Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-12-09
Annual Message
Ofths President cfthe United States, to
the Senate and House Of Representatives
in CONGRESS assembled. y

in Congress assembled i
Under the benignant Providence of Almigh.
~ God, the representatives of the States and
Of the people are again brought together TO
deliberate for the public good, lhe graft.
t,,de of the nation 10 the sovereign Arpuer OF
Ali human events, should be commensurate
with the boundess blessings which we ENJOY.
Peace. plenty. and contentment reign
,bronghout our borders, and our beloved coun-
trv pre,ents sublime moral spectacle to the
world. - 49,. Il
some Of the principal European powers has
had necessary tendency to check and EN-
barrass trade, and to depress prices through
out all commercial nations, but notwithsthnd-
inp these causes, the United States, with
,heir abundant products, have felt their effects
less severely than any other country, ana All
our great interests are still prosperous and
successful.
In reviewing the great events OF the past
wear. and contrasting the agitated and distur-
bed's,ate of other countries with our own tran
quill and happy condition, we may conSTatu,
late ourselves that we are the most favored
people on the face of the earth. While the
people of others countries are struggling TO
establish free institutions, under which man
NAV govern himself, we are in the actual en-
ioyment of thcm-a rich inheritance IRON
our fathers. While enlightened nations OF
Europe are couvused and distracted by civil
war or intestine strife, we settle all our poll.
teal controversies by the peaceful exercise OF
the rights of freemen at the ballot-boX. Inc
great republican maxim so deeply engravcn
on the hearts of our people. that the Will o
the majority consitutonnlly expressed, shall
prevail, is our sure safeguard against force
II is pf
that our fame and character as a nation con-
time rapidly TO advance in the estimation OF
the civilized world. To our wise and free
institutions it is to be attributed, that while
other nations have achieved glory al the price
of the suffering, Distress and impoverishmcnt
of their people, we have won our honorable
position in the midst of an uninterrupted pros
perity, and of an increasing individual COM
fort and happiness. | am happy to inform
YOU that our relation with all nations are
friendly and pacific.
Advantageous treaties of commerce have
been concluded within the last four years
with New Grenada, Peru, the Two Sicilies,
Belgium, Hanover, Oldenburg, and Mecklen-
burg Schwerm. Pursuing our example, the
restrictive system of Great Britain, our prin-
cipal foreign customer, has been relaxed, a
more liberal commercial policy has been a.
dopted by other enlightened nations, and our
trade has been greatly enlarged and extended.
Our country stands higher in the respect of
the world than at any former period. To
continue to occupy this proud position, it is
only necessary to preserve peace, and faith
fully adhere TO the great and fundamental
principle of our foreign policy, of non-inter-
ference in the domestic concerns of other
nations. We recognise in all nations the rights
which we enjoy ourselves, to change and re-
form their political Institutions according to
their own will and pleasure. Hence we do
not look behind existing governments, capa-
ale of maintaining their own authority. We
recognise all such actual governments, not on
ly from the dictates of true policy, but from
a sacred regard for the independence of ma.
tions.
While this is our settled policy, it does moi
follow that we can never be Indifferent spec.
tators of the progress of liberal principles
The government and people of the United
States hailed with enthusiasm and delight
the establishment of tho French republic, as
we hail now the efforts in progress to unite
the States of Germany in a confederation
similar in many respects to our own fedora
Union. If the great and enlightened German
States, occupying, as they do, a central and
commanding position in Europe, shall succeed
in establishing such confederated govern.
ment, securing at the same time to the citi.
zens of each State, local governments adapted
to the pecuI lar condition of each with unre.
stricted trade and intercourse with each Other
will be an important era in the history Of hu
man events. Whilst it will consolidate and
strengthen the power of Germany, it must es.
sentialy promote the cause of peace, com.
merce, civilization and constitutional liberty
throughout the world.
With all the governments on this continent
our relations, it is believed, are now on
more friendly and satisfactory footing than
they have ever been at any former period.
Since the exchange of rati6cations of the
treaty Of peace with Mexico, our intercourse
with the government of that republic has beer
of the most friendly character. The Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
Of the United States to Mexico has been re-
ceved and accredited and a diplomatic re
preventative from Mexico of similar rank ha.
been received and accredited by this govern
ment. The amicable relations between tn,
two countries which had been suspende,
have been happily restored, and are destined
trust, to be long preserved. The two re
publics, both situated on this continent. an,
with co,erminous territories, have every mo
tive of sympathy and of interest to bind then
together in perpetual amity
The gratifying condititn of our foreign re
lations renders it unneces sary for me TO ca
your attention more specifically to them.
1t has been my constant aim and desire t
cultivate peace and commerce with all ma
tions. Tranquility al home, and peaceful re
lalions abroad, constitute the true permanei
policy of our country, War, the scourge
nations, sometimes becomes inevitable but
always to be avoided when it can be don
consistently with the rights and honor of Ii
nation.
One of the most important results of tf
war into which we were recently forced wit
neghboring nation, is the demonstration
has afforded of the military strength of O,
country. Before the late war with Mexic
European and other foreign Powers entertain
ed imperfect and erroneous views of our ph,
sical strength as nation, and of our abilii
to prosecute war, and especially war wage
out of our own country, They saw that OF
standing army on the peace establishment d
not exceed ten thousand men.
Accustomed themselves TO maintain
peace large standing armies for the protectic
of thrones against their own subjects, as we
as against foreign enemies, they had not co
ceived that IT was possible for nation wit
out such an army, well diciplined and of lor