=l=Z
'President's Ale-ssage.
lIILEGJOSISra
Of the PreAlden' if the United States, to
the Two Houses of C'onzress. ut the
commencement of the Second Session
of the Twenty sixth Congress.
Follow-Citizens of the Senate
and (louse of Representatives:
Our devout gratitude to due to the Su.
preme Being for having graciously con
tinued to our beloved country. through
the vicissitudes of another year. the tn•
valuable blessings of health, plenty and
peace. Seldom has this favored land
. been so generally exempted from the re.
vages of disease, or the labor of the hue.
bondman mote amply rewarded ; and ne
ver before have our relations with oilier
countries been placed on a more favora.
able basis than that which they so happi•
ly occupy at this critical conjuncture in
the affairs of the world. A rigid and
persevering abstinence from all tnterfer
,ence with the domestic and political re
lations of oilier States. alike due to the
genius and distinctive character of our
• Government and to the principles by
Which it is .directed ; a faithful obser
vance. in the management of our foreign
relatione, of the practice of speaking
plainly, dealing justly. and requiring
truth and justice in return, as the best
conservatives of the peace of nations ; 'a
strict impartiality in our manifestations of
friendship, in the commercial privileges
we concede and those we require from
others : these, accompanied by a diapo.
sition as prompt to maintain. in every
emergency. our own rights, as we are
from principle averse to the invasion of
those of others, have given to our country
'and Government .a standing in the great
family of nations of which we have just
cause to be proud, and the advantages of
which are experienced by our citizens
throughout every portion of the e a rth to
which their enterprising and adventurous
spirit may carry them. Few„ if any, re.
main insensible. to the value'bf our friend
ship. or ignorant of the terms on which
it can be acquired, and by which it can
alone be preserved.
A series of questions of king standing.
difficult in their adjustment, arid import.
ant in their consequences,
in which the
rights of our cozens and the honor of
the country were deeply involved, have.
in the course of a few years, (the most of
them during the succeasful dministration
of my immediate prederessor.) been bro . '
to a !satisfactory conclusion ; and the
most importantof those remaining are. I
am happy to believe, in a fair way of
being speedily and satisfactorily adjusted.
With all the Powers of the world our
relations are those of honorable peace.—
Since your adjournment. nothing serious
has occurred to interrupt or threaten this
desirable harmony. If clouds have loiv.
ered above the other hemisphere. thiy
have not east their petentrtua shadows
'Upon our happy P horsy. by Ito
entangtiog alliances, yet linked by a
common nature and interest with the
other na quits of mankind. our aartisalions
are for•the preservation of peace. in w hose
solid and civilizing triumphs all may par
tieipate with a generous enuilation Yet
it heln•os re us to he prepared for any
event. and to he always ready to maintain
those just and enlightened principles of
national intercourse for which this Gov.
ernment has ever contended. In the
shnek of contending rtupirea, it is only
by assuming a resolute beating. and clo
thing ihroneelves with defensive armor.
that neutral nations can maintain their
independent rights.
The ext•iteme.nl which grew nut of the
territorial entortiversy bet ween the Untied
States and Great Britton having in a great
measure sub-td if. it is hoped that a fa
vorable p;.riod is npprna••hing for Ile final
set t le m e nt Both Governments must
now be convinced of the dangers with
which the question is fraught ; and it
meet be their desire, as it is their Inter
est, that this perpetual cause of irritation
slioultrbe removed as speedily as practi
cable. In my last Annual Message, you
were informed that the proposition for a
commission of exploration and survey,
promised by Great Britain, had been re
ceived. and that a counter•project, inclu
ding, also. a provision for the certain and
final adjustment of the limits in dispute,
was then before the British Government
for its consideration. The answer of
that Government, accompanied by addi
Lionel propositiona of its own, was recei•
ved, through its Minister here, since
your separation. These were promp•ly
considered::such as were deemed cor
rect in principle. and consistent with a
due regard to the just rights of the Uni
ted State•. and of the State of Maine,
concurred in.; and the reasons for die.
stinting from the residue, with an addi
tional suggestion on our part. commnni•
totted by the Secretary of State to Mr.
Fitt. That Minister, tint feeling him
self sufficiently instructed upon some of
the-points raised i n the diseuesiim, felt it
tellis.duly to refer the matter to his
4Wrignvernment for its further decision.
having now been fur some time miller
its advisement, a speedy answer may be
confidently expected, From the charac
ler of-the points still in differeece, and
the undoubted disposition of both parties
to • bring the matter to an (only conch'.
ain't, I look with entire confidence to a
prompt and satisfactort• termination of the
begotiation. Three commissioners were
appointed shortly after the adjournment
of Congress, under the art Of the last sea
shin, providing fur the expinration and
survey of the line which separates the
States of Maine and New Hampshire
from the British Provinces ; they have
been actively employed until their pm.:
greet, was interrupted by the inclemency
of the femme, snit will resume their la•
hors as soon as practicable in the ensuing
year. ,
ii.vitulersinnd that their respective
ntiminotiinni wit( ,brow new light upon
she 'object in controversy. anti serve to
remnve . ionv erroneous impressions which
His, ba te been nvide elpewttere prejuth.
.~4,:~ :: ~.,-.,~
cial to the right. of the United States.
It was. among ether reasons. with a view
of preventing the embairasentesitS which,
in our peetiltar svvient of government.
impede and complicate negotiation.in.
volvieg the terminus, rights o f a Mists.
that 1 thought it my du y , as you have
been informed on a pres.uo i . 0 •r 44 , 0.
propose to the British Government.
!trough till minister 111 IV a.litnetim. t h at
early Lew' st Id be taken to adjust the
of differenee on the line of bourn
dray from the entrance of Lake Superi
or to the most northwestern point of the
Lake of the Womb', by the arbitration of
a friendly Power, in conformity with the
seventh article of the treaty of Ghent.
No answer has yet been returned by the
British Government to this proposition .
With Austria. France. Prussia. Russia.
and the remaining powers of Europe. I
am happy to say our relations continue to
he of the must friendly character. %% ith
Belgium. a treaty of commerce and navi
gation based upon liberal principles of
reciprocity and equality, was conclud
ed in March last, and. having been . rati:
fled by the Belgian Government, will be
duly laid before the Senate. It is a sub
ject of congratulation that it provide. for
the satisfactory adjustment of a long
standing qUestion of controversy ; time
removing the only obstacle which could
obstruct the friendly and mutually ad
vantageous intercourse between the two
nations. A messenger has been des
patched with the Ilinoverian treaty to
Berlin. where, according to stipulation s
the ratifications aro to be exchanged I
am happy to announce to you that, after
many delays and difficulties, a treaty of
commerce and navigation, between the
United States and Portugal, was conclu•
ded and signed at Lisbon, on the 20th of
August lass, by the Plenipotentiaries of
the two Governments. Its stipulations
are founded upon those principles of mu
tual liberality and advantage which the
United States have always sought. to
make the basis of their intercourse with
foreign powers, .and it is hoped they will
tend to foster and strengthen the com
mercial intercourse of the two countries.
Under the appropriation of the last
session of Cungrese. an agent has been
sent to Germany for the purpose or pro
mating the interests of our tobacco trade.
The commissioners appointed under
the convention for the adjustment of
claims of citizens of the United
States upon Mexico having met and or
ganized at Waehington in August last,
the papers in the possession of the Gov- ,
ernment, relating to those claims, wer e '
communicated to the board. The claims
not embraced by , that convention are now
the subject of negotiation between the two
Governments through the medium of our
Minister at Mexico.
Nothing has uccurred to disturb the
harmony of our relations with the differ
ent Governments of Smith America. I
regret, however, to he obliged to inform
von that the claim,' dour sit zens upon tale
hoe Repithltt• 1•l Collllllhiß have rut yet
been sat.-fled by the. separate Govern
'Dents into which it has been resolved
The charge n'affaires of Brazil l►.vwg
expres4rl the intention of his enVerlittlellt
1101 to prolong the treaty of 1828. it will
cease to he obligatory upon eillier party
on the 13th day of December, 1841,
when the extensive mercial inter
course between the Unileil States and
that-vast empire will no longer be. regu
kted by express stiptila,ions.
It affords me pleasure to rommunicate
to you that the Government of Chili has
entered into an averment to indemnify
thtorlattnants in the ease of the Mact.d,r
man. for American property seized iti
1819: and to add, that inforintlitim 11 4 4
been received vihtch pundit.. the 11..pe ut
an early adjust mem of the reinanitnd
claim• upon dim Government.
The commissioners appointed in pursu
ance of the convention between the United
States and rexos, for marking the boundary
between them. have. according to the last
report received from our commissioner. sur
veyed and established the whole extent of
the boundary north along the western, bank
of the Sabine river,' front its entrance into
the Gullet* Mexico to the thirty-second de
gree of north latitude. The commission ad
journed on the 16th of June last, to re-as
semble on this Ist of November, for the pur
pose of establishing accurately the inter
section of the thirty-second degree of latitude
with the western bank of tho Sabine. and
the meridian line thence to Red river. It
is presumed that the work will be cuncluded
in the present season.
The present sound condition of their fi
minces, and the success with which embar
rassments in regard to them at times appar
ently insurmountable, have been overcome,
are matters upon which the People and Gov
ernment of the United States may well con
gratulate themselves. An overflowing Trea
sury, however it may be regarded as an evi
dence of public prosperity. is seldom condu
cive to the permaneet welfare of any people;
and experience has deinonstrated its incom
patibility with the salutary action.of political
institutions like those of the United States.
Our safest reliance for financial efficiency
and independence has, on the contrary. been
fbund to consist in ample resources unencum
bered with debt ; and, in this respect, the
Federal Government occupies a singularly
fortunate and truly enviable position.
When I entered upon the discharge of my
official duties in March, 1837, the act for the
distribution of the surplus revenue was in a
course of rapid execution. Nearly twenty
eight millions of dollari of the public moneys
were, in pursuance of its provisions, deposit
ed with the States in the months of Janua
ry, April, and July. of that year. In Slny
there oceurroil a general of spe
cie payments by the hanks, ,i•cluding, with
very few exceptions, those in which the pub
lic moneys were deposited, and upon whose
fidelity the Government had unfortunately
made itself depenitt•nt for the rev,.-,are
whi6 hid hoe., clilci:Leti Ir.in the People.'
and were indispensable to the public service.
This suspension, and the excesses in banking
and commerce out of which it arose, and
which were greatly aggravated by its occur
rence, made, to a great extent. unavailable
the principal part of the public money then
on bend ; suspended the collection of many
millions accruing on our merchants' bonds;
and greatly reduced the revenue arising from
customs and the public lands. These effects
have continued . .to operate, in various de-
.
green, to the present period ; and, in addi-
Lion to the "decrease in the revenue thus pro-
duced, two and a half millions of duties 'nave
been relinquished by two bienninl reduc
tions under the net of 1833, and probably ns
much Inure upon the impertation (.4 iron for
railroads, by special legislation.
tt
bust such has been our condition for
the last lour years in retailers to revenue, We
have, during the 2 , 3111 P period, been subjected
to an unavoidable continuance energy extra
iird•nnry expenses necessarily growing out
of past traneactiona, and which could not he
immediately arrested without great prejudice
to the public interest. Of these. the charge
upon the 'Pre:leery, in consequence of the
Cherokee treaty alone, without adverting to
others arising out of Indian treaties. has al
ready exceeded five millions of dollars; that
for the prosecution of measures for the remo
val of the Seminole Indians which were
found in progress, has been nearly-fourteen
millions ; and the public buildings have re
quired the unusual sum of nearly three mil
lions.
It affords me, however, great pleasure to
be able to say, that, from the commencement
of this period to the present day. every de
mand upon the Government, at home or
abroad. has been promptly met. 'flits has
been done, not only without creating a per
manent debt, or a resort to additional taxa
tion in any form, but in the midst rife stead•
ily progressive reduction of existing burdens
upon the People, leaving still a conaiderable
balance of available timde which will remain
in the Treasury at the end of the year The
small amount of Treasury notes. not exceed- ,
ing four and a half millions of dollars, still
outstanding, and less by twenty-three mil
lions than the United States have in deposite
with the States, is composed of sitchlonly as
are not yet due, or have not been presented
for payment. They may be redeemed out
of the accruing revenue, if the expenditures
do not exceed the amount within which they
may, it is thought, bo kept without prejudice
to the public interest, and the revenue shall
prove to be as large as may justly be antici
pated.
Among the reflections arising from the
contemplation of these circumstances, one,
not the least gratifylng, is the cunsciousness
'that the Government had the resolution and
the ability to adhere, in every emergency, to
the sacred obligations of law; to execute r,!!
its contracts according to the requirei:‘,.::
of the Constitution ; and thus to present,
when most needed, a rallying-point by which
the business of the whole country might be
brought back to a safe and unvarying stand.
and —a result vitally important as well to the
interests as to the morals of the People.—
There can surely now jil l e no difference of
opinion in regard to oho incalculable evils
that would have arisen iftho Government, at
that critical moment, had suffered itself to
be deterred from upholding the only true
standard of value. either by the pressure of'
adverse circumstances or the violence of
unmerited denunciation The manner in
which the People sustained the performance
of this duty was highly honorable to their fbr
titude and patriotism. It cannot fail to sti
mutate their agents to adhere, under all cir
cumstances, to the line of duty ; and to sat
isfy them of the safety with which a course
really right, and demanded by n financial
crisis.may, in a community like ours. bo pur
sued, however apparently severe its immedi
ate operation •
The policy of the Federal Government, in
extinguishing as rapidly as possible the na•
thine' debt, and subsequiintly in resisting
every temptntion to create a new one. de
serves to be regarded in the same favorable
light Amoryg the many objections to a na
tional debt, the certain tendency of public
securities to concentrate ultimately in the
coffers of foreign' stockholders is one which
is every day gathering stre-gth. Already
have the resources of many of the States
and the future industry of their citizens been
indefinitely mortgaged to the subjects of
EuropeikkGovernments to the amount of
twelve milMirekannutilly to pay the constant
ly accruing interest on borrowed iminey -
sum exceeding half the ordinary revenues of
the whole United Stutes. The pr. text winch
this relation of to foreigners to scrub
nice ilie management of our denies' ic sabers,
if not rietiil'y di nitermedille with-them,
presents a subject for earnest attention, mot
to say of serious alarm. • Fort unately lime
Federal Government, with the exceptum of
an obligation entered into in bel:alf Or
District of Columbia. which must soon be
discharged, is wholly exempt from any such
embarrassment. It is also, as Is believed,
the only Government which, having fully
and faithfully paid all its creditors, has a•so
relieved itself entirely from debt. To main
tarn a distinction so desirable, and so honor
able to our national character, should be an
object uf earnest solicitude.
Never should a free people, if it be possi
ble to avoid it, expose themselves to the ne
cessity of having to treat ofthe peace, the
honor, or the safety of the Republic, with
the Governments of fOreign creditors, who,
however well disposed they may be to culti
vate with os in general friendly relations,
are nevertheless, by the law of their own
contrition. made hostile In the succes4 and
permanency tit political info it miens like ours.
.Most humiliating may be the embarrass
meets consequent upon such a cuedition.
Another objection, scarcely lens formidable,
to the commencement of a new debt, is its
inevitable tendency to increase in magnitude
and to foster national extravagance. lie
has been an unprofitable observer of events
who needs at this day to be admonished of
the difficulties which a Government. habitu
ally dependent on loans to sustain its ordi
nary expenditures, has to encounter in re
sisting the influenceeconstant'y exerted in
favor ofadditinnal loans ; by capitalists, who
enrich themselves by Government securities
for amounts much exceeding the money they
actually advance- a prolific source of indi
vidual aggrandizement in all borrowing
countries ; by stockholders, who seek their
gains in the rise and fall of Public stocks;
and by the selfish importunities of applicants
for appropriations for works avowedly for the
accommodation of the Public, but the real
objects of which are, too frequently, the ad
vancement of private interests. The known
necessity which so many of tlie States will
be under to impose text.' for tee eayatient .
the interest on their debts, furnisnes an tei
dilionnl and very cogent reason why the
Federal Government should refrain from
creating a national debt, by which the P.
pie would he eXputii , ll to doutule tr,xrtti'ror
a similar object. We possess within our
selves ample resources fur every emergon
cy ; and we may bo quite sure that our citi
zens, in no future exigency, wall be utiwil.
ling to supply the "iovernment with all the
means asked for the defence of the country.
In time of peace there can, at all events. be
no justification for the creation of a perma
nent debt by the Federal Government. Its
limited range of' constitutional ditties may
certainly, under such circumstances, be per
formed without Such a resort. It has, itis
seen. been avoided 'during. 'gnu. yearn of
greater fiscal ditEctiltiett than have existed
in n similar period since the adoption ofthe
Constitution, and one also remarkable for
the ficeurrence of extraordinary causes of
expenditures
-floe to :Wei/1101A so desirable an object.
two tit hies art , hid Ispeusable s first, that the
action iit the 1.'441.1111 CoVernment be kept
wi hi l l the lanindirries prescribed by its friun
dere ; and. Sf'«indly, that all appropriations
for object., slimilted to be constitutional, and
the expenditure of them atFo,be subjected to
' a standard of rigid but well-considered and
,_practical economy The first depends chief
ly on. the Peop n themselves, tho opinions
they fie of the true construction of the
Conetttittion. and the confidence they re
pose in the political sentiments of those they
select as their representativee in the Feder
al Legislature; the second rests upon the
fidelity with which their more immediate
representatives, and other public functiona
ries, discharge the trusts committed to them.
The duty ofeconoinizing the expenses of the
' public service is admitted on all hands : yet
there are few subjects upon which there ex
ists a wider difference of opinion than is
constantly manifested in regard to the fi•
delity with which that duty is discharged.
Neither diversity ofsentiment, nor even mu
tual recriminations, upon a point in respect
to which the public mind is so justly sensi
tive, can well be entirely avoided ; and least
eo at periods of great
.political excitement.
An intelligent People, however, seldom fail
to arrive, in the end, at correct conclusions
in such a matter. Practical economy in the
management of public affairs can havo no
adverse influence to contend with more
powerful than a large surplus revenue ; and
the unusually large appropriations for 1837
may, without doubt, independently' of the
extraordinary requisitions kir the public ser
vice, growing out of the state of our Indian
relations, be, in no inconsiderable degree,
traced to this source. The sudden and rap
id distribution of the large surplusthen in
the Treasury, and the equally sudden and
unprecedentedly severe revulsion in the
commerce and business of the country, point
ing with unerring certainty to A great and
protracted reduction'of the revenue,strength
ened the propriety of the earliest'practicable
reduction of the public expenditures.
ri,t, to clinn2c a system operating. upon
.Life a surface, and applicable to such nu
merous and diversified interests and objects,
was more than the work of a day. The at
tention of every department of the Govern
ment was immediately, and in good faith,
directed to that end, and has been so con
tinued to the present moment. The esti
mates and nppropriations fint the year 1838
(the first over which I had any control) were
somewhat diminished. The expenditures
of 1839 were reduced six millions of dollars.
'Those of 1840. exclusive of disbursoments
for public debt and trust claims, will proba
bly riot exceed twenty-two and a half' mil.
lions ; being between two and three millions
less than those of the preeedinz year, and
nine or ten millions less than those of 1837.
Nor has it been fimnd necessary, in order to
produce this result, to resort to the power
. conferred by Congress, of postponing cer
tain classes of the public works, except by
defe:ring expenditures for a short period
upon a limited portion of them ; and which
postponement terminated some time since, at
the moment the Treasury Department, by
further receipts fram the indebted books, be...
collie fully nssured elite ability to meet them
without prejudice to the public service in
oilier respects. Causes are in operation
which will, it is believed, justify a still fur
titer reduction, without injury to any impor
tant minimal interest. The expenses of sow.
Mining the troops employed in Florida hove
been gradually and greatly reduced, through
the persevering effiirts of the War Depart•
ment ; mid a reasonable hope may be enter
tained that the necessity for military opera
tions in that quarter will soon cease. The
removal 'lithe Indians from within our set
tled borders is nearly completed. The pen
sion list, one of the heaviest charges upon the
Treasury, ie rapidly diminishing by &toll.
The most costly of our public buildings are
either finished, or nearly so ; and we may, I
think, safely promise ourselves a continued
exemption from border difficulties.
The available ledance in the Treasury on
the Ist of January next is estimated at one
million and a bailor dollars. This sum,
with the expected receipts from all sources
during the next year, will, it is believed, be
sufficient to enable the Government to meet
every engagement, and leave a suitable bal
ance in the Treasury. at the end of the year,
if the remedial measures connected with the
customs and the public lands, heretofim• re
commended, shall be ad ! ipted, and the new
appropriations by Congress shall not carry
the expenditures beyond the official esti
mates.
The new system established by Con
grese for the safe-keeping of the public
money. prescribing the kind of currency
to he received (or the public revenue. and'
providing additional guards and securi
ties against loas,a, has now been several
months in operation. Although it might
be premature, upon all experience of
such limited duration. to form a definite
opinion in regard to the extent of its in•
(luerwes in correcting many evils under
which the Federal Government and the
country have hitherto «offered—especi
ally those that have grown out of bank
ing expansions, a depreciated currency.
and official defalcations : yet it is but
right to say that nothing has °centred in
the practical operation of the system to
weaken in the slightest degree, but much
to strengthen the confident anticipations
of it. friends. The grounds of these have
heretofore been so fully explained as to
require no recapitulation. In respect to
the facility and convenience it affords in
e whir 11 / 12 the public service, and the
nbilov of the government to discharge
ihrttugh ,tip agency every duly attendant
oil the c,il ection. transfer and disburse
mein of the public money with ptompti•
toile and socrc•., I can say, with confi
dence, that the apprehensions of those
1 ,1 .1 (' l ll it Weir duty to oppose its whip.
lion have proved to be unfounded On
the contrary, this branch of the fiscal af
fairs of the Government has been, and it
is behevcd may alwaya be. thus carried
on with every de•irahle facility and se
verity. A few changes and improvements
in the detads'of the MVRIC111: widiuut af.
femme any principles involved in it. will
he submitted to sou by the Seeretaiy of
the Treasury, and will. I sin cure, rere.ve
at your bands that :menthe) to which they
may, tin e x•-mina-ion. be found to be en.
titled
I !Nye dremprl lhi• brief miiinoiary 1.1
our, fiscal affairs ttecesp , sry to the due
. .
isetrulttliglit a 4.1 a fluty spretaily repined
upon me by the C01i911111114111. It Will
serve, also, t o illustr a te' More fully the
principles by ‘‘hieli I have been guided
in reference to two come-tell ;tomtit in
our public galley, which were earliest in
their development, and have been mitre
important in their entorequenees, than any
tfolt 'lave at wen tinder nor compheated
and difficult, yet admirable sy•tern of Go
vernment : I allude to a national d e m „,1
a national bank. It was in these th at t h e
i mbue s ' eunteirts by win c h the country
be. been sported ever since the adoptilin
of the Constitution. in a great measure,
originated ; a n d there IM 1011(110H' Mgt.'s!"
to appieliend that the conflteting interests
and app using principles thus marshalled
will ellIltill111•, as herenifore. produce
similar, if not aggravated. cionteque nev a.
l'oming Into office the declared enemy
of both. I have earnestly endeavored to
prevent a resort to either.
The consideration that a large public
debt afford,' an apology, and produces, in
some degree. a necespitv. Bleu for resort
ing to a system and extent of taxation
which i• not only oppressive throughout,
but likewise so apt to lead, in the end, to
the commit:loon (If that moat odious of all
offences against the principle, o f republi.
can government—die prostitution of po
Nitre! power, conferred for the general
benefit, to the aggrandizement of particti•
hr classes, and the gratifieation of indivi
dual cupidity—is alone sufficient, Inds
pentlentlyotthe weighty objections which
have already been urged. to render its
creation and existence the sources o 1 bit•
ter and unappeasable discord. If we add
to this its illl.liitsitlie If mleiiey to produce
and foster extraiagant expendituresonhe
public Money. by which a necessity is
created for new 'nano and new burdens
on the People; and, finally, if we refer to
the examples ()revery Government which
has existed fur proof. how seldom it is
that the system. when once adopted and
implanted in the policy of a country, has
failed to expired itself. until public credit
Was exhatisted, and the people Were no
longer able to (name its increasing
weight, it seems impossible to resist the
conehisnin, that no benefits resulting
from its career no extent of elitiqueat. ito
accession of wealth to particular classes.
nor any, nor all its comhined advantages.
ran rounterbolanee its ultimate but (Tr.
rain results—a splendid Government, and
an impoverish, d People.
If a national bank was, as is undeniable, repudia
ted by the framers of the coustittation as incrampati
ble with the tights of the States and the liberties of
the people; if, from the beginning, it has been re
garded by large portions of our citizens as coming in
direct collision with that great and vital am: ndment
of the constitution, which declares that all powers
not conferred by that instruinent un the General Goy
ernment are reserved to the States and to the peo
ple; if it has been viewed by them as the first great
step in the march of latitudinuus construction. which,
unchecked, would render that sact , d in , tremeut of
as little value as an unwritten constitution, depen
dent, as it would alone be, for its meaning, on the in
terpretation or a dominant party, and alTord ng no
security to the rights of the minority;-if such is un
deniably the case, what rational grounds could have
been couceived for anticipating aught bat determined
oppositiou to sueh an institution ut the reseal day ?
Could a ilfffereOlt result have been expected, when
the cou-equenc which have flowed from its creation,
and particularly Iron, its strugglcs to perpetuate its
exigence, had confirmed, in dU striking a manner,
the apprehensions of its earliest opponents; when it
had been an clearly aletuonstrated that a money pow
er. wielding, so vast a eapit I, and combining such
incalculable nests of influence, may. iii those pace '
liar c onjunclures t r which this Government is amt•
voidablv exposed, prove an overmatch for the iaolit
ical power of the people themselves; when the true
character of its capactty to regulate, according to its
w• 11 and its interests, and the interests of its favor
ites, the Yalu., and production of the labor and prop
city of every man in this extended country, had been
so fully and f, arlully developed; when it was notori•
ous that all classes of this great community bud, by
means ot the power and iutlitence it thus possesses,
been infected to madness with a spirit at heedless
speculation; when it had been seen that, s, cure in
the support of the cambia:thou of idle, nCes by which
it was surrounded, it could violate its charter, and
set the laws at defiance with impunity; and when,
too, it had become most apparent that to believe that
ouch au accumulation of powers can ever be granted
without the certainly ut being abused, was to indulge
in a natal da Insicai ?
To avoid tic necessity of a permanent debt, and
its inevitable consequenc. a, I have advocated, and
co kavored to carry into elf.ct, the policy of confining
the sippropriatim.s for the public service to such ob•
j:•cts only as are cle irly within the constitutional au
thority of the Federal Government ; of excluding
from its expenses those improvident and unauthorized
grant. of public money for works of Internal improve
ment, which were so wisely arrested bs the consti
tutional interposition of my predecessor, and which,
if they had not been sO checked, would long before
this time have involved the flumices of the General
Government in embarrassments far greater than those
experienced by any of the States; of limiting all our
expenditures to that simple, unostentatious, and eco
noinical administration of public affairs, which is
alone consistent with the chaiacter of our inatim•
lions; of collecting annually from the cuotoms, and
the sales of public lands, a revenue hilly adequate to
defray all the expenses thus incurred, Put, nada no
pretence whatsoever, to impose Saxes upou th peo.
plc to a greater amouut than was actually necessary
to the public service, conducted upon the principles I
have stated.
In lieu of a national bank, or • dependence upon
banks of any description, for the management of our
fiscal affairs. I recommended the adoption of a system
hick is now in successful operation That system
affords every requisite facility for the transaction of
the pecuniary concerns of the Government; will, it
I. confidently anticipated, produce in other resp,cts
many of the benefits which have been from time to
time expected from the creation of a national bank,
but which have never been realized; twoid the man
ifold evils inseparable from such an institution; di
minish, to a greater extent than could be accomplish
ed by any other naeasnre of reform, the patronage of
the Federal Government—a wise policy in all Gov
eminent., but more especially so in one like ours,
which works well only in proportion as it is made to
rely for its support upon the unbiassed and una-lulter
ated opinions of its constituents; do away, forever,
all dependence on corporate bodies, either in the
raising, collecting, safe-keeping, or disbursing the
public revenues; and place the Government equally
above the temptation of fostering aliangerous and un
constitutional institution at home, or the necessity of
adapting its poli -y to the views and interestsof a still
more formidable money power abroad.
• It is by adopting and carrying out these principles,
under circumstances the most arduous and discourag
ing, that the attempt has been made, thus far success
fully, to demonstrate to the people of the United
States that a national hank at all times, and a tintion
al debt, except it be incurred at n period when the
honor and safety of the nation demand the tempora
ry sacrifice of a policy, which should only be aban
doned in such exigencies, are not merely unnecessa •
ry, but in direct and deadly hostility to the princi
ples of their Government, and to their own perma
nent welfare.
The progress made iu the development of these
positions, appears in the preceding sketch o' the past
history and present state of the financial concerns of
the Federal Government. The facts there stated
fully authorize the assertion. that all the purposes
(or which this Government was instituted have been
accomplished during four years of greater pecuniary.
embarrassment tha , were ever before experienced
in time of peace. and in the face of opposition as for
midable as any that was ever before arrayed agnimt
the policy of an administration; that this has been
done when the ordinary revenues of the Government
were generally decreasing, as well from the opera.
lion of the lawa, as the condition 'of the c , untry
without the creation of a permanent public debt, or
incurring any liability, oilier than su c h as th e ordi
nary resources of the Governinent wilYsPeedily dis
chart, . and without the agency of a national bank. .
If this view of tbe proceedings of the Goyersumatt,
for the period it tentiraces, be warranted by the facts
as they are known to exile; if the army and nary
have been sustained to the full extent authorized by
and which Congress deem d sufficient for the
defence of the country and the protection of its rights
and its honor; if its civil and diplomatic service has
been eqeellv suslamed; if ample provision has been
made for the administration ofjustice a d the yes-coi
tion of the I 11Wil; if the claims upon ;white gratitude
le behalf of the soldiers of the Hrvolun'in bare been
promptly met, and faithiully diseharged; if there
have been no failures in defraying the very Image
expenditures zrowine Out of that loneecentinivel and
salutary trolley of peacefully removing the Indiana to
reeinua of comparative safety and prosperity; if the
public faith has nt all times, and every where, beset
mast scrupulously maintained by a prompt discharge
of the numerous, extended, and diversifi..d claims
cn
the Treasury;--if all these great and permanent ob
jects, with many others that might be .410(41, have,
for a series of pews, mnrked by peculiar obstacles
rind difficulties, been successfully accomplished with
out a resort to a permanent dell, or the aid of a na
tional bank; have we not a right to expect thet a led
icy, the ohj..c! of which has been to sustain the pub
lic service independently of either of these fruitful
source, of discord, will receive the 'final section of a
people wit me inthiasted and (aide elicited judgment
upon public affairs is :lever ultimately wrong ?
That embarrassments iii the pecuniary concerns of
individuals, of unexampled extent and durniinn, have
reclestly existed fu this, as in oiler commercial' na
tion', is undoubtedly true. To suppos e It necessary
now to trace three reverse's to their sources, would
be a reflection on the intelligence allay fellow citi
zens. Whatever any have been the obscurity fn
which she subject was involved during the earlier
stages of the revulsion, there cannot now be many
by whom the whole question is not fully understood.
Not deeming it within the constitutional powers of
the General Government to miner private lessee an.
trained by reverses in business !mine; no connexion
with the public service, either by direct appropria
tions from the Treasury, or by special legislation
designed to secure exclusive privileges and immuni
ties to individuals or classes in preference to, and at
the expeote of, the great majority becessarile debar
red from any participation in them, no attempt to dos
so has been either made, recommended, or encourag
ed, by the present Executive.
h is believed, however, that the great purposes
for the attainment of which the Federal Government
was instituted have not been lost sight of. Intrusted
only with certuin limited powers, cautiously enumer
ated, distinctly specified, and defined with a precis
ion and clearness which would seem to defy miscou
struction, it has been my constant aim toot:4We my
pelf within the limit. so clearly marked out, and so
carefully guarded Having always been of (Onion
that the hest preservative of the union of the States
is to be found of a total abstinence from the exercise
of all doubtful powers on the part of the Federal Gov
ernment, rather than in attempts to assume than by
a loose construction of the cetistitution, or an ingeni
nutpervertion of its worth, I have cedenvered to
avoid recommending any measure .which I ha r rea•
ton to apprehend would, in the opinion of a consider•
able minority of my fellow-citizens, be recarded as
trenching on the right. of the States, or the provis
ions of the hallowed instrument of our Linton. View
ing the aggregate powers of the Federal Government
as a voluntary concession of the States, it seemed to
me that such only should be exercised as were at the
time intended to be given.
I have been strengthened, too, in the propriety of
this course, by the conviction that all efforts to go
beyond this, tend only to produce: dissatiafaction and
distrust, to excite jealousies, and to provoke resist
ance. Instead of adding strength to the Federal
Government, even when successful, they must prove
a source of incurable weaknest. by alienating a por
tion of those whose adhesion is indispensable -to the
great ageregate or united strength, and whose volun
tary attachment is, in my estimation, far more essen
tial to the efficiency of a govennused strong in the
best of all possible strength—the confidence and at
tachment a those who make up its constitueu( tele
, merit.
Thus believing, it has been my constant purpose to
secure to the whole people, and to every member of
the confederacy, by general, salutary, and equal laws
alone, the benefit of those republican intittiutiona
which it was the end and aim of the constitution to
ustablith, and the impartial influence of which is, in
my judgment, indispensable to their preservation. I
caunot bring myself ao believe that the lasting haw
ness of the people, the prosperity of the Stlkt..e, or
the permanency of their Uision can be maintained b/
giving preference or priority to any class of citizens
in the distributine of benefits nr privileges. or by rho
adoptive of measures which enrich one portion of the
Union at the expense of windier; Our can I see in the
interlerence of the Federal Government with the lo
cal legislation and reserved rights of the Slates a re
medy for preseneor a security against future ! Jungers.
The first, erid assuredly not the I east, lamellate
step towards relieviiie the country from the conditiois
into which it had been plunged try exeseetes in trade,
banking. and Crelllig of all kintle. was to place the
bushiest transactions of the Government Itself on a
reilid.basis• girine and le cetvieg in all ruses value
value, nodt neither couittenaecitur nor encouraging its
others that delusive ay-tem of credits from winch it
his been limed so difficult to escape, and which has
left nothing behind it but the wrecks that mark its
lOW career.
That the financial affairs of the Government are
now, and have been during the o hole period of !hes°
wide-spreading difficultiea. conducted with a strict
and invariable regar to this great fundamental prin
ciple. and that by the assumption and maint, native of
the stand thus taken on the very thiciihhold of tint
apiOnneliing crisis, more than by any other cause or
maims whatever, the counnuoily at large has been
shield, d from the incalculable evils of a general mid
indefinite mspension of specie payments; unit a con
sequent annihilation, for the w ole period it might
have !aged, at a Just And in vat inbic standard of val
ue, will, it is believed, ut this period, scarcely be
qu• stioned.
A I.leady adherence, on the part of the Govern.
merit, to the policy which las produced such tia•
lutury awed by judicious stute leg.slatom,
and, what is not less impoitani, by the in 'ustry,
enterprise, perseverance, and economy of the A.
nierican people, cannot all to raise the whoto
country, ut an curly period, to a state of solid and
enduring prosperity not subject to be again over
throWir. by the sunpoesion of banks or the explo.
'Man of a bloated credit system. It is for tile rieo.
plo, and their representatives, to decide whether
or not - the permanent welfare of the country
(which all good citizens equally desire, however
widely they only differ as to the means of its ac•
cumpliAmmit) shall lie in this way secured; or
whether the management of the pecuoiary c n.
corns oh the Government, and, by consequence.
tea great extent, those of individuals also, shalt
ho tarried buck to a condition of things which
fostered thane contractions and expansions 01 the
currency, and those reckless abuses of credit.
from the balmul effects of which the country has
ea deeply suffered—a return that can pr iiiii ire, in
the end, no better rennin) than to reproduce the
embarrassments the Government has experien
ced; and to remove from the shoulders of tho
present, to those of fresh victims, the bitter fruits
of that sprit of speculative eritorprise to which
our countrymen are so liable, and upon whick
the lessons of experletllCO arose unavailing. The
choice is an important one, and I sincerely hope
that it may be wisely made.
A report from the Secretory of. War, presen
ting a detailed view of the affairs of that depart
ment, accompanies this communication
Tho desultory dutius connected with the reino
vat of the Indiana. in which this army has been
constantly engaged On the northern and western
frontiers, and in Florida, have rendered It Im
practicable to carry into full effect the plan
recommended by the Secretary be' improving its
discipline. In ovary instance where the regi
ments have been concentrated, they have made
groat progress; and the best results may be anti.
cipated from a continuance of this system. Dn.
ring the last season, a • part of the troops have
been employed in removing Itidians from the in
terior to the territory assigned them in the west.
—a duty which they have pitformod efficiently,,
and with praiseworthy hninaul:y; and that por.
lion of them which has been stationed in Florida.
continued active operations them throughout the
heats of summer.
The policy of:the United States In .regard to.
the Indians, of which a snecinct account is given
in my message in 1818, nod of the wicdnin and
expediency of which I 3111 fully satisfied, her
been continued 111 active operation throughout
the whole period of my administration. Silica
the spring of 1837, inure than Inv timmnind ln•
diens have been removed to their new homes.
eat of . tne 51issisaippi; ul.d I um happy to add.
th•tt alt accounts coucut iu reprer•eotiug. the re.
still of this tueeeure as eminently beneficial to.
that people. _ .
The emigration. alba Seminole* alone has
boon attonded with 410 nous d.iriculty, and ones-.
itionod tAluodithed; liabilities having boon cow-
tne,med uy tae Indians in blunder, uneor the ap :•edirciiint in the rate. (Whetter postage—an object
prelienelon that they wurild be compellcid, by highly desirable. The subject in one of general
twee, to comply with their treaty stipulations. interest to the community, and is respectfully re-
The execution of the treaty of Pryne's Landing, commended to your consideration
signed in 1832. but not ratified until 1834. was The suppression of the African slave trade has
prediunned, at tire eolicitetion of the !reliant., un- received the continued attention of the Govern.
id 1836, when they again renewed their agree- meat. 'rho brig Dolphin and schooner Grampus
meet to remove permeably to their new homes have been employed during the last season on the
in the west. lei the face of this solemn and coast of Africa. fir the purpose o f preventing such
renewed compact, they broke their f e i li, and perching of that trade as wee said to be prosecuted
commenced hostilities by the nesesacre ef Major under the American qr. After cruising ruff those
Dude's command, the murder of their agent Gen- parts of the Court most usually resorted to by iala-1
oral 'Thompson, and other acts of cruel treache. vars, until the cmninencement of the rainy sea. !. Iffoitor of the Nomination.
ry. When 'his nlershinc and unexpected Intel. !son, these vessels returned to the United States '
ligence reachedthe Feat of Government, every for supplies, and have since boon despatched on a Several of 'our cotempnrattes hove lately been
Wert appears to have been made to reinforce, similar service. 'alking a great deal about where, and by whom.
General Clinch, who commanded the troops then • F rom t h e reports of the comman di ng o ffi cers , it nu s :en. Harrison was first spoken of us a candidate
in Florida. General Crfo edit' was despatched with pears that the trade is now principally carried on . r the •,
summ .
er of Fred°.
rresioency. , The or:
reinforcements from Charleston; troops were der Portuguese celore; and theY express the °pink,
onthestay, irk. claims the hinter of having been the first in
that the apprehension of their presence .t
called out from Alabama, Tennessee, and Gem'-
coast has, ina great degree, Frt., at( dhe proetitut i oi he cause, and contends that Harrison's Humana
gin; and General Scott was bent to lake the eons
of the American thug to this inhuman purpose. It
.nand,i with a.npie powers and ample means hoped that, by continuing to maintain this force it on first erninated from a dislii plebe-el gentle-
At the first alarm, General Gaines organized a that quarter, and tq the exertions of the officers it rum of that city, as early ns Deceinbe r. 18:15
)ur friends of Harrisburg, with equal tenacity,
force at Now Orleans, and, without waiting for command, much will be doneeo put a stop to what
orderis, landed in Florid a, whore ho delivered ever portion of this traffic mahave been carried ,
over the Hoops he hid brought with hint to Gen• under the American flag, and to prevent its use in tahn the honor ~f the nomination seniewhat ear
; trade which, while it violates the laws, is equali) her than our hiends of Frederick. But with all
oral Scott.
an outrage on the rights of others and the feelings c
Governor Call was subsequently appointed to humanity. The e ff orts of the several Governments hue regard to our brethren of Frederick and Hare
conduct e summer campaign, and, at the close o f who are anxiously seeking to suppress this train" risburg, (whom we admit were among the first
it, was replaced by General „Mauls. These events must, however, no directed against the facilities a*- .ind last in the good cause,) we beg leave to differ,
and changes took place under the administration forded by what se e now recognised as legitimate
of my predecessor. Notwithstanding the error-
and claim for "Old Adams" the honor of being
lions of the experienced officers who had cam-
commercial pursuits, before that object can be full) •
accomplished. Supplies of provisoes, water casks, first in the field for Tippecanoe. At a public
mend there for eighteen months, on entering cation nh a o n f d t t he e•
n i e- a t r r t a i d i c e , " are , con
connected
c i t e (' understood, i th
the
rreorl; meeting held here as early as December,' 1834,
the Hon. James Genre'', now a member of upon the administration of the Government I carried by vessels of diMureut nations to the slave
Con
found the Territory of Florida a prey to Indian factories; and the effects of the fact rs are transport. d tress from this place, made the fir.sf speech in fa
atrocitiee. A strenuous effort was, Immediately openly from one slave station to another, without it
•
, or of G en. Harrison's omination. and from that
made to bring those hostilities to a doe ; and the terruption or punishment by either of the nations to
time until the successful termination of the cam
which they belong, engaged in the commerce of at
artily, under General Jesup, was reinforced un•
tit it amounted to ten thousand men, and fur.
t l o t . d b e y c a a d r
e •
region.. t submi! tobyo,unr
the
e ud fi g r ments whether
b this deign, has been ono of the most unwavering and
c uo u v a e te rnrnen, having
molted with luiidant suppl•es of every descrip
penaltiesthe sl u e; e t -trade d tticiTii°rhsti telly° supporters that the General has had. So,
tion. In this campaign a great number of the e q uate
ld not
lithe the f actor i es to forbid to its 4entlemen, with the most kindly feelings toward
citizens all trade wit slave on the coast you all, we must beg that you will step aside, and
enemy were captured and destroyed; but the
character °fib° content only wag changed. The Africa: giving an example to all nations in this re
let Gettysburg take precedence of you all. Adams
Indiuns, having been denuded in every engage speet, which, if fairly followed,cannot fail to produae
menu, disporeed in mail bands throughout the the most e ff e cti ve r e sult s i n breaking up those dens county claims the honor of having been the firs!
country, end became an enterprising, fine of iniquity. nidable io 'laminate Gen. Harrison, and the Hon. James
and rudders banditti. General Taylor. NI VA N
aylor. who BUREN.
succeeded General Jesup, used his best exertions WASHINGTON. December 5. Is4o. Cooper is entitled to the credit of having been the
first to bring him before the people fur the Presi
to subdue them, and was seconded in his efforts '—
by the officers under his command; but he, too,
failed to protect the Territory from their &pre
dation& By an act of signal and crutch trench°
ry, they broke the truce made with them by
General Macomb, who was sent from Washing
ton for the purp •se of carrying into effect the
expressed wishes of Congress, and have continued
thole devastations ever since. General Armis
toad, who was in Florida when General Taylor
left the army, by permission, /resumed the corn.
mend, and. after active summer operations, was
mot by propositions for peace; and, from the for.
tunate coincidence of the arrival in Florid'', at
the same period, of a delegation from the Semin
oles who are happily settled west of Mississippi
and are now anxious to &made their country.
mon to join there there, hopes wore for some
time entertained that the Indians might bo in.
duced to le.ore the Territory without further
difficulty. These hopes have proved falleci , us,
and hostilities have beim renewed throughout
the whole of the Territory. That this contest
hatiendured so long, is to be attributed to causes
beyond the control of the Government. Expert
enced generals have hid the command of the
troops; 'dicers and soldiers have alike diet in
guishod themselves fir their activity, patience
and enduring courage; the army has been con
stantly furnished with supplies of every descrip.
tion; and . wo must look for the causes which have
so long procrastinated the issue of the contest,
in the vast extent of the theatre of hostilities, the
almost insurnmentable obstacles presented by
the nature of the country, the climate, arid the
wily character of the savages.
'Fire sites fir marine hospitals on the rivers
and lakes., which I was authorized to select and
"Cannel . ° be purchased, have all been designated
but the umpteen iation not proving sufficient con.;
dill/teal attainments only have been made for
their acquisitien. It is fan Congress to decide
whether those conditional purchases shall be
sanctioned, and the humane hutontions of the
law eirried into hill effect.
'I lie unify, as will appear from the accompa
nying repel t ord.. Secretary, has been usefully
and honorably employed in the protection of
our commerce and °Renee in the Mediterranean.
the Pacific, on the roast of Brazil, and in the Gulf
of Mexico. A small siitt.idmit consisting of the
frigate Con-tellation rind the sloop-of war Boston,
under Commodore Kearney, is now on its way
to the China and Indian seas, for the purpose of
attending to our intereets in that quarter; arid
Commander Aulick,in nhe Montt of war Yorktown,
has been instructed to visit the Sande telt and
Society Islamle, the coasts of Now Zealand and
Japan, together with other ports and,, Wander
frequented by our whele ships, for the purpose oft
giving thorn countelance and protection, should'
they be required. Other smaller vessels lure
been, and still are, employed iii prosecuting the
surveys of the coasts o• the United Stateeedirected
by v.rious acts of Congress; and those %Ouch
have been cumulated will shortly ho laid before
you
Tlio exploring expedition, at the latest date,
was preparing to leave the Bay of Islands, New
Zealand, iii further prosecution of objects which
have, thus far, been successfully accomplished.
The discovery of a new continent, which was first
seen in latitude 66 0 2' south, longitude 154 0 27'
east, and al terwards in latitude 66 0 31' south. lon.
gitudo 153° 90' east, by Lieutenants Wilkes and
Hudson. fur an extent of 1800 mules, but on which
they were prevented from landing by vast bodies
of ice which encompassed it, is one of the houora.
We results of the enterprise. Lieut. Wilkes bears
testimony to the zeal and good conduct of his of.
ficers and mem - and it is but justice to that officer
to state that he appears to have performed the du
ties assigned hint with an ardor, ability, and per
severance, which give every assurance of an hon
orable issue to the undertaking. .
The report of the Postmaster General, herewith
transmitted, will exhibit the service of that de.
pariment the past year, and its present condition.
The transportation liar been meintained during
the year to the full extent authorized by the ex
laws; some iniprovements have been effec
ted, which the public interest seemed utgently to
demand, but not involving any material additional
expenditure; the contractors have generally per
formed their engagements with fidelity; the post
intiatere, with few exceptions, have rendered their
accounts and paid their quarterly balances with
promptitude; and the whole service of• the depart
ment has maintained the officiency for which it
has for several years been distinguished.
The acts of Congress establishing new mail
routes, and requiting more expensive services on
others, and the increasing wants of the country,
have, for three years past. carried the expendi.
tures something beyond the accruing revenues;
the excess having been nun, until the past year,
by the surplus which had previously accumul ited.
That surplus having been exhuusted, and the an
ticipated increase in the_ revenue not having been
realized, owing to the depression in the commer
cial business of the country, the finances of the
department exhibit a small deficiency at the close
uf the lust fiscal year. Its resources, however, are
ample; and the reduced rates of compens'ation for
the transportation service, which may be expect
cd on the future lettings, from the general reduc
tion of prices. with the increase of revenue that
may reason ahly be anticipated limn the revival ul
commercial activity, must soon place the finances
of the department in a prosperous condition.
Considering. the toif.vor.ible circumstances
which have existed during the posit year, it IS a
gratifying re , ult that the revenue has nut Cochin
oil, as e/mipared with the preceding year, but, nn
the contrary, exhibits a small increase; •he cir
cumstances referred to haying had nu other effect
then to check the expected intents.
It will he seen that the Postmaster General
sugges.s cartain improvements iu the establish
desiv nett to reduce the weight of the mails,
cheapen the transportation, rnswe greater rogu.
Laity in the service, and recut° a considerable
REPUBLICAN BANNER.
OaTTI(BII3IJRU. December 13. 1840.
The President's Message.
Wo give ibis document to day.. It contains
but little information as to the state of the nation.
It is mostly occupied with electioneering remarks.
It inveighs against a National debt, and a Nation
al Bank.. When Van Buren went into office we
had no national debt, but a surplus of $40,000,-
000 in the Treasury. Now we owe millions!—
What bold inconsistency does he exhibit with this
state of facts before him! As to a National Bank.
the state of our curroncy2 i ti lows the wisdom of his
_hatred to it. In short, this last annual melange
of a rejected politician is the work of a dema
gogue, not a statesman. But we shall have little
more to say of Martin Van Buren. The old
maxim, to -easy nothing, unless we can speak well,
of the dead," compels us to silence.
Public Opinion.
The want as well as the 'shallowest mode of
manufacturing "public opinion" is to procure par.
*graphs to be inserted in distant journals, and
then transferred to the collecting focus. But this
small trade is so well understood that •it Directs
nobody. We are led to these remarks by observ
ing the course of the oCarlisle Herald aid Expos
itor" in reference to one of his fellow townsmen.
We object to nothing !auditors' which it may or
can say of the g•mtleman referred to; but it is
a ,arewhot amusing to see it collect the oopin
iona" of the Harrison party of Pennsylvania from
the papers of such couoties as Columbia, and
Perry, which gave about 2500 Van Buren major
ity. But what we particularly except to in the
Herald as worthy of especial condemnation, is the
editorial remarks of the Mat number, under the
head of "New Cabinet." We do not object to
the eulogy on Mr. PENT ROSIN, although consider
ing the location and ownership of that paper, we
should think it betrayed much lock of modesty
and delicacy. But why attempt to depress the
gentleman whom the Editor seems to consider
his rival? Is this the way to prontoto the harmo
ny and ensure the future success of the party?—
The Editor should have the prudence to remem
ber. before he makes such inviduous nssaults
against those who have sacrificed their time and
estates for the last fifteen or twenty years to stem
the torrent of Lacofucoism,that he has but lately ta
ken refuge from the indignation of his fellow agra
rians In the ranks, and under tho protecting shield
of the very patty and the very man whom he now
assails. But it is ,hardly to be wondered at.—
They were so much the subjects of his assaults a
few years since when ho shot his poisoned arrows
from the ranks of the enemy, that ho cannot re
frain from using a weapon from the same quiver
even when he prufessea to be their friends. Of
the propriety of appointing to the Cabinet the per
son who is thus gratuiteusly introduced by the
Herald for the purpose of envious remark, we do
not intend to speak. If he be not already known
to the nation and the President elect, no poor edito
rial puffing will give him any honorable notoriety.
Nor shall we say aught against the Herald's favor
ite; we knew and respect him in his place. But
cee have not the most distant belief that any con
siderable portion of the Hirrison party in Penn.
Sylvania would desire to see hint tendered thefirst
honor which Pennsylvania is to receive. We
have no apprehension that he will be placed in the
very front, and the old warriors be commanded to
wheel into the rear. But enough of this. We
trust we shall see no more attempts among pro
fessing friends to depreciate the merits of our
prominent men, or draw invidious comparisons
between). It requires no magician to foretel that
such a course would end in the speedy downfall
of the party.
LEVI WOODLIUUT NOT LEGALLY ELECTED.--.
The Legislature of New Hampshire elected Levi
Woo.bury, present Serretary of the Treasury, a
United States Nenstor, for six years from the
fourth of March next. Mr. Woodbury is a real
drat of the District of Columbia, and has been
such for many years. He is not, and has not
been for eight years, an inhabitant of New Hemp
sh.re. tioaten Atlas says, that he is, there
fore inclijble, and has no right to take his seat
us the kiennte of the United on the Fourth of
March next. That an inhabitant of Washington
is not eligible to Uonaresa has already been &el
ded,—once in the case of John Dailey, who MG
chosen a member of the House, froni the county
of Norfolk, in the State of Massachusetts, when
l an inhabitant orate District of Columbia, and re
I fused a peat; unriligatnnin tte ease of Mr. Grun
dy, who, when elected to the Senate front Tenties•
see, was compelled to return to that state in
order to gain a re:id..nce. and was then elected a
second time. Th..re consequently has been no
legally elected Senator chosen in the place of Mr.
'Hubbard, and we trust until that is done, no one
will he permitted to take his seat.
On our first page will be found quite en inter.
eating tale from the pen of our fair correspondent
at Liberty, Pa; We would be pleasid to hear
from her more frequently. Shall we?
The Hon. JameH Cooper will accept our thank.
for a copy of the Presidont's Message.
"THS CHRISTIAN WOHLD."- We have reedy
ed the second and third numbers of this work.
published in Philadelphia, and edited by the Rev.
Thomas H. Stockton. The Christian World is
not devoted to the interests of any particular sect,
hut advocates "the great principles of revealed re
ligion, as held by all evtingebeal denominations."
The typography beautiful. It is published
monthly, at $1 25 le r annum—five copies, or
more, $1 each, payable in advance.
A State Tempererce Convention will meet at
Harrisburg on the second Milne:day (instead of
2d Tuesday, 4.2 w e stated in our last,) ofJanua•
ry next.
THE PUILAVOILPIIIA DAILY STANDARD — This
spirited paper has come out, attired it: a new and
beautiful these. We have ever adMired the course
pursued by its able and talented conductor, Prof.
Grunt], and are pleased to percieve that hie efEirta
in support of the cause of Harrison and Reform
have been appreciated by the public. The Stand•
tad is printed with new type, on good paper, large
size, at $5 per annunro, in advance, or two cents
per number.
A Sun•TnEAsnnun DECAMPED.—The
Mobile .)Darnel says:—"The late Pustmas-
New Orh-nrn. linß, according to the
tepoils of the papers of thin city, started
for Teltt.s.both a defaulter to Government
and tin absconding debtor to tiolivtduals.—
He tins c/rrted tiff c.,nsiderable property
with tiny, and hie et, dit have swirl] in
pursuit' with hope of over taking lain. Hll
ORllie is McQueen." The Nt.w Orleans
Bulletin say s: We barn that the Govern-
meat is nut the only .41i.trer flow the
Swartwouting ihe luta Postmaster of this
city. Private individuals are !liken in for
large amount& Several creditors of the ab
scondidg delimiter have started in hot lair
suit. anti :none It yes aro entertainednfuver
taking him berme passing the conhaer of
Texas."
--• • e....
PA T 1 DONED.--.-GfiVernur Porter, of Penn
sylvania, hat; pardoned Jos , pti. Jennings
and David Oitman, convicted last- so .... er
during the Kcielingioi l railroad mos, the
former for riot, and sent nred to revels
years, and Ih3 latter for armor', and senten
ced to seven years imprisonment in the
Eastern Penitentiary.
From the New Orleans Bulletin of Dec. 1
LATER }Toil) MEXICO.
RETREAT OF THE X UNOPIION:4 - Slava&
ler of the Murderers—and Escape of the
Texian Patriot:.—Since our publication of
yesterday, in which the accounts from our
correspondent at Matamoros left more then
100 young Teximis at :Saltine, about to be
sacrificed at the shrine of cowaidice— we
have conversed with a passerigor front Texas
by the New York, lir. Ed. Dwyer, of San
Antonio, who has communicated to us sonic!
new and heart cheering facts. Mr. D. was
only six days from San Antonio to Huusten
and on the journey put up at a house where
Juidun (the commander of the 114
Texians whom the Mexicana lied planned
to murder) had just before steps'e d for re
freshment. Mr. Dwyer feel tied, and hits
no doubt of the correctness of the Infornia.
lion, that when the 'resigns became convin.
ced of the intentions and treachery of the
Mexicans, they retired by themselves to 'a
walled enclosure in the vicinity, determined
to face the worst. At this time the citi
zens of the place, considered the contest at
as end, opened their houses and shops and
gave the soldiers whatever they wished to
eat or drink. The consequence was that
the bulk of them got beastly drunk; and in
this situation they were oidored by their
commander to attack the out laws, Os the
Texians were termed.) Tile brittle corn.'
menced about 2 P. M. and lasted near 91
hours. 'rho Texians well_nretected
from the fire of the assaia.ors—and were i
moreover well, and ttboy.iiiintly su t ,pli;.tl
with ammunition. ,
..-suit was, that the
ignorant end intoxicao d cowards wao as.
sailed Them, incapable • f i ft otiog injury,
were slaughtered on al ds. At ibis'
juncture, the besieged forth sad cap
lured three pieces of artillery, which they
turned upon the enemy, and . mowed them
down like wags. lkfor,! than FOUR HUN
DRED of the treacherous fins s% ere left
lifelrsi On the ground on that night, by this
small branch of the , Anglo-Sexon race.
The Texans, having cleared the field,
supplied themselves with apparel (of which
they were much in want) and other spoils
of victory, and commenced. their march
homeward, and pursued their way without
molestation—having lost only four compnn
ions killed in the fight, end one who died
from disease.
[The above ir. confirmed by another le
ter from a resporwible e.,urce
The adftware County Republican states
fin go nd notolooorili that Governor Potter
refuses to wile his . proclamdtion offering a
reward Inr the itersou or persons who mur•
dered IVtllism Hope, on the grounds cf the
grent scarcity of money at present in the
State Treasury 1
From the Upper Marlborough (Prince George's
County Md.) Gazette.
On Saturday last, a shocking ati;ur occur
red in the neighborhood of Bladensburg, in
thin State. It is stated that a misonderstan•
ding had for some time existed between
Clement T. Hilleary and a young tnan na
med Albert Magruder, and that on Saturday
they met at the church near Hilleary's house
where they resumed the quarrel. Some
threats, it is snid,were passed between them
Hilleary went to his house, got his
gun, and when .within a few yards of Mag.
ruder, discharg , d the gun at him—three oft
the shot taking elect in the fivehead, the
remainder passed through the hat. We i
have yet to record the most shocking part. 1 1
After shooting the young man, Hilleary nr.
dered one of his negroes to hold him, while
he, with the butt end of his gun, literally
knocked out the, man's brains! Hilleary,
has lieretotbre stood fair in the above place.
end has many respectable relatives. There
are, wn suppose, some extenuating circutn:
stances aft-riding the bloody deed, as his
Honor Judge Stephen permitted bail in the
Case. The amount of the bail required was
$6,000.
A NARRIII9 ESCAPIL—Thd N• Y. Herald
says:—"A. D. Fisk, of the firm of Fisk A;
Dennison,narrewly escaped being killed last
evening. He lives at 71 Beekman street,
'and was sitting at the window with his wife
and a friend.when he heard a anap,a report,
a creek. and saw a bullet lodge in the win
dow shutter, within a foot of his heart.
A Mrs. alp Neal, and her daughter a
Ilrs.• Peoph , , We re drowned in Paint creek.
Ross county, 0., on the I 3th inst. They
Were washing nn the bank of the cree k,
,
wild the old lady was thrown into the creek
While lifting a bucket of water, by thirty or
feity feet of the bank caving in. The daugh
ter lost her life in attempting to rescue her
mother._. Bot b bodies were recovered.
A flinitwroa.—On the night of the recent
illumination in Lexington; ky. , n Mr. John
Hoosier, of Jessamine county, was stricken
on the: head- with a stick, and his skull en
dreadfUlly fractured, that death folowed on
Saturday night. The difficulty which led
to this unfortunate affair occurred at a tav
'ern near the. market•house, and resulted,
after the parties had left the boost), in the
fatal catastrophe.
--1..° 0.--
The. N. 0. Bee of the 21st says:
duel was fought on Saturday, between two
respectable gentlemen of this city, Orm of
the parties was wounded badly nt the leg et
the first ti , e. The affair, we understand
originated in a dispute about politics."
THE U. S. BANK BONDS •-•A Wash:ng
nal Cnrresrndent says..—The Bank (lithe
United States is now paying (lints bonds due
ti the envernment, and paying them in
specie too. This is a fortunate supply for
tile Treasury, which, according to all ac
c)unts, was getting quite low.
Suncßuce ACCIDP:NT.—The Berke
end Schii.slkill Journal states that a shock•
ins accident occurred in the borough of
Ilea:ling a few days since, in the family of
Wnj •r Muliletibeig— Paymaster in the Uni
tttl States Army, now absent from home.
A bucket of boiling water, intended for
some domestic purpose,was standing by the
stove, when the youngest daughter
of Mr. Muhlenherg, an interesting child
about two years old, entered the room and
falling against, or into the bucket, over
turned the whole of the Scalding contents
upon her person. The sufferer lingered in
great aeon% , until Saturday evening, when
death came to her release.
SCIENTIFIC. -Dr. Hunter, of the Ander
simian University at Glasgow, recently per
formed the operation of cutting across the
muscles of the back, to cure a curvature of
the spine. The operation is an exceeding
ly delicate one, the muscles cut tieing en
tirely under skin. 'A twisted position of
the body by this opetation is remedied.—
The patient ens a young lady, and so
skit:l3lly was the operation, that she com
plaint d of no pain and lost only three drops
of blood. Dr. H. was 30 minutes perfor
ming the opeistion. This is the first time
the operation hes been perf o rmed in Great
Britain. It has been done in France with
great success. We do not know whether
it has ever been performed in this country.
No NEWSPAPER.—The . time is coming
when a man who has the Means, and does
nut take .newspaper, will be looked at by
his neighbor, as a fish without a fin, n crow
without a wing,a blind horso.a mole, or what
you please. Such an individual might . do
well enough to live in the manner Of Rob
inson Crusoo but he has- no excuse for
thrusting litmselfarnoo,,est those who do take
ilowiioilwris and are &liar informed, to
; wither whatever political or general intelli.
g nee the. nt r, choose- to drop for him.
A .! roJiA such men.hod :night name
{them, hut we voissin; bulyriti gentle reader
can point them out yourself.—.9m. Union.
A SINGULAR BET.—The following het,
or rather singular proposition we fiad
in a late St. Louis Gazette: .
A warm Harrisontan mode the fullowing
proposition to day—which, however, was
not taken up. That he would pay, 8200
to any man, who would agree to give him
one kernel of coffee for the first singte
vote, Harris.m got.over Van Burro's whole
vote, two (or the second, and so on in geo
metrical progression
There being some little curiosity to know
what the result might he, sundry grains of
coffee were weighed, and it was ascertained
that 2560 grains of Java coffee weighed a
pound.
Supposing,then,t hat Harrison runs ahead
of Van Buren 30 votes the nmotint of ult . -
fee to be plied over would exce,•d 332,000,-
000 pounds—worth, at 16 cents per pound,
the pleasant bagatelle of $53,000 000.
The gentleman who declined the bet,was
probably very prudent.
A VALUABLE M Emu:ca.—Dr. Bran
dreih's Vegetable Pills have proved them•
selves an effectual assistant of nature, hay
ing cured in New York, in a period of 18
months, upwards of !,900 persons, of dis
eases which bed been pronounced incura
ble by medical men of the first rank and
standing.
These Pills, from tho peculiar properties
they possess, are calculated to cure disease,
whatever be its name, all having the same
origin, in any person in whom is the univer
sal "breath of life," who partakes of the
'universal' "one blood," 91 to hich are made
all people who dwell upon the earth, and
whose disorder !arises (Mm the "universal
root" of all disease, namely, impurity or tm
perfect circulation of the blood. Those who
are sufTering from a bad state of health, will
do well to give theme trial.
Price 25 cents per box, with directions in
English, French, Spanish, Portugese and
German.
Remember, Druggists are not permitted
to sell my Pills. • If you purchase of them
,
you will obtain a counterfeit.
B. BRANDRETR, M. D.
Purchase them in Gettysburg of Thos. J.
Cooper, distributing agent; cfJno. M. Ste
venson, or only in the county of Agents
published in another part of this paper.
OBITUARY RECORD.
DIED.
In this borough, on Saturday morning last, Mr.
Samuel ICendlehart , in the 24th year of his age.
NOTICE.
Estate of SAMUEL CA SSAT, deceased.
LETTERS or Administrntion or the Es
tnte of SAMUEL fiAssAT, late of Strahnn
township, Adams county, deceased, having
been granted to David Cagan', residing in
the same township, he hereby requests all
persons indebted to said deceased, to make•
immediate payment of their respective dues,
and nll persons haying claims or demands
against said estate to make known the some
to the subscriber without delay.
DAVIS) CASSAT, Adm'r.
December 0 . 1840. 6t*-37 ,
'A 01 • • • ••••••••••00 •••••• ,+ + • • • + • + 4
•
• ,A CA.RD.
•
:: au zr a ,rti 2 cred) 2 . 7 .12 Ira ••:
4. MISS un.a.Gir,
.
.
RESPECTFULLY begs leave to in
41' %
3form the citizens of Gettysburg end ita $
..• vicinity, that she is prepared to exe- •••
:: cute all orders In the above line, in the ::
4: . most fashionable and durable style. :*
...4. She resides et the house of EL Den- •:
•
•,.. widdie. in Smith Baltunare street. ..•
~ •
• Doe. 1, 16'40. :11-30 ••
R+ + .•••••••••••••••••••••0000000••••••••••A
TEMPERANCE.
911 HE Fairfield Total Abstinence Society
IL will' meet on Saturday the 19th day of
December next, in the,Br►ck I 'hurch,in Mil
lerslown, at 1 o'clock P. M. when nn address
will be delivered by the Rev. SABIVEL Gv•
TELT ITS.
Oz7 - The ftiewis of Temperance are re
spectfully invited to attend.
December 1, 1' 4O
D YSPEPSIA! Dvsrersm!—That trou
blesome and peace destroying disease.
Thousands rind tens nf thousands suffer from
that common and distressing complaint.—
Dyspepsia is frequently caused by overloa
ding or distending the stomach by cxcea•
sive eating or drinking, indigestible acrid
substnnces token into the stomach, or from
tong continued constipation of the bowels,
a sedentary life, fear, grief, deep anxiety, a
copious draft of cold water, drestic purga.
itve • med:cines, dysentery, rmscarriges
intermittent and spasmodic affections of the
stomach and bowels, irregular meals, late
hours and too frequent use of spirituous liq.
110ra.
The symptoms of Dyspepsia may be de
scribed as a want of appetite, or an unnatu
ral and voracious one,naussa and sometimes
bilious vomiting, sudden and transient_ die
tensions of the stomach slier eating, acid
and putrePeent eructat►nns,water bresh,pain
in the region of the stomach, costiveness,
palpitation oldie heart dizziness and dim.
ness of the si4t, disturbed rest, tremors,
mental despondency, flatulency, spasms,
nervous irritability, chilliness, sallowness
of complexion—great oppression after eat
ing, languor and general debility,sick head
ach,
UttE.—At the head of all remedies
stands Dr. HA R LICH'S COMPOUND
STRENGTUIENING•TONIC and GER
MAN APEILIENT PILLS, which , act
greatly upon the peristaltic motion of the
intestines, thereby producing regularity of
the bowels, at the same'time improviug the
functions of the &Winded organs, thus itt- -
vigorating and restoring the digestive or
g .ns to a healthy action. This medicine
seldom fails in producing relief.
F..r Sale, in Gettysbur g , at the Drug
Store nt S. S. FORNEY, Agent.
December 8, 1840. :31-37
A AVER T.ISESIENTS
REGISTER'S NOTICES.
N'otice, is lw:relyy
WO all Legatees and other person', eon
-11- earned, that the ADMINISTRA
TION ACCOUN7'S of the Estates of tho
derensed persons hereinafter mentioned.
Will be presented to the Orphanv' Court of
Adams county, for confirmation, on Tues
day the 29M day of December, 1.40,. to
oil:
The Account of 04vid Baker, Adminie.
trator of the Estate iif P, ter. Baker, deed.
The Account of Peter Weikert and Abra
ham Krise, Administrators with the will
annexed of Peter Weiltet t, dace:lied. •
The Account of Cornelius Heughtelin
and Henry Lott, Executors of the &tate of
Heztglatth Houghtelin, deceased.
IV M. KING, Regiater.
Register'n Ogee, Gettysburg,
DCf. 1, 1840.-
Unfair AM,.
lIVILL be exposed At Public Sale,'by
virtue of an order of Orphans' Court,
to me directed for that purpose, on Safrir
day the 1914 day of December next, at 12
o'clock M., on the premises, the following •
Real Property, late the Estate of PETER
BRlEGHNER, , deceased, viv:
A TRACT OF LAND, .
situate in Berwick township, Adams coun-
tv, adjoining lands &Mathias Link, Joseph
Felix and others, containing ahGut THIR
TY FOUR ACRES, more 'or less, in a
high state of cultivation, part of it well
limed, under good fence in great part far'
chefs:Jut rails, on which are erected
A DOUBLE LOG
mv
DWELLING. HOUSE, ,
is • ~ g:
. a bank Barn, stone Spring house,
a Co .per shop and other necessary out buil.
dings. The land is well watered, with a
due proportion of wood hind and Meadow,
and a thfiriving young
0 R CB. A. 111106 s . ,k- - V:'
4f
There are three never failing •,...,',;•-•
opringe, and a never failing run
of water near the house, passing through
the place.
Any persona wishing to purchase can
view the property before sale, by calling
on the subscriber residing near the same.
The terms of sale will be made in conve
nient payments, and will be made known ois
the day of sale by
JOHN L. •NOEL,
Adm'r of Peer Brieghtier, dad.
By the Court,
S. R. RUSSELL, Clerk.
December 1, IP4O.
ANTI-SLAVERY...
A Mreting of the "York Springs Arai-
Slavery Society;' will be held at Wol
- School house, Latimore township, on
the 19/h of December next, at 12 o'clock
Those favorable to the objects of the
meeting are invited to attend.
December 8, 1840. id-37
NOTICE.
NOTICE is hereby given to those indebt.
ed to DANIEL BALDWIN, that the Boobs
of the said Baldwin have been placed. in my
hands for collection, and suits will be brought
immediately without respect to persons, un
less payment be made within TWENTY DAYS.
WM. W. PAXTON. .
Gettysburg, Dec. 8,1890.
TO MY CREDITORS.
TAKE notice that I have applied to the
Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
of Adams county, fur the benefit of the
Insolvent Laws of the Comninnwenlth 'of
Pennsylvania, and that they have appointed
Toe:day the 29th day of December nest,
for the hearing of me and my creditors, at
the Courthouse, in the borough of Gettys
burg. when and where you may attend if
you think proper.
ROBERT M. HUTCHINSON.
December 1, 1840. tc-36
HOUSE BUILDERS,
TAKE NOTICE.
FIpHE School Directors of Latimore town
ship. -IL Adams county, are anxiaus to
build 3 .liew School Mouses the
ensuing year, viz: One at or near the Ber
mudian Church; one near the Friends'
Meeting House, and one near Jos. Flohr's,
commonly called Lubaugh's—each house
to lie about 24 by 26 feet in the inside; to
be built of Logs, well finished, and furnish
ed with a desk, writing tables and benches.
The Directors will meet at the house of
George Deardorff in said township, on Sat
urday the 2d day of January next, to re
ceive proposals. when a plan of the buil
dings will be exhibited.
By order of the Board,
JOHN WOLFORD, Sec y.
December 1,1840. td*-36
WORTH ATTENTION .
- a. G. :11. 4 Vrett - 1-5,
H ASjdet received a fresh supply of sea
sonable goods; embracing a great va.
riety of
Fine Cloths and •Cassinaeres,
A LAUGS, ASSORTMENT OF
Very cheap Calicoes. Manchester Ging
hams, Cotton Stripes, Checks, Irish Lineu,
Cambriek and Jaconett Mullins, So iss and
Book Muslim French Bombazines, Super
Mousoline de twines, Thread Lace and
Edgings. Ribbons, Gloves, Stocking, (very .
cheap,) Heavy •Dotnestie Muslin% Finn
13Ieached Shirting, 6 4 and 6-4 Sheetings,
Very cheapTickm,gs, American Nankeens,.
;Flan.eillesQuiltNlngram Carpetings,llemp
10., Utub.ellw, Palm Hate, &c.
ALSO
- A full Stock of Groceries.
- :r7 . 14! Public are invited to call and esam.
iae.his stock as they tatty save nionerliif c
Join so.
August 11, 1`34.0. tr-20'