The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-12-12
SYNOPSIS OF THE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE.

? WASHINGTON, Dec. 4.
The President reviews the history Of the
anti-slavery movement and says sT that Is
necessary to accomplish the object Of peace is
for the slave holding States to be alone and
manage their own domestic institutions in their
owu way. The mere election of any man
to office is not just cause for dissolution
Of the Union.
The antecedentS Of the President elect are
calculated to excite fears in South Carolina,
but is the question Of contingent danger sufi-.
cient to justify the destruction OF the Govern
mcnt? lie reviews the acts of the differt mt
Northern States in the passage Of personal lib
erty bills, and prouourc ces them unconstitu-
tonal. tlessys that should not be presum-
ed in advauce that the President elect will fail
to enforce the fugitive slave law, as this would
he unjust and cantary TO Christian charity
Let US wait for the overt act He then de-
clares against the right Of secession, and says
to admit it the Union might be broken inlo
fragments, in less than two weeks.
| He quotes the language Of Jackson and Mad
ison. Secession is altogether founded on an
inference not in the Constitution, The Union
was designed to be perpetual He then quotes
the Constitution in support of this view. "9'he
framerS Of the Constitution never intended to
plant in its bosom seeds for its own destruction.
They were not guilty of the absurdity Of pro-
viding for its own dissolution. The right Of
resistance against tyrany and oppression, how
ever cannot be denied; this right is asserted in
the Declaration of Independence; but secession
is neither more nor less than revolution" lie
speaks Of the affairs of South Carolina. He
does not appreheud that an attempt will be
made to seize the Fort, but if in this he be
mistaken, the officers have orders to act strict
ly on the defensive. Let the responsibility rest
on the heads Of those who provoke the contest,
| He inVokes his countrymen to pause before
attempting to destroy the Union which has
conferred so many benefits. He argues that
| Congress can do much to restore peace by pro-
losing and recommending an amendment to
the Constitution for remedying the existing
evils. The very cause he recommends is to
have an explanatory clause OF amendment Of
the slavery question:; First, expressly recog-
nizing the right Of property in slaves in States
where slavery now or may hereafter exist; sec
ondly, the duty protecting such rights in all
he comag Territories until the latter are ad'
mitted as States intothe Union. a.ua .ar arr
Thirdly, alike recognition OF the right of fer
ritories to decide for or against slavery when
they come to form State Constitution, "a
This does not proceed solely from the claim
on the part of Congress, or Territorial Legisla-
latures to exclude slavery from the Territories,
nor from the efforts Of the different States to
defeat the execution Of the fugitive slave law,
but the immediate peril arises from incessant
and violent agitation Of the slavery question
throughout the North, for the last quarter Of a
ceniuary, has produced its malign influence OH
the slaves and inspired thein with vague notions
Of freedom. Hence ascnse ofsecurit, no long
er exists around the family altar, the feeling Of
peace at home has given place to apprehension
Of servile instruction.
Many matron throughout the South retires
at night, in dread of what may befall herself
and children before the morning. Should this
apprehension OF domestic danger extend and
intensity, until it shall pervade the masses Of
the Southern people, then disunion will be in ,
evitable Selfpreservation is the first law Of
nature, and no political union, however fraught
with blessings and benefits in all other respects,
can long continue, if the necessary consequence
be to render homes and fresides ofnearly one
half the parties to it, habitual.y and hopelessly
insecure Sooner or later the bonds of such a
union must be severed. 4G tH
1t is my conviction that this fatal period has
not yet arrived. After referring to the inces
SAINT agitation against slavery at the North for
The past 25 years, both BY the press and the
people, and asserting that the time Of Congress
is occupied with violent speeches on this never
ending subject, he remarks how easy would il
be for the American people to settle the slavery
question forever and restore peace and harmo-
ny to this distracted country, whichcah be done
by letting the Slave States alone, and permit
ting them to manage their own State affairs, as
they only are responsible before God for slavery
existing among them, and with which the
North has no more right 10 interfere than wi h
Similar institu ions in Russia or Brazil
! The President still relies on the good sense
and forbearance Of the people, alleging it is in
the power of any President to accomplish but
little, which leads him to observe that the
election oil ofany one Of our fellow citizens to the
Office Of President does not Of itself afford just
cause for dissolving the Union. The late elec-
tons have been held in strict conformity with
the provisions OF the Constitution. lie does
not justify revolution to destroy this very
Constitutions. Reason, justice and ID regard for
the Constitution all require that we shall wait
or some overt and dangerous act on the part Of
the President elect, before resortins to such q
remcdy.jflq91 Gsfsy ga: 9G,f~1a7a Hsl %.
Mr.. Bachanan refers TO the fact that the
Presidents province is not to make, but to exc:
Ite laws. It is alleged as one cause for i'm
mediate secession thIt the Southern States are
denied tqual rights with the other States in
the common territory; but by what authority
are they denied? Not by Congress (which has
never passed, and Ibelieye never will pass any
act to exclude slavery from Che territories, and
certainly not by Supreme Court, which has
solemnly decided that slaves are property, and
I