Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Ftliow-citi -ens Of TIE Scnoic
~ H., E,0ycNF ~

Inc interest, with Wnlcn inc peOPIO VI 'hO nV-
public anticipate tho assembling OF Congress, and
tho fuOlmcnt, on that occasion, of the duty impoS-
ed upon q new President. is one ut the best evil
dences of their capacity to realize the hopes OF the
founders of political system, nj once complex
aud symmetrical. Whilo the dlllcrcnt branches 0l
the government are, to Il certain extent, lndepcnd-
ent OF each other, the duties of all, alike, have di
rect reference to the source Of power. Fortunate
Is, uudcr this system, no man is so high, and none
so humble, u the scale of public station, as to eS
cape from the scrutiny, or To bu exempt from The
responsibility, which all official functions imply.
Upon the justice and Intelligence of the masses,
in government thus organized, Is the sole reliance
Oi tue cOnicderacy, aud the only security Tor hon
est aud earnest devotion to itS interests, against
tue uSurpatiOnS aud cucrolchmcuts of power on
.bc one haud, aud tho assaults OF personal am6i-
ton Oh the other.
The Interest, Of which have spoken, is insepa-
rable from an iuquirug, self governing community,
but stimulated, doubtless, at the present time, by
she unsettled condition OF relations with scrc-
raj foreign powers by the new obligations result
iug irOm sudden extension OF the field ot enter
prise hy the spirit with which that field has been
entered ard the amazing energy with which ITS re
SOURCES for uIestug the demands oi humanity have
been developed.
Although disease, assuming ~ one tiue the
characteristics OF wide spread aud devastating
pcstcuce, has LETT it's sad traces upon some ppr.
tjons ut our country, we have S,ill the most abun
dant cause oF rcYerrpt thanktulucss to God for an
uceualulatioD of Sigual mcrcics Showered upor u:
~ nation. IL is we'll that consciousness nj rap
id advancement and increasing strength hc habit
ually associated with au abiding sense of depend
cnce upon Him who holds IN bis hands the destiny
OF men aud nstionS
Recognising the wisdom of the bJ0ad ptiucp'
of absolute religious tcleratvu pvcclSjulcd IN "JI
fundamental law, and rejoicing IN the honsn nl'n-
enco which it has exertcd upon our social and po-
htical condition, | should shrink from . clear dO
~, did tail TO express my deepest conviction
that we can place secure reliance upon any "p
parent progress, If IT DO not sustained 10y nalOna
integrity, resting upon the great truths alirmcd
aud Illustrated by divine revelations. In the midst
OF our sorrow Tor the afflicted aud suffering, il has
been consOling to See how promptly disaster nladt
true ncighborS of districts and cities separated
widely from zach other, aud chG0rtully to watc'
the strength of that common bond of hrothcrh0od
which uuites all hearts, in all parts OF this Union
when danger throatuns from abroad, or calamity
impondS over US ut huiuC.
Our diplomatic relations with foreign power,
have undergone no essential change since the ad
journment OF tho last Congress. With some o
them, questions OF disturbing character are SlI
pending, but there are good reasons to believe tha
these may all be amicably adjusted.
For some years pHst, Great Britain has con
Of April, 1918, in regard 10 the fisheries on thC
northeastern coast us to exclude our citizens irOu
some OF the fishing grounds, 10 which they irccl,
resorted for nearly quarter Of 1t century subSc
quent TO the date OF thut treaty. The lEtet
States have never acQuiGSced in this construction
hut have always claimed for their fishermen all III,
rights which they had SO long enjoyed without mo-
leStation. With Wow to remove all difficulties
on the subject, to extend the rights Of our fisher
men beyond the limits fixed by the convention .
1878, aud tu regulate trade between the United
States and the British North American provinces
a negotiation has been opened, with u. fair pros
poet of favorable result To protect our fisher
men in the enjoyment OF their rights, and prevent
collision between them and the British tiShCrmCn
deemed it oXpediept to station naval force i,
that quarter during the fishing season.
Embarrassing questions have also arisen botwCer
the two governments IN regard to Central America
Great Britain has proposed to settle them by al
anlcable arrangement, aud our minister at Lon
don is Instructed to enter iuto negotiations Oh thai
subject.
A commission for adjusting the claims of oul
citizens against Great Britain, aud those of British
subjects against the United States, organized uu-
der tho convention OF the 9Th OF February last is
sitting in London for the transaction of buSi-
ness.
Ii is in many respects desirable that the bound
AIRY limo botwoIn tho Cnitod States and the British
provinces in tho northwest, rs designated in the
convention OF tho 18th OF June, 1916, and espcci-
ally that part, which separates tho Territory OF
Washington from the British possessions on the
north, should be traced and marked | therefore
present the subject to yoor notice
With France our relations continue on the most
friendly footing. The extensive commerce be-
tween the United States and that country might,
it is conceived, be released from some unuecesst.
ry restrictions, to the mutual advantage of both
parties. With u view TO this object, some progress
has been made in negotiating u treaty OF commerce
ard navigation.
Independently of our valuable trade with Spain
We have important political relations with her,
growing out OF onr ne'ghporhood to the islands o
Cuba and Porto Rico. an happy to announce
that since the last Congress no attempts have been
made, by unauthorized expeditions within the L.
nlted States, against either OF those coloalcS.-
Should any movement be manifested within oul
limits, all the means ut my command will be vigo-
rously exertcd to rupreSs It, Several annoying oc-
ourrenceS have taken place al Havana, or in the
vicinity of the island OF Cuba, between our citi-
zens aud the Spanish authorities. Considering
the proximity vi that island 20 our shores, lying.
as It does, in the track Of trade between some OF
our principal cities and the suspicious vigilance
with which foreign intercourse, particularly that
with tho Unitet States Is there guarded, repcti-
tiUn ot such occurrences may we'll be apprchcnd-
cd. AS no diplomatic intercourse is allowed he
tweon our ecnSul at Havana aud the Captain Gen.
cral of Cuba, ready explanations cannot be made,
or prompt redress afforded where injury has re-
suited. All complaint on tho part OF our citizens,
undor the present arrangement, must h6 IN the
first place, presented TO this government, and the,
referred to Spain Spain again refers il 10 her To-
cal authorities in Cuba for Investigation, and post
poucs au answer till she has heard from those cu-
thorities To avoid these irritating and ceXatiouS
DELAYS, proposition has been madc TO provide fo
tht,( nj al
our consul in behalf OF our injured fellow citizens.
Hitherto, the government of Spau has declined to
enter into any such arrangement i bis course on
her part is deeply regretted for, without ar
rangemspt of this kind, The good understanding
between tho two countries may be exposed To oc-
casonal Interruption, Our minister ut Madrid IL
instructed to renew the proposition, and to press
1t again upon the consideration of her Catholic
Maiestys government
For several wears Spain has been calling the at,
teuton of this government to claim for losses.
by some Of her Subjects in the of the schoU-
ncr Au,tStaG This claim 10 believed to rest on
tho obligations imposed by our existing treaty with
that country. It's justice was admitted, in our d.
plomatic correspondence with the Spanish gov
ernmcut, Us carly as March, 1871 aud one OF my
predecessors, in bis annual message of that year
recommended that provision should bo made Tor
its payment. In January last il again submit
ted TO Congress by the Executive 1t has receiv-
ed favorable consideration by committees of
both branches, but yet there has been no final
action upon IT, conceive that good faith requires
It's prompt adjustment aud present ii 10 your
early aud favorable consideration.
Martin KOssta Hungarian by birth, came to
tbi country in 1850, and declared his intention, in
due iorul of law, to become Il citizen Of the United
States Aler remaining here nearly two years,
ho visited Turkey. While at Smyrna, he was for
cibly seized, taken on board an Austrian brig ot