Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1853-12-15
PRESIDENT PIERCE'S
FIR ST MI ES q a GLE
To the Congress of the United States,
CONVENED AT WASHINGTON, DEC. s., 1853
FeHOw-citi=cms Of the Senate

Fellow-cHi=cnS Of the Senate
and Of the HO@ecf Representatives. -
The interest, with which the people of the
Republic anticipate the assembling Of Con
gress and the fulilmcnt, on that occasion, Of
the duty imposed upon a new President, is one
of the best evidences Of their capacity to real
ize the hopes of the founders Of a political sys-
TEN. at once complex and symmetrical. While
the different branches Of the government are,
to certain extent independent Of each other,
the duties of all, alike, have direct reference to
the source of power. Fortunately, under this
system, no man is so high, and none so hum
Bile, in the scale of public station, as to escape
from the scrutiny, or TO be exempt from the
responsibility which all official functions i'm
ply. ..,
Upon the Justice and intelligence of the
masses, in a government thus organized, is the
sole reliance of the confcdcracy, and the only
security for honest and earnest devotion to its
interests, against the usurpatons and encroach-
ments of power on the one hand, and the as
saults of personal ambition on the other.
The interest, of which have spoken, is in.
separablc from an inquiring, scIf-govcrning
community, but stimulated, doubtless at the
present time by the unsettled condition of om
relations with several foreign powers by the
new obligations resulting from sudden cXtcn-
sion of the field of enterprise by the spirit
with which that field has been entered, and the
amazing energy with which its resources for
meeting the demands of humanity have been
developed.
Although disease, assuming at one time the
characteristics of widespread and dcvasta-
ting pcstlcncc, has left its sad traces upon
some portions of our country, VIC have still the
most abundant cause for rcycrcnt thankfuIncss
to God for an accumulation Of signal mCrclcs
showered upon US as nation. 1t is well that
a consciousness of rapid advancement and in
creasng strength be habiually associated with
an abiding sense Of dependence upon Him who
holds in his hands the destiny of men and OF
nations.
Recognising the wisdom of the broad prin-
cipIe of absolute religious toIcraton proclaimed
in our Fundamental law, and rejoicing in the
benign influence which it has eXencd upon our
social and political condition, should shrink
from clear duty did fail to express my deep,
est conviction that we can place no sure reIl'
ance upon any apparent progress, if 1t be moi
sustained by national integrity, resting upon the
great truths affirmed and illustrated by divine
revelation. In the midst of our sorrow for the
afflicted and suffering, it has been consoling to
see how promptly disaster made true neighbors
of districts and cities separated widely from
each other and cheering to watch the strength
of that common bond Of brotherhood, which
unites all hearts, in all parts of this Union
when danger threatens from abroad, Or calaml-
ty impends over us at home.
Our diplomatic relations with foreign powers
have undergone no essential change since the
adjournment of the last Congress. With some
of them, questions of a disturbing character
are st'n pending, but there arc good reasons to
believe that these may all be amicably adjusted
For years past, Great Britain has so construed
the lst article ofthe convention of April 20, 1918
in regard tofisheries on the Northeastern coast
as to exclude our citizens from some of the fish.
ing grounds, to which they freely resorted fol
nearly a;quater of a century subsequent to the