Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-17

across the Isthmus. And it would, in
my judgement, be unwise TO withdraw
the naval force now in those ports, until,
by the Spontaneous action of the Republic |
of New Grenada. or otherwise, some ad-
equate arrangement shall have been
made for the protection and security OF
a line Of inter oceanic communication SO
important at this time not to the United
States only, but to all other maritime
States, both of Europe and America.
Meanwhile, negotiations have been in
stituted by means of special commission
to obtain from New Grenada full indem.
nifty for injuries sustained by our citizens
on the Isthmus, and satisfactory security
for the general interests Of the United
States.
In addressing TO you my last annual
message, the occasion seems to me an
appropriate one to express my congratu-
lations in view of the peace, greatness,
and felicity which the United States now
possess and enjoy. To point you to the
state of the various departments Of the
government, and of all the great bran
ches of the public service, civil and
military, in order to speak of the intelli-
gence and the integrity which pervades
the whole, would be to indicate but i'm
perfectly the administrative condition Of
the country, and the beneficial effects of
that on the general welfare. Nor would
it suffice to say that the nation is actually
at peace at home and abroad and its
industrial interests are prosperous; that
the canvass of its mariners whitens
every sea; and the plow of its husband
man is marching steadily onward to the
bloodless conquest Of the continent; that
cities and populous States ere springing
up, as if by enchantment, from the bo-
som of our western wilds, and that the
courageous energy of our people is
making of the United States the great
republic of the world These results
have not been attained without passing
through trials and perils, by experience
of which, and thus only nations can har-
den into manhood. Our forefathers
were trained to the wisdom which con-
ceived, and the courage which achieved
independence, by the circumstances
which surrounded them; and they were
thus made capable Of the creation of the
republic. 1t devolved on the next gen
Grafton to consolidate the work of the
revolution, to deliver the country en-
tirely from the influence of conflicting
transatlantic partialities. which attached
to our colonial and revolutionary history,
and to organize the practical operation
of the constitutional and legal institutions
of the Union. To US, of this generation
remains the not less noble task OF main
tanning and extending the power of the
United States. We have, at length
reached the stage of the national career,
in which the dangers to be encountered,
and the exertions to be made, are the
incidents, not of weakness, but of
strength. In our foreign relations we
have to temper our power to the less
happy condition of other republics in
America, and 10 place ourselves in the
caimness and conscious dignity of right
by the side of the greatest and wealth.
est of the empires of Europe: In our
domestic relations we have to guard
against the shock Of the discontents,
the ambitious, the interests, and the ex-
ubeIant, and, therefore, sometims irregu-
lar impulses of opinion, or of action,
which are the natural product Of the
present political elevation, the self-reli-
ance and the restless spirit of enterprise
of the people of the United States.
l shall prepare to surrender the Ex
ecutive trust to my successor, and retire
to private life with sentiments Of pro-
found gratitude 10 the good Providence
wi icb, during the period of my admin
istration, has vouchsafed TO carry the
country through many difficulties. do
mestic and foreign, and to enable me to
contemplate the spectacle of amieable
and respectful relations between ours and
all other governments, and the establish
ment of constitutional order and tran
guilty throughout the Union.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
WASHINGTON, December 2, 1856.