The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1861-12-12
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON. Dec, 8

| " representatives.
In the midst of unprecedented politi.
cal troubles, VIC have cause of great graf.
itude to God for unusual good health,
and MOS: abundant harvests.
You will not be surprised to learn that
in the peculiar cxigencies Of the times,
our intercourse with foreign nations has
been attended with profound solicisude,
chiefly turning upon our own domestic
affairs.
A disloyal portion Of the American
people have, during the whole year, been
engaged in an attempt to divide and des.
troy the Union. A nation which endures
factious domestic divisions, is exposed
to disrcspect abroad, and one party or
both, is sure, sooner or later, to invoke
foreign Intervention. Nations thus temp.
ted to interfere are not always able to re-
sist the counscls of seeming cxpedicucy
aud ungenerous ambition, although meas.
ures adopted under such influences sci.
dom 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 com.
fort which they have invoked abroad,
have received less patronage and encour-
agement than they probably expected
Ii it were just to suppose, as the insur-
gents have seemed to assume, that for.
c'gn nations in this case, disregsrding
oil moral, social and treaty obligations,
would act solely aud sel6shly for the
most speedy restoration of commerce,
including specially the acquisition Of
cotton, those nations appear as yet not
to have seen their way to their object
more directly or clearly through the des-
truction than through the preservation
of the Union. If we could dare to be-
lieve that foreign nations are actuated
by no higher principle than this, am
quite sure that u second argument could
be made to show them that they could
reach their own ends more readily and
easily by assisting 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 intimatcd, in the embarrass-
ment of commerce. Those naiious, how
ever, not improbably saw from the first
that it was the Union which made as well
our foreign Us our domestic commerce.
They scarcely can fail to perceive that
the effort for disunion produces the ex-
listing difficulty and that one strong ma
ton promises more durable peace, and
more extensive, valuable aud reliable
commerce than can INC same nation bro
ken into hostile fragments.
1t is not my purpose to review our
discussions with foreign States, because,
whatever might be their wishes or dispo
sitions, the integrity Of our country, and
the safety Of our government mainly de-
pends, not upon them, but upon the 10y,
atty, patriotism, virtue and intellig gence
of the American people. The CORES.
pondcnce, itself, with the usual reserva-
,;ons, is herewith submitted
venture to hope that it will appear
that we have practiced prudence and lib.
crafty towards foreign powers, avoiding
causes of irritation and with firmncss
maintaining our own rights aud honor.
Since, however, it is apparent that here,
as in every State, forei On dangers ncces
sarily attend domestic difficulties, | rec
ommcnd that adequate and ample meas
urcs be adopted for maintaining tie pub
lie defcnces Oh every side, while under
this general recommendation provision
for defending our coast line readily oc-
ours to mind | also, in the same con-
nection, ask the attention of Congress to
our great lakes and rivers. 1t is believed
that some fort;fications ard depots of
arms and munitions, with harbor and
points upon these, would be of great i'm.
portance to the national defence and pres
ervatiop. l ask attention to the views
Of the Secretary of War expressed in his
report upon the same general subject.
deem it of Importance that the loyal
regions of Eastern Tennessee and Wcs-
tern North Carolina should be connected
with Kentucky and other faithful parts of
the Union by railroad. l therefore rec
ommend, as military measure, that Con
gress provide for the construction of such
a road as speedily as possible. Kentucky
will, no doubt, cooperate aud through
her Legislature make the most judicious
selection of the line. The northern ter
minus must connect with some existing
railroad, and whether the route shall be
from Lexington or Nicholasville to Cum
berland Gap, or from Lebanon to the Ten
nessee line 10 the direction Of Knoxville,
or some still different line, can easily be
determined. Kentucky aud the general
Government CO operating, the work can
be completed in very short time, and
when done it will not only be of vast
present usefulness, but also an available,
permanent 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 ne,
eotiated, and will be submitted to the
Senate for their consideration. Although
we have failed to induce some Of the
commercial powers TO adopt a desirable
amelioration for the rigor of maratimc
law, we have nearly removed all the Oh.
stacles from the way of this humane re-
form, except such as are merely Temporal
ry and accidental occurrences.
l invite your attention to the CORES,
pondence between her Britanic Majesty s
Minister accredited to this Government,
and the Secretary of State, relative to
the detention Of the British ship Perth.
shire, in June last, by the U. S. steamer