The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-12-09
Presidents Message.

acted
Presidents Message.
Fellow Citizens Of the Senate
! and Of the House Of Representatives:
The past has been an cvcntful year. and will he
hereafter referee! to AZ Il marked epoch in the his
tory Of the world. While we have been happily
preserved from the CalamtPS Of war, our domestic
prosperity has not been entirely uninterrupted. The
crops. in portion. of the country have been nearly
cut oil. Disease has prevailed TO greater extent
t!an usual, AMI the sacrifice Of human !it through
casualties ty sea and land. is without 4 parallel
But :lic pc>tilcncc has swept by and restored salu
brv invites the absent to their homes, and the re-
turn Of business to its ordinary channels. ii the
cath has rewarded the labor Of the h,I~banm:nl
les lountifullv than in preceding seasons. it has
loft him with abundance for domestic wants ard Il
large surplus for expectation III the present there
fore. As III the past we find ample grounds foc rev
crcnd tiiankunc-> to the Go! Of Grace and Pr"vi-
!cnce. i'.r II;> protecting care AMI mcvc;ul deal!
nT' With IL Il y people.
! Although or attention has been a;rcstc, hv
painful interest in passing events vet our country
feels TO more than the slight vibrations of the
vu>l"n>. which have shaken Europe. y in,vd-
ua's, We caln" rcrrcs> sympathy with lunin >,,t-
cg!n. nor regret fer the which ,rn!,ir" it
y nation. We are reminded. thaI whatever lIt"r"
ru,:S the peace, cheeks the prosperity, o! any
part 81 Chri~;e'i'm. tends or les - nvn.;,
or OWL. The condition Of STATES Is nos mike la
If ndiy ;'!ra'>. They mutually dcpcnc;.; i.l,ol
cal. other. Ancahlc relations between item aii,
rcci,r,.;, .,oi will. are essential Toy the promotion
Of v,I:, rvcriS de- 'rahlc in their nl"ral. social IN,
political CEN, lion. Hence. it HIS been my carc~
cl.,lcav"r to mai,.,H:n peace and friendly i;tT
course with all nations.
The wise theory Of this sovcr:,.,, NJ, 50 c::ss $"
toptc'l and steadily pursued Of avoiding 'cntaH :
ing allrces. has hitherto exempted it from M. ~
complications. in which it would otherwise have
become involved. Notwithstanding HIS o,r clear
y defined and well sustained coUr>, of action al,
our gr"grai'rH position 50 remote ir,m EEr"pr. il.
crra>;nr disposition has been mamie ,t",!hv -ru,
q! lie governments to supervise. ard. in CERTAIN r.
>pcct-. I" '.;rcrt. "lr foreign policy. In plans /.
adjusting the balance Of power :.H.ci~ themselves
they have assumed to take us into arc0U;it ~,
W"ul con>tran lis to conform our cor. !l:ct "a ti;j
v;cw>. One or another Of the powers ot Eurul.
has, from time to time. undertaken 10 enforce ar.
. ;rarV regulations. contrary III respects t.
tihii,hci principles of international law Tha. Il,
the tei States have, in !'!cir foreign in.cr.our-
uniformly respected ana Observed and tcv cam
recognize any such interpretations therein III
: temporary Interests OF Others may suggest. Itr
do lot admit, that the S"vcrcign> a! the continent
"rof particular community Of states. car lc. III.
fer III, others.
Leaving The transatlantic nations 10 ahu,t thci
, political system. III The way they NAV think hes
for their common welfare the inlc;cn,!cu. power
Of this continent NAV well assert the right 81 be, *
I cml' from al annoying Interference on their ,a,
Systematic abstinence from intimate Political con
ECXou with distant foreign nations ,.~ ~, coral g
with giving the widest range To our foreign cor.
'ncrcc. This distinction :" clearly mark in h.
tory. seems 70 have been overlooked. OF Il ron, i,
10y some leading foreign states. Our refusal t. J.
brought within, am! subjected to, their ,rrul;
system, has fear, created Jealous ,li~tru> %; o
con,lnct, an'! induced, on their part. occasional, :c
OF disturbing elect upon our foreign relations. Or
present attitude and past course give assurance
which should not be questioned. that our Ili1,,~
a are n"t aggressive. nor threatening to TIE safety
: welfare Of other nations. Our military c>a>l
mc,t, III tim" of peace. is adapted to maintain c>
terror 'ciV"cc> and preserve order amon:. die Il,
original tribes within the limits otthc Cnion O,
y naval force Is intended only for the protection
Il our citizens abroad, a: of our commerce. dl:>c
i ,S il is. all the seas OF Ike globe Tie COVE!
nent OF TIE United States, being essentially iic;i
: in policy, stands prepared to rcpcl invasion b.. ii
voluntary service of patriotic people. AMI lrovi'
no permanent means OF foreign aggression. The.
considerations should allav all apprehension III
Il We are disposed 10 eacroach on the right, or 81
:. danger the -ccI..,;; olncr states.
5 Sore Eu!'ipaH powers have regarded. VIZ, !;
% luictns concern. The territorial expansion Of {.
:, United States. This rapid cr"w.l. has ry~ul:,
=" from the legitimate exercise of sovereign r:"~ T.
e longing alike to all nations ana by many liberal
exercised. Under such circumstances, it cot.
hardly have been expected that those alior = tci
l. which have. within comparatively recent peri"
N -'Ihr'i and absorbed ancient kingdoms. plant,
their standard or every continent, and now posse
"r claim the control Of the island; Of every ,, e;
N as their appropriate domain would look with II
re- friendly sentiments upon the acquisitions Of II
. country, in every instance hon"rlhlv obtained.
y would feel themselves justified in imIutinr or :,
v vanccmcnt TO Sprlto aggression or to i:,->
lie for political prci"minancc.
Our foreign commerce has reached 4 Ma.r;iE
and extent nearly equal 10 that of the fir; nar j.
r. power of the earth. and exceeding that of any o.
err. Over this great interest in which not "n, Z,
di merchants hut all classes of citizens 1T least in
G. reclv, are concerned, il i. the duty of the exec
tive and legislative branches of the governments
exercise careful supervision, and adopt PROV
re measures for its protection. The policy wh.cl
have had in view, in regard to this interest. cmhra
r. e. It's future as well As lis present security.
pt Long experience has shown that, when the pri
clpal powers o: Europe are engaged in war, {
rights ofncutral nations are endangered. This co
- s''!cratl"n led. in the progress OF the Of
10 dependence, to the formation Of the celebrated e.,
G. fc!eracy Of the armed neutrality primary olc
OF which was, TO assert the doctrine, that free ~li
III ma free goods, except in the Of articles co
: and nf w-"r: Il doctrine. which. from the We
r,n,;ucr,, .1cnt ofour rational being, has been
&c cherished idea OF t,.r statesmen OF tins country.
OF one period or another, eve mars" power l.;
bv some solemn treaty stipulation, recognize IN
principles; and it mi eht have been hoI.,i that
1t would come to he universally received and rc-i
cd as rule Of international law But TIE rc'u>
~ Of one power prevented this. and iii the next gre
a great war which cn>ucd, that OF the French rcvol
fon. it iaI!cd To be respected among the bclrcrc
Is Sta.o- of Europe Notwithstanding this, the rri
1t ciplc is generally admitted to be sound and sal
tarv one; much 80, that, at the conmcrccmc
i Of the existing war in Europe, Great Britain al
l. France announced their purpose to observe it f
the i'rc-crt: not. however, as recognized Intern
! tiora right, but as mere concession for The tin
being. The cooperation, however, ofthcsc rowc
iu! maritime nations in the interest of neutra, rob
c appeared to me to afford an occasion inviting an
.Iu>tiying on the part Of the United States, IA r.
ncwcd effort to make the doctrine in question
:, principle Of international law by means Of spcci
~ conventions between the several powers of EuroI
{ and America. Accordingly, proposition, cmra,
: ing not o"lv the rule, that free ships make free 200,
e except contrahand articles, but also the less co,
% tested one that neutral property other than contr
: band, though on board encmv> ships, shall lie e,
empt from coni<cator, has been submitted iy II,
government tothoSe OF Europe and America
J. Hus>ia acted promptly in this matter, and a CO,
vcntlon was concluded. between that country al.
the United States, providing for the observance {,
n the principles announced, not only as between then
selves, but also Us between them and all Other n:
tons which shall enter into like stipuIations. No,
: OF the powers have as yet taken final action on III
subject. am rot aware, however, that any ohio,
i.H +" the proposed stirulations has been made. 1T,
on I. contrary, they are acknowledged to he @.
Il ., . y
the only rIarcnt obstacle to their general adop,o
is in the possibility, that it may oe encountered l.
iEalmi,siile conditions.
The King Of the two Settles has exprcsSc to o.,
Minister N Naples his readiness to concur in OF,
proposition relative - neutral rights. ard to crte