Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-01-04
The Presidents message.

ne freSiuent sent nlS Annual Message I'd
both Houses of Congress, on lssi- Tuesday. 1t
displays the ability and patriotism which char
acterizes all the productions Of Mr.. lBuchan-
ans pen. Itis a lengthy document, and VIC
have not therefore room for it 10 our columns.
We will however endeavor to lay before our
readers an abstract of the most important sub
jecis discussed In it, After few sappropri-
ate Introductory observations, the President
says
Whilst it is the duty of the President from
time to time to give to Congress information
of the state of the Union.' shall not refer
in detail to the recent sad and bloody occur
rences at Harper's Ferry. Still it is proper
to observe that these events, however bad
and cruel in themselves, derive their chief
Importance from the apprehension that they
are but symptoms of an iucurable disease in
:he public mind, which may break out in still
more dangerous out-ages, and terminate at
least in an open war by the North to abolish
slavery in the South. Whilst, for myself. l
entertain no such apprehension, they ought
to afford solemn warning to us all to beware
of the approach of danger. Our Union is a
stake ofsuch inestimablc value as to demand
our constant and wa,cbful vigilance for its
preservation. in this view, let me implore
my countrymen, North aud Sopth, to culti-
| v.te the aDciebt feelings of mutual forbear7
ance and GOODWILL towards each other, aud
strive to allay the demon spirit of sectional
| hatred and strife now alive in the land. This
advice proceeds from the heart of an old pub
! lie functionary whose commenced in the last
| generation, amobg the wise and conservative
statesmen of that day, now nearly all passed
away, and whose first and dearest earthl Y
wish is to leave his country tranquil. prosper
Gus, united, and powerful.
| We ought to reflect that in this age and es-
| pecially in this country, there is an incessan,
fux aud refux of public opinion. Questions
which in their day assumed a most threaten
| ing aspect, have now nearly gone from the
memory of men. They are .'volcanoes burn,
out, and on the lava and ashes and squalfid
scorie of old eruptions grew the peaceful OIL
i've, the cheering vine, anG the sustaining
corn" Such in my opinion. will prove to be
| the fate of the present sectional excitement
should those who wisely seek 70 apply the
remedy, contine always to confpe their effort.
within the pale of the Constitution If thi.
course be pursued, the existing agitation on
the subjects of domestic slavery, like every
|
to other and less threatening controversies -
Public opinion in this country is all-powerfu
and when 1t reaches a dangerous excess upon
any question, the good sense of the people
will furnish the corrective and bring it back
within safe limits. Still. to hasten this aus
picious result, at the present crisis, We ought
! to remember that every rational creature
must be presumed to intend the natural con
sequences of his own teaching Those wbt
announce abstract doctrines subversive to tn,
Constitution and the Union, must not be sur
prised should their heated partsans advanc,
one step further, and attempt by violence t.
carry these doctrines into practical effect.
In this view of the subject il ought neve
to be forgotten that. however great may hav
been the political advantages resulting from
the Uuion to every portion of our comno
country, these would all prove to be nothing
should the time ever arrive when they canno
be enjoyed without serious danger to the per
soaal safety of the people of fifteen member
of the confederacy If the peace of the do
mestc fireside throughout these States shoul
ever be invaded--if the mothers of familie
within this extensive region should not b.
able to retire to rest at night without suffer
Jog dreadful apprehensions of what may u
their own fate and that of their children be
fore the morning i. would be vain to recour
to such people the political benefits -whic
to them from the Uuiou. Selfpreservatio
is the first instinct of nature; and therefor
any state sof society in which the sword is a
the time suspended over the heads of the pea
pie, must at last become intolerable.s Bat
indulge in no such gloomy forebodings. o
the contrary. firmly believe that the event
at Harper's Ferry, by causing the people
pause and reflect upon the possible peril
their cherished institutions, be the mean;
under Providence, of allaying the existin
excitement and preventing future outbreak
of a similar character They will resoly
that the Constitution and the Uuion shall DC
engendered by rash counsels. knowing tha,
should '.the silver cord be loosed or the golc
ed bowl be broken at the fountain
human power could never reunite the scatter
ed and hostile Fragments.
l cordially congratulate you upon the fin;
settlement by the Supreme Court of the I'm
ted States of the question of slavery in til
Territories. whicn had presented an aspect
truly formidable at the commencement of III
administration. The right has been estal
lished of every citizen to take his property
any kind, including slaves, into the conno
Territories belonging equally to all the Stat.
of the confederacy, aud to have i; pro;ecte
there under the Federal Constitution. Ne
ther Congress nor territorial legislature nj
any human power has any authority to ann,
or impair this vested right. The supren
judicial tribunal of the country. which is
coordinate branch of the Government, hi
sanctioned aid affirmed these principles
constitutional law, SO nanifestly just in then
selves. and SO well calculated to promote pea
and harmony among the States.
1t is striking proof of the sense of justi
which is inherent in our people. that the pr
perty in slaves has never been disturbed
my knowledge, in any Of the Territories :
Even throughout the late troubles in Kans