The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1850-02-15
THE PRESIDENTS SPECIAL MESS
AGE

If any reader Of the Presidents message
10 the House of Representatives should fail
10 understands It's meaning throughout, in
every word and sentence. the cause of
obscurity will no.'be found in the document
itself. Nor can those who may be inclined
to contest the Presidents position, in rela
ilon 10 the subjec. matter OF the message,
aIIedge or pretend for moment that there
is any room for doubt as TO the clearly de-.
fined nature Of the position.
1t is not our habit to eulogize official per
sonages or official papers. Both are best
left 10 speak for themselves. Nothing but
a vain affec,aton indeed could prompt any
one, i, would seem, to presume upon prot
iering his terms Of eulogigum upon such
sturdy downright document as this, which,
in its whole impress, indicates profound
indifference to anybody's praise or censure.
Itis an emnentIy characteristic production,
and might have been written by that pen Of
iron which told prosecuting Adminls.ra
ton that The man who welded it as he
welded his sword, asked no iavors and
shrunk from no responsibilities.
The right Of the people, under our sys>
tenn of government, TO frame their own
domestic institutions and manage their own
local concerns, subject only to the provls-
ions of the constitution, is the central ground
upon which the message takes It's stand
The reader will observe the clear and com.
prehensive views which illustrate this
whole subject. The simple mode which
The President points out by which the
slavery question may settle itself, or rather
by which The people in every community
may settle i, for themselves, is presented
so plainly, yet with such conslderate mod
Grafton Of language and tone, that if there
should be undue excitement about the
matter hereafter in any quarter, the agila-
tors will have 10 bear the whole blame o.!
i, in the calm estimation oil the couatry.
"Any attempt" says the message, in
allusion TO California, "lo deny TO the
people Of the State the righ, o! self govern.
ment, in matter which peculiarly affects
themselves, will iniallbly be regarded by
them as an invasion of their rights, a1d
upon the principles lall down in our own
declaration Of independence, they will cer-
,ainiy be sustained by the great mass OF the
American people. To assert that they are
conquered people, and must as r Safe
submit 10 the will of their conquerers, IN
this regard, will meet with no cordial res.
ponse among American ireemen. Great
Numbers of them are native citizens Of the
United States, not inferior TO the rest Of our
countrymen in intelligence and patriotism,
and no language of menace 10 restrain
them in the exercise Of an undOubled right
substantially guaranteed to them by the
treaty of cession itself, shall ever be utter
ed BY me, or encouraged and sustained by
persons acting under my authority"
This, we think, is pretty well to the
point, These words, as Emerson would
saw, strike like bullets. Every one Of them
would weigh at least pound in the spe.
cific gravity of force(ul ulterance. Gen.
Taylor is evidently in earnest in this busi-
ness. The Old Hero is on his way to For,
Brown, and ir the enemy should oppose his
march. in rhaterer number, he wiN fight
him. We have only to add, that if this
,ndomitable soldier is not man after the
hearts oil the American people, then we
greatly mistake both the man and people.