Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-12-07
WASHINGTON.
Liberty and Union, now ana forever, one and
inseparableJp
SATURDAY. DECEMBER I, 1850.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Message Of President FILLMORE (which will be
found in the preceding pages) with the intention of
enabling ourselves to present such views of its lead
ing passages as might occur TO us. But we confess
ourselves at loss to find in the Message any
thing which it is in wit to improve, or which 1t
would not be presumption in us to attempt to en-
force or amplify. The Message is so plain, indeed,
that he who runs may read, and comprehend its
contents. II expounds itself, and requires no in
depreciation. -aa.
We shall confne ourselves, therefore, for to-day |
at least, to few observations on the general
character Of this very able State Paper.
The first thing about the Message which must
strike most readers, is It's commemorate brevity,
compared with many of the labored annual COM
municaaons of preceding Presidents. With SINH
lar materials before them, of his predecessors.
whom to name would perhaps be deemed invidi-
Gus, would have spun cut a tissue which would,
instead of six, have covered sixteen columns of the
National Intelligencer. But the President has coma
pressed into comparatively small space all the in
formation regarding public AFFAIRS all expositions
Of principles, and all recommendations of par
tcular Legislation, which seemed requisite and pro-
per; yetall with Perspcuity and dstinctness which
leave no room for either doubt or misapprehension.
In these respects as well in the soundness of its
doctrines and its tone of dgnifed moderation, il
deserves to rank with the best (the latest of the
Messages Of that great medieval American states
man, President MADISON. .
The parts Of the Message which particularly at
tract our admiration are, first, that which nculcates
L AZ o,,l l,,t.a a. nc
Government Of those great moral principles which
are taught to individual man, as well by divine
authority as by the promptings OF uncorruPt ma
ture, and the wisdom of ages. We are proud to
find, for example, in the Message, such noble senti-
ments as the following: a.t ~
"The great law Of morality ought to have ma
" tonal as well as personal and individual appli-
" cation. We SHOULD ACT TOWARDS OTHER NATIONS
" AS WE WISH THEM TO ACT TOWARDS US and justice
" and conscience should form the rule of conduct
" between Governments, instead of mere power, self
!" interes. or the desire Of aggrandizement:.'
In the same vein is, from beginning to end, the
whole of that part of the Message which concerns
our Foreign Relations; worthy Of all praise, and
acquiring continuance Of our existing friendly re-
lations with the whole world.
And, secondly, what the President says Of the
most important point in the domestic concerns of
the Union is so entirely in accord with what we
have always and repeatedly endeavored to impress
upon our readers, that it would be strange indeed
| did il not command our entire concurrence, and,
along with it, our respect for the moral courage
with which the President has met the question.
1 Dofa 10 fbo at the
last session of Congress with the view of healing
the sectional differences which had sprung from
the Slavery and Territorial questions, II believe
those measures" says the President g to haze
/" been required By the circumstances and co,adi-
g ton Of the country. believe they Dere neces-
sary to aay asperities and animosities that were
rapidly alternating one section of the country from
another, anti destroying those fraternaI sentiments
which are the strongest supports Of the Constitu-
ton" Regarding these measures as " settlement,
/" in principle and in substance-A FINAL SETTLE
MENr Of the dangerous and exciting subjects which
&c they embraced for this reason, he adds " re-
g commend your adherence to the adjustment esta-
blished by those measures, until time and ex-
"perience shall demonstrate the necessity of further
Legislation to guard against evasion or abuse"
No one can doubt, who reads in connexion the
passages Of the Message which bear upon this OBJ
ject, the fixed determination of the President not
only to take care that the laws enacted on the
subject shall be faithfully executed, but to hold on
to them, with all his might and with all his con-
stitutional authority, as the sheet anchor Of the
national peace and safety. In this patriotic
purpose let all true patriots stand by him!
The recommendations in the Message all speak
for themselves and will, we believe, almost univer-
sally command the public appreciation. ..'
Upon the Message, as whole, whilst it loses
nothing in our opinion by its embracing political
principles which we have for very many years sus-
tanned with our feeble powers, we are the more
pleased with it that it is something better than the
embodiment Of particular party creed. Its frank
ness, its justice, its moderation, and, above ALL its
National tone and spirit, are such as to commend
it to Of all parties, who love their country, its
fame, its peace, and its prosperity. As platform
of principles, fit to be putt practice though it may
not be capacious enough to take in Dsunionsts and
wiul agators there is no other class of politicians
in our country that might not willingly, and even
proudly, take their stand upon it.
The Message of the President, unexcep.ionable
as it is, yet does not altogether escape cav The