, 1857-01-23
The Presidents Message.

Atlantic SIDE containing the annual mes
sage of President PIERCE Those who
have given it an attentive perusa, to what
ever type of political opinion they may ad-
here, VIC doubt not will agree with us in the
conclusion, that it is by far the most mas
terly document emanating from, and claim
lug our present chief magistrate as its
author A large portion of the message is
devoted to the history Of the difficulties
which have existed in Kansas, growing out
of the agitation of the doctrines embodied
in the Kansas-N ebraska measure and the
admirable style, tone and temper with
which the whole subject is discussed by the
President, gives evidence of the very high
est order of argumentative ability, close
reasoning, and patriotic devotedness to the
constitution and the Union.
Although the document is a master
piece, our readers will be surprised to learn
that the operations Of the United States
troops in this and Oregon Territory have
been endorsed in complimentary language
leaving an unmistakablo inference to be
drawn, that the falsehoods and misrepre-
sentations of Gen. Wool, concerning our
late Indian war, our volunteer service, and
the people of our Territory, generally,
have made an impression, favorable to him,
and adverse to our people, with the home
Government.
The following synopsis Of the message Of
President PIERCE we copy from the n. o.
Della of Dec. 9th. We hope to be able,
at some future time, to publish the docu.
ment entire
The opening of the message is devoted
to review of the condition of the domes.
tic interests of the country. Its agricul-
tural, mining, manufacturing and CONNER
cial interests are in prosperous condition,
and the steady advancement Of the wealth
and population of the Union betOkens the
predominant spirit Of intelligence and pat
riotism which have ever distinguished the
people of the United States of America.
He alludcs to the late national election,
and says that the people have assented to
the. constitutional equality of each, and
that all the States of the Union, as States,
have affirmed the constitutional equality Of
all citizens Of the United States, as citi-
zens, whatever their religion, or wherever
their place Of birth or residence
They have maintained the inviolahility
of the constitutional rights of the different
sections Of the Union, and proclaimed their
devoted and unaltsrable attachment to the
Union and the Constitution. He emphat-
icnlly condemns the idea of organizing in
the United States mere geographical par
ties, and Of marshaling in hostile array the
different parts of the country. ..m
He continues at much length an account
of our sectional controversy, and condemns
in unequivocal terms the action of the Alb
clifton party at the North. He believes
that the great body Of that party who in
considerably took this fatal STEP are sin
eerely attached to the Constitution and the
Onion. r. y' 44eH ....I
Among the long series of acts of indi-
rect aggression, the
First-Was the strenuous agitation, by
the citizens Of the Northern States, in Con-
grcss and out Of it, Of the question of ne
gro emancipation in tho Southern States.
The second was to facilitate the escape
of persons held to service in the Southern
States, md to prevent their extradition
when reclaimed according to the provisions
Of the Constitution of the United States.
The third was in connection with the or
ganzation of territorial governments, and
the admission Of new States. That ques-
ton was for time disposed of by the adop-
tion of geographical line of limitation,
which was acquiesced iu, rather than Np-
proved, by the different States of the I'm
ion. 1t stood on the statute books of the
country, however, for number Of years,
and the people of the respective States ac-
quiesced in the re-enactment of the princi.
pie as applied to Texas, and were prepared
70 acquiesce in its further application to
territory acquired by the United States
from Mexico.
But this proposition was successfully re-
sisted by representatives in Congress from
the Northern States, who, regardless Of
the statute line Of limitations, insisted up
on applying restriction in regard to negro
slavery to new territory generally, whether
lying north or south Of it, thereby repeal
ing it as legislative compromise; and, OF
the part Of the North persisting in violat
ing the compact, if, indeed, any compact