Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-12-14

MESSAGE.
.FeHeac-citizens ofthe Senate

God, the representatives OF the otates anu OF Ule
people are again brought together to deliberate
for the public good. The gratitude of the nation
to the sovereign Arbter Of all human events,
should be commensurate with the DounuIess
blessings which we enjoy.
Peace, plenty, and contentment reign through
out our borders, and our beloved country pre-
sents a sublime moral spectacle to the world.
The troubled and unsettled condition OF some
of the principal European powers has had ne
cessary tendency to check and embarass trade,
and to depress prices throughout all commercial
nations but notwithstanding these causes, the
United States, with their abundant products,
have felt their effects less severely than any 9TH
err country and all our great interests are Stll
prosperous and successful.
In reviewing the great events of the past year,
and contrasting the agitated and disturbed state
of other countries with our own tranquil and
happy condition, we may congratulate ourselves
that we are the most favored people on the face
of the earth While the people OF other coun-
tries are struggling to establish free institutions,
under which man may govern himself, we are IN
the actual enjoyment of them-a rich inheritance
from our fathers. While enlightened nations of
Europe are convulsed and distracted by civil war
or intestine strife, we settle all our political CON
troversies by the peaceful exercise otthe rights
of freemen at the ballot-boX The great repub-
lcan maxim so deeply engraven on the hearts OF
our people, that the will Of the majority, constl-
tutonally expressed, shall prevail, is our sure
SAFEGUARD against force and violence 1t IS
subject of lust pride, thai our fame and character,
as nation continue rapidly to advance In the
estimation of the civilized world. 10 our wise
and free institutions it is to be attributed, that
while other nations have achieved glory at the
price of suffering, distress, and impoyerlshment
of their people, we have won our honorable posi-
ton in the midst of an uninterrupted prosperity,
and of an increasing individual comfort and hap
piness l am happy to inform you that our reIa-
tons with all nations are friendly and paclilc'
Advantageous treaties Of commerce have been
concluded within the last four years with New
Grenada, Peru, the two Sicilies, Belgium, Han
over, Oldenburg, and Mecklenburg, Schwerln.
Pursuing our example, the restrictive system OF
Great Britain, our principal foreign customer,
has been relaxed more liberal commercial
policy has been adopted by other enlightened ma
tons, and our trade has been greatly enlarged
and extended. Our country stands higher IN
the respect of the world than at any former pc
Rod To continue to occupy this proud posi-
ton, it is only necessary to preserve peace, and
faithfully adhere to the great and fundamental
principle of our foreign policy of non-iuterter-
ence in the domestic concerns OF other nations.
We recognise in all nations the rights which we
litical institutions, according to their own will
and pleasure. Hence we do not look behind eX-
isting governments, capable of maintaining their
own authority. We recognise all such actual
governments, not only from the dictates OF true
policy but from sacred regard for the indie
pendence Of nations
While this is our settled policy, it does not fol-
low that we can ever be indifferent spectators OF
the progress of liberal principles. The govern
ment and people of the United States hailed with
enthusiasm and delight the establishment OF the
French republic, as we now hail the efforts IN
progress to unite the States Of Germanyin a con-
federation, similar in many respects to our own
federal Union. If the great and enlightened
German States, occupying, as they do, central
and commanding position in Europe, shall sue
coed in establishing such contederated govern
ment, securing at the same time to the citizens
of each State, local governments adapted to the
peculiar condition ofeach, with unrestricted trade
and intercourse with each other, it will be an
important era in the history Of human events
Whilst it will consolidate and strengthen the
power of Germany, it must essentially promote
the cause Of peace, commerce, CIVILIZATION, anu
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 notifications of the trea-
tv of peace with Mexico, our intercourse with
Government of that republic has been of the most
friendly character The Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary Of the United States
to Mexico has been received and accredited
and diplomatic representative from Mexico OF
similar rank has been received and accredited
by this government. The amicable relations be-
tween the two countries which had been suspen-
H. ,,oe+o,oJ oD1 arn1 pStID-
ed trust to be long preserved. The two re-
publics, both situated on this continent, and with
coterminous territories, have every motive OF
sympathy and of interest to bind them together
in perpetual amty.
This gratifying condition of our foreign rea-
tons renders it unnecessary for me to call your
attention more specifically to them,
1t has been my constant aim and desire to cul-
tiyate peace and commerce with all nations.
Tranquility at home, and peaceful relations a.
broad, constitute the true permanent policy OF
our country. War, the scourge of nations, some
fines becomes inevitable, but is always to be a.
yoided when it can be done consistently with the
rights and honor of the nation.
One of the most important results OF the war
into which we were recently forced with neigh
horinp nation, is the demonstration it has afford
ed of the military strength Of our country. Be
fore the late war with Mexico, European and
other foreign Powers contained imperfect and
erroneous views of our physical strength as a
nation, and of our ability to prosecute war; and
especally a war waged out Of our own country.
They saw that our standing army on the peace
establishment did not exceed ten thousand men.
Accustomed themselves to maintain in peace
large standing armies for the protection ofthrones
against their own subjects, as well as against
enemies they had not convinced that it was posi-
BILE for nation without such an army, well dis
ciplined and of long service, to wage war sue
cessfuly. They held in low repute our militia
and were far from regarding them as an effective
force, unless it might be for temporary defensive
operations when invaded on our own soil The
events of the late war with Mexico have not on
ly undeceived them, but have removed errone'
Gus impressions which prevailed to some extent
even among portion Of our own countrymen
That war has demonstrated, that upon the break
inc out ofhosttes not anticipated, and for which
no previous preparation had been made, volun.
teer army of citizen olders equal to veteran
troops and in numbers equal to any emergency
can in short period be brought into the field
Unlike what would have occurred in any Other
country, we were under no necessity of restor
ing to draughts or conscriptons. On the con
trary such was the number of volunteers who
periodically rendered their services, that the
chief difficulty was in making selections and de
IL ,l,o bo dienyrnintad opdo