The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-12-04
FsRo.o Citizens 81 be Senate az H0

to God for unusual good health and most
abundant harvests.
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 solicitude, chiefly
tnrning upon our own domestic affairs
A disloyal part of the American peo-
pie have during the whole year, been en-
gagged in an attempt to divide and destroy
the Union. A nation which endures fac
tious domestic divisions, is exposed to dis
respect abroad; and one party, or both, is
sure, sooner or later, to invoke foreign in
tervention. Nations thus tempted to in
terfere are not always able to resist eOunsels
of seeming expediency and ungenerous am
lbition, although measures adopted under
such influences seldom fail to be unfortu-
nate 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
suppose, as the insurgents have seemed to
assume, that foreign nations in this case,
disregardiDg all moral, social and treaty
obligations would act solely and sel6shly
for the most speedy restoration of COM
merce, including especially the acqui. ition
of cotton, 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 Union.
If we could dare to believe that foreign
nations are actuated by no higher principle
than this, | am quite sure a 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
iutimated in the embarrassment of COM
merce. Those nations, however, not i'm
probably 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 perceive that the effort for
dsunion produced the existing difficulty
and that one strong nation promises more
durable peace, and more extensive, valua-
bic and reliable commerce than can the
same nation, broken into hostile fragments.
1t is not my purpose to review our discus
sions with foreign States; because, what
ever might be their wishes or dispositions,
the integrity of our country and the sta
bility of our government mainly depends
not upon them, but upon tie loyalty, pat
riotism, 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
practiced prudence and liberality toward
foreign powers, averting causes of Irritation,
and with frmness maintaining our own
rights and hOnors. Since, however, it is
apparent that here, as IN every other State,
foreign dangers necessarily attend domestic
difficulties, | recommend that ample and
adequate measures be adopted for maintain
ing the public defense on every side While
under this general recommendation, pro-
visions for defending our coast line readily
occur to- the mind. | also, in the same
connection, ask the attention of Congress to
our great lakes and rivers. 1t is believed
that some Notifications and depots of arms
and munitions, with harbor and navigation
improvements at well selected points upon
these, would be of great Importance to the
national defense and preservation. ] ask
attention to the views of the Secretary oil
War, expressed in his 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 Unior
by railroad. |, therefore, recommend tina
Congress provide for the construction o
such a road as speedily as possible. Ken
lucky will, no doubt, cooperate, and
through her Legislature, make the most ju
dicious selection of the line. The northern
terminus must connect with some existing
railroad, and whether the route shall be from
Lexington or Nicholasville to Cumberland
Gap or from. Lebanon to the Tennessee line
in the direction of Knoxville, or some still
different line can easily be determined
Kentucky and the General Government CO
operating the work can be completed in
very short time, and when done, it will no
only be of vast present usefulness but ais
al available permanent Improvement wort
its cost in all the future.
Some treaties designed chiefly for th
interests of commerce and having n
grave political Importance have been nego
tiated and will be submitted to the Senat
for their consideration. Although we hav
failed to induce some of the commercis
powers to adopt desirable amelioration
the rigors of maritime war, we have fs
removed all the obstacles from the way
their humane reform, except such as are
temporary and idental,occurrence
l invite your attention to the correspond
ence of Her Brittanic Majesty's ministe
accredited 10 this government and the Secr'
tary of State, relative to the detention of II
British ship Perthshire, in June last by ii
U. s. steamer Massachusetts, for suppose
breach of the blockade. As,this detentio
was occasioned by an obvious misappr
hension of the facts, and as justice requir,
that we should commit no balligerept az
not founded in strict right as sanctioned
public law, l recommend that an apprt
priatiou be made to satisfy the reasonab
demand of the owners of the vessel for b
detention. | repeat the recommendation
my predecessor, in his annual message
Congress in December last, in regard TO Il
disposition of the surplus which will prob
bly, remain after satisfying the claims
American citizens against China, pursua
TO the awards of the Commissioners lund
the act of the 3rd of March, 1859. If ho'
ever, il should not be deemed advisable
carry that recommendation into effect,
wonld suggest that authority be given /
investing the principal over the surplus
ferred TO, in good securities, with view
the satisfaction of such other just claims
our citizens against China, as are not u
likalv tn arise hereafter in the c0nrse of n