Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1861-12-12
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Tu NE
TRTY-SNEENTU CONGRESS.

E5'ou Cth.(ns IF The Scnate end Housc Of
Representatives,:
In the mids OF unprecedented political troub-
hcs We have great cause Of gratitude 10 God for
unusual good health and most abundant har-
vests You will not he surprised to learn that
in the peculiar eXigcucIcS Of the time our inter
course with foreign nations has been attended
with profound soliciudo chiefly turning upon
our own domestic affairs.
\ dirloya portion of the American pc pie
have during the whole year, hcen engaged in
an attempt to divide and destroy the Union. A
nation which endurcs faction and domestic diyls-
ions, is exposed to dsrespcct abroad, and one
party if not BOTH is sure, sooner OF latcr, to
invoke foreign Intervention,
Nations thus tempted to interfere arc not al
ways able to resist the counselS Of seeming en-
pcdcucy and uuscncr0us ambition, 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 run Of our country in re.
turn for the aid and comfort which they have
invoked abroad, have received less patronage
and encouragement than they profanity expect
ed II it were Just TO suppose, As the Insurgents
have seemed to assume, that foreign nations, in
this ca,e, discardiug all moral, social and treaty
obligations would act solely aud sctshly for
the most speedy restoration Of commerce, inc lud-
ing especially the acqi,ition Of cotton those ma
tions apscar as yet no. 90 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 prln-
ciplcs than this, | am quite surc a second ar
gument cou,d be made to show them that they
can reach their aim more readily and easily by
aiding to crush tkis rebellion than by giving
encouragement to it. The principal lever re-
lied upon by the nserg'nta for exciting foreign
nations to hostility against us, as already init
mated is the embarrassment of commerce.
Thos, nations however it is not improbable,
saw from the FIRST that it was the Union which
made as well our foreign as our domestic com.
mercc. They car scarcely have failed to per-
cove that the effort for disunon produces tho
existing difficulty, and that one strong nation
promises more durable peace and more exten.
sive and reliable commerce than can the same
nation broken int hostile fragments. 1t is not
my purpose to review our discussions with for
cign States, because whatever might be their
wishes or dispositions the integrity of our
country and the stability of our Government
depends not upon them, but upon tho loyalty,
virtue, patriotism and intelligence of the peo-
pie. The correspondence itself, with the usual
reservation, is herewith transmitted. vcnter
to hope it will appear Tat we have practiced
prudence and liocr4IiDy towards foreign powers
avering causes of irritation and with frmness
maintaining our rights and honor
Since, however, it is apparent that here, as
in other States. foreign dangers necessarily at
tend domestic dfficultics | recommend that ad.
cquate and ample measures be adopted f1r
maintaining the public defence on every side
while under this general recommendation pro.
vision for defending our coast line readily oc.
ours to the mind
also, in the same connection, ask the aten
tion of Congress 10 our great lakes and rivers
1t is believed that some Qualifications, with bar
Dor and navigation improvements, at wcjl-sc
cctod points, upon these, would be Of great i'm
portancc to the national defence aud preselya