The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-12-04
Presidents Message.


In the midst of unprecedented political
troubles, We have cause OF great graft
tnde 10 God for universal good health
aud most abundant harvests.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.
lou will not be surprised to learn that,
IN the peculiar exigeneies Of the times,
our intercourse with foreign nations has
been attended with profound solicitude,
chiefly turning upon our own domestic af-
fairs. A disloyal portion of the Ameri-
can people have, during the whole year,
been engaged IN an attempt to divide aud
destroy the nation. A nation which en-
dures factions domestic divisions is ey-
posed TO disresrect abroad. and one par
" on both is sure sooner or later to In
vte foreign intervention Nations thus
tempted to intervene, are not always able
70 resist the counscls Of seeming expedi
ency and nngenerous ambition, although
measures adopted under such influences
sellom tail 10 be unfortunate and iniuri-
Gus To these adopting them. The disloy-
al citizens If the nited States, who have
offered the ruin of our country In reward
for the aid and comfort which they have
invoked abroad. have received less patron
aye and encouragement than they proba-
bly, expected Ii it were just to suppose,
as the insurgents have seemed to assume,
that foreign nations, in this case disre-
gardlng all moral, social and treaty obli-
cations, would act solely and selfshly for
tie most speedy restoration Of commerce,
including specially the acquisition of cot
ron, 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. Ii we could dare TO believe that
foreign nations are actuatcd by no higher
principles than these, am quite sure a
sound argument could he made to show
them that they could reach their aim more
readily and easily by aiding to crush this
rebellion, than by giving il encourage
ment The principal lever relied on
for exciting foreign nations TO hostility
agalnst us, as already lntimatcd, is the
harrssment Of commerce These nations,
however, not iaiprobably saw from the
first that it wss the Union which made as
we! our foreign as car domestic COM
ineree. They can scarcely fail to perceive
that the effort Ter disunion produces tie
existing difficulty, and that one strong
nation promises more durable peace, and
more extensive, valuable aud reliable
commerce, than can the same nation,
broken into hostile fragments
PUBLIC bEFESCE.
III Is not my purpose to review our dis
cussons with foreigr States, because what
ever might b. their wishes or dispositions
the int gritty Of our country and the sta
bility Of our Government mainly depend
not upon them, but upon the loyalty. pat
r.otlsm. virtue and intelligence Of the
American people. The correspondence
itself with the usual reservations il here.
with submitted. | venture to hope thai
it will appear that We have practiecd prn.
dcnce and iberality toward foreign pow
ers. arresting causes Of irritation ant
with hrnness maintaining our own right
and honor. Since, however. ii is appa
rent that here, as in every other State. for
elgn dangers necessarily attend domestic
difficulties, | recommend that adoduat.
and ample measures be adopted for main
tanning the public defenees ON every side
While under this recommendation pro
vision for defending our coast line readii
occurs 10 the mind, | also In the sam
connection ask the attention of Congress
TO our great Lakes and Rivers. /, j. l,e
lieved that some Notifications and depot
u arms and munitions. with harbor IN,
naylealios, Improvements At well seleele,
points uponNhese, would lie of great inn
portance 10 the national defence and pre-
.ervatinn. ask attention to the view 0
the Sec ) q War, expressed IL his report
upon the same general subject.
GOVERNMENT Must Build A RAILRoAp
| deem il Vi In poriance that he low
regions OF East Tennessee and Nester
North Carolina should b. connected wit
Kentucky and other faithful parts OF til
Union by railroad. | therefore recon
mend as a military measure that Cougres
provldes for the construction cf such
road a. speedily H. possible. kentuck
Will no doubt Cooperate, and through he
LsEisihlaFe make The most lndlcious SC
lection Of the line The northern termi
Iias 49, egs....ect with SINE existine rail
road, aud whether.4he route shall be fro.
Lexington or Nlchoisonsille 10 Cumber
land Gap. or from Lebanon TO tn Tenn
line III the direction of kuoxyllr, D
some still different line can easily be dc
teriniaeK Kentucky and the Genera
Government cooperating, the work ca
be completed in very short time, an
when done il viii be not only Of Va.
present usefulness, but also al ayailahJ
permanent improvement, worth its cost i
MI the future.
COMMERCIAL TREATIES.
Some treaties designed chiefly for til
interests Of commerce and having no gray
political importance, have been neg otIate
anJ mill Ia s,n bsafttal go .t,a c.. G.