Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-01-22
Respectfully submitted.
S. McGowAN, Chairman.
Letter fiom preatdents Buchanan.
WAsuINGToN, November %, 1853

Letter from Hreeldent Buchanan
WASuINGToN, November %, 1853
Gentlemen u have had the honor to
receive your invitation to be present ON the
18th instant, at the centennial anniversary
/ of the Capture of Fort Duquesnc; and /
regret that the pressure ofpublic affairs, at
a period near the meeting of Congress, rem
dcrs it impossible that l should enjoy this
privilege.
Every patriot must rejoice whilst reflect
ing upon the unparalleled progress of our
country within the last century What
far beyond the western frontier Of civiliza-
ton, has row become the centre of popn-
lous commercial and manufacturing city,
sending it's productions to large and pros
pcrou9 sovereign States still further west,
whose territories wcrc then vast uncxplC,
red and silent Wilderness.
From the stand point at which VIC have
arrived, fho 0ixious patriot cannot fail,
whilst reviewing the past, to cast glance
INTO the future, and to speculate upon what
may be the condition of our beloved country
when your pos;crity shall assemble to cclc-
brate the second centennial anniversary of
the Capture of Fort Duqucsne Shall our
fion mnrc Jon,Ians ',,.,,.f,l ot,, ",, J r'n. @
thnn onv otbrr wh;cI i! o", o,nr r o>;at'd9 ;" o.
Or win the Confrdcracy bnvc hocn ront ~ -.
under and divided ;,tH ,,ronns nf Lost;Io
and icolo,s Gtotcs o., T,o,, + ,nt ho .,,a ,a"
siblc thot Gro tLc ncyi cnlGIrntimn III th,
fragments, exhausted by intermediate CON
fiicts with each ether, may have finally re-
ter Of one orcat and oyrrsr,oInw;n@ dcsoo.
tsm.
These Questions VIII G,n,I,. bo,;oro
under thc Proy;dcnco IF Cod lH ,.;ntn,II,,
decided bv tho present oonorotion W.
have rcacIed n crisis whoH ,,,n, tho;r no
fion doncnds tLo Mrcso.s,at;a,r rof' of ,Ln 'i
according 70 the lettcrond sni,it IF Tho nnm'
stimtiop: and this cncr ,ronn oil l. ln.t
reerct to saw fhot tho nrcscnt omcns orc
far from pronitious Tn tbo Inst ogc Of tIo
Republic it was considered plmcS tfrcosono.
bic to pronounce She word Disu,ion -
Times have since sadly CHANGED and now
disuniop is freely nrcsrrihcd % tbc romoIY
for cvancsccnt evils rco) ~, imio;p,,,v
which, if loft to themselves would snnrdiiv
vanish away in the PROGRESS of events
Our revolutionary fathers have nosscd
away, and the eencrotion ncxt oftcr thcn,
who were inspired by their personal conn,
sci and example, have nearly all disanncor-
ed. The present generation, drnr;yrd oF
these lights, must, Whether thcv viii or NOT
decide the fate thcirnost,r:tn Jot tl'o,,,
cherish the Union in their berrt Of hcorts.
let them resist every mrorrrn vh;ch NOV,
tend to relax or dissolve IFS bonds. LOT thn
citizens OF different states ,u,t;;y fcclin,.y
of kindness and forbearancc towards coch
other; and let all resolve to transmit if 70
their descendants in the form and spirit
they have inherited it from their forcfth-
ers--and all will then be well for our coun.
try in future times ' ''' '''"
.lu .,... Al =
S'!a'I assume the privilege of advancing
years m referring to another growing and
DANGEROUS eyll. In the last age, although
our fn.nef,' IKE ourselves, wore divided in
TO poht'ea! parties, which often had severe.
c0nlllctS with each other. vet we cncvCr hcarJ
until wi.hn recent period. of thc emnloy.
ncnt of money to cary elections. %h.uIl.
this practice increase until the voters and
their representatives in the SAFE aud Na-
tiono l.egislat,ros shall become infected