The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-12-04
The Presidents Message.

Since your last assembling another
year of health and bountiful harvests
has passed, and while it has not pleased
the Almighty to bless as with return
of peace, we cannot but press on,
guarded by the best light he gives us,
trusting that in His own good time and
wise way, all will be well.
The correspondence touching for.
eign affairs which mas taken place du-
ring the last year, is herewith submit
ted, in virtual compliance with re-
quest to that effect, made by the House
OF Representatives near the close of the
past session of Congress. If the con-
dition Of our relations with other ma
tions is less gratifying than it has usu-
ally been at other periods 1T has GER
tainly been more satisfactory than a
nation so unhappily distracted as We
are, might have reasonably appre
beHded. ~
In the month of June last there was
some grounds to expect that the mari
time powers which at the beginning of
our domestic difficulties so unwisely
and so unsuccessfully as we think, re-
cognized the insurgents as belliger-
ent powers, would soon recede from
that position which has proved only
less injurious to themselves than to our
country, but the temporary reverses
which afterwards hefel the national
arms and which were exaggerated by
our own disloyal citizens abroad have
hitherto delayed that act of simple
justice.
The civil war which has so radically
changed for the moment the occupa-
tons and habits of the American peo-
pie, has necessarily disturbed the So
+ cial condition and affected very deeply
the prosperity of the nations with
, which we have carried on a commerce
that has been steadily increasing
throughout a period of half a century.
1t has at the same time excited politi-
cal ambitions and apprehensions which
have produced profound agitation
throughout the civilized world.
In this unusual agitation We have
forborne taking part in any controversy
between parties aud factions in any
such States. We have attempted nc
propagrandism and acknowledged nc
revolution, but we have left to every
nation the exclusive conduct and man
agement Of its own affairs. Our strug
gle has been of course contemplated
by foreign nations with reference less
to its own merits than to it's supposed
and often exaggerated effects and the
consequence resulting to those nations
themselves. Nevertheless, complaint
on the part of this government, ever
if it were just, would certainly be un
wise.
The treaty with Great Britain for tn,
suppression of the slave trade has beer
put into operation with good prospec
of complete success. 1t is an occasion
of especial pleasure to acknowedg
that the execution of it on the part o
Her Majesty's government has beer
marked with a jealous respect for thu
authorities Of the United States, ant
the rights Of their moral and loyal citi
Zens.
The convention with Hanover 70
the abolition of the State dues has bee
carried into full effect Under the act O
Congress for that purpose.
"A blockade of 5000 miles of the sc
coast could not be established and Wig
orously enforced in season of grea
commercial activity like the presen
without committing occasional mis-
takes, aud inficting Lnintentional in
juries upon the feretgn nations ant
their subjects. A civil war, oecurrIn!
in country where foreigners resid
and carry Oh trade under treaty slip
uiations, is necessarily fruitful of com
plants of the violations of neutra
rights. All such collisions tend to ex
cite misapprehensions and possibly t
produce national reclamations between
nations which have a common interes
in preserving peace and friendship.
In clear cases of these kinds l have
( so far as possible, heard and redresse'
complaints which have been preferre,
by friendly powers. There is, how
ever, large and augmenting humble
of doubtful cases upon which the Gev
eminent is unable to agree with tn
Governments whose protection is de
msnded by the claimants. There are
moreover, many cases in which TIN
United States or their citizens suffe
wrongs from naval and military author
tiles of foreign nations, which the Gov
eminent of these States are not pre-
pared to redress.
/ have proposed to some of the TO
eign States thus interested mutual col
ventions to examine and adjust sue
complaints. This proposition has bee
made especially to Great Britain, an
to France, to Spain and to Prussia. /
such case it has been kindly received
but has not yet been formally adopte,
deem it my duty to recommend a
appropriation in behalf of the owne
of the Norwegian bark Admiral p. Flo
ciens Riola, which vessel was IN Ma
1861, prevented by the commander
the blockadiRg force off Charleston
from leaving that port with carg
notwithstanding a similar privilege la
shortly before that been granted a
English vessel. / have directed tn
Secretary of State to cause the paper
in the case to be communicated to IL
proper committee.
Application have been made to N
by many free Americans of Africa
descent to favor their emigration, Wit