Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-12-03
LATEST BY YTELEGRAPH
: NOON DISPATCHES.
President's Message.

FeIlotc citizens Of the Senate and House of
RepresentdtiUes: In the midst Of unprece-
dented political troubles we have cause OF
great IRJatitude TO God for unusual good |
health and most abundant harvests. You
will not be surprised to learn that in the pc
culiar eXigehcies OF the times our intercourse |
with foreign nations has been attended with |
profound solicitude, chiefly turning upon |
our domestic affairs.
A dsloyal portion of the American people |
have, during the whole year, been engaged |
in an attempt to divide and destroy the
Union. A nation which endures factions
and domestic institutions is exposed to dis
respect abroad, and one party, or both, is |
sure, sooner or later, to invoke foreign inter- |
vention. Nations thus tempted to interfere
| are not always able to resist the counsels of
seeming expediency and ungsnerous ambi-
ton, although measures adopted under such
influences seldom fail to be unfortunate
and injurious to those adopting them.
The disloyal citizens of the United States
| who have offered the ruin of our country in
reward 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 sup
pose, as the insurgents have seemed to as
sumo, that foreign nations, in this case dis.
regarding all moral, social and treaty obli-
cations, would act solely aud selishly for
the most speedy restoration Of commerce,
| those nations appear yet not to have seen
their way to their object more directly or
clearly through the destruction than through
the preservation of the nion.
If we could dare to believe that foreign
nations are actuated by no higher principle
than this, am quite sure a second argument
could be made to show them that they could
reach their aim more readily aud easily By
aiding to crush this rebellion than by giving
encouragement to the principal lever relied
on by the exciting of foreign nations to hos
tility against US, as already intimated, is the
embarrassment ofcommerce. Those nations
however, not improbably, saw from the first
that it was the Union which made as well
our foreign as our domestic commerce.
They can scarcely fail to perceive that the
effort for disunion produces the existing
difficulty, and that one strong nation prom
ises more durable peace, and more extern
sive, valuable and reliable cammerce than
can the same nation broken into hostile frag-
ments.
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 depends, 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.
: venture to hope it will appear that we have
y practiced prudence and lberality to ward
> foreign powers, averting causes of irritation,
: and with tirmness maintaining our own
> rights and honor. Since, however, it is ap.
! parent that here, as in every other State for
: eign dangers necessarily attend domestic
difficulties, | recommend that adequate and
ample measures be adopted for maintaining
the pablo defenses on every side, while un-
u der this general recommendation provision
y for defending our coast-line readily occurs
y to the mind.
also, in the same connection, ask the at.
, tention of Congress to our great lakes and
u rivers. 1t is believed that some Notifications
u and depots OF arms and munitions, with har.
q Dor and navigation improvements, at wei
u u selected points upon these, would be of grea
70 importance to the national defense anC
> preservation. l ask attention to the vie W!
i Of the Secretary of War, expressed in hi
u report, upon the same general subject.
| deem it Of importance that the loyal re-
gions of East Tennessee and Western NORTH
& Carolina should be connected with Ken.
: lucky, and other faithful parts of the Union
Is Is by railroad. |, therefore, recommend, as
u ~ military measure, that Congress provide fo
y the construction of such a road as speedil,
y as possible. Kentucky will no doubt CO. op
= crate, and through her Legislature, make tn
most judiciou5 sele of the line. Th
Northern terminus must connect with SOM
a existing railroad, and whether the route shal
81 be from Lexington or Nicholasvile to Cum
~ beIland Gap, or from Lebanon to the Ten
y nessee line in the direction Of Knoxville, O.
S' some still different line, can easily be deter
mined.
~ Kentucky and the General Governmen
i co operating, the work can be completed il
"a very short time, and when done it will no
n only be of vast present usefulness but ais
an available permanent Improvement wort
its cost in all the future.
lY Some treaties, designed chiefly for the in
n teTests of commerce, and having no gray
n political Importance, have been negotiated
IN and will be submitted to the Senate for thei
consideration. Although we have failed t
induce some of the commercial powers I
adopt desirable meioration for the rigo
of maritime war, we have far removed al
DR. the obstacles from the way of their human
a. reform, except such as are merely of tempo
he rary and accidental occurrence.
lg l invite your attention TO the correspor
of dence between Her Brittanic Msjestys Mir
ed lister, accredited to this Government, and tt
)l- Secretary of State, relative to the detentio
Ve of the British ship PerthShire, in June las
o. by the United States steamer MaSsachusett
ill for a supposed breach of the blockade. A
be this detention was occasioned by an obviot
misapprehension of the facts, and as iustiC
M; requires that we should commit no bellige
~ ent act not founded in strict right, as sant
n. toned by public laws, l recommend that a
20 appropriation be made to satisfy the reason
a. able demand of the owners of the vessel f
her detention.
repeat the recommendation of my pr
- decessor, in his annual message to Congre
he in December last, in regard to the dispo;
at ton of the surplus which will probably +
ia, main after satisfying the claims of Amer
rt- can citizens against China, pursuant to d
ler awards of the Commissioners under the O
of the Sd of March, 1859.
SUI II, however, it should not be deemed a
OIL visabe to carry that recommendation in
It's effect, would suggest that authority
he given for investing the principal over Il
MT surplus referred to in good securities, with
vs. view to the satisfaction of such other ju
i'm claim of our citizens against China as are n
mt unlikely to arise hereafter in the course
ate our extensive trade with that Empire.
MS By the act of the 9th of August last, Co
ler. gress authorized the President to instruct t
70. commanders Of suitable vessels to defe
ch- themselves against and to capture pirat
the This authority has been exercised in a sinl
ro- instance only,
to- For the more effectual protection of @
re- extensive and valuable commerce in
all Eastern seas, especially, it seems to me Il
ce- it would also be advisable to authorize
to commanders of sailing vessels to recaptu
any prizes which pirates may make of U ali
-, States vessels and their cargoes, and I
tne Consular Courts established by law in Ea
egl- ern countries to adjudicate the cases, in
5Ld- orant fhat fhia ahOuld mt ha Ohiactad IN