The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-12-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


meeting, the country has been eminent
ly prosperous in all its material inter-
ests. The general health has been ez-
celleut; our harvCsts have been abund-
ant aud plenty smiles throughout the
land. Our commerce and manufactures
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 material prosperity
than we have done, until within q very
recent period Why is it then that dis
content now extensively prevails, and
the Union Of the States, which is the
source of all these blessings, is threat
eued with destructon2 The longscon-
tinucd 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 other, and the
time has arrived so much dreaded by
the Father Of his Country, when hos
tile geographical parties have been form
ed. l have long forcseen and often
/ forewarncd my cOuntrymcn Of the now
impending danger. This does not pro-
ceed solely from the claim on the part
/ Of Congress or the Territorial Legisla-
/ lures to exclude Slavery from the Ter
ritories, nor from the efforts Of differ
ent States to defeat the execution Of the
Fugitive Slave Law. All or any Of
these evils might have been endured by
the South, without danger to the Union,
as others have been, in the hope that
time and reflection might apply the rem
edy. The immediate peril arises not so
much from these causes as from the
fact that the violent agitation Of the
Slavery question throughout the North
for the last quarter Of century has at
length produced its malign influence
on the slaves, and inspired them with
vague notions Of freedom. Hence a
sense of security no longer exists
around the family altar. This feeling
of peace at home has given place to ap.
prehcnsions of scrvile insurrection.-
Many a matron throughout the South
retres at night in dread of what may
befal herself and her children before
the morning. Should this opprehen-
sion Of domestic danger, whether real
or imaginary, extend and intensity it.
self until it shall pervade the masses of
the Southern people, disunion will be
come inevitable. SeIf.prcservation is
the first law Of nature, and has been i'm
planted in the heart Of man by his Gre
ator for the wisest purpose, and no po-
litical union, however fraught with
blessings and benefits in all other re.
.spects, can long continue if the neccs.
sary consequence be to render the homes
and fresides Of nearly half the parties
to it habitually aud hopelessly insecure
Sooner or later, the bonds of such q
union must be severed. 1t is my con,
+, viction that this fatal period has not YET
. arrived, and my prayer to God is, tho
3 He would preserve the Constitution anC
the Union throughout all generations
But let us take warning in time, anC
remove the cause of danger. 1t can
not be denied that for hve and twenty
years the agitation at the North agains
, Slavery in the South has been inces
SAINT. In 1888 pictorial hand-bills anc
inhammatory appeals we're circulated
extensively throughout the South, Of {
character to excite the passions Of tn,
7 slaves, and, in the language Of Genera
3 Jackson, to stimulate them to insurrec
tiou, and to produce all the horrors of {
scryile war. This agitation has eve
~ since been continued by the publi
? press, by the proceedings Of State ant
County Conventions, and by abolition
sermons and lectures, and the time OF
Congress has been occupied in violeu
speeches on this nevcr-ending subject
and speeches in pamphlet aud othe
forms, endorsed by distinguished names
, have been scut forth from this centra
point and spread broadcast over tn
Union, How easy would it be for tn
American people to settle the SLAYER
question forever, and to restore peac
and harmony to this distracted country
=. They alone can do it, All that is nee
ossary to accomplish the object, and al
for which the Slave States have eve
contendcd, is to be let alone, and per
= mitted to manage their domestic insti
= tuuous in their own way, as soveroig
States. They, and they alone, are re
sponsiblo before God and the world 70
Id the Slavery existing among them. Fo
this the people Of the North are not re
sponsible, aud have no more right t
interfereiwith it,than with similar inst
p tutions In Russia or in Brazil Upo
their good sense and patriotic forbcal
ance | confess 1 still greatly rely
Without their aid it is beyond the pow
or Of any President no matter wha
may be his own political proclyities,
n, restore peace and harmony among tn
States. Wisely limited and restraiue
as is his power under the Constitutio
,r and laws, he alone can accomplish bu
little for good or evil on such a mOmou
nd tous question. And this brings me
observe that the election of any Of ou
9 fellow.oitizens to the office Of Presiden
does not Of itself afford just cause fC
dissolving the Union. This is more e'
a pecially true if his election has bee
effected by mere plurality, and not
majority Of the people, and has resulte
from transient aud temporary cause
which may probably never again occu
In order to Justify a resort to revoll