The Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1852-1853, 1853-12-14
Presidents Message.


contained besides the Message, a large a.
mount Of other reading. This We done for
the benefit Of our subscribers without miss
ing any regular number our Of paper. but at
heavy expense to US. But to the mes
sage.
The message, sin addition to the general
interest which beloA IS to the annual exPosi-
ton of the state of public affairs by the Ex-
ecutive," says :he Washington Globe, "has
the special one Of being the act of a new
President now for the first time addressing
officially the two Houses of Congress. 1t
will be found to be distinguishedby the same
expliciiness OF language, which character
ized President Pierce's Inaugural, and is
not less important, as exhibiting in detail
the practical application of the doctrines,
which, at tie opening of the present Admin
mistration. were announced to the people OF
the United States.
The Introductory paragraphs Of the mes.
sage a.lude to the interest of the occasion,
the responsibility Of the public functionarieS
to the gleat pOpulr sovereignty, and the
dependency of all, in view as well of the
prosperity of the country generally, as OF
the pes. silence which las recently visited a
part Of it, on the supreme power Of Provi-
dence.
Following this, we have statement OF
the condition of our foreign relations, Of
which the salient points presented are the
pending questions with Great Britain in le-
gard TO the fisheries and the colonial trade,
and in regard to Central America; our rela-
tions with Spain, especially as regards Cuba;
the koszta controversy; the missions to Chi
ma and to Japan; our affairs with Mexico
and Central America; the negotiation with
Brazil for opening the navigation of the
Amazon; and those with Peru as to the gu
ano trade, and the difficulty at the Chincha
Islands. There is what may be thought by
some very significant silence as to certain
known or supposed particulars Of our foreign
policy.
The message then proceeds to indicate
the fact of the definite settlement of all the
great domestic questions which have hereto
fore divided the country, as afording induce
ment and opportunity for the adoption now
of a more comprehensive line ofpolicy, such
as the present greatness and power of the
Union demand; and emphatically dwells on
on the rights of the individual States as the
palladium of the growth and stability of the
United States.
Next, the message exhibits the condition
of the Treasury, with its daily increasing
surplus revenue, and avows, in view of this
fact, the policy, first, 9f paying off the pub
lie debt as fast as possible; and secondly, OF
bringing the revenue down to the standard
of the public wants, by reducing the rate
Of duty on some articles, and by adding to
the free list.
In coming to the Army and Navy, the
message recommends unequivocally the en-
largemeut of both, as imperatively required
by the present expansion and other exgen-
cies of the Union.
In regard to the Post Office, the instruc'
tive fact appears, that its receipts fall short
ofits expenditures by $4,000, 900, owing in
g.eat part to the large hums paid for the con-
veyances Of the mail by railroad and steam
ships.
The message exhibits in detail the prog
ress of survey and sale of the public lands
1t adopts and approves the existing system
as to the national domain, and recommends
its extension TO Utah and New Mexico. Il
refers to grants Of public lands in aid of the
construction of roads, as requiring to be reg
ulated by the consideration of the interests
of the United States as a proprietor repre-
Eented by Congress.
Important changes are specially recon-
mended in the judicial system of the United
States. -r..
But the most notable part Of the mes
sage is that which treats at some length oi
the question of internal improvements as
they are commonly, but loosely called; tina
of the proposed railway from the Misissipp
to the Pacific; and that of the measures a
dopted in the year 1850, forthe terminating
of the controversies attending the organza
tioA of the new territory acquired from Mex
icO. 'E
In emitting to ask of Congress The favor
able consideration of estimates for a variety
of harbor Improvements and other loca
works of similar character, the President
after forcibly presenting the objections of 4
genera nature to this class of expenditures
the absence of any definite system on the
subject, and the doubtful advantage of much
which has b zen heretofore done in this di.
rectior, invites deliberate reexaminatior
of the whole question, in the hope of Con.
gress in its wisdom devising some solution
Of it satisfactory to the country.
lie anticipates that Congress will have
particular occasion to consider of the means
| of more closely unitinu. bv suitable means