Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-01-05
SYNOPSIS OF THE
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

The Message was read in the Senate to-day.
President Pierce states that he has delayed the
delivered of his annual communication to the
two Houses until this time in consequence of
the non-organization Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, but that his convictions in regard TO
his duty win not permit him TO delay any Ion
ger in giving to Congress information in regard
to the state of affairs in the Union, and in re-
commencing such measures as he judges neces-
sary or expedient.
The message commences with a review of
Central American AFFAIRS giving full history
of the late transactions in Central America in
particular.
The President next aIudes to the late trou-
bles in Kansas and though he refuses 20 re-
count the difficulties, he says that the people
of the territory of Kansas must be protected
in the exercise of their rights without any in-
reference on the part of the people of any
other State, and recommends the early atten~
ton of Congress to the subject He euogises
popular sovereignty-givin a cursory history
of the formation of the Union, aud expatiates
on State right with particular reference to
slavery and the Fugitive Slave law. He re.
CARDS the agitation Of the slavery question as
dangerous to the durability Of the Union, and
regrets to see some Of the States disregard
the constitutional organization, and refuse to
obey the laws of Congress.
He denies that The South has obtained ad-
Vantages over the North.
On the subject of Federal Government he
proceeds to refer to the ordinance Of 1887 and
also the acquisition of Louisiana, to illustrate
the balance of power between freedom and
slavery. After reviewing which, he comes
down 10 the annexation of Texas Afier
short review Of which, he passes to the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, and the adher-
ent acts, goes on to argue that the South has
gained no more than properly belongs to her.
He gives an elaborate defense Of the prnci-
pies Of the Nebraska bill, and Indignantly de-
MES that it was a breach Of faith on the part
Of the South.
Grave questions are pending, says the Pres
ident, between ourselves and some foreign
powers, the most important of which is with
Great Britain, and arising out of the Nicara-
qua question. The President states that it
was the understanding of the government of
the United States in making the treaty (Clay-
ton-BuIwer treaty. that all the States at that
time and at the present lime forming the Gems
trail American Republic would thence,fotE en-.
Joy complete independence, and that both the
contracting powers engaged equally and to the
same effect, for the future, that if either of said
contracting powers had at the time Of the re-
cogniton of the treaty, any claim, or right in
Central America, that by said treaty such claim
was unreservedly relinquished by the stipula>
tons Of said Convention, and that no domin-
ion will hereinafter exist in any of the ports
of Central America by either Great Britain or
the United States.
This country consented to restrictions in re-
gard to region of country where we, had a
specific and peculiar interest only and entirely
upon the conviction that like restrictions were
in the same sense obligatory upon Great
Britain; and but for this understanding, said
treaty would never have been completed by the
United States.