The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-12-10

States TO revive with certain mod orS me
act Of 10th March, 1888. 70 restrain unlawful
military expedi ions against tho inhabiiapts Of
conterniDots States or territoriess for the pres
ervation and protection from mutilationor theft
of the papers, records and archieves Of the
nation for authorizing the surplus revenue
Ito be applied to the payment of the pnblic debt
in advance of the time when it will pecome
due; for the establishment Of land Offices for
the sale of the public lands in California and
the Territory Of Oregon for the construction
| of road from the Mississippi valley TO the
Pacific ocean !; for the establishment of bue
reau Of agriculture for the promotion OF that
interest, perhaps the most important in the
country for the prevention Of frauds upon the
Go ernment in applications for pensions and
bounty lands for the establishment OF uni
form fee bill. prescribing specific compensa
tion for every service required of clerks, dis
tfict attorneys. and marshals; for authorizing
an additional regiment of mounted men, for
the defence Of our frontier against the Indians
and for fulfilling our treaty stipulations with
Mexico to defend her citizens against the Indi.
ans "with equal diligence and energy as our
own - for determining the relative rank be-
tween the naval and civil officers in our public
ships, and between the officers Of the
Army and Navy in the various grades
of each !; for re,organizing the naval estab
| lshment by fixing the number of officers
in each grade, and providing for retired list
upon reduced pay OF those unfit for active du-
ty /; for prescribing and regulating punishment
in the navy for the appointment OF COM
mission to revise the public statutes Of the
United States, by arranging them in order,
supplying deficiencies, correcting incongruSies
simplifying their language, and ndreporting them
to Congress for its final action; and for the es-
tablishment of commission adjudicate and
settle private claims against the United States.
! am not aware, however. that any Of these
subjects have been finally acted upon by Con-
gress. Without repeating the reasons for leg
slation on these subjects which have been as
| signed in former messages, l respectfully rec
ommend them again to your favorable consld
Grafton. ina -lH H5. A.H
| think it due to the several Executive Depart
ments of this Government to bear testimony to the
! efficiency and integrity with which they are con-
duced With all the careful superintendent
which it is possible for the heads Of those Depart
ments TO exercise, still the due administration and
| guardianship Of the public money must very
much depend on the vigilance, intelligence and fl
deity Of the subordinate officers and clerks and
especially on those entrusted with the settlement
and adjustment Of claims and accounts. | am
gratiaed to believe that they have generally per
formed their duties faithfully and well. They ar
appointed to guard the approaches to the public
Treasury, and they occupy positions that expose
them to all the temptations and seductions which
the cupidity of peculators and fraudulent claim
ants can prompt them to employ 1t will be bnta
wise precuution to protect the Government against
that's onrce of mischief and corruption, as far az
can be done, by the enactment Of all proper legal
penalties The laws in this respect, are supposed
to be defective and therefore deem it my duty to
call your attention to the subject, and to recon-
mend that provision be made by law the pun
ishment not only Of those wo shall accept bibes
but also Of those who shall either promise, give
or offer to give to any of those officers or clerks
bribe or reward touching or relating to any matter
Of their official action or duty.
| 1t has been the uniform policy Of this Govern
ment from its foundation to the present day, to abb
stain from all interference in the domestic affairs
4 Of other nations. The consequence has been tina
while the nationsof Europe have been engaged il
desolating wars, our country has pursued its peace
fllcourse to nnexampled prosperity and happiness
The wars in which we have been compelled to en-,
i gage in defence Of the rights and honor Of th'
country, have been fortunately Of short duration
During the terrific contest of nation against nation
| which succeeded the French revolution, we wer
enabled by the wisdom and irnness Of Presiden
Washington to maintain our neutrality. Will
, other nations were drawn into this wide sweeping
!, | Whirlpool, we sat quiet and unmoved upon otl
II "
armies was wasted by disease, or perished b
hundreds of thousands upon the battlefield, tn
8 youth OF this favored land were permitted to en-
Joy the blessings Of peace beneath the paterna
8 roof. While the States of Europe incurred enor
nous debts under the burden OF which their sub
4 jects still groan, and which must absorb no sma
. part of the product of the honest industry
those countries for generations to come, the Unite
States have once been enabedto exhibitthe prort
spectacle of nation flee from public debt; ana
. If permitted to pursue our prosperous way for
few years longer in peace, we may do the sam
: again. .y rs
= But it is now said by some that this policy mu'
: be changed. Europe is no longer separated froi
e us by voyage Of months, but steam nayigauo
/ has brought her within few days sail of OF
/. shores. We see more of her movements, and TAX
/, q deeper interest in her controversies. Althoug
no one proposes that we should join tho fraternit
= Of potentates who have for ages lavished Il
blood and treasure of their subjects in maintainn
!, "the balance of power" yet it is said that "
q ought to interfere between contcnding sovereign
I, and their Subjects for the purpose Of overthrow
e ing the monarchies of Europe and establishing
,. their place republican institutions. 1t is allegt
v that we have heretofore pursued different cour
!. from sense Of our weakness, but that now OF
u conscious strength dictates change Of polio
i and that it is consequently our duty to mingle
these contests and aid those who are struggling
~ liberty.
y y This is most seductive but dangerous appe
:. to the generous sympathies OF freemen. EMO
Y ing as we do the blessings of free governmei
there is no man who has an American heart W
70 would not rejoice to see these blessings extend
1t to all other nations. cannot witness the stru
e. gle between the oppressed and his oppressor q
ly where without the deepest sympathy Tor the Il
o. mer and the most anxious desire for his triumI
rs Nevertheless sit prudent, or is it wiseto invol
o ourselves in these foreign wars ls 1t indeed tt
[o that We have heretofore refrained from doing
., merely from the degrading motive Of conscic
: weaknessl For the honor of the patriots W
have gone before US, cannot admit it. Men
u. the Revolution who drew the sword against I
st expressions of the mother county, and pledged
ID Heaven stheir lives, their fortunes, and their
ce cred honorn TO maintain their freedom could ne
- er have been actuated by so unworthy mott,
in They knew no weakness or fear where right
q. duty pointed the way, and 1t is q libel upon tn
fairfame for US, while we enjoy the blessings
Il which they 50 noby fought and bled, to insinuI
" It. The truth is that the course which they p,
u sued was dictated by stern sense of internatio
al Justice, by q statesman-like prudence and fl
es seeing wisdom, locking not merely to the prese
ey necessities but TO the permanent safety and int
ch est Of the conntry. , stv qe''7sE Z
le, They knew that the world Is governed Il
p by sympathy than by reason aud force; that
nd was not possible for this nation to become
I'M ''propagandist" offree principles without ARA
'st ing against the powers Of Europe; and that
Dr. result was more likely to be the overthrow
Il republican liberty here than its establishme
ch there. History has been written in vain
Ia those who can doubt this. France had no sot
on er establsheda republican form of governms
nd than she manifested a desire to force its bl
IN sings on all the world Her own historian