Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-05
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The Presidents Message

IOJG u
t.tives. Our first impressions did not favor the
procedure. but maturer reflection has satisfied US
that neither the constitution nor the laws inter
posed any impediment, and. though we have
much respect for usages in government sane
toned by time and the observance Of good and
great men, yet we think the circumstances of
the occasion justified a departure from precedent
in this case. In the phraseology Of the consti-
tuition, Congress is made to consist of "a Senate
and House Of Representatives. in The same
article il 10 prescribed that .the House of Rep.
res natives shall choose their Speaker and 9th
er oficers'-so that the Lower Branch IL recog
nized BY that instrument as"the House OF Rep
resentatives,' and thus a constituent part OF
Congress-" before its formal organization.-
Another clause of the constitution makes 1t the
duty of the President, from time to time, to give
to the Congress information of the state Of the
Union'-leaving it discretionary with him to Sc.
lect his own time of making such communica-
tons. Custom has established the organization
of Congress as the period Of making an annual
and general communication but no law renders
this obligatory-and the mere custom is not to
be regarded so sacred, as to admit Of no depar-
ture from it, under the pressure of a portentous
public exigency. Such. we think, the present
crisis presents,not only by reason of the factious
course of parties in the House Of Representa-
tives, in delaying organization for more than a
month-but still more from the importance Of
the topics embraced in the message. 1t will be
well If that body. aud especially the Presidents
own party friends, will profit by tho rebuke nd.
ministered by the refusal of the Executive longer
to wait on their shameless t~ritiing with the pub.
lie interests.
In regard TO the Leading subject Of the mes
sage, we think the whole country will approve
the decided stand taken by our Government in
the controversy that has arisen with England on
the Interpretation of tho Clayion-Bulwcr treaty
1t is impossible to conceive that the British Min
lister Of Foreign Affairs,or Mr.. Bulwcr. the joint
negoiiat"r of the treaty, with Mr.. Clayton. could
seriously have construed il as is now pretended.
1t is next to incredible that ihcs could have
thought this Government willing to make the
concessions now claimed to be embraced Ia the
stipulations Of that convention. We are con
strained to consider the course Of Lord Claren
don but an artful and petty act of diplomatic
quibbling and duplicity, designed to try the pa
tience and spirit of this Government, md to OK
tort, ifpossible, from its t%imidity or its forbcar.
ance, some advantage not vouchsafed hy the
terms OF the treaty. The pretended construc
ton Of the British tabinet is a gross reelection
upon the sagacity or patriotism Of Nir. Clayton,
its negotiator. and of the President and Senate
by whom it was accepted and affirmed. There
can be but little ground for apprehension that
Great Britain, with the troubles in which she il
ady involved in another quarter of the globe,
and with the countless motives which exist fer
her TO desire peace with the Uaited States. will
push so absurda pretension TO the Inevitable
consequences which mus, follow n failure 10
she professe~, a continuance of pacifc relations.
she must abandon her ground for while, in n
matter Of 80 much moment, the public sentimen,
Of this country may not demand precipitancv or
r ashness Of action. il will never submit to a sur
r ender Of the Monroe doctrine, nor confess the
folly OF having acquiesoed in a treaty SD antae
on istic to the policy of the Government and the
interests Of the confederacy,as the British inter
probation would make the one under discus
sion.
The other subject of dispute with the British
Government. referred to in the message, grow
ing out Of the attempt to enlist men for military
purposes, within the jurisdiction Of this Govern
inent, We do not regard important. There was a
period when the tone Of public feeling in this
country would have excused the British authori
ties for supposing that such an attempt would
- I--u ..lZl -. II
had its origin at that time. Finding themselves
mistaken, they promptly abandoned the enter
prise and offered the assurance that they hud no
design to transgress the municipal laws of the
United States. If any further a,onement were ne
cessary, the Government at Washington could
have satisfied itself by the dismissal of Mr..
Champion. under whose direction the wrong was
doae-and there might have been an end of the
matter. We are not informed what further de
mands have been made; but as the affair remain
unadjusted, there is reason to infer that the re
quirements Of our Government have gone he.
yond the willingness Of the British Cabinet, te
make concessions.
The next and only remaining matter of for
eign difficulty is the question of Dues demanded
by the government of Denmark, for the privilege
Of passing into or from the Baltic Sea, Thi.
toll the President considers as not justified by
any priRciple of International Law, and he ha.
therefore notified the authorities Of Denmark ri
the unwihingaess of this Government any Ion.
ger to be sabject to the exaction. He objects t,
it not so much hecaus Sc of the amount demanded
as because its payment woald be the recognition
of q right in Denmark to treat one Of the great
maritime highways as a close sea. Denmark
has indicated "a readiness to make some new ar.
rangement. but the President o'jects to the par.
ticslar plan proposed to vita convention u,