Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-12-10
PRESIDENTS ANNUAL
MESSAGE.

rs'}Pr Citizens ofthe Senate and House o,
RIFesentdtires
4n the midst of unprecedented poIitical
trcebles.we have cause Of great gratitude n
Un1 Tor unusual good health and mos,
aMndant harvests.
4pn VIII not be surprised TO learn that
n fbe peculiar exigencies of the times an,
fc-rcourse with foreign nations has heen
atHnded with profound solitude. chiefy
suihg upon our own domestic affairs. A
loyal portion of the American people
nafe' during the whole year, been engaged
attempt to divide aud destroy the
oeion. a nation which endures factirus
u9nnestic divisions is exposed to disrespec,
a4oad, and one party or both is sure. soon
=! later, to invoke foreign intervention
rtt'ens thus tempted to interfere are 10,
3 Always able to resist the counsels Of SEEM
inH expediency and uuger ercns ambition,
n7nepgh measures adopted under such in
nfenees seldom fail 10 be unfortunate and
iptls to those adopting them. The
disldyaI citizens OF the United States, who
have offered the ruin Of our country in re-
ward for the aid and comfort which thew
have invoked abroad, have received less
patronage and encouragement than thew
probably expected. If it were just TO sup
pose. a. the insurgents have seemed TO as
sumo, that foreign nations in that case. dis
regarding all moral, social and treaty. obi
cations, would act solely and selfishly for
the most speedy restoration of commerce,
including specially the acquisitation of cot.
ton, these nations appear MS vet not 10 have
seen their way to their object more direct
ly or clearly through the destruction than
through the preservation of the Union. II
We could dare to believe that FOREIGN ma.
lions are actusted by no higher principle
than this. am quite sure q 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 it. The
principal lever relied on for the exciting nj
foreign nations to hostility against us. as
already lDtlmated, is the embarrassment of
commerce. Those nations, however. no,
improbab:y saw from the first that il was
the Union which made as well orr fnre;un
as our domestic commerce. Thew can
scarcely fail to perceive that the effort for
disunion produce the existing difficulty, and
that one strong nation promises a more du.
rabie peace and more extensive, yalua>
bic, and reliable commerce 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 stabil.
ity OF our government mainly depend not
upon them, but upon the loyalty, patriot
ism. virtue, and intelligence of the Ameri:
can people.
The correspondence itself, with the us
ual reservations. is herewith submitted
venture to hope it will appear that we have
p'acticed prudence and liheralry towards
foreign powers. averting causes of irrita-
ton, and with frmness maintaining our
own rights and honor. Since, however. it
Is apparent that here, as in every other
State, foreign dangers necessarily attend
domestic difficulties, | recommend that nd
equate and ample means be adopted for
maintaining the public defences on every
side. While, under this general recon-
incubation, d.ovisiou for defending our
line readily occurs to the mind. 1 also. in
ne sau.ecoDuectiou, aek the attention Of
Congress to our great lakes and rivers. 1t
Is believed that some fcrtifcatiOns and de-
pots OF arms and munitions, with harbor
and navigation improvements, at well selec
ted points upon these, would be of great
Importance to the nat onal defence and
preservation. | ask attention to the views
o. the Secretary OF War, expressed in his
report, upon the same general subject
deem II OF Importance that the lnyal
regions of East Tennessee and Western
North Cal oil ma should he connected with
kentucky and other faithful parts of the
Union by railroad. therefore recommend.
% q mil tl,oA ~
for the construction of such road as
possible. Kentucky will no doubt co-opA
crate, and, through her Legislature. make
the most JudIcIOus selection of the line -
The northern terminus must connect with
some existing railroad and whether the
route shall be from Lexington or Nichtla
vile to Cumberland Gap, or from Lebanon
tn the Tennessee line in the direction of
Knoxville, or still different line, can easiIv
he determined. Kentucky and the gener>
al government cooperating, the work can
be completed In a very short time, and,
when done, 1t will be not only of vast pres
eDt usefulness. but also an available her,
manent Improvement, worth its cost in all
the future.
Some treaties, designed chiefly for the
interests 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
oil the commercial powers to adopt desira
BILE meiioration for the rigors of maritime
war, we have far removed ali the obstacles
from the way of their humane reform. exs
cept such as are merely of temporary and
accidental occurrence.
Invite your attention to the correspon.
deBce between her Britannia Maiesty's
Minister accredited to this government. and
the Secretary Of State. relative to the de-
teDtiop Of the British ship Perthsbjre. in
June last, by the United States Steamer
Massachusetts, for supposed breach Of the
blockade. As this detention was occasion
ed by an obvious misapprehensiou of the
facts, aud as justice requires that we should
commit no beliigerent act not found in strict
right as sanctioned by public law, recom-
mend that an appropriation be made to
satisfy the reasonable demand of the own
ers OF the vessel for her detention.
repeat the recommendation of nv pre-.
oecessor, IN his annual message to Congress
10 December last, 10 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
awarde of the Commissioners under the act
OF the Sd of March, 1859. If, however, it
should not be deemed advisable to carry
that recommendation into effect, would
suggest that authority be given for investing
the principal over the surplus referred to
IN good securities, with view to the salts
faction Of such other just claims of our
citizens against China as are not UNLIKELY
to arise hereafter in the course Of our ex,
tensive trade with that Empire
BY the act of the 9Th Of August last,
ongress authorized the President to in
struct the commanders of suitable vessels to
defend themselves against and to capture
pirates. This authority has been exercised
IN single sEssance only For the more
eheetual protection of our extensive and
valuable commerce, in the eastern seas es-
peciaily,it seems to me that il would also be
advisable to authorize the commanders of