Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-12-03

fsiior Citiseas Of d.s se~sts
Nh 4 n,

ton o Congress such neasurcs ls mar Judge uccc.
sioo TO them Of the state OF che Union To do thIs fully
involves exposition Of all matters in the actual condition
Of the country, domestic foreign which essentially
concern the general welfare. While performing his
stituona duty In this respect the President does not
speak merely to express personal convictions but the
executive munster Of the government, enabled by his
position. and called upon by bis official obligations to
with impartial eye the interests Of the WHOLE and
OF every part OF the United States
or the condition Of the domestic interests OF the Un-
on its agriculture mines, manufacturer navigation and
commerce. IL is necessary only TO that the internal
prosperity OF the country its continuous and steady ad
vancement in wealth and population aud In private rs
well public webcng, attest the wisdom Of insti-
utions, aud the predominant spirit Of intelligence and
PATRIOTISM which, notwithstanding occasional Irregular
tiles OF opinion action resulting from popular Freedom
has distinguished and characterized the people Of Amer
lea.
In the brief interval between the termination Of the last
and the commencement Of the present session Of Con-
gress the public mind has been occupied with the
selecting for another constitutional term the Presdent
and Vice President OF the United States
The determination OF the persons who OF right
conugenty to preside the administration of the GO
venment is under our system committed to the States
and the people, We appeal 10 them by their voice pro-
nouncsd In the forms Of law to call whosoever they will
to the high post Of Chief Magistrate.
And thus Is that the represent the respective
States OF the Unon and the members Of the House OF Rep
rcsentaves the several constituencies OF each State the
President represents the aggregate population Of the
United States Their election OF him is the explicit aud
Il impossible to msspprchend the great principles
which by their political action the people OF the
United States have sanctioned aud announced.
They have asserted the constitutional ualty OF each
and all of the States Of the Union Saes they have a
rmcd the constitutional equality OF each and all OF the
citizens of the United States citizens whatever their
religion whatever their birth, their residence they
have maintained the inviolabity oil the constitutional
rights Of the different sections Of the Union aud they
have proclaimed their devoted and unaltebc attachment
the Union and TO the constitution objects of interest
superior to all subjects Of local sectional controversy
the safeguard the rights Of all the spirit and the
Of the liberty peace and greatness OF the Repub
Ic
In doing this they have at the same time empha,ica
condemned the idea OF organizing in these United States
geographical parties; of marshaag In hostile
each other the different parts Of the country North
or South, East or West.
Schemes Of this nature frsught with iucacuable mis-
chief and which the consderac OF the people has
rejected could have had counenance in part Of the
country had they been disguised by suggestions pau
sbe in appearance acting upon excited state Of the
public mind induced by causes temporary in their charac
ter and is to be hoped transient in their influence.
Perfect liberty OF association Tor political objects, and
the widest scope of discussion the received and ord
conditions OF government in country Our nst
tuons framed in the spirit Of confidence in the nte
and integrity Of the people, do not forbid citizens
either individually associated together to attack by
writing speech any other method short Of physical
force the Constitution and the very exsance of the
Union Under the shelter Of this great liberty, and pro-
tected by the laws and OF the government they
sail associations have been formed in OF the States
OF individuals who, pretending to seek only prevent
the spread of the institution OF slavery into the
present future inchoate States OF the Union,
| are really infamed with desire to change the
domestic institutions Of existing States. To
ph their objects they dedicate themselves the odous
task Of depreciatng the government organization which
stands in their way and OF eliminating with indscrm
nate nvective only the citizens Of particular States
with whose laws they find fault but all Others of their e
owcitizens throughout the country who do not parci-
pate with them in their assaults upon the Constitution
framed and adopted by fathers and claiming for the
privileges il has secured aud the blessings it has
erred the steady support and grateful Of their
| children. They seek object which they well know
/ to be revolutionary They perfectly aware
that the change in the relative condition OF the white
and black in the saveholdng States which they
would promote, is beyond their lawful authority that
TO them il Is foreign object that il cannot be ef
ected by any peaceful inslrumentaty Of theirs that
| for them and the States Of which they citizens,
the only path to its accomplishment is through burning
cities and ravaged fields and slaughtered populations and
all there most terrible in ioegn complicated with civil
and serye and that the first step in the attempt
the iorcibe disruption of country embracing in ito broad
bosom degree of liberty, and amount OF individual
aud public prosperity which there is parallel in his
tory and substituting in its place hostile governments
driven at once and inevitably into mutual devastation aid
atricda carnage Transforming the peaceful and f.
cous brotherhood into vast permanent camp of armed
like the rival monarcbes Of Europe and Asia Well
knowing that SUCH aud such only the and the
o their plans and purposes they endeavor
70 prepare the people of the United States for civil
doing every thing in their power to deprive the Con-
situon and the laws OF moral authority and to under
mine the fabric Of the Union by appeals to passion and
sectional prejudice bv matchmaking its people with re-
cprocal hatred and by educating them stand face
face enemies rather than shoulder shoulder friends
II is by the agency OF such unwsrranabe interference
foreign and domestic that the minds of many otherwise
good citizens have been so iniued into the passionate
condemnation of the domestic institutions of the south
States length to pass Rsensby to almost equal
passionate hostility towards their slow-czens of those
States, aud thus finally fall into temporary fellowship
with the avowed and active enemies Of the Constitution
Ardonty attached 10 liberty in the abstract they do not
stop TO consider practically how the objects they would
tain be accomplished To reflect that if the
| evil great they deem it, they have remedy
TO apply and that can be only aggravated 10y their VIC
eDce and unconstitutional action question, which i
Of the difficult Of all the problems of social insti
tuition, political economy and stltemansp they will
unrcasonng intemperance Of thought and language Ex
tremes beget extremes Violent attacks from the North
finds its inevitable consequence the growth of spirit Of
angry defiance at the South Thus in the progress o.
! events had reached that consummation which tb,
voice OF the people has pOntedy rebuked of the
attempt, Of portion Of the States by sectional oagan
zaon aud movement to usupthe control Of the govern
| meat Of the United States
confidently believe that the great body Of those who
nconsderatey took this fatal step are sincerely attached
20 the Constitution and the Union They would upon de
liberation, shrink with unaffected horror from any con
scious act OF dsunon civil But they have entered
into path, which leads nowhere unless it be to civil
and dsuuon, and which has other possible outlet They
have proceeded thus far in that direction IN
successive stages Of their progress having consisted
OF series OF secondary issues each oil which professed
be confined within constitutional and peaceful limits but
which attempted indirectly what few were willing to
do directly that is TO act aggcssvey against the cons
utiona rights Of nearly half Of the thirty one States
In the long series of Of indirect aggression the FIRST
was the strenuous agitation by citizens Of the northern
States in Congress and out oft Of the question Of negro
| emancipation III the southern States,
The second step in this path Of evil consisted Of acts OF
the people OF the northern States and several instances
OF their governments aimed 10 facilitate the escape Of per
sons held TO service in the southern States aid to proven,
their e1aditon when reclaimed according 10 Law aud in
virtue Of express provisions Of the Constitution To pro.
mote this object legislative enacments and other mean.
we're adopted 10 take away defeat rights which the
Constitution solemny guaranteed In order to nuy the
then existing act Of Congress concerning the e1tradon
Of iugtives from service laws we're enacted in MANY
States iobddng their officers, under he sevcrest penal
ties TO participate Ia the execution Of any act of Congress.
whatever. In this way that system Of harmonious coope
ration between the authorities Of the United States and Of
the several States for the maintenance Of their common
institutions which existed n the early years Of the Ropub
Tic, was destroyed conflicts Of jurisdiction came 70 DC IRE
quent and Congress found itself compelled Tor the sup
port Of the Constuon and the vndcauon Of its power
70 authorize the appointment ofnew officers charged with
The execution Of its acts they and the officers Of the