Year: 1861

In the midst of unprecedented politi.
cal troubles, We have cause for great
gratitude to God for unusual good
health and most abundant harvests.


You will not be surprised to learn


that in the peculiar exigcncies of the


times, our intercourse with foreign ma
tions has been attended with profound
solicitude, chiefly turning upon our
own domestic affairs. A disloyal por.
tion of the American people have,
during the whole year, been engaged
in an attempt to divide and destroy
the Union. A nation which endures
factious domestic divisions is exposed
to disrespcct abroad, and one party,
or both, is sure, sooner or later, to in.
woke foreign intervention. Nations
thus tempted to interfere are not al
ways able to resist the counsels of
seeming expediency and ungenerous
ambition, although measures adopted
under such influences seldom fail to
be unfortunate and injurious to those
adopting them. .....


The disloyal citizens of the United
States who have offered the ruin of
our country in reward for the aid and
comfort which they have invoked
abroad have received less patronage
and encouragement than they proba-
bly, expccted--if it were just to sup.
pose, as the insurgents have seemed to
assume. that foreign nations in this
case disregarding all moral, social
and treaty obligations would act sole.
ly and selfishly for the most speedy
restoration Of commerce, including cs-
pecially the acquisition of cotton.
Those nations appear as yet not to
have seen their way to their object
more directly or clearly through the
destruction than through the prescrva.
ton of the Union. If VIC could dare
to believe that foreign nations are ac-
tuatcd by no higher principle than
this, l am quito sure second argn.
mcnt could be made to show them that
they could reach their aim more read.
lily and easily, by aiding to crush this
rebellion than by giving encourage
ment to the principal lever relied on
by the exciting Of foreign Nations to
hostility against US, as already init
mated, in the embarrassment OF COM
merce. Those Nations, however, not
improbably saw from the first that it
was the Union which made, as well
our foreign as our domestic commerce.
They can scarcely fail to perceive tha,
their effort for disunion produces the
existing difficulty and that one strong
Nation promises more durable peace
and a more extensive, valuable and re.
liable commerce than can the same
Nation broken into hostile fragments.


1t is not my purpose to review our
discussions with foreign States, be-
cause whatever might be their wishes
or dispositions, the integrity of our
country and the stability of our Gov
ernment mainly depends, not upon
them, but upon the loyalty, patriotism,
virtue and intelligence Of the Ameri-
can people. The correspondence it.
self, with the usual reservations, is
herewith submitted. l venture to
hope it will appear that we have prac-
ticed prudence and libcrality towards
foreign powers, averting causes of IL
ritation, and with firmness maintain
ing their own rights and honor. Since,
however, it is apparent that here, as
in every other state, foreign dangers
necessarily attend domestic diff
culties, | recommend that adequate
and ample measures be adopted for
maintaining the public defcuccs on
every side while under this general
recommendation provision for defend
ing our coast line readily occurs to
the mind. l also, in the same conncc-
tioD, ask the attention of Congress TO
our great lakes and rivers. 1t is be-
licved that some Notifications and de-
pots Of arms and munitions, with har-
bor and navigation improvements, at
well selected points upon these, would
be Of great Importance to the national
defense and preservation.


/ ask attention to the views Of the
Secretary Of War expressed in his re-
port on the same general subject. !
deem it most important that the loyal
regions Of East Tennessee and West
ern North Carolina should be conncc-
ted with Kentucky and other faithful
parts Of the Union by railroad. l
therefore recommend as military
measure that Congress provide for the
construction Of such road as speedi-
ly as possible. Kentucky will no
doubt cooperate through her Legisla-
ture to make the most judicious selcc-
tions Of the line.


Tho northern terminus must con-
meet with some existing Railroad, and
whether the route shall be from Lex
ington or Nicholasvillc to Cumberland
Gap. or from Lebanon to the Tcnacs-
see line in the direction of Knoxville,
or some still different line, can easily
be determined. Kentucky and the
general Government cooperating, the
work can be completed in very short
time, and when done it will not only
be Of vast present usefulness, but al
SO an available permanent improve
ment, worth it's cost in all the future.


Some treaties, designed chiefly for
the interests Of commerce, and hav-
ing no grave political Importance,
have been negotiated, and will be sub
mittcd to the Senate for their consid-
Grafton. Although we have failed to
induce some of the commercial pow
ers to adopt desirable amelioration
of the rigor Of maritime war, We have
far removed all the obstacles from the
way of their humane reform, except
such as are merely Of temporary and
accidental occurrence. invite your
attention to the correspondence be-
tween Her Brittanic Majesty's Minis.
ter, accredited to this Government,
and the Secretary Of State, relative
to the detention Of the British ship
Perthshire, in June last, by the Uai-
ted States steamer Massachusetts, for
supposed breach Of the blockade.
AS this detention was occasoned by
an obvious misapprehcnsion Of the