The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
FRLLow CITIZENS OF the SEyATs,

Il
FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SEyATR,
AND House. OF REPRESENTATIVES
Since your last assembling another year
OF health and bountiful harvests has passed
and while 1t has not pleased the Almighty
t" bless us with return of peace, we can
not but press on, guarded by the best light
lie gives US, trusting that in His own good
time and wise way, all will be well.
The correspondence touching foreign af-
fairs wi ich has taking place during the last
yea, is he:ew tn submitted, in virtual com
plancs with request to that effect, made
by the House of Representatives rear the
c'o.e of the past session Of Congress II
Il conditions of our relations with other
nations is less gratifying than it has usual
~ b.en at other periods, il has certainly
been more satisfactory than a nation so un-
happily distracted as we are, might have
reasonably apprehended.
In the month of June last there we're
,eme gr' unds TO expect that the marati,ne
powers, which at the beginning of our do
rnes'ic 1i&culties, SO Enuisely and so un-
successfully a we think, recognized the in.
surgents Is bclligerent power would soon
rscede from that position which has proved
ly less injurious to themselves than to our
'wn country; but temporary reverses, which
afterwards befel the national arms, and
which were exaggerated by our own dis
loyal citizens abroad, have hitherto delayed
that act Of simple justice.
The civil war which has 80 radically
changed for the moment the occupations
and habits # the American people, has ne
cessarily disturbed the social condition and
affected very deeply the prosperity of the
nations with which we have carried com.
merce that has been steadily increasing
throughout period Of half a century. 1t
has at the SAINT time excited political ambi-
tons and apprehensions, which have pro.
duced profound agitation throughout the
civilized world.
In this unusual agitation we Rave forborne
taking part in any controversy between par.
ties and factions in any such States. We
have attempted no propsgandism and &C.
Inos lcdg'd no revolution, but we have left
tn every nat on the exclusive conduct and
,nannge ment Of its own affairs. Our strug
sic has been, Of course, contemplated BY
foreign nations with reference less to its owr
merits than to its supposed and often exag
gerated effects, and the consequences result
ing to those nations themselves Nevarthe
less, complaint ON the part Of this Govern
ment, even if it were just, would certainly
be unwise ... ..
The treaty with great Britain for the sup
preston of the slave trade has been nut in
to operation with good prospect of com
piete success. 1t is an occasion Of special
pleasure to acknowledge that The execution
OF it on the part Of Her MJesty's Govern.
rnent has been marked with a Jealous res.
ha nth 80 c.
aud the rights of their moral and loyal citi.
LenS. ..-r. r-s... .s..r... ..r,... ',..--,. d.
The convention with Hanover for the alb
clifton Of the State dues has been carried in
- TO fuli effect under the act Of Congress for
that purpose - .gs : Ea rs.
A blockade of 5000 miles of sea coast
could not be established and vigorously en-
forced in season of great commercial activ-
ity like the present without committing oc-
casional mistakes, and inflicting uninten-
slonal injuries upon foreign nations and
their subjects. A civil war, occurring in a
country where foreigners reside and carry
on a trade under treaty stipulations, is ne
cessary fruitful of complaints of the viola.
'ioas of neutral rights. All such collisions
tend to excite mlsapprehensions and posi-
bly, to produce notional recIamations be
tween nations which have common inter
est in preserving peace snd friendship.
In clear cases of these kinds have, 80 IN,
As poss bic, heard and redressed complaints
which have been preferred by friendly pow
ers. There is, however, large and aug
menting number of doubtful cases upor
which the Government is unable to agree
with the Governments whose protection i.
demanded by the claimants. There are
moreover, many cases in which the United
States or their citizens suffer wrongs from
naval or military authorities of foreign ma
lions, which the Government of these State
are rot prepared to redress. ....-
have proposed TO some Of the foreign
States thus interested, mutual conventions
70 examine and adjust such complaints. i
This proposition has been made especial,
10 Great Britain, to France, to Spain, and t
Prussia. In each case it has been kind,
receiyed, but has not yet been formally
adopted.
deem it my duty to recommend an ap
proprtion in behalf of the owners of tn,
Norwegian bark Admiral p. Forciens Riola
which vesse! was in May, 1861 prevented
by the commander of the blockading fore,
off Charleston, from leaving that port with
scargo, notwithstanding similar priveleg.
had shortly before been granted to an En-
glish vessel. ! have directed the Secretary
OF State to cause the papers in the case t.
be communicated t. the yroper committee.
Applications have been made to me by
many free Americans of African descent &
favoc their eiDigra ion, with view to >uci
cooi izatlon Is was contemplated in recen
acts of Congress. Other parties, at home
aud abroad, som, from interes' ed motives
oshers NJ o. patriotic principles. and still
other influ need by philsnthropic ser timcnt.
have suggested sim lar measures; while or
the other hand several Of the Spanish Anne
lean Republics have protested against thu
sending OF such colonies to their respective
t'rritorics
Under these circumstances I have dsclin
cd to move any such colony to any State
without first obtaining the consent of is
Eovernment, with an agreement On its part
to rec i've and prrtcct such emigrants in all
their rights as freemen, and have, at the
same time. offered to the several States sit
uated in the tropics, or having colonies there,
10 negotiate with them, subject to the advice
and consent Of the Senate, to favor the vol
untary emigration of portions o. that class
TO their respective Territories, upon condi-
tons which shall be equal just and humane.
Liberia ard Hayti are yet the only coun-
tres to which coloni,ts Of African descent
from here here could 60 with certainty Of
being received and adopted a. citizens, and
regret TO say that such persons, contem-
ntating CO onizatj6n, do not seem so willing
to emigrate to these countries as to some
others, nor so willing Us ] think their inter
e.t demands. | behave however. that the