The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-12-11
SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESIDENT,
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stitntionil requirement. that the President shall l.
from time TO time, not only tecommend to th.
consideration Of Congress such measures as be
may Judge necessary and exp4dient, but also
that he shall give information 10 them Of the
state Of the Unon. To do this fully, involves
exposition of ali matters in the actual condition
of the country, domestic Or foreign, which eS,
sentially concern the general We fare. Whilr
performing his constitutional duty in this re-
spect, the President does not speak merely to
express personal convictions, but as the execu-
tivezninister of the government, enabled by his
position, aud called upon by his official obliga-
oonssio. scan With on impair ial eye the interests
II theiwhole, and every part OF the United
States.
or the condition of the domestic interests Of
the IuriQn, IT N necessary Ynl TO say that the
iDtesasf prosperity Of the country, its steady
9dyancemenL- in wealth and population, and in
private as well as in public well being attests
the Wisdom Of our Institutions, The spirit OF
intelligence and patriotism. which, notwilh.
standing occasional irregularities OF opinion or
action rssuling from popular freedom, has dis
tusdsltd and characterized the people Of
America
lasghs Interval since the last session Of Con
grcss, the 9public mind has been occupied wi
The sate of selecting, or another constitutional
tenn The President aud Vice President Of tg
Ulhttd Siales. The determination Of the pfr-
sons VINO are io'prcsidc over the administrator
OF the igdvetnment is committed to the States
und hs people. BY their voice pronounced in
the forms of law. they call whoever they will 20
the high post of Chi,f Magistrate.
Aud thus it is that the Senator'S represent
III, respective States of the Union. the Mem
brrs ct the House OF Representatives the several
onstiueucifs of each state. so the President
rcpfastuis ihe aggregate population Of the Jui-
ted STA ties. Their elrdtion of him is the explicit
auhsolcum act Of the sole sovereign authority
OF tie Union.
lis impossible to misapprchend the great
principles, which by their recent political ac
ton, She people Of the United States have sane
toned aud announced.
OF all iol the States Of the Union as Stairs
ond of all The citizens of the United States ns
ciizcus.. whatever their religion, birth or rrsi-
denee they have asserted aud affirmed constiur
tiona equality; maintained the invuabiity Of
the constitutional rights OF the different sections
of the, Union; and they have proclaimed Heir
devotion to the constitution, as superior TO all
subjects Of local and sectional controversy, the
safeguard of rights, the sririt of liberty, peace
and greatness Ut the Republic.
III doing this they have dondcmnod the idea
Of orGarizn2 geographical parties; Of MARSHAL
ing IN hostile array towards each other the diff
lerrht parts of the country
Schemes Of this nature, which the consider e
sense of the people have rejected, could have
had ounenanceIn no port of the country. had
thcy'not been disguised by plausible suggestions,
acting upon AIN excited state Of public mind. |
INDUCED by causes temporary in th,r character
und Transient in their Influence.
Perfect liberty of association for political |
ohrcts the widest scope Of discussion, are The /
nckrfowlpd conditions of our govcrnmpnt--
silistiutions framed in conf isncr nf the .
intelligence Of the people, do not forbid citizens
eiher indi vidually or assOcisted, to attack by |
writing, or speech the constitution and the ex-
stcnce of the Union Under the shelter of this /
liberty. and protected by the laws, associations ,
have been formed in some Of the states, who |
on the pretence of seeking to prevent the spread /
of slavery into The present, or future states OF the
Union, are inflUmed with desire TO change the .
domestic institutions Of existing states.
To accomplish their object, they depr cnic
the government calumniate not only the chi. !
stof particular States, but all who do not /
Join them in their assault upon the Constiln.
tion. They seek revolutionary object, being .
perfectly aware that the change proposed ia the .
rrlatfve condition Of the white and black races
in the slave states is beyond their lawful nu
lhority.
1t Is bysuch unwarrantable Interference Ms this /
that stha public mind has become SO inflamed !
TO eagender passionate hostility towards /
the ciIiz iisof those States, and fall into fellow
ship With the avowed enemies of the COnstitu ,
tion. Extremes begft extrmrs. Violent at .
tiCkS from NpIlU mus llS luGN llu Ole CtlisG-
quence in the growth Of spirit Of defiance at ,
the Sonrh.
| bslieve that many who have nconsidcrate tely .
taken Ibis fatal step are attached 10 the Cousti- /
tuition. They would shrink from any conscious
act Of disunion or civil war. They have pro
ccedel thus far BY successive stages, their pro
gress having consisted Of series of sccon 0ry
issues, each prcfesscd 10 be confined within
constitutional and peaceful limits, but which
artsAf yElv tI.a .
rights of nearly one-haf Of the thirty one
States
The first step in the series was the agitation
Of the question Of negro emancipation in the
Snulern Statrs.
The second step in this path evil on the par
of the people Of the Northern States, and in
S sveral instances of their governments, aimed to
facilitate the escape of persons held to spvce
in the Southern States and to prevent their eX-
tradition when reclaimed according to the pro-
visions in the Constitution. To promote Ibis,
legislative enactments were adopted to defeat
the guarantees of the Constitution, their officers
we're forbidden under severe penalties to par,ici
pate in the execution of acts of Cnngrtss. CON
peiins Congress 20 appoint new officers ChLrgtd
with the execution of its acts.
Tue third stage of this sectional controversy
was in connecting it with he Orgauiz4tior ol
territorial governments, and the admission Of
ncw States into the Union. When it was pro-
posed TO adult Maine aud Missouri into the
Union as states Congress objected 10 the odmia-
sion of the latter, unless connected with CON
ditions suited TO particular views Of public
policy. The imposition Of such condition
was resisted But the question was tor ,iu-
disposed of by the adoption o! a geographical
line imposing restrictions upon the residue OF
the territory ccdcd by Francr.
When hat territory was cedcd BY France, nnl
that accession was accepted by the United
States, The latter expressly engaged that the sin
habian's Of the ceded territory shall BE- mguJ.
poraled in tie Union of the uiled States and
principles Of the federal constitution and in
the mean time be protected in he free enioyurut
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