The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by Martin van Buren in this eBook:
December 5, 1837
December 3, 1838
December 2, 1839
December 5, 1840
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State of the Union Address
Martin van Buren
December 5, 1837
Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives:
We have reason to renew the expression of our devout gratitude to the Giverof All Good for His benign protection. Our country presents on every sidethe evidences of that continued favor under whose auspices it, hasgradually risen from a few feeble and dependent colonies to a prosperousand powerful confederacy. We are blessed with domestic tranquillity and allthe elements of national prosperity. The pestilence which, invading for atime some flourishing portions of the Union, interrupted the generalprevalence of unusual health has happily been limited in extent andarrested in its fatal career. The industry and prudence of our citizens aregradually relieving them from the pecuniary embarrassments under whichportions of them have labored; judicious legislation and the natural andboundless resources of the country have afforded wise end timely aid toprivate enterprise, and the activity always characteristic of our peoplehas already in a great degree resumed its usual and profitable channels.
The condition of our foreign relations has not materially changed since thelast annual message of my predecessor. We remain at peace with all nations,and no efforts on my part consistent with the preservation of our rightsand the honor of the country shall be spared to maintain a position soconsonant to our institutions. We have faithfully sustained the foreignpolicy with which the United States, under the guidance of their firstPresident, took their stand in the family of nations--that of regulatingtheir intercourse with other powers by the approved principles of privatelife; asking and according equal rights and equal privileges; rendering anddemanding justice in all cases; advancing their own and discussing thepretensions of others with candor, directness, and sincerity; appealing atall times to reason, but never yielding to force nor seeking to acquireanything for themselves by its exercise.
A rigid adherence to this policy has left this Government with scarcely aclaim upon its justice for injuries arising from acts committed by itsauthority. The most imposing and perplexing of those of the United Statesupon foreign governments for aggressions upon our citizens were disposed ofby my predecessor. Independently of the benefits conferred upon ourcitizens by restoring to the mercantile community so many millions of whichthey had been wrongfully divested, a great service was also rendered to hiscountry by the satisfactory adjustment of so many ancient and irritatingsubjects of contention; and it reflects no ordinary credit on hissuccessful administration of public affairs that this great object wasaccomplished without compromising on any occasion either the honor or thepeace of the nation.
With European powers no new subjects of difficulty have arisen, and thosewhich were under discussion, although not terminated, do not present a moreunfavorable aspect for the future preservation of that good understandingwhich it has ever been our desire to cultivate.
Of pending questions the most important is that which exists with