Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-12-07
Presidents Message.
FslloO citizens Of tie Senate and House
cf Representatives -

fett0U c2tJzenS y We SENATE ana lfot5e
cf Representatives -
In the midst of unprecedented political
troubles we have cause of great gratitude
to God, for unusual good health and most
abundant harvests You will not be sur.
priscd to learn that, in the peculiar exi.
gencies Of the times, our intercourse with
foreign nations has been attended with
profound solicitude, chiefly turning upon
our own domestic affairs. A disloyal por-
ton Of the American people have, during
the whole year, been engaged in an at.
tempt to divide and destroy the Union.
A nation which endures factious domes-
tic division is exposed to disrcspect abroad
and one party, # moi both, is sure sooner
or later to invite foreign Intervention. -
| Nations thus tempted to Interfere, are not
always able to resist the counscls Of SEEM
! ing eypedicncy and ungcnerous ambition,
alth ough measures adopted under such in
huences se.dom fail to be unfortunate and
injurious to those adopting them.
/ The disloyal citizens of the United States,
who bavc offered the ruin Of our country
| in return for the aid and comfort which
| they have invoked abroad, have received
less patronage aud encouragement than
they probably expected. Ii it we're just
to suppose, as the insurgents have seemed
to assume, that foreign nstions, in this
ease, disoarding all moral, social and
treaty obligations, would act solely and
selfshiy for the most speedy restoration
of commerce, especially the acquisition of
cotton, those nations Ippear as yet not to
have seen their way - their object more
directly or clearly through the destruction
than through the preservation OF the
! Union.
I IF we could dare to believe that foreign
nations arc actuatcd by no higher princi-
pie than this, [ am qui,c sure sound
argument could be made to show them
that they can reach their aim more readily
and easily by aiding to crush this rebel
lion, than by giving encouragement to it.
The principal lever relied on by the insur
gents for exciting foreign nations to hts-
tility against us, as already intimated is
the embarrassment of commerce Those
nations, however, not improbably saw
from the first, that it was the Union which
made as well our foreign as our domestic
commerce. hey can scarcely have fail
ed to perceive that the effort for disunion
produces the existing difficulty, and that
one strong nation promises more durable
peace and more extensive and reliable COM
merce, than can the same nation broken into
hostile fragments, Il is not my purpose
to review our discussions with foreign
States, because, whatever might be their
wishes or dispositions, the integrity of our
country, and the stability of cur Govern
ment, mainly depended not upon them,
but on the loyalty, virtue, patriotism and
intelligence of the American people.
The correspondence itself, with the
usual reservations, is herewith submitted.
l venture to hope it will appear that we
have practised prudence and liborality
towards foreign Powers, Qyerting causes
of irritation, and with frmness maintain.
ing our own rights and honor, Since,
however, it is apparent that here, as in
every other State, foreign dangers neces-
sarily attend domestic difficulties, reco-
mend that adequate and ample measures
he adopted for maintaining the public dc
Senses on every side, While under this
general recommendation provisions for de.
Tending our sea.coast inc occur to the
mind, also, in the same come ction, u. k
the attention Of Congress to cur great
lakes and rivers.
Il is belicced that some fortifeations
and depots OF arms and munitions, with
harbor and navigation improvements, all
at well selected points upon these, would
be of great Importance to the national de.
fence and preservation
T ask attention to the views Of the Sec,
retary of War, expressed iu his report
upon he same general suUieo5. / deem i
Of Importance that the loyal regions o
East Tennessee and Western North Caro-
lima should be connected with Kentucky
and cher tr:thful parts Of the Union BY
rail- pad
therefore recommend, as military
measure, that Congress provide for tn,
construction Of such road as speedily Al
possible Kentucky, no doubt will co
operate and, through her Legislature
make the most ludiclouS selection OF {
line The northern terminus must con
meet with some existing railroad, ant
whether the route shall be from Lexingto,
OF Nicholnsvilie to the Cumberland Gap
or from Lebanon TO the Tennessee line, il
the direction of Knoxville, or on some
still different plan, different line cat
readily be determined Kentucky ana
tte General Government co operating III
work can be comp etod in very shor
time, and, when done, it Will be not onll
of vast present usefulness, but, also
valuable permanent Improvement, vert
It's cost in all the future.
Some treaties, designed chiefly for tn
interests Of commerce, aud having II
grave political importance, have been nc
gotiated, and will be submitted to th
Senate for their consideration.
Although we have failed to Undue
some of the commercial powers to adopt