The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
coxrNrEp IRON LAsr WEEK.

regions Of the United States, If emigratit
be left free to act in this respect for itseI
without legal prohibitions on either sid
slave labor will spontaneously so everywer
in preference to free labor2 Is il the Ia
that the peculiar domestic institutions OF q
Southern States possess relatively 50 mut
yigor that, wheresocycr an avenue II Tree
open to all the world, they will penetrat
~ the exclusion of those of the Norther
Natcs? Is il the fact the former enlo,,
cSSparcd with the latter, such irresistiol
SUPERIOR vitality, independent OF climat
soil, and all other accidental circumstance
as 10 be able 10 produce the supposed resui
IN spite of the assumed moral and natur'
obstacles to its accomplishment. and OF IN
more numerous population OF the Norfher
States --..,s l... A- rtfsf .e 5rl.
Tic argument OF those, who advocate tn
enactment of new laws OF restriction, an
condemn the repeal of the old ones, in etiec
AYERS that their particular views ot govern
ment have no selfextending or soll-sustain
ing power of their own, and will 80 nowher
unless forced by act of Congress. And
Congress do but pause for a moment in tn
policy of stern coercion IL il venture to tr.
the experiment OF leaving men 10 Judge 10
themselves what institutions will best sui
them: ifit be not strained up To nerpctua
legislative exertion on this point; ifCungrc
proceed thus to act in the very spirit OF lib
erty it is ut once charged with aiming to ex
tend slave labor into all the new Territories
Of the United States.
Of course, thesa imputations on the intcn
tipns of Congress in this respect, conceive,
rs they were in prejudice, and discriminate
in passion, are utterly destitute OF any insti
Gcation in the nature oithings, and contrar!
10 all the fundamental doctrines and princi
pies Of civil liberty and scll.government.
While therefore, in general, the people o.
the Northern States have never, at my time
arrJgatrd for the federal government the
power to interfere dire0tiy with the domes-
tic condition of persons in the southern
States. hut on the contrary have dis.Nowed
all such Intentions. and have shrunk from
aflilmtiOn with those few who
pugue their lamtical objects ayowedly
though the contemplated means OF revolu-
sZklry change Of the government, and with
acceptance OF the necessary cOnSequcncCs-
a civil and servilc war-yet many citizens
have suffered themselves to be drawn into
one cyanrsccnt political issue OF agitation
after another, appertalning to the same set
of opinions, and which subsidcd az rapidly
as they aros, when it came TO b. seen, rs 1t
did, that they were Incompatible
with the compacts Of the Constitution and
the existence of the Union. Thus when the
acts OF some OF the States to nullily the ex-
isting extradition law imposed upon Con-
grcss the duty of passing n new one, the
country was invited by agitators to enter
into party organization for its repeal; but
that agitation speedily ceased by reason of
the imprlcticability of its object. So, when
the statute restriction upon the institutions
Df new States, by geographical line, had
been repealed. the country was urged to de-
nanl its rcstoration, and that project also
lied almost with Us birth. Then followed
the cry of alarm from the North against I'M.
puted Southern cncrOachments which cry
,prng in reality from the spirit of reyolu-
iionary attack on the domestic institutions
Dr the South, and, after troubled existence
Dr few months, has been rebuked by the
voice ola patriotic people.
Ofthis last agitation, one lhmentlblc feat
ure was, that il was carried on at the immc-
liate expense of the peace and happiness Of
the people of the Territory of Kansas. That
was made the battle field, not so much op-
posing factions or interests within itself, as
the conflicting passions of the whole people
Df the United States. Revolutionary disor-
ler in Kansas had its origin in projects OF
deliberately arranged by GER
tain members Of that Congress, which enact
cd the law for the organization OF the Terri
tory. And when propagandist Colonization
Of Kansas had thus been undertaken in one
section OF the Union, for the systematic pro-
motion Of its peculiar views of policy, there
ensued. as matter of course, a countcr-ac-
ton with opposite views, in other sections
Of the Union.
In consequence of thescand other incidents,
many acts OF disorder. il is undeniable, have
bsen u rpetrated in Kansas 10 the OCCASION
al interruption, ,ather than the permanent
suspension, ofregular government Aggres-
siye and most rcprehcnsihle incursions into
the Territory were undertaken, both in the
North and South. and entered..it on It's nurth
ern border by the way Of Iowa. AZ we'll as
on the eastern byway of Missouri; and there
has existed within it state of instruction
against the constituted authorities, not with
out countcnince from incOnsidcrate persons
in each OF the great sections of the Union
But the difficulties in that Territory have
bpn rxtrLyagan,ly exaggerated for purpOs, :
&c political agitation elsewhere. The num-
her and gravity Ol the acts of violence have
he magnifed, partly by statements entire
ly untrue d partly by reiterlted accounts
OF the same Tumurs or facts. Thus he Ter
rit,ry has becn seemingly filed with extreme
violence, when the whole amount of such
acts has not been greater than what occasion'
ally passes before us IN single cities, 70 the
regret OF all COOL citizens, hut without being
regarded US OF general or permanent politl
cal cons quences.
Imputed Irregularities In the elections hat
in Kansas, like occasional Irregularities al
the same description in the States, were be
yund the sphere of action OF the Executive
But incidents ur actual violence or OF organ
Ized obstruction of law, pertinaclously ~
newrd from time to time, have been met a
they occurred, by such means rs were avail
able and as the circumstances required; an'
nothing of this character now remains &
affect the general peace of the Union. Th'
attempt Of part of the inhabitants OF TN
Territory 20 erect Evolutionary govern
ment, though sedulously encouraged ant
supplied with pocuniqry aid from activ
agents of disorder in some OF the States, la
completely failed. Bodies OF armed men
foreign to the Territory, have been prevent
ed from entering. or have been compelled q
leave il Predatory bands, engaged in act
OF rapinc, under cover of the existing polili
cal disturbances. have been arrested or DIS
pcrsei. And every well disposed person
now enabled once more to devote himself Il
peace to the pursuits of prosperous industry
for the prosecution of which he undertook Z
participate in the settlement OF the Terri
tory.
IL affords me unmingled satisfaction thu
TO announce the peaceful condition of thing
in Kansas. especially considering the mean
10 which il was necessary to have resourc
for the attainmcn, Of the end, namely, N
emnlavment of "A part oc the military fore