The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-21
The Message OF President Buchanan
..Some Of its Eallacics and Falsities.

Ever since the result of the Presidential
election became known, and the cry of dis.
union at the South became serious, the
country has awaited, with extreme solici-
tude, for the last annual message of Presi-
dent BUCHANAN. While all conceded that
the danger to the Union had at last become
imminent, many still hoped that the Presi-
dent, having learned something from expe-
rience, would seize the opportunity present.
ed to make redress for his past errors, and,
by wise, strong, Jacksonville policy, calm
the fereeness of political strife, smooth the
way for his successor, and yield up the gov
eminent of the nation, one glorious whole,
as he received it. And this the President
might have done.
There exists no real ground for the present
fever-heat of excitement at the South. The
actual causes were as great before, as they
have become since, the election of Mr.. LIN
COLIN, and the extent of the powers of the
Republican party were much greater in
anticipation, than they have proved to be
in reality. Notwithstanding these facts,
and Notwithstanding, too, that they are we'll
known to Southern men, and are forcibly
expressed by such conservatives and true
patriots as GUTHRIE and STEPHENS, yet, in
the extreme Southern States, the least affec'
ted of all the Slave States by tie evils Of
which they complain, a party has arisen,
comprising apparently almost the whole
population, which demands first, last, and
all the time, disunion as the only remedy
for existing evils. These States do not lose
fugitive slaves their inhabitants do not de-
sire to remove with their slaves into the
Territories; and they suffer none of the
wrongs of which. slave owners have right
to complain, unless it be the interneddling
of the few crazy abolitionists, whom no
government can control.
Why, then, is this well organized dis
union movement SO strong in those States ?
We answer the justice of the response
must be apparent to every one,-that few
agitators, for their own selfish, ambitious
ends, have been, and still are, determined
to "precipitate the cotton States into rev.
olution )" thinking that they may obtain, in
the revolted territory, that position which
they have been unable to gain in the Union.
Amoment's reflection upon contemporary
events justifes this view. STEPHEN A.
DOUGLAS was the nominee of the Democratic
party. His principles were those under
which that same party had achieved victory
in 1856. He, and he alone, of all the states
men of the Democratic party, possessed the
individual strength to carry the doubtful
States of the Union, and his united support
thus rendered probable the election of q
Democratic candidate. BY uniting on him
the Democrats would undoubtedly elect their
candidate by refusing to do this, the Re.
publicans would as certainly elect theirs.
The extent of DOUGLASS popularity, and the
reasonableness Of this anticipation, is we'll
shown in the result-he having received only
$1,000 less of the popular vote than the
successful Republican candidate. But these
facts, acknowledged in advance of the nomi-
nation as freely by the Southern ultras, as
they were affirmed by the Northern De-
mocracy, we're disregarded, and the single
chance of success rejected, by the disunion-
lists, who now cry Revolution |" because
their acts have produced their necessary
fruits.
But President BUCHANAN, in his message,
says not one word of this. A conspirator,
along with YANcEY, SL1DELL, and BREoK>
INR1DGE, for the dismemberment of the
Democratic party, and the destruction of
the Union, he avoids facts whose statement
would be his own condemnation. On the
contrary, according to the President, the
South alone has suffered wrong. The doc
trine of secession, it is true, is too absurd to
receive his open support; but with the un--
fairness and duplicity with which his name
has become synonymous, he really endorses
that which he apparently condemns.
This judgment is shown to be just, when
we review his treatment of the Personal
Liberty Laws of the Northern States. He
condemns these laws, yet be conclusively
shows that they are matters with which
the Federal Government has no concern,
except as to the duty Northumberland
conflict shall arise in regard to them-to
enforce the constitution and laws of the
United States. How then, upon the Presi
dents own basis, can he make it logically
follow, that the refusal of the Northern
States to repeal those laws, would be good
ground for revolution The States, as
States, have no right to make the demand
for their repeal, for the constitution ex-
pressiy declares-and the President quotes
it-that ono State shall enter into any
agreement or compact with another State"
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