The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-29
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FIl9l7 citizens q the Senate
md HOase Of RepresentqtireS:

T,Il9l7 citizens Of the Senate
and House of Representatives.:
Our deep and heartfelt gratitude is due to
that ALMIGHTY Power which has bestowed upon |
us such varied and numerous blessings through |
out i..o past year. The general health CT the |
country has been excellent our harvests have |
been unusually plentiful, and prosperity smiles |
throughout the land. Indeed, notwithstanding |
our dement's, we have much reason to believe, |
from the past events in our history, that we
have enjoyed the special protection of Divine
Providence ever since our origin as a nation.
We have been exposed to many threatening
and alarming difficulties in our progress but
on each successive occasion the impending
cload has been dissipatcd at the moment 1t APP
peared ready to burst upon our head, and the
danger 10 our institutions has passed away.
May we ever be under the divine guidance and
protection!
Whilst it is the duty of the President from
time 10 time to give to Congress information Of
the state of the Union" l shall not refer in
detail 10 the recent sad and bloody occurrences
at Harper's Ferry. Still, il is proper to observe
that these events, however bad and cruel in
themselves, derive their chief importance from
the apprehension that they are but symptoms
OF an incurable disease in the public mind,
which may break out In still more dangerous
by the North, TO abolish Slavery in the South.
Whilst, for myself entertain no such appre-
hension, they ought to afford solemn warning
20 US all to beware of the approach OF danger.
Our Union is a stake Of such inestimable value
as to demand our constant and watcbful vigil
ance for its preservation. In this view let me
implore ny countrymen, North and South, to
cultivate the ancient feelings of mutual forbear-
anee and goodwill towards each other, and
strive to alay the demon spirit of sectional
hatred and strife now alive in the land. This
advice proceeds from the heart of an old public
funetionary, whose service commenced in the
last generation, among the wise and conserva-
live statesmen of that day, now nearly all passed
away, and whose first and dearest earthly wish
Is to leave his country tranquil, prosperous,
united, and powerful.
We ought to reflect that in this age and
especially in this country, there is an incessant
1iux and redux of public opinion. Questions
which in their day assumed most threatening
aspect, have now nearly gone from the memory
of men. They are VOLCANOES burnt out, and
on the lava and ashes and squalid scoria of old
eruptions grow the peaceful olive, the cheering
vine, and the sustaining corn Such. in my
opinion, will prove to be the fate of the present
sectional excitement, should those who wisely
seek TO apply the remedy, continue always to
confne their efforts within the pale of the Con-
stitution. If this course be pursued, the ex
listing agitation on the subject of domestic Sla-
very, like everything human, will have its dav.
and give place TO other and less threatening
controversies. Public opinion in this country
as alpowerful, and when it reaches dangerous
excess upon any question, the good sense OF
the people viii furnish the corrective, and bring
1t back within safe limits. Still, to hasten this
suspicious result, at the present crisis we ought
N hot oil
be presumed TO intend the natural consequences
of his own teachings. Those who announce
abstract doctrines subverSive of the COnstitu
ton and the Union, must not be surprised
should their heated partisans advance one steI
further, and attempt By violence to carry these
doctrines into practical effect. In this view O.
che subject, IT ought never to be forgotten that
however great may have been the political ad
vantages resulting from the Union to ever,
portion of our common country, these would al
prove to be as nothing, should the time eve
arrive when they cannot be enjoyed withou
serious danger TO the personal safety of tn,
people of fifteen members of the Coniederaey
If the peace Of the domestic Preside through
out these States should ever be invaded-if III,
mothers Of families within this extensive regior
should not be able 10 retire to rest at nigh
without suffering dreadful apprehensions O
what NAV be their own fate and that of tbei
children before the morning-it would be vair
10 recount to such people the political bene
fits which result 10 them from the Union Self
preservation is the first instinct of nature; an,
therefore any state of society in which tn,
sword il all the time suspended over tn
heads of the people, mast at last become in
tolerable But l indulge in no such gloom
forebodings. Ga the contrary, firmly believ
that the events at Harper's Ferry, by eausin
the people TO pause and reflect upon the DO;
sible peril to their cherished institutions, will
the means, under Providence, of allaying th
existing excitement and preventing future out
breaks of a similar character They will resolv
that the Constitution and the Union shall nc
be endangered by rash counsels, knowing thai
should "tke silver cord be loosed or the golde
bowl be broken at the fountain" humai
power could never reunite the scattered an
hostile fragments.
j cordially congratulate you upon the fns
settlement by the Supreme Court of the Unite
States Of the question of Slavery in the Terrific
ries, which had presented an aspect so trul
formidable at the commencement of my admir-
lstration. The right has been established &
every citizen to take his property of any kind
jnelGdiag slaves, into the common TeTitorie