sympathy and interest.  Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections.  The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.  With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles.  You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together.  The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.

* * * * *

With such powerful and obvious motives to union affecting all parts of our country, while experience shall not have demonstrated its impracticability, there will always be reason to distrust the patriotism of those who in any quarter may endeavor to weaken its bands.

In contemplating the causes which may disturb our union it occurs as matter of serious concern that any ground should have been furnished for characterizing parties by geographical discriminations—­Northern and Southern, Atlantic and Western—­whence designing men may endeavor to excite a belief that there is a real difference of local interests and views.  One of the expedients of party to acquire influence within particular districts is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts.  You can not shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heartburnings which spring from these misrepresentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection.

JAMES K. POLK.

VETO MESSAGE.[20]

[Footnote 20:  Pocket veto.]

WASHINGTON, December 15, 1847.

To the House of Representatives: 

On the last day of the last session of Congress a bill entitled “An act to provide for continuing certain works in the Territory of Wisconsin, and for other purposes,” which had passed both Houses, was presented to me for my approval.  I entertained insuperable objections to its becoming a law, but the short period of the session which remained afforded me no sufficient opportunity to prepare my objections and communicate them with the bill to the House of Representatives, in which it originated.  For this reason the bill was retained, and I deem it proper now to state my objections to it.

Although from the title of the bill it would seem that its main object was to make provision for continuing certain works already commenced in the Territory of Wisconsin, it appears on examination of its provisions that it contains only a single appropriation of $6,000 to be applied within that Territory, while it appropriates more than half a million of dollars for the improvement of numerous harbors and rivers lying within, the limits and jurisdiction of several of the States of the Union.