New-York daily tribune., 1859-12-28
PRESIDENTS MeSSAGR
Faler-e,ti:en, IF tAe senete

and numerous blessings throug the past y~ar. fss
general health Of the eoaaty has beea excellsnt; sf
bsrves,s have been unusually pentfal, sai prcsseV
smilee throue hous the land. Indeed netwithtxndaS
our d@merits we have much b~sve IN -
pat events in our history thst have enjoyed shs
sp ia protection of Divine Provdence ever since ssx
origin IS g nation. We have beea exposed 70 saasy
threatening and ing dEculiiss 10 our pr 'srss;
but on each successive occasion the impending essd
has been dssipaied the moment Il appeared r-sy 10
burst upon oar bead and the danger 70 our inssusns
has pissed away. May we ever be under the divine
| guidance snd protection,
whle il s the duty of the President frcm sme "
ctiue to give to Congss information Of the state ofsss
Unsn, sAsl pot refer In detail to the reoeas sad
and bloojy occurrences at Harpers Ferry. SILL. is .
proper TO observe that ,bess even however bad sas
cruel N thtsnsevee derive their chief importance from
tie apprehension that they but symptoms Of an in
curable disesse in the pablc mind which may break
oct s,il more dangerous ousraees, and terminate u
sst in sn oren by the North to abolish Slavery "a
the South While, for my self eosertsn no saoh sp-
pIebepsion, they ooght TO afford a solemn wsuss 70
W. all to beware Of the approach Of dagger Oar Ua'ea
Is stake of such inestmable value as demand our
constant aud watchful vigilance for its preserv i'o
In this view, let me implore my country men. Worth
foshcarance and good will toward each other. aud
erye 90 silay the demon spirit Of sectional hatred ssf
strife now Glivs in the land This advice proceeds
nom the heart Of old public functioHary whose
vice commenced in tho last generation, among sbe
Wise and consery yaiive statesmen OF that day, uoS
reary all passed away, and whoee trst and dcarest
earthly wish is Ia leave his country tranquil prosper
ous, united, and powerful.
We ouph 10 reflect that IN this age and especially
in this co try there ncessani aux and redux Of
public opinion. Questions which in their day, assum-
ed most threatening aspect, have now nearly soae
from the memory OF men. They are " volcanoes eurns
ont end on the lava and ashes and squad scorie os
old eruptons grow the pesceful olive, the cheering
wine and the sustaining corn. Such, in my opinion.
will prove 10 be The fate of the present sectional ex-
element should tbose who wisely seek 20 spply the
remedy continue aways TO conine ier efforts within
the pale of tie Constitution II this course he pursued
the existing agitation the subject OF Domestic Ssv-
eIy like every thing human, viii have ia day, and
give place to other and LEES thr aenng contr
Public opinion in this country il all powerful, aud
when reaches dangerous exceea upon any question.
the good sense OF the people will furnish the corrosive
ma bring back within safe limits. Still TO hsssea
this suspicious reeult a the present crisis we oaght b
remember that every rational creature must be pro-
sumed % intend the natural consequences OF his own
| teaehings Those who announce abstract doctrines
snbyersive Of the Constitution and the Union, must nA
be surprised should their heated parsans adysnos cos
.tep further, and attempt by violence to carry these
| doctrines INTO practical effect
In this view Of the subject 1t ought never 20 be for
gotten that however great may have been the po!ti-
cal advantages resulting from the Union 10 every ror-
ton of our common country, these would a prove 10
lie as nothing should tho time ever arrive wkea they
cannot he enjoy ed without serious danger TO the per-
sonal safety Of the people OF fifteen membere OF me
| Conf-deracy. If the peace OF the domestic hresde
throughout these States should be nvadodif the
mothers Of families within this extensive region should
not be able to retire TO rest st night without suffering
dreadful apDrehensons Of what may bo their own fate
and that OF their children before the mornings would
be VI 20 recount such people the political bcne-
6ts which resn 70 them from the Union. Selfpressr-
walton Il the first instinct OF nature: and therefore any
state of sociey in which the sword is all the time suss
rended over the heads of the people must Ut last be-
come intoierable. But indulge in no such gloomy
forebodings On tho contrary, firmly believe shas
the at Harpers Ferry BY causing the people 10
pause and reflect upon the possible peril 20 their cher
ished institutons, will be the means, under PrOvi-
dence, OF allaying the existing excitement and pre-
venting future outbreaks OF similar character. They
will receive thar the Constitution and the Union shaf
not be endangered by rash counsels knowing thai,
shoud "the silver cord be loosed the golden howl
" be broken at the fountain" human power
could never reunite the scattered aud hostile frsg-
menis.
cordially congratulate you upon the final settlements
by the Supreme Court OF the United States Of tie aaes
ton OF Slavery 10 tho Territories which had presented
IN aspect 10 truly formidable at the commencement Of
NV adn,ini tration me right mas been established Of
every citizen to take his property ofany kind Including
slaves into the common Territories belonging equally
to all the States Of the Confederaey, and 10 have
tpctfd there under the ftQfrdi ucBbncf
Congress nor Territorial Legislature, nor any human
power has any authority TO sanul impair the vested
rALt The supreme Judicial tribunal OF the country
which s coordinate branch Of the Government, has
sanctioned and affirmed these principles Of eonsttu-
bonaI law, manfestly JUS IN themselves, and 80
well calculated TO promote peace and harmony among
the States IL ia striking proof Of the Of jus
tiee which 10 inherent in people, that the
property in slaves has meyer been disturbed TO my
knowledge, in any Of the Territories. Even through
out the late troubles In Kansas there has been any
s,,sm,, as eredlby informed. to Interfere, in
Il, os ipstsr'e with the right ofthe MASTER d any
snb .empt bse;: made the Judiciary would doubtless
bsys sssr3ed AN adequate remedy. Should they fail
| a, do ,hs hereafter, Il will thea be lime enough W
ss,sne,bsn their hands by further legislation He'd II
besn deedes that either Congress the Territorial
Legislature sse.' tne power 70 annal % .se
be- In ~, lattsr ey mt there would be struggle fcs
maturity Of the ssns ors OF the Legislature 81 zach
successive eleciisn and sacred nkhts oi property
leld unSe- tbe Feders C 'siiution would depend for
the tins bepg on the reses. The agitation would thus
be rendered incessant while tn terrilonsi eonaIhon
remained and its baneful io6oenc. wouio Keep awe
dangerous excitement among the p 0'Po o' 'no Gov
eral Sstes.
Thus has the status of Territory dur the inter
mediate period from it's mt settlsent until snasi ne-
come State, been isrevocaby fred by the 'nhi oe-
eisiob OF the supreme Court. Fortunate has this oeeo
for tie prosperity Of the Territories well 40 no
tranquility of the States. Now, emigran.s frors The
North and South the East and the West, will meet IN,
the Territories platform, having brought
with them that species Of property best adapted in
| their opinion, 20 promote their welfare. From
natural eaases the Slavery question will 10 each ca.e
virtually settle Itself and before the Territory s
prepared for admssion a State into the Uuion this
decision one way or the other vii have been fore
gone conclusion. Meanwhile, the setismeut Of the
new Territory will proceed without serious Interrupt
ton, and ts progress and rosperfy will not be ec-
dangeIed or retarded by violent political struggles
When, in The progress Of events the inhabiants Of
hav Oh