The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
To tie Honorable Senate and House Of
REPRESENTATIVES.

Representatives
In the midst of unprecedented poliu-
cal troubles, we have cause for great
gratitude To God for unusual good health
and most abundant haryests You will
not be surprised TO learn that in the pc
clliar exigencies of the times, our inter
course with foreign nations has been at
tended with profound solicilude, chiefly
turning upon our own domestic affairs.
A disloyaI portion Of the American peo-
pie have, during the whole year, been
engaged in an attempt 10 divide and de-
sroy the Union. A nation which en-
dures factious domestic divisions is ex-
posed to disrespect abroad, and one par
", or both, is sur, sooner or later, to
invoke foreign intervention. Nations thus
! tempted to interfere are not always able
TO resist the counsels OF seeming expedi-
ency and ungenelous ambition, although
measures adopted under such influences
seldom fail 10 be unfortunate and inluri-
Gus to those adopting them.
The disloyal citizens Of the T. S, who
have offered tie 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. Ii it were just
to suppose, as the insurgents have seem
ed to assume, that foreign nations in this
case, disregarding all moral, social, and
treaty obligations. would act solely and
selfishIy for the most speedy restoration
Of commerce, including especially the
acquisition of cotton, those nations APP,
pear as yet not TO have seen their way to
heir object more directly OF clearly tnro'
the destruction than through the preser-
vation Of the Union. If we could dare
TO believe that foreign Nations are actu
atet by no higher principle than this,
am quite sure sounder argument could
be made to show them that they could
reach their aim more readily and easily
by aiding 10 crush this rebellion than by
giving encouragement to it. The prin
cipal lever relied on by the rebels for ex-
citing foreign nations 10 hostility against
Us, as already intimated, is the embar
rassment of commerce. Those nations,
however, not improbably, saw from the
first that il was the Union which made as
well our foreign as our domestic COM
merce. They can scarcely fail 10 per-
ceive that the effort for disunion produc-
es the existing difficulty, and that one
strong nation promises more durable
peace aud more extensive, valuable
and reliable commerce than can the same
nation broken into hostile fragments. Ii
is not my purpose to review our discus
sions with foreign states. because wha,-
ever might be their wishes or disposi-
tons, the integrity Of our country and
the stability of our government. mainly
depends. not upon them, but upon the
loyalty, patriotism, virtue and intelli-
gence of the American people. The cor
respondence itself, with the usual reser.
vations. is herewith submitted ven
ture to hope il will appear that we have
practiced prudence and lberality towards
foreign powers, averling causes OF irri-
talion, and with firmness maintaining our
own rights and honor. Since, however,
/ il is apparent that there is, rs in every
to'hci s'ate' ioic iSH haiiSclS HcctseeTlll
attending domestic difficulties. | recon-
mend that adequate and ample measures
be adopted for maintaining the public
defence on every side. While under this
general recommendation provision for
defending our coast line readily occurs
10 the mind, also, in the same connec.
ton, ask the attention of Congress TO our
great lakes and rivers 1t is believed
that some iorlltcations and depots OF
arms and munitions. with harbor and
navigation Improvements at wcllselected
points, upon these, would be of great i'm
tance 10 The national defense and preser-
yation.
ask attention to the views of the Sec
retary OF War, expressed in his report OF
the same general subject. | deem !
most important that the loyal regions o
East Tennessee and Western North Car
iolina should be connected with Kentuck,