The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-12-13

stantially, that the municipal law Of . ma
Ition, and the domestic interpretations Of
that law, sihe measuressof its duty as
a neutral ; and Iteel bound to declare
my opinion, before you and before the
world, that thu justification cannot DO
sustained before the tribunal Of nations.
AT the same time | do not advise to any
present attempt at redress by acts Of leg
islaticn. For the future, friendship be-
tween the two countries must rest on the
basis Of mutual justice.
From the moment Of the establishment
Of our free Constitution, the civilized
world has been convulsed by revolutions
in the interests of democracy or mon
archy; but through all these revolutions
the United States have wisely and firmly
refused to become propagandists Of repnb-
licanism. II Is the only COVE rnment
suited to our condition; but we have never
sought to impose it on others; and we
have consistently followed the advice Of
Washington to recommend It only BY the
careful preservation and prudent use Of
the blessing. During allthe intervening
period the policy Of European powers has
been h~armoniodS. Twice, indeed, rumors
Of the invasion-of some parts Of America
in the interests:of monarchy, have pre-.
vailed; twice my predecessors have had
occasion to announce the views ofthis ma
tion in respectto such interference. On
both occasions the remonstrance Of the
United States was respected, from deep
conviction, on the part Of European Gov
ernments, that the system Of non-inter-
ference and mutual abstinence from prop
a andism was the true rule for the two
hemispheres. Since those times we have
advanced in wealth end power but we
retain the same purpose to leave the ma.
lions Of Europe to chose their own dynas
ties and form their own systems Of gov
eminent. This consistent moderation
may Justly demand a corresponding mod.
Grafton. We should regard it as a great
calamity to ourselves, to the cause Of
good government, and to the peace Of the
world, should any European Power chal.
lenge the American people, as it were, to
the defence of publicanism against
foreign interference. We cannot ~foresec
and unwilling to, consider what opportu-
mites might present themselves, what
combinations might offer to protect our
selves against designs inimical to our form
Of government. The United States de.
sire to act in the future as they have ever
acted heretofore they never we'll be driv
en- from that course but by aggression Of
European powers; and w rely on the
wisdom and justice Of those powers to re
spect the system Of interference
which has SO lougbcen sancti oned by time
and which, by in good results, has ap.
proved itself to both continents.
: The correspondence between the Uni
ted States and France, in reference to
questions which have become subjects OF
discussion between the two Governments,
will, at q proper time, be laid before
Congress.
When, on the organization Of the Gov.
eminent, under the Constitution the Pres.
ident of the United States delivered his
inaugural address to the two Houses Of
Congress, he said to them, and through
them to the country and to mankind, that
"the preservation Of the sacred FIRE Of lib
erty aud destiny Of the Republican model
Of Government are justly considered as
deeply, perhaps as finally staked on the
experiment entrusted to the American
people" And the House Of Representa-.
tives answered Washington by the voice
Of Madison /: awe adore the invisible
hand which has led the American people
through so many difficulties, to cherish q
conscious responsibility for the destiny Of
republican liberty" More than seventy.
six years have glided away since these
words were spoken; the United States
have passed through severer trials than
were foreseen; and now, at this new epoch
in our history as one nation with our Union
purified by sorrows, and strengthened by
conflict, and established by the virtue Of
the people the greatness of the occasion
invites us once more to repeat, with
solemnity, the pledges of our fathers to
hold ourselves apswerable before our fel.
low. men for The success of the Republican
form Of Government. Experience has
proved its sufisiehcy in peace aud in war ;
it has indicated its authority through
dangers, and Affections, and sudden aud
terrible emergencies, which would have
crushed any system hat had been less
firmly fixed In the heart Of the people.
At the Inauguration of Washington the
foreign relations of the country we're Few,
and its trade wasrepressed by hostile reg.
ulations now Az. the civilized nations Of
the globe welcome our commerce, and
their Governpents profess towards us
annity. Then our country felt its way
hesitatingly along an un.trisd path, with
States soslittis, hound together by rapid
means Of conn Nominations as to be hardly
known to one another, and with historic
traditions extending overy few years; row
intercourse between the States is swift
and intimate the experience Of centuries
has been crowded into a few generations,
and has created an intense, indestructible
nationality, Then our jurisdiction did
not reach beyond the inconvenient bound.
aries Of the territory which had achieved
Independence |; now, through c~essions Of
lands. first ~colonised by Spain aud France,
the country has acquired a more complex
character, and has for its natural limits
the chain Of Lakes, the Gulf Of Mexico,
aud on the east and the west the two great
oceans. Other nations we're wasted by
al -. ~ 10y a L-.