The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-09

4 Tihn lnIOrfnB Jnat, 0edrlnE VI SOue rSttJ hcJ7
of tyranny in a neighboring princpality-
"The National Convention declared that she
would afford succor and fraternity TO all ma
lions who wished TO recover their liberty; and
she gave it in charge to the Executive power
| to give orders TO the Generals Of the French
| armies to aid all citizens who might have been
or should be oppressed in the cause Of liberty"
Here was the false step which led to her
| subsequent misfOrtunes. She soon found her
self involved in war with all the rest of Europe.
| In less than ten years her Government was
| changed from Republic to an Empire; and,
| finally after shedding rivers Of blood foreign
| powers restored her exiled dynasty, and ex-
hausted Europe sought peace and repose in
the unquestioned ascendency Of mOnarchical
| principles Let us learn wisdom from her eX-
ample. Let us remember that revolutions do
| not always establish freedom Our own free
institutions were not the offspring of our RevO-
| luton. They existed before. They were planted
| in the free charters Of selEgovenment under
| which the English colonies grew up, and our
| Revolution only freed us from the dominion of
| a foreign power whose Government was at
variance with those institutions. But Euro
pean nations have had no such training for
| self-governmeDt and every effort to establish
| it by bloody revolutions has been, and must
without that preparation, continue to be. a
failure. Liberty, unregulated by law, degener
ates into anarchy, which soon becomes the
most horrid Of all despotisms Our policy is
| wisely to govern ourselves and thereby TO set
such an example of national justice, prosperity
and true glory, as shall teach to all nations the
| blessings of selfgovernment, and the unpar-
alleed enterprise and success of free people
We live in an age Of progress, and ours is
emphatically country of progress. Within
4 al IL l.lE a
in this Union has nearly doubled, the popula-
ton has almost quadrupled and our bound
aries have been extended from the Mississippi
TO the Pacific Our territory is chequered over
with railroads, and furrowed with canals The
inventive talent OF our country is excited to the
highest pitch, and the numerous applications
Tor patents for valuable improvements distin-
guish 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 another has annihilated distance in
the transmission of intelligence The whole
country is full of enterprise Our common
schools are dIffusing intelligence among the
people, and our industry is fast accommodating
the comforts and Injuries 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
| IWpuldT HnsubullOns uDutr WDfn 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 protected by
the laws But whatever may be the cause of
this unparalleled growth in population, intel
| ligence, and wealth. one thing is clear-that
the Government must keep pace with the pro
gress OF the people. lt must participate in
their spirit of enterprise; and while il exacts
obedience to the laws, and restraints all unau-
thorzed inyasions of the rights of neighboring
States, it should foster and protect home indus
| try, and lend its powerful strength TO the i'm
provement of such means of ntercommunca-
ton as are necessary to promote our internal
commerce, and strengthen the ties which bind
us together as people.
IL Is not strange, however much it NAV be
regretted that such an exuberance of enter
prise should cause some individuals to mistake
change for progress, and the invasion of the
rights of others for national prOwess and glory
The former are constantly agitatng for some
change in the organic law, or urging new and
untred 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 cause OF popular government Such expo
dItlons, however, are often stimulated by mer.
cenary individuals who expect to share the
plumber or profit o.. the enterprise without ex-
posing 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 deusive pretonce of extending the
area of freedom. These reprehensible aegres-
|
sons but retard the true progress of our nation,
and tarnlsh its fair fame. They should, there
, fore, receive the indignant frowns of every good
cItzen who sincerely loves his country and
takes pride in its prosperity and honor
Our Constitution, though not perfect. is
doubtless the best that ever was formed. There
fore, let every proposition to change it be well
weighed; and if found beneficial, cautiously
adopted Every patriot will rejoice to see its
authority 80 exerted as TO advance the pros
perIty and honor of the nation, whilst he will
watch with Jealousy any attempt to mutate
| this charter OF our Liberties, or peryert its
powers to acts OF aggression or injustice Thus
| snail conservatism and progress blend their
harmonious action in preserving the form and
spirit OF the Constitution. and at the same time
carry forward the great improvements of the
country with rapidity and energy which free
men only can display.
In closing this, my last annual oommunica-
ton, permit me- fellow-citizens TO congratulate
you on the prosperous eoRdiaion Of our beloved
country. Abroad its relations with all foreign
powers are friendly its rights are respected,
and its high place in the family of nations
cheerfully recognised At home, we enioy an
amount OF happiness, public and private, which
has probably never fallen to the lot of any other
people. Besides affording to our own citizens
degree OF prosperity, of which on 40 large
scale know of no other instance, our country
is annually afording refuge and a home to
multltudes altogether without example from
the Old World
| We owe these blessings, under Heaven, to the
| happy Constitution and Government which
were bcqueathcd to us by our fathers, and
which 1T is our sacred duty to transmit in all
their integrity to our children We must all
consider IL a great distinction and privilege to
have been chosen by the people to bear n part
| IN the administration of such "a Government
| Called by an unexpected dispensation TO its
highest trust ut a season Of embarrassment
| and alarm, entered upon its arduous duties
with extreme diiidonce. | claim only TO have
discharged them to the best of an humble abil-
ity, with single eye to the public good and
It is with deyout gratitude, in retiring from of
flee, that leave the country in state of peace
and prosperity.
WILLARD FILLMORE.
WAsHIsGToS December g. 1852
BALTIMORE MARKET