Washington telegraph., 1852-12-22

unregulated by law, degenerates into anar-
chy, which soon becomes the most horrid Of
all despotisms. Our policy is wisely to 60
vern ourselves, and thereby to set such an
example of national justice, prosperity, and
true glory, as shall teach to all nations the
blessings of self government, and the unpar-
allied enterprise and success of a free people.
We live in an age Of progress, and ours is
emphatically country of progress. Within
the last half century the number of States
in this Union has nearly doubled the popu-
lation has almost quadrupled, and our boun-
daries have been extended from the Mississip-
pi 20 the Pacific. Our territory is chequered
over with railroads, and furrowed with cam
ais. The inventive talent of our country is
excited to the highest pitch, and the numer-
Gus applications for patents for valuable i'm
provements distinguishes this age and this
people from all others. The genius of one
American has enabled our commerce to
move against wind and tide, and that Of an
other has annihilated distance in the trans
mission of intelligence. The whole country
is full of enterprise. Our common schools
are diffusihg intelligence among the people,
and our industry is fast .accumulating the
comforts and luxuries Of life This is in
part owing to our peculiar position, to our
fertile soil, and comparatively sparse popu-
lation; but much of it is also owing to the
popular institutions under which we live, to
the freedom which every man feels to engage
in any useful pursuit, according to his taste
or inclination, and to the entire confidence
that his person and property will be protect
ed by the laws. But whatever may be the
cause of this unparalleled growth in popula-
ton, intelligence, and wealth, one thing is
clear, that the Government must keep pace
with the progress Of the people. 1t must
participate in their spirit of enterprise, and
while it exacts obedience to the laws, and
rcstrains all unauthorized invasions of the
rights of neigboring States, it should foster
and protect home industry, and lend its pow
erful strength to the improvement of such
means of intercommunication as are neces-
sary to promote our internal commerce and
strengthen the ties which bind us together
as a people.
1t is not strange, however much it may
be regretted, that such an exuberance of en-
terprise should cause some individuals to
mistake change for progress, and the inva-
sion of the rights Of others for national PROV
ess and glory. The former are constantly
agitating for some change in the organic
law: or urging new and untrieG theories of
human rights. The latter are ever ready
to engage in any wild crusade against
neighboring people, regardless of the justice
Of the enterprise and without looking at the
fatal consequences to ourselves and to the
course of popular government. Such ex-
peditions, however, are often stimulated by
mercenary individuals, who expect to share
the plunder or profit of the enterprise with
out exposing themselves to danger, and are
led on by some irresponsible foreigner, who
abuses the hospitality of our own government
by seducing the young and ignorant to join
in his scheme of personal ambition or revenge
under the false and delusive pretence of ex-
tending the area Of freedom These repre-
hensibie aggressions but retard the true pro-
gress of our nation and tarnish its fair fame
They should, therefore, receive the indig-
nant frowns every good citizen who sincere
ly loves his country and takes pride in its
prosperity and honor.
Our constitution, though not perfect, is
doubtless the best that ever was formed
Therefore let every proposition tc change it
be well weighed, and if found beneficial
cautiously adopted. Every patriot will re-
joice to see its authority so exerted as to ad-
vance the prosperity and honor of the nation,
whilst he will watch with jealousy any at
tempt to mutilate this charter of our liberties
or pervert It's powers to acts of aggression
or injustice. Thus shall conservatism and
progress blend their harmonious action in
preserving the form and spirit of the consti-
tuition, and at the same time carry forward
the great improvements Of the country with
a rapidity and energy which freemen can
only display.
In closing this, my last annual communi-
cation, permit me fellow-citizens, to congrats
ulate you on the prosperous condition of our
beloved country. Abroad, its relations with
all foreign powers are friendly, its rights are
respected: and it's high place in the family
Of nations cheerfully recognized. At home
we enjoy an amount of happiness public and
private, which has probably never fallen, to
the lot ofany other people. Besides afford
ing to our own citizens degree ofprosperity,
of which on so large scale | know OF no
other instance our country is annually af-
fording a refuge and home to multitudes,
altogether without example, from the Old
World. 1F1
We owe these blessings, under Heaven, to
the happy Constitution and Government
which were bequeathed to us by our fathers,
and which it is our sacred duty to transmit
in all their integrity to our children. We
must all consider it great distinction and
privilege to have been chosen by the people
to bear part in the administration of such a
Government. Called by an unexpected dis