permitted to pass
with impunity, almost necessarily encouraged
the preparation Of another until at last MeXl-
co seemed to attribute to weakness and indie
,IpI1 Tho
offspring of magnanimty, and of a sincere de-
sire to preserve friendly relations with sister
Republic.
Scarcely bad Mexico achieved her independ-
euce. which the United States were the first a.
mong the nations to acknowledge when she
commenced the system of insult and spoliation,
which she has ever since pursued. Our clt-
zens engaged in lawful commerce were impris-
oned their vessels seized, and our flag lnsulted
in her ports If money was wanted, the lawess
seizure and confiscalion Of our merchant vesse Is
and their cargoes was ready resource and
if, to accomplish their purposes, it became ne
cessary to inprison the owners, captains and
crews, it was done Rulers superseded rulers
in Mexico in rapid succession, but still there
was no change in this system Of depreciation
The Government of the United States made re-
peated recanlti0ns on behalf OF its citizens, but
these were answered by the preparation OF new
outrages. Promises of redress made by Mexi-
co in the most solemn forms were postponed or
evaded. The files aud records of the Depart
ment of State contain conclusive proofs of nu-
merous lawess acts perpetrated upon the pro-
perty and persons of our citizens by Mexico
and of wanton insults to our national flag The
interposition of our Government to obtain re-
dress was again and again invoked, under cir
cumstances which no nation ought to disregard
1t was hoped that these outrages would cease
and that Mexico would be restrained by the
laws which regulate the conduct ofcivzed ma
lions in their intercourse with each other after
the treaty Of any, commerce, and navigation
of the 9th Of April, 1881, was concluded be
tween the two epuhlcs but this hope soor
proved 10 be vain. The course of seizure anC
conf+cation ot the property Of our citizens, thu
violation OF their persons and the insults TO GU
flag pursued by Mexico previous to that time
were scarcely suspended for even a brief peri
cd, although the treaty so clearly de6les thu
rights and duties of the respective parties tina
it is impossible TO misunderstood or mistak,
them. In less than seven years after the con
cusion of that treaty our grievances had be
come so intoerable that in the opinion of Presi