, 1860-12-05
BY TELEGRAPH.
xxXytth C0yCRESS--Seeond Session.

SENATE.-A1cSsFE. GWin> laFlAn, Jouuhot |
OF Tenn, Thomson aud WILKINSON, appeared
in their seats.
Prayer wns offered by the Chaplain.
Mr. Bigler. in behalf Of tho Committee to
wait on the President, reported tlat tncy
Ind performed their duty.
The Presidents Message was delivered ny
i. j. Glossbrenncr, Lis Private Secretary. Ihc
Message was then rcad.
Presidents Message.
After a1ludlng to the great commercial, as.
ricultura1 and other 1natcrial properties u
the country, the President asks, why Is It,
then, that discomfort now so extensively pre-
vails, 1nd the union of the States. which is the |
SOURCE Of nil these blessings, Is threatened!
with destruction! The l0ny-contlnucd ana
futempe1atc interference Of the Northern peo-
pie with the question Of elayerY in tue South
effect. The different sections Of the Enlon aze
now ar1aycd against each other, and the time
has arrived, so much dreaded by the Father OF
Ills Country, when hostile geographical parties
have been formed. This does not proceed
solely from the claim on the part Of Congress
or the Territorial Legislature to exclude slave
efforts Of the. different States to de-
feat the execution OF the Fugitive Slave
law, hut the immediate peril arises from lnces-
SAINT and violent agitation Of the slavery qucs-
tion III the North for tho last quarter OF cen
fury which has produced Its ma1isn influence
on the s1avcs, and inspires them with vague
-uotions of freedom. Hencea sense of security
nolongrr exists nrpuud the tamily altar. This
feeling OF peace at home has given place to 1p-
prchension Of Eeryile insuTection. Many
matron throughout the South rctires ut night
int,rcad Of what may befall herself and child
rcn before the morning. Should this appre-
i hc1,sion of domestic danger extend and intcn-
sify Itself until it shall pcrvadc the masses
ofthc Southern people, then dlsMnion will be-
conc inevitable. Senpreseryation Is the bsst
law Of nature, and no political union, however
fraug1lt with blessings and benefits In ali other
respects, can long continue, # the necessary
consequence be to render the homes and fire.
sides Of nearly half the parties to il habitu-
ully and hopelcesly insecure. Sooner OF Inter
the bonds Of such union must be severed.
It is my conviction that this fatal period has
not get arrived. ~
Alter referring to the fnccssant agitation
against slavery at the North for the last TWEEN
ty-Rse years, both by The press aud the people,
aud asserting that the time Of Congress is oc-
| cupicd with violent speeches. on this never
| ending subject, he remarks: How easy
would it be for the American people
to settle the slavery question forever,
and restore peace and harmony to
this distracted country. It can bc done by let
TIM the slave States alone, and permitting
tleiil 10 manage their own State aflars, rs they
only are responsible before God foE slavery ex-
isting among them, aud with which tic North
las 10 more right ~ interfere than with The
similar institutions In Kussa or Brazil; aud the
President still relics on the good sense and
fu1bcarancc Of the people. 11c alleges that it
Is out of the power Of any President to accom-
plisA but little; which leads him to observe
tat the election ofany ono of ourtello
to The office Of President docs not in itself af'
inrd just cause for dissolyiny the Union: The
late election having been held in strict con.
inrmity with the provisions Of the Collstltu
| ton. docs not Justify revolution to destroy
this very Constitution. Reason, Justice and
regard for the Constitution, all require that VI
shall wait for some overt and dangerous acl
un the part Of the President elect before re
sorting to such I remedy.
Mr. Buchanan refers to the Fact that tht
| Presidents province lis not to make but tc
execute the laws. 1t il alleged as one caus'
for immediate secession, that the Southern
States are denied equal rights will tue o1!Ie
authority are these denied: Not by Congress
which las never passed, and l believe neye
will pass nlly act to exclude slavery from thcs'
Territories and certainly not by the Suprem
Court, which las solen,nly decided that slave
arc property, and, like ill other property
their owners have right to takc them int
| the common Territories, md hold them thcr
under tic protection OF the Constitution III
. anticipation that Congress may pass some laE
obnoxious is ITO good rc:ason for dis5oluilon.
The President rcasseI1s tue power Ut Con
:;ress over property in the Territories, and ~
S.erea rgiis Of property arc recognized by I'll
liz most palpab!, Violation of eonstitt
tional duty which has yet been committed
consists In the acts Of different State Legisl;
lures to defeat the execution of tue fugltlv
rlavc law. 1t ought to he remembered how
ever, that, for these acts, neither Congress-
any President can Justly be held responsible
IiIvin,r hccn 1,assed in Violation OF the Fed :r:
| Constitution. tllcy arc, therefore, null IN
void. II will be the duty Of the next Pres
<lcnt. Us 1t has been my own, to act with vig.
in executing the Fugitive Slave law again,
confirmed cnactmtnts Of State LEGISLATURE
We arc not to presume in advance that he vi
violate lis duty, which would be 1T war wit
! every principle Of justice. Let us wait for Il
overt oct.
IL. .usitiyc Slayc law has been carried ini
execution in every contested case since Il
commencement of the present Administrator
Lri rs trust that the State Legislatures ri
n rrnc.I tl,rir unconstitutional and ubnuxiol
Is ,.nactornts. IJnless thIs shall be done wit
o,,t any unnecessary delay, it is impossib
G,r INV human poWcr to save the Uniol
- ant, iii: Southern States have right to i
+. States, Should Ibis be refused, the injur
= States. after having first used all peacef
= means to obtain rcdrrss, would be justified
+ revolutionary resistance to tue Government
d the Union.
The alleged principle, that as each .dEtAG
q | came raEty TO the union by INC, effect.
g own people assembled in Conycntio..Lick.,a =
q one -uf' fuem may retire frum~ the was
% similar 1nauncr by the vote Of such C..d
,ion. lis wholly Inconsistent with the histo.
weis:a; the riaractc of tho Federal Consl.
tiun.
as Teihen rchcatses a portion, Of Gen. IA
s6uE Message 9f 1883, relative to tAc NnlliI
ye,t this government was intended by iis fos'ntt
- 10 he per1ttnal un1 not to be anilnilcd at
.n pleasure of any one the contracting pasfi
I'D The President then cnumenlte. the pow
'ly conferred on Congress by the Federal govc
=" ,nent, and that these powers may bc elect,
il also possesses the right 10 lay anu collect
import duties aud other taxes, and ll.s a1op
en ctitct,,al means to restrain the States from
t.rfrrinv. In order still further to sccl
r uninterrupted exercise Of those high p
- crs against State intcrposition, It il pr
~ ded that this Constitution and tho Iasss Of
United States which shall be made in pili
allee thereof, and nil treaties made, or w!'
shall be made, underline authority OF tue !
land and the Judges In every Statc Shall
bound thereby, anything In the constitui
g or laws If any State or Territory I" the Gun
- ~ notwithstanding. The government erea
by the Constitution, aud deriving its a,tho
fr,un tho sovereign pcorlc Of each Of the Sc
States .l;s PRECISELY tho same right 10 cxcr
," its nowcr over thejpcoplc Of all these ST;
in thc enumerated cases, that each oslc OF IL
uossesscs OVER H1bjccts not delegated to
f1n;trd States. HnttTcseryed to tic St;tcs
fbe t;te..t ri doHcrs. .ithe' Constitution o.
In;tctl Sfatcs is a& nnvii n part uf the Co'
= -fuiion ofscach State. and Is rs binding, y,n
neonlr os Thought &I,ad been actually Al:
pra. rdfhcrcin.