The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-12-13

meeting, the country has been emlnenfiy
prosperous in all its material interests.
The general health has been excellent,
our haryesfs have been abundant, and
plenty smiles throughout the land. Our
commerce and manufacturer have been
prosecuted with energy and industry, and
have yielded fair and ample returns. In
short, no nation in the tide Of time has
ever presented a spectacle Of greater ma
terial prosperity than we have done until
within 4 very recent PERIOD"
This glance at the bcnefactions Of the
past, is the only ray of sunshine which
appears throughout the weary mazcs of
this cherries document. After asking u
question, as follows
"Why is it, then, that discomfort now
80 extensively prevails, and the Union Of
the States, which is the source Of all these
blessings, is threatened with Instruction."
This question he proceeds to answer by
an enumeration of all the grievances un-
der which the South is claiming to suffer.
Here, again, we cannot fail to quote from
the Message, the following language;
-" The long continued and incorporate
interference Of the Northern people with
the question Of Slavery in the Southern
States has at length produced It's natural
effects. The different sections Of the
Union are now arrayed against each 9TH
er, and the time has arrived, 50 much
dreaded by the Father Of his Country,
when hostile geographical parties have
been formed. | have long foreseen and
often forcwarned my countrymen Of the
now impending danger. This does not
proceed solely from the claims on the part
of Congress or the territorial legislatures
to exclude Slavery from the Territories,
nor from the efforts Of different States tc
defeat the execution o. the Fugitive Slave
law.
"Ail or any of these evils might have
been endured by the South without dan
ger to the Union las others have been,)
in The hope that time and reflection might
apply the remedy. The immediate peril
arises not so much from these causes as
from the fact that the inccssant and VIC.
ient agitation Of the Slavery question
throughout the North for the last quarter
Of a century, has at length produced its
mulign influence Gu the slaves and in
spired them with vague notions Of free
dom. Hence a sense Of security no long
err exists around the family altar. This
leel''g OF peace at no'ne mas given place
W.nn . |na"rNn LranUbonI ,Io Sartb 10
tires at MONT in dead # what NAV bor,n
herself and her children before the morn
ing. Shonid tins apprehens ION OF domes-
Nc "''sg'i ""e,'Gt t,a af g, n 'H'a'"a'I I
nar,,la ,ha ras,os IF tho Sonthcrn coo.
pie, then djsunion will become inevitable.
Self. preservation is the first law Of nature,
ana MS oeeN iHPlan'ea IN the heaFt OF
|,I;.:ai - g~'
franoht with hIas.iaos and benefits in nil
Other respects, can long continue, if the
nec' ssary consequence be to render the
homes ana nreS'dgs Of nearly nan me par
o onr - < Sn ~m.2,," a. i,t" anu 'hn nJ h"nJ. y. . ,neJ,
a Union must BE- severed, Il jsm m con-.
yicuon that this fatal period has not yet
arriycd; and my prayer to God Is that he
VIII preserve the CONSTITUTION ana the
mn "'0' go
mus. shutting his eyes to the TACT tAaf'
during the last quarter OF i century there
mas not Ueen a day when the South and
the representatives OF Democracy could
be induced to refrain from continued and
persistent AGITATION Of the oucstion-for.
',o,t,on ., Ia docs ,bat 40 E,,,b lad