The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1860-12-13
Presidents Message.

LsRCOLH EtedtOH mo cause .JOT
the South to Wuhdra,c from the
Union.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, December 4.
The Presidents Message was
sent to Congress at half-past twelve
p. NJ. to-day. The following is so
much Of the documents us relates
to secession.
Throughout the year, since our
last meeting, the country has been
eminentIy prosperous in all its ma
terial interests. The general health
has been excellent; our harvests
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, no nation
in the tide of time has ever pre-
scnted a spectacle of greater mate
rial prosperity than we have done
until within a very recent period.
Why is it, then, that discomfort
now so extensively prevails, and
the Union of the States, which is
the source Of all these blessings, is
threatened with destruction? &hc
long continued and Incorporate in
terferencc of the Northern people
with the question Of slavery in the
Southern states has at length pro-
duced its natural effects. The diff
fcrcnt sections Of the Union arc
now arraycd against each other,
and the time has arrived so much
dreaded by the Father of his coun-
try when hostile geographical par
ties have been formed. | have
long foresecn and warned my
countrymen of the now impending
danger. This docs not proceed
solely from the claim on the part
Of Congress Of the Tcrritoril Leg
lSlaturcs to exclude slavery from
the Territories, nor from the efforts
of different States to defeat the cX-
ecution 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
remedy.
The immediate peril arises not
so much from those causes as from
the fact that the incessant and Vi
olent agitation Of the slavery ques-
ton throughout the North. for the
last quarter Of a century, has at
length produced its malign infu-
ence on The slaves and inspired
them with vague notions of free
dom; hence sence of security no
longer exists around the family al
tar. This feeling ofpeacc at home
has given place to apprchensions
of servile insurrection. Many a
matron throughout the south re-
tires at night in dread of what may
befall herself and children before
the morning. Should this appre-
hcnsion Of domestic danger, whcth-
er real or imaginary, extend and
intensity itself until it shall per-
wade the masses of the Southern
people, then disunion will be incv-
table. Self preservation is the
first law of nature, and has been
implanted in the heart of man by
his Creator for the wiscst purpo-
ses; and no political Union, how
ever fraught with blessings and
benefits in all other respects, can
long continue if the necessary con-
sequences be to render the homes
and firesidcs of nearly half the par
ties to it habituallv and hopclessly
insecure.
Sooner or later the bonds of such
q Union must be severed. 1t is
my conviction that this fatal peri
cd has not yet arrived, and my
prayer to God is that he would
preserve the Constitution and the
Union throughout all generations.
But let us take warning in time
and remove the cause of danger
1t cannot be denied that for five
and twenty years the agitation at
the North against slavery in the
south has been incessant. In 1885
pictorial hand bills and ;;!%:Atlamatory
appeals were circulated extensively
throughout the south, of a charac-
ter to excite the passions Of the
slaves, and, in the language OF
General Jackson, "to stimulate
them to instruction and produce
| all the horrors of a servile wal" -
This agitation has ever since been
continued by the public press; by
the proceedings Of the state and
comfy conventions, and by Aboli-
ton sermCc"s and lectures. The
time of Congress has been oeeuPl-
cd in violent speeches on the %V %%eV-
Y ending subject, and appeals, in
pamphlet and other forms, indors-
ed by distinguished names, have
been sent forth from this central
point and spread broadcast Oyer the
Union.
How casy would it he for the