The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-01-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE
AND HOUSE OF REPREsENTATl

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throughout the past year The general
health of 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 enioved
the special protection of Divine Providence
ever since our origin as nation. We have
been exposed tomany threatening and alarm
ing difficulties in our progress; but on each
successive occasion the impending cloud has
been dissipated at the moment it appeared
ready to burst upon our head, and the dancer
to our institutions has passed away. Nav
we ever be under the divine guidance and
protection.
HARPER's FERRY.
Whilst it is the duty Of the President 'from
time to time 10 give to Congress- information
Of the statesof the Union,. shall not refer
in detail to the recent sad and bloody occur
rences at Harper's Ferry Still. it is proper
TO observe that these events, however bad
and cruel in themselves, derive their CHIEF
importance from the apprehension that they
are but svmptoms of an ircurable disease in
the public mind, which may break out in still
more dangerous outrages, and terminate a,
list in omen war by the North to abolish
slavery in the South Whilst, for myself
| entertain no such apprehension, they ought
to afford a solemn warning to us all to he.
ware Of the approach of danger Our Union
is n stake Of such inestimahle value as to de.
mand our constant and watchful vigilance fol
its preservation Tn this view. let me implore
my countrvmen, North and South, tn cult
yate the ancient feeling ofmutual forbearance
and GOOD will towards each other, and strive
to allav the demon spirit Of Sc 2tional hatred
and strife now alive in the land. This aavict
proceeds from the he ,rt of an old public flnc
tionary whose services commenced in the
last generation, among the wise and conser-
vative 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 inces.
sent flux and refux of public opinion. Ques-
tons which in their day assumed most
threatening aspect have now nearly gone
from the memory Of men. They are "volca.
noes burnt out, and on the lava and ashes
and squaiid scorisr of ,ld crv,p.ior,-, grow the
peaceful olive, the cheering vine. and the
N.
prove to he the fate of tho present sectional
excitement should those who wisely seek TO
apply the remedy, continue always to con.
fine their efforts within the pale of the Con.
stitution. lfthis course be pursued, the ex.
listing agitation on the subject Of Domestic
Slavery, like everything human, will have
its day, and give place to other and less
threatening controversies. Public opinion
in this country is all powerful, and when il
reaches a dangerous excess upon anv aues.
ton, the good sense of the people will fur.
nish the corrective and bring il back within
safe limits. Still, 10 hasten this auspicious
result, at the present crisis, we ought to re.
msmhsr thai q, EVERY raionai
of his own teachings. Those who announce
abstract doctrines subversive OF the Con
stitution and the Union. must not be
surprised should their heated partisans ad-
vance one step further. and attempt by vio.
lence to carry these doctrines into practical
effect .a
In this view Of the subject, Ii ought never
to be forgotten that however great may have
been the political advantages resulting from
the Union to every portion of our common
country, these would all prove to be as moth
ing should the time ever arrive when they
cannot be enforced without serious danger tc
the personal safety of the people of fifteen
members of the Confederacy. If the peace
of the domestic freside throughout these
States should ever be invaded--if the moth.
ers Of families within this extensive region
should nat be able to retire to rest at night
without suffering dreadful approximations oil
what may be their own fate and that of thei1
children before the morning--it would be
vain torecount to such people the political
benefits which result to them from the Union
Self-preservation is the first instinct of ma
ture and therefore any state of society in
which the sword is all the time suspended
over the heads of the people, must at last be
come intolerable. But indulge in no suci
gloomy fobodings. On the contrary,
firmly believe that the events at Harper,
Ferry, by causing the people to pause and
reflect upon the possible peril to their cher.
ished institutions will be the means, under
Providence, of allaying the existing excite.
ment, and preventing future outbreaks Of q
similar character. They will resolve thai
the Constitution and the Union shall not b.
endangered bv rash counsels, knowing tha
should athe silver cord be loosed. rthe gold
en- bowl be broken at the fountain" human
power could never reunite the scattered and
hostile fragments.
l cordially congratulate you upon the fina
settlement by the Supreme Court of tn,
United States of the question Of Slavery il
the Territories which had presented M
aspect 30 truly formidable at the commence
ment Of my administration. The right has
been established of every citizen to take his
property of any kind incluiing slaves, int
the common Territories belonging equally t.
all the States of the Confederacy, and Il
have Unprotected there by the Federal Con
stitution. Neither Congress nor Territori
rial Legislature, nor any human power ha.
any authority to annul or impair this vested
right. The supreme judicial tribunal O
the country, which isl coordinate branch o
the Government, has sanctioned and affirmed
these principles Of constitutional law, 81
manifestly just in themselves, and so wei
calculated to promote peace and harmony
of the sense Of Justice which Is inherent In
our people, that the property in slaves has
never been disturbed, to nv knowledge, il
any Of the Territories. Even Throughout
the late troubles in Kansas there has no
been any attempt, as am credibly informed
to interfere, in a single instance, with the
right Of the master. Should they fail to dc
this hereafter, it will then be time enough
to strengthen their hands by further legis.
lation. Had II been decided that either Con
gress or the Territorial Legislature possess
the power to annul or impair the right tt
property In slaves, the evil would be intol
erable In the latter event. there would b,
a struggle for q majority Of the members o.