Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-12-10
PRESIDENTS ESSAGE.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND
HoCsE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

In the midst of unprecedented political
troubles, we have cause Of great gratitude
to God for unusuul good health and most
abundant harvest- You will not be sur
priscd to learn that in the peculiar exi-
gencles Of the times, our intercourse with
foreign nations has been attended with
profound solicitude, chiefly tnrning upon
our own domestic affairs 4 disloval Dor
ton Of the American people have, during
the whole year been engaged in an attempt
TO divide and destroy the Union ma
tlon which endures factious domestic di-
vision is exposed 10 disrcspcct abroad and
one party or both is sure, sooner or later
20 invoke foreign Intervention Nations
thus tempted To Interfere are not always
able to resist the counsels Of seeming ex-
pediency and ungenerous ambition, al
though measures adopted under such in
fluences seldom fail to be unfortunate ami
Injurious to those adopting them The
disloyal citizens of the United States who
who have offered the ruin of our country
IN reward for the aid and comfort which
they have invoked have received less pat
ronage and encouragement than they prob
ably expected
If It We're Just to suppose as the insnr-
gents have seemed 70 assume. that forei.rn
nations in this case, disregardins sall moral
social and treaty obligations, would act
solely and selfshly for the most speedy
restoration Of commerce, inclu ling esue-
cIally the acquisition Of cotton.-those ma
tons appear as yet not to have seen their
way To their object more directly or
clearly through the destruction than
through the preservation Of thct 'nion
If we could dare to believe that foreign
nations are actuated by no higher prinei-
pie than this, ! am quite sure sound ar
gument could be made to show them that
they could reach their aim more easily Nv
aiding to crush this rebellion tlan bv civ
ing encouragement to It The principal
lever relied on for the exciting Of forei.n
nations to hostility against Us. as already
lntimated, Is embarrassment Of commerce.
These nations not improbablv saw from
the first that it was the Union which made
as Well our foreign as our domestic com
merce. They can scarcely fail to perceive
that the effort for disunion produces the
existing difficulty, and that one strong ma
ton promises Il more durable peace and
4 more extensive, valuable and reliable
commerce than can the same nation bro
ken into hostile fragments
II is not my policy to review our dis
cnssions with foreign states. because what
ever might be their wishes or dispositions
the integrity ot our Country AMI the Sta-
bllty Of our government mainly depends
not upon them, but upon the loyalty. pat
riotism, virtue and intelligence Of our
people The correspondence itself with
the usual reservations Is herewith sub
mitted
| venture to hope it Will appear that we
haze practiscl prudence AMI Iiberality to-
wards foreign powers avoiding causes Of
irritation y,-srb ti,.f.t.,-.
our own rights and honor
Since, however, It is apparent that here
a in every other state foreign dangers
necessarily attend dom site difirultieS.-
/ recommend that adequate and ample
measures he adopted Tor maintaining the
pui lie dctences on every side, while under
this general recommendation provision
for defending our coast line, readily oc-
curs 70 the mind | also in the same con
ncction, ask the attention Of Congress to
our great lakes and rivers It Is believed
that some tortitieations and dcpots oi arm,
and munitions, with harbor and uavi-;l-
ton Improvement mt wcll selected points
upon these would be of great Importance
to the national defence and preservation
| ask attention % the views of the See
retary Of War expressed III his report
upon the same general subject
deem il of Importance that the loyal
regions of East Tennessee AMI Western
North Carolina should bc connected with
Kentucky and other faithful parts Of the
Union by railroad | therefore recon
mend, a military measure, that Con
gress provide for the construction 81 such
road a. speedily as possible Kentucky
viii no doubt cooperate. and through her
Legislature, make the most iudirious Sc
#,t- -.
nus must connect with some existing rail-
road, and whether the route shall be
from Lexington or \icholasyillc to Cum
herland Gap or from Lebanon to the Ten
neSsee line in the direction Of Knoxville
or some still different line cam easily he
determined. kentucky and the General
Government cooperating, the work can
BE completed III a very short time. and
whom done, II will he not only of vast
present usefulness hut also an available
permanent Improvement and worth its
cost
Some treaties. designed chiefly for the
interests Of commerce and having no
grave political Importance. have been ne
Gotiated and viii bc submitted Is the Sen
ate for their consideration Although we
have failed 70 induce some Of the CONNER
cial powers 70 alogt "a desirable meliora-
ton for the rIgor Of maritime war We
have far removed all the obstacles from
she way Of their humane reform. except
such as are merely Of temporary ami ac-
cidcntal occurrence
invite your attention to the corrcspon-
ience between Ter Brittauic Majesty :
minister, accredited to this government,
and the Secretary of State. relative Is the
detention of the British ship Pertshirc, in
June last, by the L. : Steamer Nassachu-
setts for a supposed breach Of the block
ade As this detention was oeca~ioned
hy an obvious misapprehension of the
facts, and, ~ justice requires that We
should commit no beliigcrent act not
founded in strict right aS sanctioned hv
public law recommend that an appro-
priatlon be made to satisfy the reasonable
demands Of the owners Of the vessel for
her detention
repeat the recommendation of my pre-
dcesSor ia his annual MESSAGE to Con rreSS
n December lat. in regard to the diSro-
sl;ion at the surplus which will probably
remain after satisfying the claims of Amer
lean citizens against China. pursuant Ia
the awards of the Commissions under tbq
act Of the 81 Of March. lS54