Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-01-05
PREsIDENT,S MAssAGE.

pcrs with the Club.
PRESIDENTS MASSAGE.
Without any of the usual portcnts, without
note of warning, without waiting for the or
ganizaton Of the House of Representatives
unadv>ed by his cabinet and instigatcd there
TO by-we know not what cause.-the Prcsi-
dent, contrary to all precedent, sent his Mes
sage, on Monday last, to an unorganized Con.
grcss. His apology for this departure from
the custom of his predecessors, is contained
in the first paragraph Of the document under
consideration, which is as foIows:--
"The constitution of the United States pro-
vides that Congress shall assemble annually on
the first Monday Of December, and it has been
usual for the President TO make no communira-
of public character to the Senate and House
of Representatives until advised of their read-
ness TO receive it. ! have deferred 10 ,hio
usage until the close Of the first month Of the
session, but my convictions of duty will not
permit me longer to postpone the discharge of
the obligation enjoined by the Constitution upon
the President, TO give to the Congress inforna-
tlon of the state Of the Uuou and recommend
to their consideration such measures as he shall
Judge necessary and expedicnt.'"
The same consideration could have been as
forcibly urged for its presentation on the Sec
oud day Of the session, as at any later Pc
Rod; but the President probably felt constrain.
as long as he could without endangering the
decomposition of his message; aud, MS that
article was manufactured aud kept in type in
the executive mansion, it is to be presumed
that due regard for the sanitary condition of
his family ovcrcame his repugnance to give it
premature birth. Some of the Washington
correspondents of the Metropolitan journals,
suggest, with considerable pausibility, that
thcPresidcnt was governed by desire to have
copies of his message go to Europe by the
steamer which sailed on Wednesday.
The message rcud in the Senate and
the usual, together with an extra, number OF
copies ordered to be printed. In the House
very lively discussion upon its reception en-
sued, at the termination of which the whole
subject was laid upon the table without tho
reading of the document.
The message has been received in nearly
all parts of The country, aud read by those
who nre in the habit of perusing such pom.
derous state papers, before now. Such of
our readers who have any particular desire
to see the document have probably been graf
flied; we will, therefore, content ourselves
with giving short abstract of its most i'm
portant recommendations, publishing in full
that portion which is designed us an election
eering manifesto, and intended by its author
to form the basis, or platform, of that portion
of the politicians upon which he relies for
support.
The message, as at first written, opens with
n concise narrative and temperate discussion
OF our existing relations with Great Britain,
in reference to the Central America question,
aud the conflicting interpretations put upon
the Claytonv Bulwer Treaty by the two gov
ernments. The President claims that il was
the distinct understanding ofthe United States,
in making that treaty, that both our govern
ment and that Of Great Britain were solemn
ly bound not to ''occupy, or fortify, or colon
ne, or assume, or exercise any dominion over
Costa RIGA, the Mosquito Coast, or any mart
OF Central America" and that both of the
contracting parties did, thereby, relinquish all
claims ofsovereigny, past, present and future.
In contravenllon of these stpulations Great
Britain "has continued in the exercise. or as.
serton, of large authority, in all that part of
Central America, commonly called the Mos
quito Coast, and covering the entire length of
the state OF Nicaragua, and part of Costa
hica." She also regards the Balize as her
absolute domain, and is gradually extending
It's limits, when, by the express terms of the
treaty. she was restricted to the privilege of
cutting mahogany and dye-woods. All these
claims are founded on the assumption of no.
lltleNl relations between Great Britain anl a
remnant of tribe of Indians on that coast.
entered into at the time when the whole conn
Try was colonial possession of Spain--an as
sumption resting upon no basis recognised by
International law or comfy. Great Britain
Inlerprels the treaty as prospective in its one
ration, not affecting the condition of its rela-
lions IN Central America as they existed prior
to- and nj the time of, the ratification of that
instrument Our Government very properly
refuses TO recognise any such construction.
The President concludes the consideration
OF this subject in the following conciliatory
but tirm aud unmistakcable language;-