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Excerpt from Our Country in War and Relations With All Nations: A History of War Times, and American Heroes on Land and Sea On the front of the palace at Versailles, is in golden letters the famous inscription, "To All the Glories of France," and the splendor of the sentiment has preserved from the ruthless hands of revolution, and from defacement by enemies in temporary triumph, the marbles of the magnificent edifice and the proud letters of gold. The memories of nations have many forms of expression, and it is not those distinguished by pomp that seem to have been the most certainly preserved and to possess the greater assurance of perpetuity. In the mounds of the ancient cities on the Euphrates, in the hills of desolation that mark the sites of mighty capitals, are found cylinders of burnt clay on which are the records of the dynasties that have otherwise perished, of peoples among whose memorials no tower stands to tell the tale of the race, no arch abides to speak of the vanished ages or locate in the abyss beyond the era of history, the empires that are lost. It is the cylinder of clay that has the quality of immortality. Still more in the printed leaves of our time will be found the pages that minister to the pride of people, and on which are inscribed the lessons of the rise and fall of nations that shall enshrine the lives of great men and apply the excellence of good deeds. It is hoped in this volume to assemble the glories of our country, not alone those of war, but of peace, and especially to celebrate the policies that are executed for the general welfare, and the things that are done with public purpose for the common good. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The messages of the several Presidents of the United States—annual, veto, and special—are among the most interesting, instructive, and valuable contributions to the public literature of our Republic. They discuss from the loftiest standpoint nearly all the great questions of national policy and many subjects of minor interest which have engaged the attention of the people from the beginning of our history, and so constitute important and often vital links in their progressive development. The proclamations, also, contain matter and sentiment no less elevating, interesting, and important. They inspire to the highest and most exalted degree the patriotic fervor and love of country in the hearts of the people. It is believed that legislators and other public men, students of our national history, and many others will hail with satisfaction the compilation and publication of these messages and proclamations in such compact form as will render them easily accessible and of ready reference. The work can not fail to be exceedingly convenient and useful to all who have occasion to consult these documents. The Government has never heretofore authorized a like publication. In executing the commission with which I have been charged I have sought to bring together in the several volumes of the series all Presidential proclamations, addresses, messages, and communications to Congress excepting those nominating persons to office and those which simply transmit treaties, and reports of heads of Departments which contain no recommendation from the Executive. The utmost effort has been made to render the compilation accurate and exhaustive. Although not required by the terms of the resolution authorizing the compilation, it has been deemed wise and wholly consistent with its purpose to incorporate in the first volume authentic copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of the United States, together with steel engravings of the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, and of the historical painting the "Signing of the Declaration of Independence." Steel portraits of the Presidents will be inserted each in its appropriate place.