Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-12-29
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE


hArveata have boOn unuhuhN plonutuf hnu prosperity
smiles throughout the land. INDEED, notwithstanding
our demefits wo have much reason TO believe from
the past events in history, that We have enjoyed
our origin ~ nation. We have been exposed
many threatening and alarmiag dincuues In our pro
eress but on each successive occasion the impending
eioud las beep dsipafed AZ the moment Il appeared
ready 20 burst upon our head and the danger 70 QUE
Institutions has passed away, May We ever be unucr
whilst it's the duty Of tho President ~ ON time 10
time 90 give TO Congress Information Of the state OF
the Unon shall not refer In deaito the recent sad and
bloody occurrences at harpers Ferry still u prope.
TO that these events, however bad and cruel
IN themselves, derive their chief importance from the
apprehenriob that they are but ymploms OF al
ineurabe disease in the public mind, which may break
out in still more dangerous Outrages, and terminate A.
last In open hy tue North TO abolish slavery Ia
the South, Whilst, for myselG entertain no such
apprehension, they ought TO afford slenin warning
to us all to beware of the appoaeh Of danger Our Un
ion IL stake on such inestiinabe value as TO demand
constant and wAchfu vigilance for It's rteservS-
uon. La this view, let me impoIe my eouutlyinen,
rth aud south, TO cultivate the ancient feeling OF
mutuR fdfbeaance and good will towards each other
aud stfiYe to alay the demon spirit OF sectional hatred
and strife alive In the land This advice procceds
from the heart Of an old public anctonsry whose ser
vices commenced In the last generation, among the
wss and conservative statesmen OF that day. nov near
y all passed away and whose first and dearest earthly
wish is TO leave LIS country tranquil prosperous, uni
ted and powerful.
we ought to reflect that ia this age, and especl-
ally in this country, there is an incessant dux and
refux Of public opinion. Questions which IN their
day assumed most threatening aspect, have now
nearly gone from the memory OF men They are
''vccanoes burnt out, and on the lava aud ashes
and squalid scorie Of Old eruptions grow the
peaceful olive, the cheering vine, aud the sustain
ing corn" Sach, IN my opinion, VIII prove TO be
the fate OF the present sectional excitement, should
those who wisely seek to apply the remedy, con
tinue always to conlne their efforts within the pae
Of the Constitution. II this course be pursued,
the existing agitation on the subject OF dom sstio
slavery, like everything human, will have its day
and give place to other and less threatening con
irOverses, Public opinion in this country is all
powerful, aud when il reaches a dangerous excess
upon any question, the good sense OF the peo lie
will furnish the corrective aud bring it back within
safe limits. Still, 10 hasten the auspcious result,
at the present crisis, we ought 10 remember that
every rational creature must be presumed to in
t9ud the natural consequences OF his own teach
ings Those who announce abstract coctriues
| subversive Of the Constitution and the Union must
not be surprised should their heated partizans ad
vance one step further, and attempt by violence to
carry these doctrines into practical effect In this
view of the subject it ought never TO be forgotten
| that, however gre at may have been the political
advantages resulting from the Union 10 every por
ton OF our common country, these will all prove TO
be as nothing should the time ever arrive when
| they cannot be enjoyed without serious danger to
the personal safety OF the people Of fift en- mCm-
bers of the coniederacy IL the peace Of the do.
nestle freside throughout these States should ever
be nvaded--f the mothers of families within this
extensive region should not be able TO retire to st
of what may be their own fate aud that Of their
children before moruing-it would be vain TO re.
count TO such people the political benefits which
result TO them from the Union. Self preservation
is the first instinct Of nature; aud therefore any
stale of society in which the sword is all the time
suspended over the heads of the people, must at
last become intolerabe, But indulge in no such
gloomy fOrebOdiDgs. nthe contrary, firmly be
lieye that the events at Harpers Ferry by causing
the people TO pause and reflect upon the possible
Ieril to their cherished institutions, will be the
means, under Providence of allayiug the existing
excitement and preventing future outbreaks OF a
similar character. They will resolve that the
Cous tuition and the Union shall not be enda0gpr
ed by rash cOunsels knowing that, should ",be
| silver cord be lOOsed or the golden bow be bro
ken at the fountain" human power could never re-
unite the scattered and hostile fragments.
cordially congratulate you upon the fua
settlement by the Supreme Court OF the United
States Of the question of slavery in the Ter
ritories, VIII ch had presented an aspect so truly
formidable at the commencement OF my admins
| istraton. The right has been established of
every citizen to take his property Of any kind,
including slaves, into the common Territories
belonging equally to al the States of the cons
fe deracy, and TO have il protected there under
the federal constitution, Neither Congress nor
a Territorial Legislature nor any human power
has any authority to annul or impair this vested
right. The supreme Judicial tribunal OF The
country, which is co ordinate branch Of the
government, has sanctioned and affirmed these
principles Of constitutional law, so mlnifestly
lost in themselves, aud 50 well calculated TO
promote peace and harmony among the States.
1t is striking proof Of the sense of justice
which is inherent in our people, that the pro
perty in slaves has never been disturbed, to my
knowledge, iu any Of the Territories Even
throughout the late troubles in Kansas there
has not Deen any attempt, as l am credlbly IN
formed, to Interfere, 10 a single instance, with
the right of Inc master. Had any such attempt
been made the Judiciary would doubtless have
afforded an adequate remedy. Should they fail
to do this hereafter, it will then be time enough
to strengthen their hands by further legislation
Had it been decided that either Congress ol
the Territorial Legislature possess the powel
to annul or impair the right to property in slaves
the evil would be intoerable. In the latter event
! ! there would bo struggle for majority of the
members OF the Legislature at each successive
election, and the sacred rights of property held
, under the Federsl constitution would depend
for tue time being on the result. The agit .tioI
would thus be rendered incessant whilst thI
Territorial condition remained, and its banefu
influence would keep alive dangerous excite
: ment among the people of the several States
Thus has the status of Territory, during
the intermediate period flOm its first settlement
until it shall become State, been irrevocably
fixed by the final decision of the Supreme Court
} Fortunate has been this for the prosperity oi
the Territories, as well as the tranquility of the
Stales. Now emgrants from the North and
the South, the East and the West, will meet in
the Territories on a common platform, having
: brought with them that species Of property beS
: adapted, in their own opinion, to promote the
welfare. From natural causes the slavery
: question will ia each case virtually se;tli
L l. + a.. ~.
admission as u State into the Union this deCi
sion, one way or the other, will have been
: foregone conclusion, Meanwhile the settle
G ment of the new Territory will proceed wi.hou
serious interruption, and its progress and pros
perty will EOtbe endangered OF retarded by Vi
J. olent political struggles.
When IN the progress OF events the inhab
st tants of any Territory shall have reached III
" number required to form a State, they will the
=, proceed, in regular manner and in tho exeI
else of the rights of popular sovereignty,
e form a constitution preparatory to admisslo
j. into the Union. After this has been done,
,e employ the language of the Kansas and N
braska act, they 'shall be received into q
", Union with or without slavery, as their const
IA tuition may prescribe at the tune of their adm
IN sion" This sound principle has happily bee
e recognized, in some form or other, by an almo
"A unanimous vote OF both houses of the last Co
gress.
ID All lawful means at my command have bee
,l employed, and shall continue TO be employe
d to execute the laws against the African sa'
trade After a most careful and rigorous e
IL animation of our coasts and a thorough inves
IN CATION OF the subject, we have not been able
ht discover that any slaves have been import
ns into the United States except the cargo by II
a Wanderer, numbering between three and 10
~ hundred Those engaged in this unlawful e
terprise have been vigorously prosecuted; b