Whole JVo. 870.
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BV G EOHO E HOWARD,
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
To the Senate and House of
Representatives of the U. States;
We have continued reason to express our
profound gratitude to the great Creator of
all things for numberless benefits conferred
upon us as a People. Blessed with geni
al seasons, the husbandman has his garners
filled with abundance, and the necessaries of
life, not to speak of its luxuries, abound in
every direction. While in seme other na
tions steady and industrious labor can hard
ly find the means of subsistence, the great
est evil which we have to encounter, is a
surplus of production beyond the home de
mand, which seeks, and with difficulty
finds, a partial market in other regions.
The health of the country, with partial ex
ceptions, has for the past year been well
preserved; and under their free and wise
institutions, the United States are rapidly
advancing towards the consummation of
the high destiny which an overruling Prov
idence seems to have marked out for them.
Exempt from domestic convulsion, and at
peace with the world, we are left free to
consult as to the best means of securing and
advancing the happiness of the People.
Such are circumstances under which you
now assemble in your respective chambers,
and which should lead us to unite in praise
and thanksgiving to that gre.it Being who
made us, and who preserves us as a nation.
I congratulate you, fellow-citizens, on
the happy change in the aspect of our for
eign affdrs since my last annual message
Causes of complaint at thai time existed
between the United Mates and (Jreat Bri
tain, which, attended by irritating circum
stances, threatened most seriously the pub
lie peace. The difficulty of ad justing ami
cably the questions at issue between the two
countries, was in no small dcgr e augmen
ted by the lapse of time since they had
their origin. The opinions entertained
by the Executive on several of the leading
topics in dispute, were frankly set forth in
the Message at the opening of your late
session. The appointment of a -special
minister by Great Britain to the United
States with power to negotiate upon most
of the points of difference, indicated a desire
on her part amicably to adjust them, and
that minister was met by the Executive
in the same spirit which had dictated his
mission. The Treaty consequent thereon,
having been duly ratified by the two Gov
ernments, a copy, together with the corres
pondence which accompanied it, is,, here
withj'communicated. I trust that whilst
you may see in it nothing objectionable, it
may be the means of preserving, for an
indefinite period, the amicable relations
happily existing between the two Govern
ments. The question of pece or war be
tween the United States and Great Britain,
is a question of the deepest interest not only
to themselves, but to the civilized world,
since it is scarcely possible that a war
could exist between them without endan
gering the peace of Christendom. The
immediate eff ct of the Treaty upon our
selves will be felt in the security afforded
to mercantile enterprise, which, no longer
apprehensive of interruption, adventures its
speculations in the most distant sea; and,
Weighted with diversified productions of
every land, returns to bless our own.
There is nothing in the Treaty which, in
the slightest degree, compromits the honor
or dignity of either nation. Next to the
settlementof the boundary line which mus
always be a matter of difficulty between
States as between individuals, the question
which seemed to threaten the greatest em
barrassment, was lhat connected with the
African slave trade.
the 10th article of the Treaty of
Ghent it was expressly declared that
' whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconci
lable with the principles of humanity and
justice; and whereas both His Majesty and
the United States are derirous of continu
ing their efforts to promote its entire aboli
tion, it is hereby agreed that bjth the con
tracting parties shall use their best endeav
ors to accomplish so desirable an object."
In the enforcement of the laws and treaty
stipulations of Great Britain, a practice
had threatened to grow up on the pirt of
its cr uisers of subjecting to visitation ships
stiling under the American flg, which,
while it seriously involved our m aritime
rights would subject to vexation a branch
of our trade which was daily increasing,
and which required the fostering care of
the Government. An I although Lord
Aberdeen, in his correspondence with
the American Envoys al London, express
ly disclaimed all right to detain a.i Ameri
can ship on the high seas, even if found
with a cargo of slaves on board, and res
tricted the British pretension to a mere
claim to visit anil enquire, yet it could not
w. II be discerned by the Executive of th
United States how such visit and enquiry
could be made without detention on the
voyage, and consequent interruption to the
trade. It was regarded as the right of
search, presented only in a new form, and
expressed in different words; and 1 there
fore felt it to be my dutv distinctly to de
dare, in my annual message to Congress,
that no such concession could be made,
and that the United States had both the
will and the ability to enforce their ovn
laws, and to protect their flag from being
used for purposes wholly forbidden by
those laws, ami obnoxious to the moral
censure of the world. Taking the Message
as his letter of instructions, our then Min
ister at P.iris felt himself required to as
sume the same ground in a remonstrance
which he felt il to be his duty to present to
M. Guizot, and through him to the King
of the French, against what has been cal
led the Q linmple treaty; anil his conduct,
in thisrespect,met with the approval of this
Government. In close conformity with
these views, the eighth article of the Tiea
ty was framed, which provides that "each
nation shall keep afloat in the African seas
a force of not less than eighty guns, to act
seperately & apart, under instructions fiom
their respective Governments, and for the
enforcement of their respective laws and
obligations." From this it will be seen
that the ground assumed in the Message
has been fully maintained, at the same time
that the stipulations oflhe Treaty of Ghent
are to be carried out in good faith by the
two countries and that all pretence is re
moved for interference with our commerce
for any purpose whatever by a foreign
Government. While, therefore, the Uni
ted States have been standing up for the
freedom of the seas they have not thought
proper to make that a pretext for avoiding
a fulfilment of their Treaty stipulations, or
a ground for giving countenance to a trade
reprobated by our laws A similar ar
rangement by the other great powers could
not fail to sweep lrom the ocean the slave
trade, without the interpolation of any new
principle into the maritime code. We
may be permitted to hope that the example
thus set will be followed by some, if not
all of them. We thereby also afford suita
ble protection to the fair trader in those
seas; thus fulfilling at the same time the
dictates of a sound policy, and complying
with the claims of justice and humanity.
It would have furnished additional cause
for congratulation, if the treaty could have
embraced all subjects calculated in future
to lead to a misundertanding between the
two Governments. The teiritory of the
United States, commonly called the Ore
gon Territory, lying on the Pacific ocean,
north of the forty-second degree of lati
tude, to a portion of which Great Britain
lays claim, begins to attract the attention
of our fellow citizens; and the tide of popu
lation, which has reclaimed what was so
lately an unbroken wilderness in more con
tiguous regions, is preparing to flow over
those vast districts which stretch from the
Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean. In
advance of the acquirement of individual
rights to these lands, sound policy dictates
that every effort should be resorted to by the
two Governments to settle their respective
claims It became manifest, at an early
(hour of the late negotiations, that any at
tempt, for the time being, satisfactorily to
determine ihose rights, would lead to a
protracted discussion, which might em
brace in its failure other more pressing
matters; and the Executive did not regard
it as proper to waive all the advantages of
an honorable adjustment of other difficul
ties of great magnitude and importance, be
cause this, not so immediately pressing,
stood in the way. Although the difficulty
referred to may not for several years to
come involve the peace of the two coun
tries, yet I shall not delay to urge on
Great Britain the importance of its early
settlement. Nor will other matters of
commercial importance to. the two coun
ries be overlooked; and I have good rea
son to believe that it will comport with the
policy of England, as it does with that ol
i he United Slates, to seize upon this mo
.nent, when most of the causes of irritation
have passed away to cement the peace and
amity of the two countries by wisely re
moving all grounds of probable future colli
sion.
With the other powers of Europe our
relations continue on the most amicable
footing. Treaties now existing with them
should be rigidly observed, and every op
portunity, compatible with the interests of
the United States, should be seized upon
to enlarge the basis of commercial inter-j
course. Pt-ace with all the world is the J
true foundation of our policy, which can
only be rendered permanent by the prac
tice of equal and impartial justice to all.'
Our great desire should be to enter only
into that rivalry which looks to the general
good, in the cultivation of the sciences, the
enlargement ol the field for the exercise of
the mechanical arts, and the spread of com
merce lhat great civilizer to every land
and sea. Carefully abstaining from inter
ference in all questions exclusively refer
ring themselves to the political interests of
Europe, we may be permitted to hope an
equal exemption from the interference of
European Governments, in what relates
to the Stales of the American Continent.
On the 23d of April last, the commis
sioners on the part of the United States,
under the convention with the Mexican
Republic, of the 1 1th of April, 1539, made
to the proper department a final report in
relation to the proceedings of the com
mission. From this it appears that, the total
amount awarded to the claimants by the
commissioners and the umpire appointed
under that convention, was two millions
twenty-six thousand and seventy-nine
dollars and sixty-eight cents. The arbiter
having considered that his functions were
required by the convention to terminate at
the same time with those of the commis
sioners, returned to the board, undecided
for want of time, claims which had been
allowed by the American Commissioners,
to the amount of nine hundred and twenty
eight thousand six hundred and twenty
dollars & eighty-eight cents. Other claims,
in which the amount sought to be recov
ered was three millions three hundred
and thirty-six thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven dollars and five cents, were
submitted to the board too late for its
consideration. The Minister of the United
States at Mexico, has been duly authorized
to make demand for the payment of the
awards according to the terms of the con
vention, & the provisions of the act of Con
gress of the 12ih of June, 1S40. He has
also been instructed to communicate to that
government the expectation of the Go vern
mentof theUnited States in relation to those
claims which were not disposed of accor
ding lo the provisions of the convention,
and all others of citizens of the United
Slates against the Mexican Government.
He has also been furnished with other
instructions, to be followed by him in case
the Government of Mexico should not find
itself in a condition to make present pay
ment of the amount of the awards, in spe
cie or its equivalent.
1 am happy to be able to say that infor
mation, which is esteemed favorable, both
to a just satisfaction of the awards, and a
reasonable provision for other claims, has
been recently received from Mr. Thompson,
the Minister of the United States, who h is
promptly and efficiently executed the in
structions of his Government, in regard to
this important subject.
The citizens of the United States who
accompanied the late Texan expedition
to Santa Fe, and who were wrongfully
taken and held as prisoners of war in
Mexico, have all been liberated.
A correspondence has taken place be
tween the Department of State and the
Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs, upon
the complaint of Mexico that citizens of
the United States were permitted to give
aid to the inhabitants of Texas in the war
existing between her and that Republic.
Copies are herewith communicated to Con
gress, together with copies of letters on the
same subject, addressed to the Diplomatic
corps at Mexico, by the American Minis
ter and the Mexican Secretary of State.
Mexico has thought proper to recipro
cate the mission of the United States to
that Government by accrediting to this a
Minister of the same rank as that of the
representative of the United States in Mex
ico. From the circumstances connected
with his mission, favorable results are anti
cipated from it. It is so obviously for the
interest of both countries as neighbors and
friends that all just causes of mutual dis
satisfaction should be removed, that it is to
be hoped neither will omit or delay the em
ployment of any practicable and honorable
means to accomplish that end.
The affairs pending between this Gov
ernment and several others of the States of
this hemisphere formerly under the domin
ion of Spain, have again, within the past
year, been materially obstructed by the
military revolutions and conflicts in those
countries.
The ratifications of the Treaty between
he United States and the Republic of E
cuador, of the I3lh of June, 1S39, have
oeen exchanged, and that instrument has
been duly promulgated on the part of this
Government. Copies are now communica
ted lo Congress with a view to enable that
body to make such changes in the laws ap-
plicab.'e to our intercourse with that Re
public, as may be deemed requisite
Provision has bee i made by the Govern-
ment of Chile for the payment of the claim; pr ing an excess above the public wants,
on account of ihe illegal detention of the ! he could readily correct its evils by avail
brig Warrior at Coqnimbo, in 1S40. This; ing himself of the hem fiis and advantages
Government has reason to expect that oth-'of the system thus established. In the
er claims of our citizens against Chile, will 'storehouse the goods imported would await
oe nasten' U to atioal and satisfactory close, the demands ol the market, . and their is
The Empire of Brazil has not been alto- sues would be governed by the fixed prin
get her exempt from thos convulsions
which so constantly afflict the neighboring
republics. Disturbances which recently
broke out are, however, now understood to
be quieted. Bur these occurrences, ov
threatening the stability of the Govern
ments, or by causing incessant and violent
changes in them, or in the persons who
administer them, tend greatly to retard
provisions for a just indemnity for losses
and injuries suff red by individual .-ubjects
or citizens of other States The Govern
ment of the United States will feel it to be
its duty, however, to consent to no delay,
not unavoidable, in making satisfaction for
wrongs and injuries sustained by its own
citizens. Many years having, in some ca
ses, elapsed, a decisive and effectual course
of proceeding will be demanded of the res
pective governments against whom claims
have been preferred.
The vexatious, harrassing and expensive
war which so long prevailed with the In
dian tribes inhabiting the peninsula of Flor
ida, has Inppily been terminated; whereby
our army has been relieved from a service
of the most disagreeable character, ami the
Treasury from a large expenditure. Some
casual outbreaks may occur, such as are in
cident to the close proximity of border- set
tlers and the Indians; but these, as in all
other cases, may be left to the care of t ba
lneal authorities, aide I, when occasion max
require, by the forces of the United Stale
A sufficient number of troops will be main
tained in Florida, so long as the remotest
apprehensions of danger shall exist, yet
their duties will be limited rather to the
garrisoning of the necessary posts, than to
the maintenance of active hostilities. It is
to be hoped that a territory, so long retard
ed in its growth, xvill noxv speedily recov
er from the evils incident to a prolracted
war, exhibiting, in the increased amount of
its rich productions, true evidences of re
turning wealth and prosperity. Bv the
J lav
practice of rigid justice toxvards the numer
ous Indian tribes residing within our terri
torial limits, and the exercise of a parental
vigilance over their interests, protecting
them against fraud and intrusion, and at
the same time using every proper ex
pedient to introduce among them the arts
of civilized life, xve may fondly hope not
only to wean them from their love for war.
but to inspire them with a love for peace
and all its avocations. With several of the
tribes great progress in civilizing them has
already been made. The schoolmaster
and the missionary are found side by side,
and the remnants of what xvcre once nu
merous and powerful nations may yet be
preserved as the builders up of a new name
I for themselves and their posterity.
The balance in the Treasury on the 1st
of January, 1S42, (exclusive of the amount
deposited with the Stales, Trust Funds
and Indemnities) xvas 55230,183 6S. The
receipts into the Treasury during the thre
first quarters of the pres mt year, lrom all
sources, amount to Si!6, 6 16,593 7S; of
xvhich more than fourteen millions were
received from customs, and about one mil
lion from the public lands Ihe receipts
for the fourth quarter are estimated at near
ly eight millions; of which four milli msare
expected from Cus.oms, and three millions
and a half from Loans and treasury notes
The expenditures of the first three quarters
oflhe present year exceed twenty-six mil
lions; and those estimated for the fourth
Quarter amount to about etght millions;
and it is anticipated there xvill be a defi
ciency of halfa million on the 1st of.lanua
ry next but that the amount of outstand
ing warrants (estimated at S00,000) xvil.'
leave an actual balance of about 2 24.000
in the Treasury. Among the expenditures
of the year, aie more than eight millions
for the public debt, and $600,000 on ac
count of the distribution to the States of the
proceeds of sales of ihe public lands. .
The present tariff of duties was some
xvhat hastily and hurriedly passed near the
close oflhe late session of Congress. That
it should have defects can, therefore, be
surprising to no one. To remedy such
defects as may be found to exist in many
of its numerous provisions, xvill not fail
to claim your serious attention. It may
well merit enquiry, whether the exaction
of all duties in cash does not call for the
introduction of a system which has proved
highly beneficial in countries where it has
been adopted. I refer to the Warehousing
System. The first and most prominent
effect which it would produce would be to
protect the market alike against redundant
or deficient supplies of foreign fabrics both
of xvhich, in the long run, are injurious as
well to the manufacturer as the importer.
The quantity of goods in store being at all
times reai
lily known, it would enable the
importer, with an approach to accuracy,
to ascertain the actual wants of the mai ket,
and to reg'ilate himself accordingly. If
howev er, he should fall into error, by tm-
ciples of demand and supply. Thus an
approximation would be made to a steadi
ness and uniformity of price, which, attain
able, would conduce to the decided advan?
tage of mercantile and mechanical opera
tions. The apprehension may be well entertain
ed th it .without something to ameliorate
the rigor of cash payments, the entire im
port trade may f dl into the hands ot a tew
weiithy capitalists in this country, and in
E trope. 'I he small importer, who re
quires all the money he can raise for invest
ments abroad, and xvho can but ill attord to
pay the lowest duty, would haxre to subduct
in advance a portion of his funds in order
to pay the duties, and would lose the inter
est upon the amount thus paid for all the
lime Ihe goods might remain unsold, which
might absorb his profits. The rich capita
list abroad, as xvell as at home, would thus
possess, after a short time, an almost exclu
sive monopoly of the import trade, and laws
designed for the benfit of all, would thus
operate for the benefit of the few, a result
wholly uncongenial with the spirit of our
instituti ns, and anti-republican in all its
tendencies. The Warehousing System
.vould enable the impoit r to xvatch the
m 'i-ket, and to seh ct his own time for offer
ing his goods for sale. A profitable por
i.n of the carrying trade in articles entered
for the benefit of drawback, must also be
most seriously aff. c ed, without the adop
tion of some expedient to relieve the cash
system. The Warehousing System would.
. il l .1. ... mi.... I U A n i fini ttrkiilr1
IllUIll Midi ICllbl, o 1 11 V- HIV V.UI11VI " v. v.
hair snf'f recourse to the Dublic store
houses, and might, without advancing the
duty, reship within some reasonable period
to foreign ports. A further effect of the
measure would be to supersede the system
of drawbacks, thereby effectually pro
tecting the Government against fraud, as
the right of debenture would not attach to
goods after their xvithdrawal from the pub
lic stores.
In revising the existing tariff of duties,
should you deem it proper to do so at your
present session, I can only repeat the sug
gestions and recommendations xvhich, up
on several occasions, I have heretofore felt
it to be my duty to offer to Congress. The
great, primary and controling interest of
the American L'eopla is union union not
only in the mete forms of government,
forms xvhich may be broken but union
founded in an attachment of States and in
dividuals for each other. This unioh in
sentiment and feeling can only be preserv
ed bv the adoption of that course of policy
which, neither giving exclusive benefits to
some, nor imposing unnecessary burdens
upon others, shall consult the interests of
all, by puis'iiug a course of moderation,
and thereby seeking lo harmonize public
opinion, and causing the People every
xvhere to feel and to know that the Govern
ment is careful of the interests of all alike.
Nor is there any subject in regard to which
moderation, connected with a xvise discrim
ination, is more necessary than in the im
position of duties on imports. Whether
. .r. . Lu Kn1 tit r v f n 1 1 f th nrimarv
I Cl'-I HViC linu i.v . . wj ...w . j
object in the imposition of taxes, or to the
incidents which necessarily floxv from their
imposition, this is entirely true. Extrav
agant duties defeat their end and object, not
onlv by exciting in ,the public mind an
hostility to the manufacturing interests,
but by inducing a system of smuggling on
an extensive scale, und the practice of eve
ry manner of fraud upon the revenue,
xvhich the utmost vigilance of Government
cannot t ffertually suppress. An opposite
course of poliey would be attended by re
sults essentially different, of xvhich every
interest of society, and none more than
those of the manufacturer, xvould reap im
portant advantages. Among the most
striking of its benefits xvould be that deriv
ed from the general acquiescence of the
country in its support, and the consequent
permanency and stability which would be
given to all the operations of industry. It
cannot be too often repealed, that no sys
tem of legislation can be wise which is
fluctuating and uncertain. No interest
can thrive under it. The prudent capital
ist will never adventure his capital in man
ufacturing establishments, or in any other
leading pursuit of life, if there exists a stale
of uncertainty as to whether the Govern
ment will repeal to-morrow wnai n naa
enacted to-day. Fitful profits, however
high, it threatened with a ruinous reduc
tion bv a vacillating policy on the part of
Government, will scarcely tempt him to
u ,nn.v xvhich he has acquirea oy
a life of labor, upon the uncertain , adven
ture. I, therefore, in the spirit of concil
iation, and influenced by no other desire