Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-12-11
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


troubles, we have cause Of great gratitude
to God for unusual good health and most
abundant haryests.
YOU will not be esurprised TO learn, thai
in the peculiar exigencies of the times
our Intercourse with foreign nations has
been attended with profound solicitut o,
chiefly turning uron our own domestlc
affairs. A disloyal portion OF the Amerl-
can people have, during the whole year
been engaged in an attempt to divide ana
destroy the Union.
nation which endures factious do
nestle division is exposed to disrespect
.hroad. aud one party, If not both, is sure
sooner or later, to invoke foreign inter-
ysniion. Nations thus tempted to inter-
f.re are not always able to resist the coun-
sels of seeming expediency and ungener-
ous ambition, although measures adopted
nnder such influences seldom fail to be
unfortunate, and injurious to those adop
ting them.
The disloyal citizens Of the United
STATES who have offered the ruin of our
country IN return for the aid and comfort
which they have invoked abroad, have
received less patronage and encourage
ment than they probably expected. II IL
were Just to suppose, as the insurgents
have seemed to assume, that foreign ma
lions. in this case, dscarding all moral,
social and treaty obligations, would act
solely and selfshly for the most speedy
restoration OF commerce including espec
iaUy the acquisition of cotton, these ma
lions appear as yet not to have seen their
way to their object more directly or clear.
" through the destruction, than through
the preservation Of the Union.
If We could dare to believe that foreign
nations are acruated by no higher piinci-
ple than this, AN quite sure sound ar.
rument could be made TO show them that
they can reach their aim more readily
and easily by aiding TO crush this rebel
lion than lay giving encouragement to IT,
The principal lever relied on by the in
snrgents for exciting foreign nations to
hostility against US, as already intimated,
is the embarrassment OF commerce. Ihesc
nations. however, not improbably saw
from the first that it was the Union which
made as well our foreign as our domestic
commerce. fhey can scarcely have ialieu
to uegceive that the effort for disunlon
produces the existing difficulty, and that
oue strong nation promises more durable
I-sase aud q more extensive and reliable
commerce, than can the same nation bros
ken into hostile fragments. 1t 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 our
Government mainly depend not upon
them, but on the loyalty, virtue, patriot
ism and intelligence Of the American peo-
pie. -,
The correspondence itself with the us
ual reservations Is herewith submitted
venture to hope it will appear that we
have practised prudence and liberality to-
wards foreign powers, avertlng causes oi
irritation and with tirmness maintaining
our own rights and honor. Since, hoTev-
er, il is apparent that here, as in every
other State, foreign dangers necessarily
attend domestic difficulties. | recom>
mend that adequate aud ample measures
be adopted for main tanning the publlc de-
fences on every side.
While under this general recommenda'
ton provision for defending our seacoa't
line occurs to the mind.
also, in the same connection, ask the
attention Of Congress TO our great lakes
and rivers. 1t is believed that some for
tfcations and depots Of arms and muni-
tions, with harbor and navigation i'm.
proyemeuts, all at we'll selected points
upon these, would be cf great Importance
to the national defence and preservation.
ask attention to the views OF the Sec
retary of ar expressed IN his report up
on the same general subject. | deem il
of importance that the loyal regions of
East Tennessee and Western North Caro-
lima should be connected with Kentucky
and other faithful parts of the Union by
railroad, | therefore, recommend, rs a
military measure that Congress provide
for the construction of such road as speed.
ily as possible. Kentucky, no doubt, will
cooperate md, through her Legislature.
make the most judicious selection OF a
line. The Northern terminus must con-
meet with some existing railroad, and
whether IL e route shall be from Lexing'
ton or Nicholasville TO the Cumberland
Gap, or from Lebanon TO the Tennessee
line in the direction of Knoxville or on
some still different line can readily be de-
termined. Kentucky and the General
Government cooperating, the work can
be completed in very short time, and,
when done, it will be not only of vas.
present usefulness, but also valuable
permanent Improvement, with its cost, in
all the future.
Sorue treaties designed chiefly for the
interests of commerce, and having no
grave political Importance, have been ne
gotated, and will be submitted to the
Senate for their consideration.
Although we have failed to induce some
Of the commercial powers to adopt a de-
sirable melioration of the rigor of a mari.
time war, we have removed all obstruc-
tions from the way of this humane reform,
except such as are merely Of temporary
and accidental occurrence.
invite your attention to the cores
pondence between Her Britannia MWes-
tvs Minister accredited TO this Governs
ment, and the Secretary of State relative
to the detention of the British skip Parih.
shire in June last, by the United States
steamer Massachusetts,, for supposed
breach of the blockade. As this detenr
ton was oceasioned by an obvious misap-