Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-12-18
the United States now possess and


the United States now possess and
enjoy. To point you to the state Of
the various departments of the gov
ernment, and Of the great branches
of the public service, civil and militia
ry, in order to speak Of the inteili-
gence and integrity which pervades
the whole, would be to indicate but
imperfectly the administrative con-
dition Of the country, and the bene-
fetal effect Of that on the general
welfare. Nor would it suffice to say
that the nation is actually at peace
at home and abroad; that its industri-
al interests are prosperous; that the
canvass of its mariners whitens eve-
ny sea; and the plough Of its hus-
bandman is marching steadily onward
to the bloodless conquest Of the
continent; that cities and populous
States are springing up,.as if by en-
chantment from the bosom of our
western wilds, and that the courage
Gus energy Of our people is making
Of these United States the great Re-
public of the world. These results
have not been attained without pas
sing through trialsand perils, by ex-
perience Of which, and thus only, ma
tons can harden into manhood. Our
forefathers were trained to the wis.
dom which conceived and courage
which achieved independence, by the
circumstances which surrounded
them, and they we're thus made Ca
pable efthe creation Of the republic.
1t devolved on the next generation
to consolidate the work of the revo-
luton, to deliver the country en-
tirely from the in auences of conflict
ing transatlantic partialities or antip-
athies, which attached to our colonial
and revolutionary history, and to or
ganize the practical operation Of the
constitutional and legal institutions
of the Union.
To US. Of this generation, remains
the not less noble task Of maintain
ing and extending the power of the
United States. We have, at length,
reached that stage Of the national
career in which the dangers to be
encountered, and the exertions to be
made, are the incidents, not of weak
ness, bat of strength. 10 our for
eign relations we have to attemper
our power to the less happy condi-
tion of other republics in America,
and to place ourselves in the calmness
and conscious dignity Of right by
the side Of the greatest and wealth.
est of the empires Of Europe. ln
our domestic relations we have to
guard against the shock of the dis
contents, the ambitious, the interest
ed, and the exuberant, and therefore,
irregular impulses Of opin-
ion, or Of action, which are the nat |
ural product of the present political
elevation, the selfreiiance and the
restless spirit of enterprise Of the
people Of the United States
shall prepare 70 surrender the
Executive trust to my successor,
and retire to private life with senti-
ments of the profoundest gratitude
to the good Providence which. during
the period Of my administration,
has youchsafed to carry the country
through many difficulties, domestic
and foreign, aud to enable me to con-
template the spectacle of amicable
and respectful relations between ours
aud all other governments, and the
establishment of constitutional order
and tranquility throughout the u
MON. FRANKLIN PIERCE.
Washington, Dec. 2, 1856.