administration of public affairs. In performing for the first time the
duty imposed on me by the Constitution of giving to you information of
the state of the Union and recommending to your consideration such
measures as in my judgment are necessary and expedient, I am happy that
I can congratulate you on the continued prosperity of our country. Under
the blessings of Divine Providence and the benign influence of our free
institutions, it stands before the world a spectacle of national
happiness.

With our unexampled advancement in all the elements of national
greatness, the affection of the people is confirmed for the Union of the
States and for the doctrines of popular liberty which lie at the
foundation of our Government.

It becomes us in humility to make our devout acknowledgments to the
Supreme Ruler of the Universe for the inestimable civil and religious
blessings with which we are favored.

In calling the attention of Congress to our relations with foreign
powers, I am gratified to be able to state that though with some of them
there have existed since your last session serious causes of irritation
and misunderstanding, yet no actual hostilities have taken place.
Adopting the maxim in the conduct of our foreign affairs "to ask nothing
that is not right and submit to nothing that is wrong," it has been my
anxious desire to preserve peace with all nations, but at the same time
to be prepared to resist aggression and maintain all our just rights.

In pursuance of the joint resolution of Congress "for annexing Texas to
the United States," my predecessor, on the 3d day of March, 1845,
elected to submit the first and second sections of that resolution to