The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-12-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsiio,c Citizens Of the Senate and House of
Representatives.:

Fslio,o Citizens Of the Senate and House 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. You will not be sur
prised to learn that in the peculiar exigen-
cics of the times, our intercourse with for.
eign nations has been attended with pro.
found solicitude-chiehy turning upou our
own domestic affairs. A disloyal portion of
the American people have during the whole
year been engaged. in an attempt to divide
and destroy the Union. A nation which enc
dures factiOus domestic divisions, is exposed
to disrespect abroad, and one party or both,
is sure boner or later, to invoke foreign
Intervention.
Nations thus tempted to interfere are
not always able to resist the counsels of
seeming expediency and ungenerous ambi.
ton, although measures adopted under such
influences seldom fail to be unfortunate and
injurious to those adopting them. The dis.
loyal citizens of the United States, offered
the ruin of our country in reward for the
aid and comfort which they have invoked,
have received less patronage and encour-
agemrnt than they probably expected If it
were just to suppose, as the insurgents have
seemed to assume, that foreign nations, in
this case, disregarding all moral, social and
treaty obligations, would act solely and
selishIy for the most speedy restoration of
commerce, including especially the acquisi-
ton of cotton. Those nations appear as
yet not to have seen their way to their
object more directly or clearly through the
destruction, than through the preservation
of the Union.
If we could dare to believe that foreign
nations are actuated by no higher principle
than this, am quite sure second argu-
ment could be made to show them that they
could reach their aim more readily and
easily by aiding to crush this rebellion, than
by giving encouragement to the principal
lever relied on, by the exciting of foreign
nations to hostility against US, as already
intimated is the embarrassment of commerce.
Those nations, however, not imprObaby saw
from the first that it was the Union which
made as we'll our foreign as our domestic
commerce. They can scarcely fail to per-
ceive that the effort for disunion produces
the existing difficulty, and that one strong
nation promises more durable peace, and a
more extensive, valuable and reliable COM
merce than can the same nation broken into
hostile fragments.
1t is not my purpose to review our dis
cussions with foreign states, because what
ever might be their wishes or dispositions,
the integrity of our country, and the stabi'
lily of our government mainly depend not
upon them, but upon the loyalty, patriotism,
virtue and intelligence of the American
people. The correspondence itself, with the
usual reservations, is herewith submitted.
Iventure to hope it will appear that we
have practiced prudence and liberality to
ward foreign powers, averting causes OF
irritation, and with 6rmness, maintaining
our own rights and honor. Since, however,
it is apparent that there, as in every other
State, foreign dangers necessarily attend
domestic difficulties, recommend that ade
quate and ample measures be adopted for
maintaining the public defences on every
side, while under this general recommended
tion provision for defending our coast line,
readily occurs to the mind.
Also, in the same connection, ask the
attention of Congress to our great lakes and
rivers.
It is believed that some Notifications and
depots of arms and munitions, with harbor
and navigation improvements at well select
ed points upon these would be OF great lm'
portanee to the national defence and preser.
walton. ask attention to the views of the
Secretary of War, as expressed in his report
upon the same general subject.
deem it of Importance that the loyal
regions of East Tennessee and Western
North Carolina should be connected with
Kentucky, and other faithful parts of the
Union, by railroad. l therefore recommend
as military measure that Congress pro-
vides for the construction of such road as
speedily as possible.
Some treaties designed chiefly for the in
terests of commerce, and having no grave
political Importance, have been negotiated,
and will be submitted to the Senate for
their consideration. Although we have
failed to induce some of the commercial
powers to adopt desirable reformation for
the vigor of marine war, we have far remov,
ed all the obstacles from the way of their
humane reform, except as are merely OF
temporary and accidental occurrence.
l invite your attention to the correspond.
ence between Her Britannia Majestys Min
lister, accredited to this Government and the
Secretary of State, relative to the deteu-
ton of the British ship Perthshire, in June
last, by the United States steamer Massa-
chusetts, for a supposed breach of the
blockade. As this detention was OCCASION
ed by an obvious Misrepresentation OF the
facts, and as justice requires that we should
commit no belligerent act, not founded on
strict right, as sanctioned by public law, l
recommend that an appropriation be made
to satisfy the reasonable demand of the
owners OF this vessel for her detention.
repeat the recommendation OF my pre-
decessor, in his annual message to Congress
in December last. in regard to the DISPOSE
ton of the surplus which will probably re-
main after satisfying the claims of Ameri-
can citizens against China, pursuant to the
awards of the Commissioners, under the
act of the Sd of March, 1859.
II, however, it should not be deemed ad-
visable to carry that recommendation into
effect. would suggest that authority be