American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-12-09
M ES S AGE

OF THE
siDENT or THE UNITED STApES


pie, it is a subject of cOneratulaOR that there has
been period IN our past hi tory, when all the Gle
mept1 Of national prosperity have been so fully
developed Since your last session, moi f ctmg dspen
satioa has visited our country: grneral good heath
has prevailed; abundance has cowned the toll nj the
husbandmln; and labor in all its branches IS receiv-
ing an ample reward while education, science, Hnd
the arts rapidly fnargiGP the means Of social
The progress of our country in her ca
er of greatness not enly in the vast extension Of
territorial limits and the rapid increase OF our
Jpulati0n, but in resources and wealth, and In the
apay condt5n of our people, is without example in
he history Of nations.
AS the wisdom strength, and bCnifcrncc Of our
free institutions uuoIded, every day adds fresh
motives to contentment, and fresh incentives to pat
rOtism.
= Oar ievout and sincere acknowledgements ore due
10 the gracious Gver Of all good, for the numberess
blessings which our beloved country enjoys.
Its source Of high satisfaction to know that the
relations Of the Unted States with all other nations,
with single exception, ar of the most amicGbIe
character Sincerely attached to the policy of peace
early adopted and steadily pursued by this govern
meRt, have nnIiously desired to cultivate and che
IRISH friendship and commerce with every foreign
power. The spirit and habits of the American peo
pie are favorable to the maintenance of such inter
national harmony. In adhering 10 this wise policy
preliminary aud paramount duty obviously consists
in the protection of or national interests from en-
enactment or sacrifice, and our national honor
from FeprOach. These must be maintained at any
hazard. They admit of no compromise or NEGLECT,
aud must be scrupu'0usly and constantly guarded
In their vgiIant VIndcaOn, collision and COZ fc
able. Such has been our scrupulaus adheIance To
The dictates OF Justice in all our foreign intercourse,
that, though steadily and rapidly advancing in pros
perty and power, have given lust of
complaint 10 any nation, and have enjoyed the bless
ings of peace for more than thirty years. From
policy sacred To humanity, and 50 sanitary in its
effects upon political system, we should never be
induced voluntarily ta depart.
The x.sting war WithMeXicO was neither desired,
nor PROVOKED by the United States. On the coRtray,
all honorable means were resnred 10 TO avert it,
dressed wrongs on our part, Mexico IN violation Of
solemn treau stipulatOnS, and of every principle
DOT Justice recognised by civilized nations, com
mencGi hosti ties, and thus, by her own act, freed
the war upon ia. Long before The advance of cur
army To the left bank of the Rio Grande. we had
ample cause of war az inst Mexico and had the U.
States resOfted to this eXtfemitj we might have
appealed to the whole civilized wdrld tor the JUS
tice Of our cause.
deem it to be nj duty TO present to you, on the
present occasion, condensed review of the nju-
Ties we had sustained, of the causes which led 10
the warand Of its progress since its commencement.
This is rendered The more necessary b. cause Of The
misapprehens0ns which have to extent pre-
vailed as TO its origin arc true character The war
has been represented as unjust and unnecessary,
and as one of aggression on our part upon weak
and injured enemy. Such erroneous views, though
entertained by but few, have been widely and CT
tensively circulated not only home but have been
spread throughout Mexico and the whole world
more effecual means could moi have been de
vsed to encourage the enemy and protract the war
than to advocate aud adhere to their land thus
give them ''ajd and comtOrt.'
II is source of national pride and eXuation that
the great body of our people have thrown sucli
obstacles in the way Of The government in prosecu
ting the war successfully, but have shown them
selves to be eminently patriotic, and ready 10 ViRd
cate their cOunry's honor and interests at any sac
rifce. The alacrity and prompness with which our
volunteer forces rushed to the field on their cOun-
trys 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 Secame an independent pow
thD utinnI ,l,,1laXu
borne them, are without parallel in the history of
modem civilized nat ons. There is TO believe
that if these wrongs had been resented and re6issd
, in the FIRST instance, the present war might have
been avoided One outrage, however, permitted to
pass with imp nifty, a4ost necessarily encouraged
the preparation OF another, until at last Mexico
seemed to attribute 10 weakness and iadelisi0n on
our part ierbearance which was the offspring Of
nagnanimity, and Of Il sincere desire to preserve
friend yreiaiOns with sister republic.
Scarcely had Mexico, achieved her independence,
which the United States the first among The
nations to acknowledge, when she commenced the
system of insult aud spoliaOn, which she has ever
since pursued. Our citIzens engaged in lawful com
mCrce were imprisoned, their vessels seized and
our flag irsued i'll her pOrls. money was wanted
the lawIess seizure and cOnf'cat Of our merch-
ant vessels and their cargoes was a ready resource;
and TO accomplish their purposes il became neces
sary 10 mprison the owners, captains and crews, it
was done. Rulers superseded rulers in Mexico in
rapid succession, but still there was change in
this system OF depreciation. The government of the
United States made repeated reclamati behalf
Gifts citizens, nut these were answered by the per-
peuaton of new oulragcs, Promises Of redress made
by Mexico in the NEST solemn forms were postponed
evaded. The files and records of the Department,
OF State contain conclusive proofs of numerous law
less acts perpetrated upon the property and persons
of our ciiIZens by Mexico, and of wanten insults 10
our national fhg. The nterp0sition Of our govern
nent to obtain redress was again and again invoked,
under circumstances which 10 nation ought to dis.
regard.
TWAS hoped that thss outrages would cea e. and
Mexico would " he laNps Wh iph
regulate the conduct Of civilized nations in their in
terceurse with each o.her after the treaty of amy,
commerce and nagvation of The 5th of April, 1881,
was concluded between the two republics; but this
hope soon proved in vain The course OF seizure and
eoRfscaton of the property OF ourcilizens; the VIC.
laton of their persons and the Insults Gag pur-
sued by Mexico previous to that time scarcely
suspended for brief perIsd although the treaty so
clearly defines the rights and duties of the respective
parties that it 10 Impossible to misunderstood mis-
take them, In less than seven years after the con
eusion OF that treaty our grievances had become SO
intolerabe that in the opinion of President Jackson,
they should no leRger be endured. In his message
to Congress in February, 1897 he presented them 10
the consideration of that body, and declared that
"The length Of time since some of the injuries have
been committed, the repeated and unavaing appli-
cation for redress, the wantsn character of seine OF
the 0utrages upon the property and pf rsons Of
citizens, upon the officers aHd flag of the u States,
independent of recent insults this government and
people by the late eG traordinary Mexican Minister
would justify in the eyes of all nations immediate
WARP In spirit of Kindness and fo bea ance how
ever, he recommended reprisals as milder mode Of
redress He declared that var should not be used
as remedy 'by just and &c erous nations confdiag
their strength for I'M ufies committed iftcan be
honorably avoided y and added, dit las occurred to
me that considering the present embarrassed consi
ton of that county, we should act with both wis
dom and moderation, by giving to Mexico enc mere
opportunity to atone for the past before we take
dress into our own hands. To avoid all misconceP
lion on the part of Mexico as well to project
own national character from Teproaeh, this epportu
nifty Should be given with tho avoweS design and full
preparation to lake immediate satisfaction, lift should
not be obtained on repetition Of the demand for it,
NTo this end recommend that an act be passed au
taersng repn ais and The use of the naval fierce OF
the United States, ny the Executive against MeIi-
co, 10 en!orc" them in the event of refusal by til"
Mexican government to Gene TO an annie ibe dust.