Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-02-03
The London Times Again.


publication Of our reproof, the Times
has materially modified its tone, as
will appear from the following remarks
on the Presidents Message. We are
not sure that our notice caused the
change, for the editor barely had time
to receive our paper before the publ
cation Of the following. Read it, and
love your country and its institutions:
The United States.
Year after year, as the President Of
the United States addresses the vast
community which has selected him
their temporary chief, he seems to
have the grandest opportunity that
can fall to the lot of ruleror statesman.
So, at least, it has been for some years,
and under circumstances that, with
small interruptions have lasted, and
seem likely to last, for some time. 1t
is the uniform task of the President to
tell his fellow-ctizens, what, indeed,
they all know, for even their children
are taught 1.-THE almost unlimited
capacity Of their continent, their popu.
lation, their commerce, their revenue,
their constitution, International enter
prise and skill, and whatever else may
contribute to great empire. The
facts are so patent, the contrast with
the States of the Old World so obvious,
and the prospect so inspiring, that the
simplest language becomes grand un-
der so mighty theme. Mighty, in
deed, it is for all those material purpo-
ses that constitute the chief labor of
statesmen in this material sphere
"Ours," says the President, in the
Message which has just arrived, els
almost, if not absolutely, the solitary
Power of Christendom having a sur
plus revenne, drawn Immediately from
imposts on commerce." While that
lis the state of American finance, the
population of the United States, we are
told,is doubling every quarter of cen
tury, and thereis little reason to doubt
thatitwilllong continue in that ratio
AS much as ten million acres are every
year broughtinto the market, and added
to the area Of enterprise To crown all,
the disputes athaye hitherto threaten
ed the peace and integrity ofthe Union
have lately given way to reasonable
compromise; and the President assures
us, though on this point the wish may
be father TO the thought. that the peo-
pie of the Republic have entered into
ga new league Of amity and of mutual
confidence and support" The States
have increased from thirteen to thirty
one; embryo States are rising in the
newly acquired territories; roads and
POSTAL communications are projected
no longer from city to city, but from
ocean to ocean; and the only difficulty
is that of meeting the first and sim
plest demands Of prosperous and so
Increasing a people. The one admit
ted drawback in this picture of almost
preternaturalprosperity and growth is
the pestilence which has ravaged the
chief southern city of the Union. The
President disposes Of this on the very
Threshold of his Message with the
suitable comment, that cit is well that
a consciousness of rapid advancement
and increasing strength be habitually
associated with an abiding sense of de-
pendence upon Him who holds in His
hands the destiny of men and of ma
tions." Happy indeed, the ruler who
has no other dark cloud in the sky, no
other flaw in the system, no other de-
vastating sore in the commonweal to
point to, and who may congratulate
his fellow citizens that, whatever their
troubles, they are in the hand of the
Almighty, and not of mani
The finance of the Union is that par
ticular feature Of this prosperity which
will be most appreciated by the deep
ly-indebted and heavily -burdened
States Of the Old World. "The reve-
nue. of the country" says the Presi-
dent, "levied almost inscnsibly to the
taxpayer, goes on from year to year,
increasing beyond either the interests
or the prospective wants of the Govern
ment.' How incredible this must
sound, we will not say on the shores of
the Bosphorus, or in the effcte king
doms of the Iberian Peninsula, but in
any one of our European empircsl--
Yet it is fully borne out by the figures
of the case as is seen. At Midsum-
mer last year, there was a balance of
more than fourteen million dollars in
the Treasury, and, ms the revenue of
the ensuing year was over sixty-one
millions, while the expenditure was
only between forty-three and forty
four millions, last Midsummer the sur
plus exceeded thirty two Millions
What was to be done with this fabulous
abundance? 1t was real difficulty.
In Europe the fortunate Government
that came in for such windfall would
Immediately have set about new
chain Of iortresses, or fleet of war
steamer, or the invasion Of q neigh
boring country. Happily for the Uni
ted States, such are not t.e first
, troaghts there suggested by an unu-
sual alaccumulation OF treasure. "This
fact of an increasing surplus in the
Treasury" says the President, "be-
4 came the subject of anxious consider
{ alton at a very early period of my ad
: ministration, and the path of duty in
: regard to it seems to me obvious and
| clear, viz: first to apply the surplus
1 revenue to the discharge of the public
1 debt, SO far rs it could judiciously b,
G done; and, secondly, to devise means
i for the gradual reduction of the reve
r nue. to the standard of the public exi
: gencies." AS to the former of thes,
objects, the President states that tn,
debt of the United States has been re