Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1857-12-18
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

w idlu lnlS uOCumenI DcIOTe our readers,
in an Extra, on monday, and they have,
doubtless, read It and formed their estimate
Of its merits. 1t lis unnecessary therefore,
that we shall enter upon an analysis of
State paper having even less of merit to
distinguish it than is usual with similar
documents from the pens of small-fry
locofoco Presidents. We are disappointed
both in the manner and matter of the
Message-as literary effort, it is very
faulty and as State paper, bears none
Of the marks of ability for which its author
has had credit, and not manifestation of
the wisdom that should be characteristic
of the Chief Magistrate Of the nation
That it may not be said that we speak the
language of a mere partizan, let us notice
point or two, in vindication of our
opinion.
On the subject of the currency, the
President sets out by attempting to show
that the State banks are, mainly, response
bic for the present crisis, and then pro-
cecds to prove, by the Constitution itself,
that these banks are unconstitutional
So far, all very WE'LL but what then? Does
he point out the constitutional remedy for
an unconstitutional evil? Now, be it re-
membcred, that he took a solemn oath to
support the Constitution, and, under that
oath, no question of expedienoy, or of
usage can justify palpable neglect of the
duty prescribed by that obligation. lie
has declared the State banks unconstitu-
tional, and, at once, it became his sworn
duty to take his stand by the Constitution,
and to demand of Congress return to its
provisions, and the adoption of such
measures as will abolish institutions that
exist in defiance of those provisions
But this, he does not do. On the con-
trary, with all the Indifference of one
totally needless Of a solemn obligation, he
tells Congress that this violation of the
Constitution is Of such long standing that
it is past remedy, and that the only hope
for redress of the evil, lies in the patriot
ism of the States. And having dissolved
himself from his oath by this dodge, the
President then constitutes himself Gov
crnor of all the States, and lectures them
upon the best mode of managing the four
teen hundred banks established in open
violation of the federal Constitution. IF
these banks are unconstitutional, his oath
binds him so to declare them, and to in
sist, Internationally, upon their total an
Inhalation; if constitutional, it is no part
OF his business to lecture the States upon
their management. That he disregards
his oath, is evident from his own admis-
sion; that he does not know his place, is
evident from his intermeddling with State
Institutions. 80.
On the Kansas question, he is equally
undecided and non-committal. He saws
he gave Governor Walker unqualified"
instructions for the submission of the
Constitution to the people of the Terri
tory, But when the Convention submit
ted only the slavery clause, it was all right,
and its action is justified on the plea that
"squattcr sovereignty" had reference only
to that subject, although the President had
explicitly declared that the people of
Territority are entitled to sovreignty as
absolute as that which pertains to the
people of State. Such evasion and
double-dcaling is contemplate in an un-
scrupulous ofice-secker, and inexcusable
In President of the U. States, who ought
TO be as far above party as the good of the
whole country is paramount to t sue
cess Of faction.
We have touched upon these two topics
merely to show the imbecility, or incon-
sistency of the Executive and the worth
lessness of his Message on these exciting
issues. He is against the banks on CON
stitutional grounds, but for them, on the
ground of oxpedcncy. He roos for sub
hitting the whole of the Kansas Constitu-
ton, on the broad ground of popular
sovereignty; he IS for submitting only the
slavery clansc, on the ground that popular
sovereignty, as promulgod in the Kansas
bill, is limited to that particular subject.
AS the supporter Of the Constitution he
has violated his oath, and disrcgarded his
duty, on the first point, aud as the execu-
tor OF the laws, he has repudiatcd the
leading provision Of the Kansas bill, as by
himself expoundcd, whist candidate for
the Presidency. On that portion of the
Message which treats of foreign relations
A.,o sk.u re 90