The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1860-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Felio,o citizens of the Senate
and House of RepTesentatipes;

rial interests, The general health mas been excellent
our haYvests have been abundant, and 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
ton In tide Of time has presented spectacle of
greater material prosperity than we have done until
within very recent period.
why is It. then that discomfort now so extensively
prevails, and the Union of the States which is the
Of all these blessings is threatened with destruc
ton The long continued and incorporate interference
Of the Northern people with the question of slavery IN
the Southern States has at length produced its natural
rayed against each other and the time has arrived SO
much dreaded by the Father of his County, when hos
tile geographical parties have been formed nave iohs
foreeeen and often forewarned countrymen OF the
now Impending dagger. This does rot proceed soiey
from the claim the part Of Congress or the territorial
to exclude slavery from the Territories nor
from the efforts of different States to defeat the execu
ton of the fugitive slave law an or any Oh .he.e evils
The Union las others been in the hope that time
and reflection might apply the remedy. The immediate
peril arises from these causes as from the
act that the incessant and violent agitation Of the sa
very question throughout the North for the last quarter
Of century, has at length produced its maign influence
on the slaves and inspired them with vague lotions of
freedom Hence q sense OF security no longer exists
around the family altar. This feeling OF peace at home
has given place apprehensons Of servile nsurrecon
Many matron throughout the South reres at night in
dread what may be herself and her children before
the morning. Should this apprehension .O Oi
itself until it shall pervade the masses OF the southern
people, then dsunicn will become inevitable sePre-
servation Is the first law Of nature, and has been i'm
planted In the heart of man by his Creator Tor the wses
purpose and political unon however fraugnt with
blessings and benefits n all other respects can long con-
homes and the resdes Of nearly halt the parties to it
habitually and hopelessy insecure. sooner or later
the bonds of such Union must be severed 1t is my
conviction that this fatal period has not yet arrived and
my prayer to God is that He would the Cons
tuition and the Union throughout all generations.
But take warning in time, and remove the cause
Of danger. It Re denied that for five and twenty
years the agitation at the North agans. slavery IN he
and in1ammatory appeals, were circulated extensively
throughout the South Of character to excite the pas
sions the slaves and in the language Of General jack
son, o stimulate them to nsurrecton, and produce all
the horrors of seryie war;" This agitation has ever
since continued by the public press by the proceed
ngs OF State and county conventions and by abolition
sermons and lectures. The time of Congress has been
occupied in violent speeches on this ding sub
ec and appeals pamphlet and other FORMS endorsed
by distinguished names, have been sent forth from this
central point and spread broadcast over the Union
How easy would 1t be for the American people to settle
the slavery question forever and to restore peace and
harmony to this distracted coutry.
to accomplish the object and all for which the slave
States have conended to be let alone. and per
mited to manage their domestic institutions in their
responeble before God and world the slavery
listing among them. For this, the people of the North
are not responsible, and have right to in.
terfere than withimar institutions in Russia in Bra
x Upon their good sense and patriotic forbearance
fess still greatly rely. Without their aid it is beyond
the power Of any President matter what may be his
own political proclivties to restore and harmony
among the States. Wisely limited and restrained as is
accomplish but little, for good or for evil, such mo
mentous question.
And this brings me to observe that the election of any
one Of feowcitizens the office of President does
not of itself afford just for dissolving the Union.
This especially true his election has been
ed by mere plurality, and not najortv, of the peo-
pie, and has resulted from transient and temporary
causes, which may probably again occur In or
der to justify revolutionary resistance the
pabe and dangerous exercise of powers granted by
the Constitution The late presidential election, how
hach he'll
provisions. How, then, the result justify revolu
ton to destroy this very Constitution? Reason, justice
wait overt and dangerous the part the
President elect before resorting to such rem edy.
said however that the antecedents of the Presi
dent elect have been sufficient justify the fears of b
South that he will attempt to invade their constitutions
rights But are such apprehensions of contingent dan
ger in the future sufficient to justify the immediate
ructon of the nobest System of government ever de
ysed by mortals? From the very nature of his office
and high responsibilities he must necessarily be cen
servave The stern duty of administering the vast aud
complicated Of this Government affords in it
self guarantee that he will not attempt any violation
clear constitutional right. After ALL he is no more
than the chief executive officer of the Government. His
province is not to make, but to execute, the laws and
whstandng the repeated efforts of the antisavery par
ty single act has ever passed Congress, unless we
may possibly except the Missouri Compromise imparine
in The slightest degree the rights the South to thel
property in slaves. And it may also be observed iudg
ing from present indications, that no probability e3
lists of the passage of such act by majority of both
Houses the present the next congress- surey
these circumstances, ought to be restrained
never man spoke, that s'scien unto the day is the
evil thereof The day of evil may never come unles
we shall rashly bring it upon ourselves.
1t is alleged cause for immediate secession that
the Southern States are denied equal rights with the othe
States in the Territories But by what authorit,
are these denied? Not by Congress, which hae neye
passed. and believe will pass any act to exclude
slavery from these Territories and certainly not by tb
Supreme Court, which has soemnly decided that slave
are property and like all other property their
have right to fake them into the common Territories
and hold them there under the protection of the Consti
tuition,
30 far them Congress is concerned, the objection
not to anything they have already done but to wha
they may do hereafter. 1t will surely be admitted tha
this apprehension Of future danger is good reason
immediate dissolution of the Union. It is true tba
the territorial legislature of Kansas on the 23d of
ary 1850 passed in great haste act over the veto
the governor declaring that slavery sis, and shall be
forever prohibedin this Territory" Such an act how
shs will surely yos Sy e
dietary whenever it shall be presented in legal rm
Only three days after my Inauguration the Suprem
Court of the United States soemny adjudged that hi
power did not exist in territorial legislature Y,
such the factious temper of the times that ID
correctness of this decision has been extensively impugr
ed bsfore the people, and the question has given rise
angry political conflicts throughout the country. Thos
who have appealed from this judgment of our hghes
consti utional tribunal to popular assemblies would
they could, invest territorial legislature with power
annul the sacred rights Of property. This powe
Congress expressly forbidden by the Federal Copstr
ton to exercise Every State legislature in the Unio
is forbidden by its constitution to exercise it.
cannot be exercised in any State except BY the Deone
their highest sovereign capacity WHEN framing or
ing their State constitution. IL like il can on
be exercised by the people of Territory represented
convention of delegates for the purpose framing
constitution preparatory to admission ate into th
Union. Then and not until then, are they inyeste
with power decide the question whether slavery shat
or shall not exist within their limits. This il an act
sovereign authority and not OF Subordinate territorial
legislation. Where it otherwise, then indeed would Nh
equality the States in the Territories DESTROY ed AM
upon guarantees of the Constitution but upon h
shifting msjorites of irresponsible terro1 lepisa
ture Such doctrine, from its intrinsic upsoundnes
cannot lcng ruence any considerable portion of on
people, much less it afford good reason for dis
solution OF the Union.
which have yet been committed consist in the acts Of
different State legislatures to defeat the execution of the
fugitive slave law. 1t ought to be remembered
that for these acts neither Congress any
Justly be held responsible. Having been passed in
violation of the Federal Constitution, they are therefore
null and void All the courts, both State national
before whom the question has arsen have from the be-
ginning declared the fugitive slave law be consti-
onal The single exception that Of State court in
wisconsin, and this has not only been reversed by the
proper appellate tribunal bu has met with such
sal reprobation that there can be danger from it as
precedent. The validity OF this law has been established
over and over again by the Supreme Court of the United
States with perfect unsnimity Itisfounded upon an ex
press provision OF the Constitution requiring that fugitive
slaves VINO escape from service in State to
shai be delivered up" to their masters. Without this
provision II is welknown historical fact that the Com
suon itself could never have been adopted by the Con.
venton In one form other under the acts OF 1909
and 1850, both being substantially the same the fpoi
tive slave law has been the law the land from the d.
OF Wasnlngton until the present moment. Here Then
aclear case presented in which it will be the dutv ~
the next Presidents 1t has been nv own to act y;th
MN lA