Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


ing. the country has been eminently prosper
GUS in its material interests. The general
health has been excellent, cur harvests have
been abundant, and plenty smiles throughout
the LAND. Our commerce and manufactures
have been prosecuted with energy and indus
try, and have yielded fair and ample returns.
In short no nation in the tide OF tine, has
ever presented spectacle OF greater mate
rial prosperity. than we have done until a
VERY recent period. Why Is il then that dis
content now extensively prevails and the
Union Of the States, which is thesource Of all
these blessings threatened with deStruelOn-
The long continued and Incorporate intefe-
renee of the Northern people with the ques-
ton of slavery in the Southern States, has at
length produced It's natural effects The
different sections Of the Union are now ar
rayed against each other, and the time has
arrived 80 much dreaded by the Father OF
His Country, when hostile geographical par
ties have been formed. | have long torseen,
and often warned my cOuntrymen OF tue now
impepdIuo danger This does not proceed
solely from the claim on the part OfCOngress
or the Territorial Legislatures to exclude
slavery from the Territories; nor from the
Efforts Of different States TO defeat the eXecu-
ton 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 80 much from
these cause, as from the fact that the VIC
lent agitation of the slavery question
throughout the North for the last quarter Of
century, has at length produced lis malign
Influence on the slaves aud inspired them
with vague notions Of freedom Eencea sens
of security no longer exists around the fam
lily altar. This feeling OF peace al home has
given place to apprehensIOns Of serviIe insur-
rectiOn. Many a matTOn throughout the
South retires at night, IL dread OF what may
befai herself and her children before the
morning. Should this apprehension o. do
mestic danger, whether real or Imaginary
extend and intensity itself, until 1t sh0Hld
pervade the masses OF the Southern people
then disunion Will be Inevitable. Seii-pTeS-
ervation Is the first law Of nalnre. and has
been implanted in the heart o. man by his
Creator for the wisest purposes. and no poi!t-
ical union. however fgaught with blessings
and benefits, in al other respects, can long
continue, If the necessary consequences be TO
render the homes and tircsIdes OF nearly hall
the parties to it habitually and hOpciessly
insecure. Sooner or later the bonds OF such
auniOn must be severed. 1t is my cOnvic-
ton that this fatal period has not yet arrived
and my prayer TO God IS that be would pre-
serve the Constitution and the Union
throughout all generations. Bot let Us take
warning in time, and remove the cause Of
danger.
Itcannot be denied that for five and twenty
years the agitation at the North against slav-
eryin The South, has been iucesSant In 1885.
pictorial band-bills,and intiammatOTy appeals
were circulated extensively throughout the
South, of character TO excite the passions OF
the sIaves-aBd in tie language OF Gen.
Jackson. to stimulate them to Instruction,
and produce all the horrors Of q scTViie war.
This agitation has ever since been continued
of
State and County Conventions, and by abOi-
ton sermons aud lectures. The time O. Cor
gress has been occupied in violent speeches
on the neFeF-endIng subject, and appeals in
pamphlet, and other forms, endorsed by dis
Jinguishedinames, have been sent forth IRON
this central point and spread broadcast over
the Union. How easy would ii be for the
American people 10 settle the slavery ques-
tion forever, and to restore peace and harmc-
ny to this distracted country. They alone
can do ii. AL that Is necessary TO acc0mp-
lish this object. and all which the slave
States have ever commended for, Is 10 be let
alone, and permitted 10 manage their dOmes-
tic institutions in their own way, as sOVeT-
eIgn States. They, and they alone, are re-
spOnsibIe before God and the world for the
slavery existing among them. For this the
people of the North axe not more response
be, and have no right 10 interfere, than with
similar institutions II Russia or Brazil. Up
on their good sense and patriotic t0rbearauce
l confess l still greatly rely Nithuu, their
aid il is beyond the power Of any President.
no matter what may be his own political
prOcliVities, TO restore peace and harmony
among the States. Wisely liIHitgd and r.
strained as is his power under our C3ustltu-
ton aud laws, he alone can accomplish but |
little for good or evil, On such mOmentOus |
question: and this brings me to observe that |
the election of any one OF our telioW-citLzens |
to the Office Of President, does not Of Itself |
afford lust cause for dissOIViBg the Union. |
This is more especially true il his election |
has been effected by mere plurality. and |
not a majority of the people, and has result |
ed from transient and temporary causes |
which may probably never ag-In CCcUr- IN |
order to Justify a resort To revolutionary re |
sistanee the Federal Government must BE- |
guilty of a deliberate, palpaUle, aud dan |
gerOUs exercise Ci powers not granted Dy |
the Constitution
The late Presidential election however has been |
held IN str ct conformity with us express provisions
How then the result justify revolution 70 de-
strOy this VGfy C-nSt tItll-- t-s5u- justice ana re-
gard for the Constitution ali require tt small " 1t
for some and dangerous act on the part II The
President elect before Te<rtlu- r. such remedy Il
l. said however that the stltzce=ts ErasI-
dent elect sufficient To justify lie tears oL
The utn that he VIII attempt invade their CJusll
tutiOnal rights; but such apprehensns OF coat-
gent danger the future sufficient 70 justify the I'M
med ate destruction Of the nobLest system % Govern
tars of his office and lis LEh responsibilities, Ie must
necessarilv be conservative The storm duty ul adj
Inui=t-rng the vast and complicated eouEcis o. us
Government affords IL Itself guaranty tlal i- VA. not
attempt any violation Ct clear tJn=ttuiJ-dl I=ht
After all lie Is more than the Chief Executive ON
Of the Government His province IS nut 70 AtNe-
but To execute its laws. remarkable ia-t I
history that, Notwithstanding the reported enc L
OF the anu slavery party no single act his pass
ed Congress. unless may possibly except tie MIS-
souri, Compromise, InFaising IN the slightest ces'ee
the rights Of the South to their pTopcty Ia slaves
And may also b. observed, Jud ing from P eseAt
Indications that probability exists Of tie passage
of such an act By majority OF b0tl Houses either ia
the present next Congress surely under tAcse
circumstances We ought 70 DC fcsiTaiici rom present
acton by the precrpt Ji HIM VINO splke jas never man
spoke that SUFFICIENT unto the day Is tue evil thereof
The day Of EVIL may never come unless We sh al I'.7h
" bring It uDon ourselves II IS alleged as on- cause
for imued ate secession that tie Southern States are
denied equal rights with the other states - the com
territories But by what authority are thes-
denie MI - Congress, winch has never passed
and believe never will pass, any act 70 exc uGe ave
from these territories anu certainly not by tue
Supreme Court, which las sOemuly decided that
slaves property ana Ike all other property their
owners have rigut to tIKe them into tie common
territories ana hold them there unde' the protection
OF the Constitution - Congress Is con
cerned objection Is 10 anything they have al
ready done, but 10 what they may do hereafter IL
will surely be admitted that tins apprehension Of
future dan ger go5d reason for an immediate dis
solution OF the Tn on.
1t is true that the Territorial Legislature
of Kansas on the 23d of February, 1860,
passed in great haste an act over the veto
of the Governor, declaring that slavery is,
and shall be forever, prohibited In the ter
ritory. Such an act, however. plainly yio-
lating the rights of property secured by the
Constitution, will surely be declared void
by the Judiciary whenever it shall be pre-
scented in legal form Only three days az
ter my Inauguration, the Supreme Court of
the United States sOlemnly adjudged that
this power did not exist in Territorial
Legislature. Yet such has been the fac