Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


..ress assembled:
Tie Constitution requires that the President
t.lsi, t~oia time - time, not only recommend 10
,..y cbu sheraton q. Congress such measures a.
IL IA JUL e necessary and eNpedient, but also
that he sii giFc information ;.s - the state oi
tho Union.
To- do sais fully involves an exposition of al
matters IN the aetna. Goa. i,t,a OF the country,
q ule8liC 81 f5raign, wa4ch essentially coucern
I..e general welfare.
X allie performing ais constitutional dssy ii
this respect The President dos not speak mere
~ - Z. press personal couS icti,,4s. but ~ the
sscutlye NIa>tcr Of the Government. cuF-
bled by his position and called HPon by bis 9TH
cial obligations 10 scan with an impartial eye
tire interests Of the whole and every part of tise
United States, Of the condition II the domestic
i..:erczts of tho Union, IN agriculture, Hncs,
manufactures, navigation and commerce., Il i
necessary 3uiy To So that the Internal PROS per
ifv OF the country, its continuous and steady
advancement IN wealth and population and IN
yri4at., I, well Is pIblic well being, attest the
wisdom 81 our institutions and the preaO,aIa-
M spirit OF intelligence Of patriotism, which
Notwithstanding occasional irregularities OF
oDinion OF action resulting from popular free
dom has d,stin guistted and characterized tbs
paople of America.
II tic brief interval between the termination
nf the last and the commencement of the pres
ont session of Congress, the public mind has
h4ru OCCUPIED with the care O. selecting iuT an
other Constitutional term the President and the
E!ee President Of tie United States. Tie de
trrlni alton Of the persons who arc Of right or
t.I tin.rtntlv to preside over the Administration
az lie Government l., under our system, COM
,p.tted 10 the States and the People he APP
peal 10 them By their voice pronounced IN the
forms II lay to call wh1msoever they Will to
th. high post y CsIicf Magistrate. And thus
il Il t:at rs the Senator's represent the respect
i've States Of the Union, and the members q.
tie House Of Representatives the several con-
eiituencies u each State, 80 the President rep
rc-ea1s the a.glsrsGz.e stipulation of the United
states The election 81 him : the explicit and
solemn act Of the sole sovereign authority OF
lie Union.
+. is imposslbl. to misappreheud the g~ear
principle which b. their recent political ac-
ton. the people Of the United States have
sanctioned and announced. They have asserted
the constitutional equality OF each and all the
States OF the Union, a. States; they nave al
tirIned the constitutional equality Of cact and
III Of the citizens of the United Stats, Is IL
E.tas whatever their religion, wherever their
birth or residence They have mall.i aimed the
isviolabiIItv Of the constitutional rights Of the
different sections Of the Union, and they have
proclaimed their devoted and uEaiterfble at
iachmcnt to the Union and Constitution, Is
objects Of in crest superior on all subjects OF
local or sectional controversy, a. the safeguards
OF the rights of sll, the spirit and essence OF
tie liberty, peace and greatness OF the Repub-
lie In DOING this they have al the same time
culphaticalIy condemned the idea of organic
ing in these United States mere geographical
parties Of marshalling in hostile array towards
each other the different parts OF the country,
North or South, East or y est.
Schemes Of this nature, fraught with incalcu-
liable mischief, and when the cousiderate sense
OF the people has rejected. could have had coun-
tenances III no part Of the country had they not
been disguised by suggestions plausible IN ap-
pearauce. acting upon excited state OF the
public mind. induced by causes temporary IN
their character, and i > 10 be hoped transient
IN their influences. Perfect liberty OF assocIa-
tion for political objects and the widest scope Of
discussion are the received and ordinary coudI-
tons Of government IN orr country.
Our institutions framed in the spirit Of conf
deuce, IN the intelligence and integrity of the
people do not forbid citizen. either individual
j. OF associated together, 10 attack by writing,
speech. or any other method short Of physical
force the Constitution, tine very existence Of the
Union. Under the shelter of this great liberty,
AaI protected by tha laws and usages Of the
Government they assail, associations have been
formed IN some 81 the States Of individuals
who, pretending to seek only 10 prevent lhc
spread OF the institution of slavery luto the pre-
sent or future inchoate States of the Union, are
really intamed with desire 10 change the de
nestle institutions Of existing States.
To accomplish their objects they dedicate
themselves - the odloGs task of deprecIating the
NTJNl. organization " slCA Sldutt IN lNclT way
aui Of eliminating With IudI>crImmatc IuYec-
ti.e, not only the citizens OF particular States
with those laws they and fault but all oi hers of
their fellow citizens throu'out the country who
d. not participate With them IN their assaults
upon the Constitution, framed and adopted by
o n Fathers and claiming for the privileges IL
has conferred, the steady support and grateful
reverence Of their children.
They seek an o1jecJ which they wen know
70 be a revolutionary one. They are perfectly
aware that the change IN the relative condition
ii tie White and black races. in the sIave-huId-
ing states which they would promote, Is beyond
tacig lawful authority that to them it is a for
c.-n object, that 1t cannot bc effected by any
peaceful Ias,rumeutulIty of theirs, that them
and the 7.stc5 ut which hey are citizens, the
only rash - lis accomplishment l. through burn
iug cite, and rayaged fields, and slaughtered
populations. and all theat Is most terrible in
foreign C IN plIcatci with civil and seryiie war.
and tnat the first step in the attempt, is the for
elbla disruption Of country embracing in is
broad bosom. degree Of liberty and an amount
At individual and public prosperity 10 which
there = no parallel In history, and substituting
IL is place. hostile governments driven 1t once
tlni inevitably into mutual devastation and fra
LrICIuai carnage, transforming the now Veaceltri
and tyIicitous brotherhood into a vast perma-
neuf camp Of armed men like the rival mon
arclies Of Europe ANA Asia
Wei knowing that such and such only are
tbs means and the consequences of their plans
and purposes in the United States for civil war,
by dulng everything in their power to deprive
the Constitution and the Laws OF moral author
Ity and 10 undermine the tab IL OF the Union by
appeals 20 passion ami sectional prcLfudicc. by
2udoctglHatIuG its people With reciprocal hatred
they eadcayor 10 prepare tho people and bv ed
ucatug them 70 stand face TO face as enemies.
rather than shoulder 10 shoulder - friends
Il II the agency Of such unvyarraatable inter
feEaace, foreign ami domestic. that the minds Of