The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-12-10
Mihaltburg Rtgisttr.
MID d l. E B u r Y
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1856
The M essage.

We this day give our readers the last
annual message of President Pierce
We suppose many will desire to see for
themselves, a document which has awak-
ened so bitter a debate in the Senate,
and is the subject of so much amin ad-
version by a portion of the press.
A very large part of the message is
occupied in the discussion of matters
properly belonging to the campaign which
has just terminated, and would hardly be
expected 10 a State Paper. 1t seems to
us, that nothing but the consciousness of
requiring a defense before the American
people, would have induced the chief
magistrate of tho Unit ed States to take
the course be has thought proper to pur-
sue. in this document. Did it not bear
the signature of the President and come
we'll authenticated, we should regard it
as an attempt to palm off upon the pub.
lie the electioneering effort of some ex-
cited politician, for the annual commun.
%ication of the Executive of a great PEG
pie. But it is not upon the taste of the
thing, Out upon its influences, that W
propose to comment.
We believe this is the first instance in
the history of the country, in which the
Executive has thought proper, not only
distinctly to arraign the principles of the
opposing party, but to stigmatise, with
harsh and undigniGed expression, the op,
position itself. That the President has
done this, our readers will see for them
selves. The effect is necessarily to d.
grade the Office in the minds of those
thus attacked, and to lead them to re.
| gard the President, not as the Execu-
tive Of the whole people, but as the agent
of the party which he takes it upon him
self to represent. The subordinate of.
f%icers, taking their cue from the chief,
would be likely to execute their official
duties iu the same spirit, and the result
would be that as little confidence could
be placed in a state paper, however sol.
EMMY put forth, as can be placed in an
electionoering pamphlet. The people
would follow the example OF their party
leaders, and q still more bitter and par
t;zan tone would be Infused into neigh.
borhood politics through the country.
One would think that enough Of raDcor
aud patty auir,osity already existed
without any now incentives furnished by
the Executive Head of the Nation.
At tho present time is it particularly
to be regretted shat the President should
have done this when we have just gone
through one Of the most violent politica
struggles, with a perfectly p%ercept'ble
strain upon our institutions; and when
the people were settling down into o
quiet nquiescence in the result of the
late election, hoping for the best, and
willing to extend to the incoming Presi'
dent more than an ordinary share Of
charitable expectation.
The effect Of the message upon the
Senate is precisely what might have beer
expected, and is a mere type of what III
tendency will be throughout the country
Nothing will reconcile the opposition tc
it, but the reflection that it comes frou
a quarter which will soon cease to be in
fuential upon the des,inie, of the State
At the very opening of the session Q
Congress, it has thrown a stumbling blocl
on the threshold OF legislation, and
frebrand of discord among the member:
Party animosities, already at d%uellini
point, are famed into fame, and instea,
of tho usual lull after a storm, we ar
visited by a tempest of agitation as use
lass as it Is illtimed. Ny