The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

and oCttc NouSr NJ Representatives:
The Constitution requires thHt the
President shall from time to time, not
only recommend to the consideration of
Congress such measures as he may Judge
necessary and expedient. but also that he
shall give information TO them Of the
Union. To do this involves exposition
Of all matters in tho actual condition Of
the country, domestic or foreign, which
essentially concern the grnersl welfare
While performing his constitutional duty
in this respect, the President does not
speak merely TO express personal convic-
tions, but as the executive minister Of
the government. enabled hv his position,
and called upon by his official obliga.
tions, to scar with an impartial eye the
interest Of the whole world, and Of every
part of the United States. ''
OF the condition Of the damesiic in
terest of the Union.its agriculture, mines,
manufactures. .-navgation,and commerce.,
it Is necessary only to say that the inter
nal prosperity If the country. its con.
tinuous and steady advancement in
wealth and lopulation snd in 'stivate as
well as public wellbeing. attest tho wis.
dom Of our institutions and the prcdom-
inant spirit Of Intelligence and patriot
ism, which Notwithstanding occasional
irregularities OF opinion or action result
ing from popular freedom. has disiin-
gulshed and characterized the people Of
America
In the brief interval between the ter.
mination of the last and the commence
ment and the present session of Cnn-
gress tho public mind has beon occupied
with the care Of selecting. for another
constitutional term, the President and
the Vice. President of the United States
The determination Of the persons who
are Of right or contingcntly, to preside
over the administration of the govern
ment. is, under our system committed to
the States and the people. Wo appeal
to them, by their voice pronounced 10
the forms of law, to call wh0ulsoever
they will to the high post of Chief Mag
istrate. ..........
And thus it is that as the Senators
represent the respective States Of the
Union and the Members of the House of
Representatives the several coustituen-
cics of each State, so the President rep
resents the aggregate population Of the
United States. Their election Of him
is the explicit and solemn act of :he sole
sovereign authority Of the Union.
1t is impossible to misappreheud the
great principles, which, by their recent
political action, the people Of the United
States have sanctioned and announced
They have asserted the constitutional
equality of each and all Of the States of
the Union as States they have affirmed
the constitutional equality of each aud
all the citizens of the United Siatos Al
cities. Whatever their religion wherever
their birth, or their residence they Rave
maintained the inviolabiity of the Con.
stitutional rights Of the different sec.
tions of the Uuion ard they have pro.
claimed their devoted and malteraL!e
attachment to the Union and to The
Constitution, as Object of interest super
ior to all subjects of local or sectional
controversy, as the safegu'rd of the
rights Of all as the spirit eod essence Of
the liberty peace, and greatness Of tue
Republic,
In doing this, they have, at the same
me,emphatically condem ,ud the idea Of
organizing in these United States mere
geographical parties or marshalling in
hostile array toSards each ether the dif-
ferent parts of the country. North or
South, East or West.
Schemes of this nature fraught with
iDcalculable mischiefand which the con.
siderate sense of the people has rejected
eonld have had countenauce in no part
ofthe country ,hadthey not hcen disguised
by Suggestions plausible in appearance
nctiDg upon an excited state of public
mind, induced by causes Temporary in
their character, aud it is hoped transient
in their irfucrcc,
Perfect liberty Of association for po,
li;ical objects aud the widest scope of
discussion, are the received and ordinary
conditions Of government in our country
Our institutions, framed in the spirit Of
confidence In the intelligence and iuteg-
rlty of the reople, do mt forbid ctizans
either individually or associated toseih,
er, to attack by writing, speech or any