THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 143, 30 November 1844, Page 153

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.

[From Punch.]

" Fellow-Citizens and Gentlemen — You will allow me, I estimate, to congratulate you on the considerably dignified station, and particularly high position, in which our glorious Republic now stands among the nations of the earth.

" America is everywhere trusted, feared, honoured, and beloved, which most it is difficult to say. I opinionate, however, that she is as much beloved as honoured, as much honoured as feared, as much feared as trusted.

" Such is the blessing which, from a liberal and unselfish international policy, from an undeviating course of public rectitude, and a remarkable prevalence of integrity, has devolved upon the head of a magnanimous people. When I speak of the people's head, do not misunderstand me ; I am, I reckon, a genuine Republican, and have no idea that the people, except in a figurative sense, has any head at all. " Let us, my fellow>citizens, persevere in that path of wisdom and virtue which we have hitherto so creaitatny puTSUGCK — ■ijc«f«3-ga-anT"iK*'i-» r «<»iw»U assuredly go a- head. " The dispute between ourselves and the Britishers concerning the Oregon territory yet remains unsettled. In the name of Peace and Concord, let it be brought to a speedy termination. If we find ourselves strong enough to cope with the Britishers, let us fight them ; if not, let us leave them alone, and content ourselves with protesting against their insatiable rapacity. " The annexation of Texas is a measure which we have long had in contemplation. The natives of that country will object, I guess, to this proceeding ; but they do not see their own interest, which is ours. Ours, then, be the good work of enlightening, while we astonish their weak minds. Let us take the rifle of philanthropy and the sword of justice, and enter, as soon as possible, on this labour of love. To effectuate it, we shall only want a little powder and shot; let us wait no longer than till we can raise the money to buy them.

" The prosperity of our free and enlightened Republic is essential to the welfare of mankind, to which, unfortunately, that of England is hostile. It becomes, therefore, our bounden though painful duty to aggrandise ourselves as much as we can at her expense. Greatly as we may admire reciprocity in the abstract, we must negative that principle in our transactions with her. The cause of enlightenment, of civilisation, the common weal of humanity, require that we should take as much from her, and give her as little as possible. We may regret being placed under this stern necessity, but we must not shrink from our duty. 'Let us, therefore, nobly persist in the imposition of prohibitive duties on British imports : nay, let us fearlessly increase them, and confidently hope to realize, in the end, the reward of our disinterestedness. " Let me now advert to a kindred and most important topic. Need I say that I mean Repudiation ? lam sorry, my fellow-citizens, to be obliged to give you, with respect to this point, what, I fear., •will be unpleasant advice. I know how anxious you all are to hurl back with interest the paltry dross which is demanded of you. The eyes of Europe are upon her ; she must preserve her honour inviolate. She dares not defraud herself. You contracted your so-called debts, my countrymen, to indemnify yourselves for the losses which you have sustained through commercial artifices. Sly, cunning England overreached simple, confiding, artless America. You might have opposed craft by craft, subtlety by subtlety. But you did no such thing. You asked for that which was your own, and you got it. Shall you refund it ? Shall you cheat yourselves, and abet the dishonesty of others ? Oh no ! In a word, shall you pay your creditors? That is a plain question. My answer is as plain — certainly not. " I felicitate you on the cheap and efficient manner by which foreign literature (especially Punch) is diffused throughout the United States. " I am happy that the wise institution of Slavery still exists among you. It is the servitude of the negro which secures the freedom of the citizen. Listen not to the sophistry of the abolitionist, who would endeavour to persuade you that black is white. I entirely approbate the conduct of the slaveholders, as a body, towards the creatures committed to their charge.

" I trusf that the great principles of Lynch Law will never be lost sight of among you. The execution of an offender without judge or jury is an expeditious mode of administering justice. It is also, a cheap one ; and I need not, I speculate, suggest to you the importance, just now, of national economy. " Let me, in connexion with the last remark, remind you that there is a slight deficiency in the revenue. To meet this, I dubitate not that you will soon devise some honourable and profitable speculation. Should no plan of that kind occur to you, you can have recourse for assistance to some foreign power. We cannot, perhaps, under, existing circumstances, expect much from Europe ; but, I calculate, vre might now negotiate a considerable loan with the Emperor of China. Should he refuse to help us, although our uppermost desire is for the maintenance of universal peace, it would be incumbent on us to teach him, by the requisite argument, the obligations which, as a cosmopolite, he is under to his fellow-creatures. " I am, fellow-citizens and trentlemen, , " Yqur faithfi&THdtv