Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1847-12-21
.5RI|'IR|EEIIiIIIDI[DN'T'B MESSAGE
Gentlemen ofshe Senate and
House of REPRESENTATIVES:

bs'ihe annual meeting of Congress- is al.
Waysan interesting event. The Repre-.
'ssntaVives Of the States and of the people
come fresh from their constituents, to take
counsel together for the common good. -
Alter an existence of near three quarters
'Ofa century. as free and Independent,
republic, the problem remains no longer
60 be solved, whether man is capable al
selfgoVernment. The success of our ad.
mirabie system is conclusive refutation
OF the theories Of those, in other coun.
tries, who mlintain that favored few
are born to rule, and that the most OF
mankind must be governed by force. Sub.
Ject to no arbitrary or hereditary authori
~, the people are the only sovereigns rec.
Ognlzed by our constitution.
se'Numerous emigrants of every lineage
and language, attracted by the civil and
religious freedom we enjoy, and by our
happy condition, annually crowd to our
shOres,sand transfer their hearts, not less
than their allegiance, to the country, whose
dominion belong alone to the people.
No country has been so much favored,
or should acknowledge. with deeper rev.
erence, the manifestations of the Divine
protection. An all. wise Creator directed
and guarded US, in our infant struggle tor
freedom, and has constantly watched over
our surprising progress, until we have be.
come one ofthe great Natione ofthe earth.
1t is n country thus favored, and I'm.
der government in which the Executive
nd or lot n L.l
thority, tor limited periods, alike from the
people, and where all are responsible to
their respective constituencies, that it is
again my duty to communicate with Con-
gress upon the state of the Union, and the
present condition Of The public affairs
During the past year Il e most crafty.
ing proofs are presented that our country
has been blessed with wide spread and
universal prosperity. There has been no
period since the government was founded,
when all the industrial pursuits of our
people has been more successful, or when
labor in all branches of business, has re
ceived fairer or better reward. From
our abundance we have been enabled to
perform the pleasing duty Of furnishing
food for the starving millions OF less ia.
World countries. a-s ' '''
In the enjoyment Of the bounties OF
Providence at home, such as have rarely
fallen to the lot of any people, it is cause
OfcOngratutation, that our intercourse with
all the powers of the earth, except Mexi.
co, continues to be of an amicable char.
acter. tH '" a
1t has ever been our cherished policy
to cultivate peace and good will with all
nations and this policy has been steadily
pursued by me. b. .str..H '. "...
No change has taken place in our rela.
tions with Mexico, since the Adjournment
Of the last Congress. The war in which
the United States were forced to engage
with the government Of that country still
continues .Fra" -
deem it unnecessary, after the full ex.
position of them contained in my message
Ofthe llth Of May, 1916, and my annual
message at the commencement of the ses-
sion of Congress, in December last, to
reiterate the serious causes of complaint
we had against Mexico, before they com.
menced hOstilities. "@' )
It is sufficient on the present occasion,
to say, that the wanton violation of the
rights of persons and property of our citi.
Zens, committed by Mexico, her repeated
acts of bad faith, through a long series Of
years, and her disregard OF solemn trea-
ties, STIMULATING for indemnity to our in.
jured citizens, not only constituted ample
cause ofwar on Jur part, but were Ofsuch
an aggravated character as would have
justified US, before the whole world, in
resortiug to this extreme remedy. With
an anxious desire to avoid a rupture be
tween the two countries. we forebore, Tor
years, to assert Our clear rights by force ;
and continued to seek redress for the
wrongs we had suffered, by amicable ne.
gOtiati0ns, in hopes that Mexico might
yield topaci6c counsels and the demands
Of5justice. In this hope we were disap.
pointed Cor Minister of peace sent to
Mexico was insultingiy rejected. The
Mexican Government. refused to hear even
the terms Of adjustment which he was au
thorized to propose; and finally, under
wholly unjustiia6le pretexts, involved the
two countries IN war, by invading the ter
rit0ry loflhS State If Texas, striking the
first blow, and shedding the blood of oul
citizens on our own soil. = @. 2'g- ~.
Though the United States were the ag
Rrieved nation, Mexico commenced the
War; and We were compelled in self de
fence, to repeI the invader, and vindicatt
the national honor and interests, by pros
scouting Il with vigor, until we could Obtain
an ,honorable peace. ,f.,, gol,a5 arr
On learning that hostilities had beeI
commenced, by Mexico. I,pEOmptly com
muniSated that fact, accompanied With 8
spccinct statement Of our other causes {