Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-12-05
PRESIDENT S MESSAGE


Fellop Citizens Of he Senate
and Uyase of Representatives.
In the midst OF unprecedented political
troubles, we have cause OF great gratitude
. to God for unusual good health and most
abundant harvests.
3, You will not b. surprised to learn that IN
the peculiar exigcnces OF the times, our in
stercourse with loreign nations has been at
tended with profound solictudc chiefly tu,n-
.ing.upon our own domestic aiiairs. a dis
loyal portion of the American people have.
during the whole year, been engaged IN an
attempt to divide anil destroy the Union
, A nation which endures lactions and domes.-
tic divisions, is exposed to disrespcct abroad,
and one party, OF both, Is sure, sooner or
later, to invoke foreign interruption.
Nations thus tempted to interfere are not
always able to resist the counsels OF seeming
expediency and ungencrous ambitions, al
though measures adopted under such intu-
.eaces seldom fail to be unfortunate and un-
injurious to those adopting them. The dis
loyal citizens OF. tho United States who have
offered the ruin of our country in reward for
the aid and comfort which they have invok,
ed abroad, have received less patronage and
encouragement than they expected.
If il were Just to suppose as the insurgents
have seemed to assume that foreign nations
in this case disregarded all moral, social and
treaty obligations, would act solely and sell
fshly for the most speedy restoration OF
commerce, including specially the ncqui 3ition
Of cotton, those nations appear yet not TO
have seen their way to this object Dre di-
rectly or clearly through the destruction
than through the preservation Of the Union.
If we could dare to believe that for, isn ma
tions arc actuatod by no highor p snciplos
than TINS, am quite sure sccon u'Su
ment couid oe iiade 20 SNOW '"o'n ',.Io ~ 'no1
oould reacn their ann moro LeT 10y a"n
easily, by aiding 10 crush ihis fe,,c''.oi' ''uu
~ giving gencourageinen' 70 L.ir pIino'pu'
lever relied on ny the exclting ol ,orelsn na
tons to -hostlilty against us alreuuy lh'i'''a-
ted & y tue embarrassment OF cohiihercu
ILLUSTRATIONS, however hot l'nP'I}ppaoy
saw from me hrst mat was .he o"'p"
which matte US wen % our lore'sn Us Hur Ho "
nestle commerce. ney eau sc.rcoiy 'a'' @ "
perceive that the eliortfor aisnn'on produces
the existing ulhculty' anu tn"' ono 's.o's I !
nAt'oh PROMISES n2re uurapo peaye a'iu
more extensive, valuable anu renapie eon'-
merce tnan can the same nation prohch i''o
hostile fragments >.
rs n9t my purpose 70 review our alscns.
slons with foreign StateS' pecause wpa'ovsi
might DO tnc'r WISHES OF u,spos'tons,. III.
integrity OF our country ana .ho Staol'ity o'
our government depc"i NANNY nov upon
them, put upon the ieya'y, PATRIOTISM
yirue nhu in.en.scnvs VI e"e -niIcrarai, r ; pGo M
ps. Tue coIiespoldcheo @ tSem' WIN 'hi
usual reservations y herewith submitted.
venture 20 nope u WIN appear that we nave
practiced prudence anu lpefality towards
Ioreign power aYertIns cuusos oi 'rr"a'iol'
ana Win nrhhess maintaining ourowh r'She
ana hohor' ...
olnce, however, u Is npparent tlat mere
M ~ every otner othte, lofelgn nangers nc
cesSariiy attcnu noiheSuc ahhcu,tieS, re
commend thst adequate ana ample measure
pe adopted ior MAINTAINING ,ne punhc de
iehces on every Siuc: WINE nhu"r tnl'
general Recommendation, provision Tor do
fendipe our coast lihe readily occurs TO tht
mud. 1 also, IN the same connection, ask
the attention oil Congress 10 our great lake'
..sudr rivers
Ii believed that some fortiiications ant
depots o. arMs and munitions, with harbo
and navigation improvements ut well select
cd points upon these, would bo OF great i'm
portanoe 70 the national defense and preser
vstion. l ask attention TO the views OF the
Secretary OF War, expressed IN his rcpor
upon the same general subject.
deem it OF Importance that the loyal re
gioas OF East Tennessee and Western North
Carolina should be connected with Kentucky
aud other faithful parts Of the Union by
railroad, therelore. recommend, as mil'
itary'measWe, that Congress provide for the
construction OF such road as speedily a.
possible. Kentucky will no doubt cooper.
ste, and through her Legislature make the
host judicious selection, of the line.
some existing railroad, and whether the
routs shall be from Lexington or Nicholas
vile to Cumberland Gap, or from Lebanon
70 the Tennessee line in the direction OF