Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-12-04

We believe that nine-tenths of the people of
the North, including thsoe of the Presidents
own State, will, after perusal Of this esiutical
document, be profoundly thankful that it is the
last annual message with which they are to be
afflicted, coming from that question. Certainly,
itmerits the compliment of being the climax to
the diabolical series of State papers, which have
emanated from Franklin Pierce since his occu-
pancy of the Presidential chair. Commencing
with his inaugural, in which he swore eternal
fealty to the Fugitive Slave law, and all other
past Congressional enactments an the slavery
question, as being the lait "fnal settlement" of
the slavery question, and as constituting the
observation-disclosures be disturbed repose OF all ''sla-
very agitation" in the future in which inaugural
he solemny pledged himself, as far as might be
in his power, to "sufer no such shock" as the
reopening of such agitation. or disturbance of
such Tepose "during his official term Presi-
dent Pierce concludes his official career, by occu-
pying the first half of his last annual message
with labored defence of and apology for an act
which opened the hoodgates of the most intense
slavery agitation and excitement which the
country had ever experienced, produced by re
peal of the most ancient and long-settled of those
compromises, on the strength of his pledge to
stand by the sacredness and intactness of which
franklin Pierce was elevated to the Chief Mag
istracy.
In order to make any Roadway in his defence,
it was necessary for the President 10 go out of his
way to attack the party opposed to him in the
late Presidential contest. Rather small business,
we should call this, in dignifed Chief Magis-
trate Of the country, thus to descend to the con-
sideration of partizan matters in his last annual
legacy to the people of The nation. It's necessity,
under the circumstances, in order to further the
end in view, is the only apology which can be
given by the President, for his coarse attack up
on the republican party, which occupies so large
a space in his message.
Among his other gross libels upon truth and
justice, TOO numerous to be commented on at
this time, the assertion of the President that
the Missouri Comromise had been authoritative
ly declared illegal and unconstitutional, and that
its repeal made no difference whatever as to say-
cry going into Kanzas, cannot but excite wonder
and establishment in all quarters If the su-
preme Court has made any such decision DENYING
the power or right of Congress to prohibit slay-
cry IN Lne territories, IL mas been hidden from
ETY. body but Franklin Pierce, till tbs time. Prob
ably he was anticipating some future decision
about to be made among other of the new en-
actments of the slave power, including the infa-
nous Kane doctrine. 1t answers very well in the
opinion of some, for President Pierce in his
message to deny the validity and binding obliga-
ton" of particular statute which stands in the
way of the furtherance of the schemes of the
slavery propagandsts but if an honest opponent
of the fugitive slave law had yentured in private
to announce his non-belief in the constitu-
tionality or binding force of the fugitive
slave act, (without any idea of lifting a finger
in opposition to its execution by the proper au.
thoriiies), he would Immediately have been de-
nounoed by the adherants of Pierce as a "higher
law man, "traitor," &c. Yet, for thePresident of
the United States to say, that whether the com.
promise act of 1920 was repealed or not, the
South could with equal right and propriety have
carried their slaves into Kanzas and hold them
there and made it "a slave state if they chose, is
all proper enough, and ensures his lasting reputa
ton as wise and judicious patriot and statesman