Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-12-09
3Sth COngrcsS-2d Session.
4ih Annual Message of Pres. Lincoln

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House
of Representatives
Again the blessings Of health and an
abundant harvest claim cur protouLdes,
gratitude to Almighty God.
The condition Of our foreign affairs is
reasonably satisfactory.
Mexico continues TO be theatre Of
civil war. While our political relations
with that country have undergone TO
change, We have at the same time strictly
maintaiued a neutrality between The bel
ligereuts.
At the request of the States Of Costa
Rics and Nicaragua, competent queer
las been authoriz d to make a survey Of
the river San Joan, and the port of San
Juan. Ii is source Of much satisfaction
that the difficulties which for a moment
excited some political alprehens:ons, aud
caused closiug Of the luter-cceanic transit
route, bave been amlcabIy adjusted, aud
that there is a good prospect that The route
will soon be re-opeued, with an Increase
of capacity aud adaptation. We could
not exaggerate either the commercial or
the political Importance Of that great in =
provemeut.
1t would be doing injustice to an impor-
tsnt South American STATE, not 10 sckuoH-
ledge the directuess, trankncss and eurdl'
slity with which the United States of
Colombia have entered into intimate rela-
tions with this Government. y claims
convention has been constituted, to com
plete the unGuished work of the one
which closed its session in lS6l.
The new, liberal constitution of Ven
ezeula, having gone into effect, with the
universal acquiescence Of the people, the
government under it has been recognized, Z,
aud diplomatic intercourse with it has
been opened in cordial spirit.
The long deferred Aresas land claim
has been satisfactorily paid and discharged.
Mutual payments have been made Of
the claims awarded by the late joiut COM
mission for the settlement ot claims be-
tween the United States aud Peru. An
earnest and cordial friendship continues
TO exist between the two countries, and
such Efforts as were in my power have
been used TO remove mlsundersl audlGgs
and avert threatened war between Peru
and Spain.
Our relations are Of the most friendly
nature with Chill, the Argentine Repub-
lie, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, San
Salvador and Ilayti. During the past
year, no differences of any kind have
arisen with any Of these Republics, aud,
on the other hand, their sympathies with
the United States are constantly expressed
with cordiality and earHestDess.
= The claim arising from the seizure Of
the cargo Of the brig Macedonia, in 1921
has been paid i'll full by the Government
Of Chilli
Civil war continues in the Spanish part
of San Domingo: apparently without pros
pecs Of an early close.
Official CORE spOndence has been freely
opened with L!teria, aud it gives US a
pleasing view of social and political prog
ress in that republic 1t may be expected
TO derive new vigor from American iuhu-
enee, improved By the rapid disappearance
Of slavery in the United States. | solicit
your authority TO furnish TO the Republic
. gunboat, of moderate cost, 10 be rem
bursed to the United States by install
meBts. Such vessel is needed for the
safety of that State against the native AZ
Tican races, and in LiberaD hands it
would be more Elective in arresting the
African slave trade than squadron in our
own hands. The possession Of the least
organized naval force would stimulate q
generous ambition in the Republic, and
the confidence which we should manifest
by furnishing it would win forbearaDce
aud favor toward the colony from all civ
ilized nations.
The proposed overland telegraph be-
tween America and Europe, by the way
Of Behring'S Straits and Asiaiic Russia,
which was sanctioned by Congress at the
last session, has been undertaken, under
very favorable circumstances, by an asso-
citation Of American citizens, with the
cordial good will and support as we'll of
this government as Of those Of Great
Britain and Russia.
ASSURANCES nave pten received from
most of the South American States of
their appreciation Of the enterprise, and
their readiness to CO operate in construct
ing lines tributary to tina, world-eDcircling
communication.
l learn with satisfaction that the noble
design of a telegra phic communication
between the eastern coast Of America aud
Great Britain, has been renewed with full
expectation of lis early accomplishment.
Thus it is hoped, that, with the return
OF domestic peace, the country will be
able to resume with energy aud advantage
its former high career Of commerce and
civilization.
Our very popular aud es,imable repre-.
sentative in Egypt, died 10 April last.
An unpleasant alteration which arose
between the temporary ipculn bent of the
oftlce aud the government of the Pacha,
resulted in a suspension Of intercourse.
The evil was promptly corrected on the
arrival of the successor in the consulate.
and our relations with Egypt, as we'll as
our relations with the Barbary powers,
are entirely satisfactory.
The rebellion which has so long been
prevalent in China, has at last been sup.
pressed with tho 20 oDpratinu good offi,es