Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-12-11
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL
WILMINGTON, N. O., FRIDAY, DEC. Ii, 1857.
The Presidents Message.


Apart from the interest attaching the first official ut
terance of new chief magistrate the message has
claims upon cur attention due to the gravity of the sub
iects discussed therein the clear and satisfactory
ner in which they are presented and the manly and pa
triotc spirit which the President has brought to their
consideration The message as whole, will give salts
faction to the great majority Of conservative and right
thinking men in the country although perfect coin
cidence of opinion with reference to all its statements
and recommendations, is neither to be expected nor
hoped for.
After fitting acknowledgment of the blessings which
Providence has bestowed upon US as people, and a
suitable expression of thankuneS for the prosperity we
have enjoyed the President turns to consideration OF
the causes which have operated to check that prosperity
for time and to subject us to financial distress and en-
barrassment in the midst of abundant crops and remu
nerative prices for produce. 1T is apparent he
says " that existing misortunes have proceeded
solely from our exravagant and vicious system of paper
currency and bank credits exciting the people to wild
speculation and gambling in stocks To the alternate
mutations and contractons of this currency are due the
periodical revusions which sweep and, while the system
remains as it u.s. must continue to sweep over the coun
try.
Congress- in the opinion Of the President possesses
the power to pass uniform bankrupt law applicable to
all banking institutions throughout the United States
and he strongly recommends its exercise This would
make it the rreversibe organic law Of each banks exs
tence that suspension of specie payments should pro-
duce its civil death The instinct of selfpreservatlon
would then compel it to perform its duties in such
manner as to escape the penalty and preserve its life
The President reviews the progress of the negotia-
baI,o from tn
tween the United States and Grent Britain, having in
view the settlement of all open questions pertaining
to the Central American States and the nteroceanc
transit through such States These negotiations are
still open and their position is unchanged, but with
strong hopes that satisfactory arrangement may be
arrived at.
Our relations with all European governments
are ofthe most friendly character with the exception OF
Spain. Our demands for redress account of outra-
ges upon citizens are met with the objection that
Congress has made the appropriation recommend
ed by President Polk in his aenual message OF Deem
ber 1847 to be paid to the Spanish government for
the purpose of distribution among the claimants in the
Amstad case The claim of these people is believed to
be just and the appropriation is commended to the ia
vorable considerations of Congress.
A treaty has been made with Persia, and a Commits
soner has been sent out to China to cooperate in every
peaceful and honorable way, with the ENJOYS of other
nations in endeavorng to effect the negotiation of fair
commercial treaty with the Chinese Empire.
The President is wholly opposed to fibustering, as
wrong in ITSELF tending to inure trade and our
national character well as to preyentpeacefu emigra
ton from the United States to Nicaragua while it
keeps the transit route so unsafe and unsettled as to
be virtually useless
There are some difficulties with Paraguay.
In regard to Kanzas the President says that he
doubted that it the intention of Cnng"nOO +hot the
peope of Kansas should decide the question Of slavery
or no slavery for themselves did he question that the
convention to frame constitution would leave it to the
people of Kansas themselves to decide this question by
direct vote He says =" On this subject confess
had never entertained serious doubt and therefore, in
nv instructions to Governor Walker of the 28th Of
May last merely said that when constitution shall
be submitted to the people of the territory they must be
protected in their right of voting for or against
that instrument and the fair and proper expression Of
the popular will must not be interrupted by fraud or vi
oence In expressing this opinion it was far from my
intention to interfere with the decision of the people
Kansas either for Or against slavery"
The President regards the Constitutional Convention
of Kanzas as having been legally elected and fair
ly constituted. If any parties in the Territory re
fused to vote, it was their own choice and theil
own fault. He thinks that by submitting the question
of slavery slavery to the popular VOTE the spirit
and meaning of the organic law has been complied with
He recommends the admission of the State that
sttuton, with without slavery, the popular vote
may determine In any event the rights of property il
the slaves in the territory reserved they ought
to be-
The President avows his determination to put down
the Utah instruction at all hazards, and asks for fou
additional regiments.
He thinks it possible that loan may be necessary
and asks for authority to issue Treasury notes. Recon-
mends the building of ten steamers of light draught
Favours the policy of extending aid in every Constitu
tional way to the construction of Pacific Railroad