Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-12-14
Presidents Message.

w iiS " IiiC itilStI VI tulo 1iiA poI
tant document, (although short com.
pared with many messages which have
from time to time been furnished for
the consideration of Congress,) we can
not give It entire in our columns. We
give below the more important portions,
bearing upon matters in which the pub
lie is mostly interested at the present
time:
Fezyow Citizens Of the Senate ana
House Of Representatives
In the midst Of unprecedented polit
ical troubles, we have cause Of great
gratitude to God for unusual good health
and most abundant haryests. You
will not be surprised to learn that in
The peculiar exigencies Of the times,
our intercourse with foreign nations
has been attended with profound sole,
ltHde, chiefly turning upon our own
domestic affairs. 4 disloyal portion OF
the American people have, during the
whole year, been engaged in the at
tempt to divide and destroy the Union.
4 nation which eEdures factions and
domestic divisions is exposed to disrc-
spect abroad, and one party if not both
Is sure sooner Or later to invoke foreign
intervention. Nations thus tempted to
interfere are not always able to resist
the counseIs Of seeming eXpediency
and ungcneroUs ambition; although
measures adopted under such inhuen-
ccs seldom fail to be unfortunate and
injurious to those adopting them. The
disIoyal citizers of the q. S., who have
offered the ruin Of our country in re-
turn for the aid and comfort which they
have invoked abroad, have received
less patronage and encouragement than
they probably expected. If it were
just to suppose, as the insurgents
have seemed to assume, that foreign
nations in this case, discarding all
moral, social and treaty obligations,
would act solely and selfshly for the
most speedy restoration Of commerce,
including specially the acquisition of
cotton, those nations appear as yet
not to have seen their way to their OBJ
iect more directly or clearly through
the destruction than through the pres
crvation of the Union.
If we could dare to believe that for
| eign nations are actuated by no high
er principle than this, am quite sure
a sounl argument can 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 it.. The principal lev
er relied on by tho insurgents for ex-
citing foreign nations to hostility
/ against Us, AZ already intimated, is the
embarrassment Of commerce..
Those nations, however, not inprob-
ably saw from the first that it was the
Uuion which made as we'll our foreign
as our domestic commerce. They can
scarcely fail to perceive that the effort
for disunion produces the existing diff
ticulty, and that one strong nation
promises more durable peace and a
more extensive, valuable and reliable
commerce than can the same nation
broken into hostile fragments.
1t IS not my purpose to review our
discussions with foreign nations, be
cause whatever might be their wishes
or dispositions, the integrity Of our
country and the stability Of our gov
ernment mainly depend not tupon them
but upon the loyalty, patriotism, vir
tue and intelligence Of the American
people; the correspondence itself, with
: the usual reservations, is herewith
submitted.
| venture to hope it will appear tha
we have practiced prudence and liber
ality toward foreign powers, avertins
any cause of irritation, and with firm
ness maintaining our own right anC
honor Since, however, it is apparent
that here as in every state, foreign
dangers necessarily attend domestic
difficulties, recommend that adequate
and ample measures be adopted fol
maintaining the public defenses OF
every side. While under this general
recommendation, provisions for defend
ing our coast line readily occurs to tht
mind.
I also in the same connection ask ths
!, attention Of Congress to our great lake!
and rivers. It is believed that some
Notifications and depots of arms ano
, munitions, with harbor and navigation
improvements, at we'll selected point:
: upon these would be of great impor
lance to the national defence ant
preservation.
invite your attention to the cores
pondence between her Britanic Mai
2 Festy's minister accredited to this Gov
. ernment and the Secretary of State
relative to the detention of the British
8 ship Perthshire in June last by tn.
I. S. steamer Mossochusetts for sup