Nebraska advertiser., 1862-12-13
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
SecOud Session of the ThirtV-SeVenth
Congress, December Ist, 1862.
Fe1olD Citizens Of the Senate and
House Of Representatives.:

Since your last assembling another
year of health and bountiful harvest ha:
passed, and while it has not pleased the
Almighty to bless US with a return o.
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.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS.
The correspondence touching foreign
affairs which has taken place during the
last year, is herewith submitted, in vir.
tual compliance with request to thai
effect, made by the House of Representa-
tives near the close of the past session Of
Congress. IF the condition of our rela-
tiOns with other nations is less gratifying
than it has usually been at other periods
it has certainly been more satisfactory
than nation so unhappily distracted as
we are, might have reasonably appre-
hended.
In the month of June last there were
some grounds to expect that the maratime
powers which at the beginning of our
domestic difficulties so unwiseIy and so
unsuccessfully as we think, recognized
the insurgents as a beligerent power,
would soon recede from that position
which has proved only less injurious to
themselves than TO our own country, but
the temporary reveTSes which afterwards
befel the national arms and which were
exaggerated by our own disloyal citizens
abroad, have hitherto delayed that act of
simple injustice.
The civil war which has SO radically
changed for the moment the occupations
and habits of the American people, has
necessarily disturbed the social condition
and affected very deeply the prosperity
of the Iations with which we have car
ried OH a commerce that has been stead
lily increasing throughout the period of
half a century. II has at the same time
excited political ambitions and apprehen-
siOns, which have produced a profound
agitation throughout the civilized world.
In this unusual agitation we have for
borne taking part in any controversy be-
tween parties and factions In any such
States. We have attempted no propa-
gandiSm and acknowledged no revolution,
but we have left to every nation the ex-
elusive conduct and management of It's
own affairs. Our struggle has beer Of
course contemplated by fol eign nations
with reference less to its own merits than
to its supposed and often exaggerated
effects and the consequences resulting to
those nations themselves. Nevertheless,
complaint on the part of this Government,
even if if it were Just, would certainly be
unwise.
SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE TRADE.
The treaty with Great Britain for the
suppression of the slave trade has been
put into operation with good prospect of
complete success. 1t is an occasion of
especial pleasure to acknowledge that the
execution of it on the part of Her Ma
jesty's government has been marked with
a jealous respect for the authorities of the
United States, and the rights of their
moral and loyal citizens.
The convention with Hanover for the
abolition of the State dues has been car
ried into full effect, under the act of
Congress for that purposn.
THE COAST BLOCKADE.
A blockade of 5000 miles of seacoast
could not be established and vigorously
enforced in a season of great commercial
activity like the present without commit
Gng occasional mistakes, and inhicting
unintentional injuries upon foreign ma
tions and their subjects. A civil war,
occurring in country where foreigners
reside and carry on a trade under treaty
stipulations, is necessarily fruitful of
complaints of the violations of neutral
rights All such collisions tend to ex-
cite misapprehensions and possibly to pro-
duce national reclamatiOns betwe en- ma
tions which have a common interest in
preserving peace and friendship.
In clear cases of these kinds | have,
so far as possible, heard and redressed
complaints which have been preferred by
friendly powers. There is, however, a
large and augmenting number of doubt
full cases upon which the government is
unable to agree with the government
whose protection is demanded by the
claimants. There are, moreover, many
cases in which the United States or their
citizens suffer wrongs from naval or mil
itary authorities of foreign nations, which
the government of these States are not
prepared to redress.
AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION.
have proposed TO some of the foreign
States thus interested mutual convention:
to examine and adjust such Complaints
This propositihn has been made especially
to Great Britain, TO France, to Spair
and to Prussia, In each case /. has beer
kindly received, but has not yet beer
formally adopted
THE CASE OF NORWEGIAN BARK.
l deem it my duty to recommend al
appropriation in behalf of the owners O
the Norwegian bark, Admira P. FCrcien
Riola, which vessel was In May, 1861
prevented by the commander of the block
aiding force off Charleston from laavin!
that port with cargo, Notwithstanding
similar privilege had shortly before beel
granted 10 an English vessel. have di
rected the Secretary of State to cause tn
papers in the case TO be communicated t
the proper committee.
AFRICAN EMIGRATION.
Applications have been made to me b