Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-01-04

! iHduc SUCH progress IN tne performance OF
their task, as to insure its completion in
the time prescribed by the act of Congress.
Information has recently been received,
that the peace of the settlements in the
Territories of Oregon and Washington is
disturbed by hostilities on the part of the
/ indians. with indications of extensive COM
! binations of hostile character among the
tribes in that quarter, the more serious in
! their possible etfec, by reason of the unde-
termined foreign interests existing in those
Territories, to which your attention has
already been especially invited Efficient
measures have been taken, which. it is be-
lieved, will restore quiet, and afford pro-
lection to our citizens.
In the Territory of Kansas, there have
been acts prejudicial to good order, but az
vet none have occurred under circumstan-
ces to justify the interposition of the feder-
al Executive. That could only be in case
of obstruction to federal law, or of organ-
lied existence to territorial law, assuming
the character of insurrectiOn, which, if it
should occur, it would be my duty prompt
" TO overcome and suppress. | cherish
the hope. however, that the occurrence
of any such untoward event will be pre-
vented by tie sound sense of the people of
the Territory, who, by its organic law pos
sessing the right to determine their own
domestic institutions. are entitled, while
dcporting themselves peacefully to the free
exercise of that right, and must be protect
ed in the free enjoyment of it, without in
reference on the part of the citizens of
any of the States
The southern boundary line of this Ter
ritory has never been surveyed and estab-
lished The rapidly-extending settlements
in that region, and the fact that the main
route between Independence. in the State
of Missouri, and New Mexico, is contigu-
ons to this line, suggest the probability
that embarrassing questions of Jurisdiction
may consequently arise For these and
other considerations, | commend the sub
ject to your early attention.
CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY oFTHEGovERN-
NENT
| have thus passed in review the general
state of the Union, including such particu-
lar concerns of the federal government.
whether of domestic or foreign relation. as
it appeared to me desirable and useful To
bring to the special notice of Congress
Unlike the great states of Europe and Asia,
and many of those of America. these Uni
ted States are wasting their strength nei-
ther in foreign war or domestic STRIFE.
Whatever of discomfort or public dissatls-
faction exists, is attributable to the imper-
fcctions of human nature, or is incident TO
all governments. however perfect, which
human wisdom can devise. Such subjects
of political agitation, as occupy the public
mind, consist to a great extent. of exag-
geration of inevitable evils, or over zeal in
social improvement, or mele Imagination
Of grievance, having but remote connexion
with any of the constitutional functions or
duties Of the federal government. To
whatever extent these questions exhibit a
tendency menacing to the stability of the
constitution, or the heintegrity of the Union,
and no farther. they demand the consider
alton of the Executive, and require to be
presented by him to Congress
Before the Thirteen Colonies became
confederation of Independent States. they
were associated only by community OF
transatlantic origin, by geographical po-
sition, and by the mutual tie of common
dependence on Great Britain When
that tie was sundered, they sevcrally a>-
sumed the powers and rights ofabsolute self
government The municipal and social insti
tutions of each, its laws of property and of
personal relation, even its political organi-
zation, were such only as each one chose
to establish, wholly without interference
from any other. In the language of the
Declaration of Independence, each State
had /" full power to levy war, conclude
peace, contract alliances, establish COM
merce, and to do all other acts and things
which independent States of right may
do The several colonies differed in eli
mate, in soil, in natural productions, in
religion. in systems of education. in legisla-
ton, and in the forms of political admin
istration ; aid they continued to differ in
these respects when they voluntarily allied
themselves as States to carry on the war of
the revolution.
The object of that war was to disenthral
the United Colonies from foreign rule,
which had proved to be oppressive, and
to separate them permanently from the
mother country : the political result was
the foundation of a federal republic of the
free white men of the colonies, constituted,
as they were, in distinct, and reciprocally
independent, State governments. As for
the subject races, whether Indian or Afri-
can, the wise and brave statesmen of that
day, being engaged in no extravagant
scheme of social change, left them as they
were, and thus preserved themselves and
their posterity from the anarchy, and the
ever-re ,urring civil wars, which have pre-
vailed in other revolutionized European
colonies of America.
When the confederated States found it
convenient to modify the conditions Of their
association, by giving to the general gov
ernment direct access, in some respects, to
the people of the States, instead of conf
ming it to action on the States as such,
they proceeded to frame the existing con-
stitution, adhering steadily to one guiding
thought, which was, to delegate only such