Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-08-17
The Presidents Message.


must give general satisfaction to the candid
and fair-dealing men of all parties. 1t breathes
the highest spirit and is in fact, just such a
message as might have been expected from
Millard Fillmore. Bold, decisive, and ener-
getic in its character; it is alike devoid of all
fear from the threats of the angry south, and
all semblance of trucking to obtain the favor
of the north. His duty as he understands it,
as laid down in the constitution, lie is endeav-
oring fully to carry out; and nothing for an
instant, neither present nor future benefit, will
cause him to swerve from the right path.
He discusses the Texas question fairly,
He is willing to give Texas all her right--no
more; and if she is then unwilling to have the
difficulties settled amicably, but UU take the
whole business into her own hands to settle it
her own way. then but one alternative, and
one only, is left for the President, and that is
to order out the military force of the United
States, to protect New Mexico from the armed
grasp Of her mole powerful rival. This is his
imperative duty; he knows and feelsi and his
present message, in view of these considera-
tons, has been presented to congress, asking
their aid and counsel in this truly alarming
emergency.
1t has been well said that Texas has not, nor
never had the shadow of claim to the terri
tory in dispute. That she has never, since its
cession to the United States by Mexico, exer-
cised jurisdiction either civil or military over i,
that the inhabitants of New Mexico, Amer
lean as we'll as Mexican, hate the very name
of Texan-that ifthey are not to be protected
from her domination, they will forever leave
the country, and indeed, they would rather
die, than that the Texans should in any way
rule over them. And they feel not thus with
out cause, and their domineering is doubly
repugnant, when we recollect that this is the
same Texas, who, but very few years ago
| begged admission into our Union, that we
might protect her from her enemies, and pay q
debt which was crushing her to the earth!- !
And now, ungrateful as the adder, in the ia
BILE, she turns round and is ready to raise her
arms against those who upheld her, because
forsooth, they will not further uphold her in
her schemes Of high-handed robbery and op-
preston.
( The President is well aware of all this
The treaties between Mexico and the United
States, he well knows, give no right to Texas
to assert her claim; and if in defiance of exist
ing treaties, she still persists in her unlawful
course, what then is the President to do?-
Can he, as the head of great nation, stand
still and see part of the confederacy, tyran.
nize over, and trample upon the rights of an,
other, without interfering to protect the one il
her rights, and punnish the other for hel
wrongs? Shall he, because excited politicians
moved only by local feelings and prejudices
spit their venom at him, and load his very
name with invective, swerve from the line o.
duty which he has sworn to follow? Never
If it were possible for any man to do it, Mill
ard Fillmore is not that man; and as much as
his enemies may rail at him, endeavoring tc
excite distrust and discomfort in the minds o.
the people in regard to his administration, the
first man is yet to be found who can point out
anything derogatory to his political honesty
His strait-forward course, and his Very er-
pressire Message created some considerable
excitement in congress. 1t startled even the
boldest of the "lionS'' of slavery, and their
roarings on the subject we're marked by a
tremulousness annoticed before; and some Of
the "ultras'' turned pale, and shook in their
seats. Mr.. Howard, of Texas, raved some;
he no doubt felt like annihilating the Presi-
dent, and all the free states at that particular
crisis. But the ardor of these must cool-it
mW cool, and that suddenly, when the troops
of the general government are ordered tc
march to the scene of trouble, and begin a
sure and speedy interference.
1t is claimed by Texas that the President
has no right to order the armed force of the
government upon the disputed territory. Did
she have any of those scruples when she de-
manded aid of the United States to enforce
her claims to the territory between the Neu-
ces and the Rio Grande? Did Texas, or hei
abettors then question the right of interfer-
ence? Let the past speak! 1t was all right
then when Texas and the south thought some
thing was to be gained for slavery; but now
when the gain is for freedom and free soil, the
President is denounced, and the thuuderbolts
of these mimic Jupiters are hurled at his head
But they fall harmless; for every free, think,
ing man of the north and every unprejudiced
son of the south, can see through the sophistry
of their reasoning in moment Selfshness
utter selfshness-ihat selfshness which would
entail upon millions yet unborn, the curse Of
all curses, is at the bottom of the movement
What then we ask, could the President do
or what ought he to have done under the cir
cumstances? The constitution, which he has
sworn to obey, bid him do as he has done
however irksome she task may have been; and
1vbo Ia thare who worlJ asked him In fOruet