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TEXAS STATE) LIBRARY
reach the acme of her greatness until a well cherished commerce shall aid her agricultural faculties by distributing the surplus products of her soil to other nations. This distribution can be effected only by a suitable marine power; for unless commerce be protected from insult and depredation on the high seas, agriculture with all its concomitant interests will languish in its unprofitable abundance. To re-establish our navy on a respectable footing, is therefore of pri- mary importance, and we cannot better serve our country, than by devoting a portion of her means to this purpose. Should the block- ade of the l\Iexican ports by the Navy of France, be raised (and there is no assurance that it will not shortly be) the ships of war of our enemy would again appear on our coast and annoy our commerce. The protection of our maratime frontier, is as much a public duty, although not urged upon us by the same affecting considerations at this particular juncture, as is that of the interior. This duty may be effectualy accomplished by a naval force of small magnitude, though, under the present condition of our credit and finances, not at a moderate expense. Its importance however is too great to be longer neglected; and I shall feel it my duty to offer to Congress some further reflections on the subject in a special message which I design to lay before that Honorable body. As connected with the national defence, the finances will merit and receive your early attention. I have not had time, since my entrance into office, to ascertain minutely, the condition of our fiscal affairs. That they will require improvement is without doubt. Money has been emphatically styled the sinew of war; and certain it is, that a people cannot be defended, nor a government sustained, with- out it. The modes of acquiring this indispensable aid, are various in proportion as the resources of a country are manifold. The abund- ant intrinsic wealth of Texas is yet in the matrice of nature. Time, population, industry and enterprise, are necessary to their full development. Time is not staid, and the adjuncts are fast flowing to us. In a few years, when agricultural exports shall exceed in value all that the most sumptuous extravagance can desire from abrol:!d, and our unexplored minerals shall be in process of extraction, the, people of Texas will find no difficulty in rendering ample means of support to their government, and protection to themselves. But at present, those important ends are not to be accomplished by direct contribution, without some painful exertions, and sacrifices of personal convenience. To levy burdensome taxes on a people, many of whose farms and dwellings have been recently abandoned, and made desolate by an invading enemy, and who are still labor- ing under the embarrassments incident to a new settlement, and who are yet struggling for political existence, has an aspect of serverity and injustice, and ought by all possible means to be avoided. The only practical mode of doing this, is to anticipate the future abund- ant resources of the country, and to devolve upon, our posterity,. a portion of the burdens to which the perfecting our independence, and theirs has subjected, and is still subjecting us. The equity of this recourse to posterity will not rightfully be disputed by them, and cannot be controverted by us.
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