146] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



of nations. Here, too, experience 

 has atforded us the most satisfac- 

 tory proof in its favoui". Just as 

 this constitution was put into ac- 

 tion, several of the principal states 

 of Europe had become much agi- 

 tated, and some of them seriously 

 convulsed. Destructive wars en- 

 sued, which have of late only 

 been terminated. In the course 

 of these conflicts, the United States 

 received great injury from several 

 of the parties. It was their inte- 

 rest to stand aloof from the con- 

 test, to demand justice fi-om the 

 party committing the injury, and 

 to cultivate, by fair and honour- 

 able conduct, the fiiendship of all. 

 War became at lengtli inevitable, 

 j^nd the result lias shown that our 

 Government is equal to that the 

 greatest of tri;ils, under the most 

 unfavoui'able circumstances. Of 

 the virtue of the people, and of the 

 heroic exploits of the army, the 

 nayy, and the militia, 1 need not 

 speak. Such, tlien, is the happy 

 Government under which we live — 

 a Government adequate to every 

 purpose for wliich the social com- 

 pact is formed — a Government 

 elective in all its branches, under 

 which every citizen may, by his 

 merit, obtain the highest trust re- 

 cognized by the constitution — 

 which contains within it no cause 

 of discord, none to put at variance 

 one portion of the community with 

 another — a Government wliich 

 protects every citizen in the full 

 enjoyment of his rights, and is able 

 to protect the nation agaiiist in- 

 justice from foreign Powers. 



" Other considerations of the 

 highest importance admonish us 

 to cherish our union, and to cling- 

 to the Government which supports 

 it. Fortunate as we are in our 



political institutions, we have not 

 been less so in other circumstances, 

 on which our prosperity and hap- 

 piness essentially depend. Situate 

 within the temperate zone, and 

 extending through many degi'ees 

 of latitude along the Atlantic, the 

 United States enjoy all the varieties 

 of climate, and every production 

 incident to that portion of the 

 globe. Penetrating internally to 

 the great lakes, and beyond the 

 sources of the great rivers which 

 communicate through our whole 

 interior, no country was ever hap- 

 pier with respect to its domain. 

 Blessed too witli a fertile soil, our 

 produce has always been very abun- 

 dant, leaving even in years the 

 least favourable, a surplus for the 

 wants of our fellow-men in other 

 countries. Such is our peculiar 

 felicity, that theie is not a part of 

 our imion that is not particularly 

 interested in preserving it. The 

 great agricultural interest of the 

 nation prospers under its protec- 

 tion. Local interests are not less 

 fostered by it. Our fellow-citizens 

 of the North, engaged in naviga- 

 tion, find great encouragement in 

 being made the favoured carriers 

 of the vast productions of the other 

 portions of the United States, 

 while the inhabitants of these are 

 amply recompensed, in their turn, 

 by the nurseiy for seamen and 

 na^■al force thus fonued and leared 

 up for the support of our common 

 rights. Our niarnifacturers find a 

 generous encouragement by the 

 policy which patronizes domestic 

 industry ; and the suiplus of our 

 produce, a steady and profitable 

 market by local wants, in less fa- 

 voured jiarts, at home. 



" Such, then, being the highly 

 favoured condition of our country, 



it 



