The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1853-12-15
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
Fsllosp. citizens Of Me Senote.

hepuDllc anticipated the assembling
Congress, and the fufllment, ON that oc
casion, of the duties imposed upon new
President, is one of the best evidences o
their capacity to realize the hopes of the
founders of political system, at once
. complex and symmetrical While the
different branches of the government are
: to certain extent, Independent of eacl
other, the duties of all, alike, have direc
reference to the source of power. Fortu
nately, under this system, no man is Sc
high. and none SO humble, in the scale OF
public station as to escape from the scru
tiny. or to be exempt from the respon-
sibility, which all official functions
imply.
Upon the justice and intelligence of the
masses, in government thus organized,
3 is the sole reliance of the confederacy,
a and the only security for honest and earn
est devotion to its interests, against the
usurpations and encroachments of power
: on the one hand and the assaults of per-
= sonal ambition on the other.
'Al" The interest, of which have spoken,
is inseparable for an inquiring, self gov
9 erning community, but stimulated, doubt
less, at the present time, by the unsettled
condition of our relations with several
o, foreign powers; by the new obligations re-
sulting from sudden extension of the
field Of enterprise by the spirit with
which that field has been entered, and
the amazing energy with which its resour-
ces for meeting the demands of humanity
have been developed
-. Although disease, assuming at one
time the characteristics of a wide spread
ing and devastating pestilence, has left its
q sad traces upon some portions of our
country, we have still the most abundant
! cause for reverent thankfulness to God for
an accumulation of signal mercies
Cshowered upon us as nation. 1t is we'll
that a consciousness of rapid advance
ment and increasing strength be habitual-
@ ly associated with an abiding sense of de-
pendence upon HIM who holds in his
hands the destiny of men and nations.
Recognising the wisdom of the broad
principle of absolute religions federation
proclaimed in our fundamental law, and
rejoicing in the benign influence which it
has exerted upon our social and political
condition, l should shrink from clear
duty, did fail to express my deepest
conviction, that we can place no secure
reliance upon any apparent progress, if it
+, be not 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 broth
erhood which unites all hearts, in all parts
of this Union, when danger threatens
from abroad, or calamity impends over US
at home.
Our diplomatic relations with foreign
81 powers have undergone no essential
change since the adjournment of the last
Congress. With some of them, questions
q of disturbing character are still pend
ing, but there are good reasons to believe
2 that these may all be amicably adjusted.
f For some years past Great Britain has
so construed the first article of the con-
vention of the Goth of April, 1918, in re-
gard to the fisheries on the northeastern
Rcoast, as to exclude our citizens from some
of the ishing'grounds, to which they free
'ly resorted for nearly a quarter of cen
-'tury subsequent to the date of that treaty.
The United States have never acquiesced
lin this construction, but have always claim
'ed for their fishermen all the rights which
they had SO long enjoyed without moles-
tation. With a view to remove all
difficulties on the subject, to extend
the rights of our fishermen beyond the
limits fixed by the convention of 1918, and
to regulate trade between the u States
and the British North American provinces
"a negotiation has been opened, with a fair
prospect of afavorable result. To pro-
,tect our fishermen in the enjoyment of
their rights. and prevent collision be-
tween them and British fishermen, l deem
ed it expedient to station naval force in
that quarter during the fishing season.
Embarrassing questions have also aris-
zen between the two governments in regard
ito Central America Great Britain has
proposed to settle them by an amicable
arrangement, and our minister at London
is instructed to enter into negotiations on
that subject.
A commission for adjusting the claims
.of our citizens against Great Britain, and
those of British subjects against the Uni
ted States, organized under the conyen-
zion Of the 9th. of February last, is now
sitting in London for the transaction of
business.
e 1t is in many respects desirable that this