The herald., 1837-03-06
NEW YORK. MONDAY. MARCH 6. 1887,

unequaed services Of the first President was COM
mon sentiment that the great weight of his character
| could alone bind the dscordant materials OF our
| government together and from the vslence
of contending factions Since his death nearly forty
years are gone. Party exasperation has been often
carrei to its highest point the virtue and the .or-
tude of the people have sometimes been greatly tried
yet system, purified and enhanced in va ne by all
Il has encountered still preserves its spirit of free and
fearless discussion, blended with unmpared fraterna
feeling.
| The capacity of the people for sefgovernment, and
their Willingness, from high sense of duty, and
Without those exhibitions of coercive power gene
rally employed in other countries TO submit to all
needful -strans and exactions of the municipal law
have also been fa.orably exempifed in the history
OF the American States. Occasionally, it IS trse, the
ardor OF public sentiment outrunnlng the regular pro-
gress OF the Judicial tribunals, seeking to reach ca
ses net denounced as criminal by the existing law,
has displayed itself in manner calculated TO give
pain to the friends of free government, and to encou
rage hopes of those who wish Tor its overthrow
These occurrences however, have been far less fire.
quent in our country than in any other of equal po-
puation the globe and with DE diffusion Of intel
Iigence may wellbe hoped that they will constant
ly diminish in frequency and violence. The generous
patriotism and sound common sense OF the great mass
of our fellow citizens, will assuredly, in time, produce
this result for as every assumption of illegal power
not only wounds the majesty of the law, but furnish
prerext for abrdging the liberties of the people,
est in preserving the great landmarks of social order
and maintaining all occasions the involabity of
those constitutional and legal provisions which they
themselves have made.
In the supposed unftness of our institutions for
those hostile emergencies which no country can al
ways avoid, their friends found fruitful of ap-
prehenslon, their enemies of hope. While they fore
saw less promptness of action than in governments
differently formed they overlooked the fal more i'm
porant consideration, that with war could never be
the result of individual or irresponsible will, but
be measure of redress for injuries sustained, volun
tary resorted to by those who to bear the ne
cessary sacrifice who would consequently feel an
dlvldual interest IN the contest, and whose energy
would be commensurate with the difficulties to be
countered Actual events have proved their error 8;
the last war; far from imparlng, gave new confidence
TO our government; and amid recent apprehenslOns
OF similar conflict that the energies of our
country would not be wanting in ample season to vim
dicate its rights. We may not possess, as should
not desire to possess the extended and ever ready
military organization Of other nations may occa
sionaly suffer in the outset for the want oft but
among ourselves, all doubt upon this great point has
ceased while a salutary experience will prevent
contrary opinion from inviting aggression from
abroad.
Certain danger was foretold from the extension of
our territory the multiplication of staes and the in
crease of population. Our system was supposed to
be adapted only to boundaries comparatively narrow.
These have been widened beyond conjecture; the
members OF our confederacy are already doubled; and
The alleged causes of danger have long surpassed
anticipation, but none of the consequences have fol-
lowed. The power and influence of the republic have
risen n height obvious to all mankind; respect for
It's authority was not more apparent at Its ancient
than it is at its present limits; and nexhaustibe
sources of general prosperity have been opened; the
effects of distance have been sverted by the inventive
genius of our people, developed and iosered by the
spr OF our insttutions and the enlarged variety and
amount of interests, productions and pursuits have
strengthened the chain of mutual dependence and
formed circle ofmutua benefits too apparent to
be overlooked.
In Justly balancing the powers of the Federal and
State authorities, difficulties nearly insurmountable
arose at the outset and subsequent collisions were
deemed inevitable Amid these, il was scarcely be-
eved possible that a scheme of government so COM
plex In construction, could remain unlnjured. From
time 10 time embarrassment have certainly occurred;
but how Just s the confidence of future safety inn
parted by the knowledge that each in succession has
been happily removed. Overlooking partial and tenn
porary evils inseparable from the practical opera
ton OF all human institutions, and looking only TO the
general result every patriot has reason to be satisfied
While the Federal Government has successfully per-
formed its appropriate functions, in relation foreign
affairs and concerns evidently national that OF every
State has remarkably improved in protecting and de-
veloplng local interests and individual welfare; and
the vibrations Of authority have occasionally tended
too much towards one or other, IL is unquestionably
certain that the ultimate operation Of the system
has been to strengthen oil the existing institutions
dnd 10 elevate our Wnoe country IN prosperity and
reDown.
The last, perhaps the greatest, Of the prominent
sources of dscod and disaster supposed TO Turk in
political condition, the institution Of domestic
slavery. Our forefathers deeply impressed with
the delicacy of this subject and they treated il with
forbearance so evidently wlse that in spite Of every
sinister forebodng, II never, until the present PERIOD
disturbed the tranquility of common country
Such result is sufficient evidence Of the justice and
patriotism Of their course! il is evidence 10 be
barrassment from this, as well as from every other
recent events made obvious to the slightest reflec
bearance is injurious TO every interest that Of human
ity included?
Amid the violence Of excited passions the generous
and standing as now do before my counirymen i'm
from anxously invoking my fellow citizens never TO
be deaf to its dictates. Percelvng, before my election
the deep interest this subject beginning to excite
believed il a solemn duty fully to make known my
sentiments IN regard to it, and now, when every mo-
tive for misrepresentation has passed away, trust
that they will be candidly weighed and understood
Al least, they will be my standard of conduct in the
path before then declared that, If the desire of
those Of my countrymen who were favorable 10 my
election gratihed, must 90 into the Presden
tia Chair the niexble and uncompromsing opponent
Of every attempt on the part of Congress to abolish
slavery in the District OF Columbia, again the wishes
Of the saveholdng States; and also with determi-
nation equally decided TO resist the slightest interfer-
ence with il in the States where II exists" submitted
also 10 my felow-c with fulness and frankness