The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1860-12-13
EXTRACTS FROM
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,

Throughout the year, since our last meet
ing, the country has been emincntly pres
porous in all its material interests The
general health has been excellent, our har-
vests have been abundant, and plenty smiles
throughout TIE 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 presented spec
tacle OF greater material prosperity than we
have done until within very recent pc
riod.
Why is it, then, that discomfort now so
extensively prevails, and the Ulnicn of the
States, which is the source of all these
blessings, is threatened with destruction?
The long-contnued and intempcrate inter
fe. ence of the Northern people with the
question of slavery in the Southern States
has length produced its natural effects.
The different sections otthc Union are now
arrayed against each other, and the timc
has arrived, 50 much dreaded by the Faith
CT OF his Country, when hostile geographic
cal parties have been formed | have long
iorcscen aud often iorcwarncd my country
men of the now impendiug danger This
does not proceed solely from the claim ON
the part Cf Congress or the Territorial /. =
islatures to excl dc slavery from the Terri
tories, nor from the efforts OF different
States to defeat the execution of the fugitive
slave law All or any of these evils might
have been endured by the South without
danger to the Union, Gas others have been
in the hope that time ard reflection .ht
apply the remedy. The immediate peril
arises, not So much from these cau-cs. as
from the fact that the inccssant and violent
agitation Of the slavery question throughout
tn North for the last quarter of 4 century,
has at length produced its maiicn Influence
on the slaves. aad INSPIRED them with vague
notions nj freedom. Hence a sense oi Sc
curity no longer exists around the family
altar This feeling of peace at home has
given place to apprchcnsions Of sprvlic in
surrcctlon. Many a matron thIoughout the
south retlreS ut night in dread of what may
beiail herself aud her children before the
morning Should this apprehension of do
mestic danger, whether real or imaginary.
EXTENDED aud intensity itself until 1t shall
pervade the masses Of the Southern people,
then disuniOn will become inevitable. Sell.
preservation is the first law OF nature, and
has been Implanted in the heart Of man, by
his Creator for the wisest purpose and no
political union, however frau Int with bless
lngs and benefits in all other respects, can
long continue, il the necessary consequence
be to render The homes and iresides OF
nearly half the parties to it habitually and
hopelessly insecure Sooner or later the
bonds oi such Onion must be severed 1t
is my conviction that this fatal period has
not yet arrived and my prayer to God is
ihat He would preserve the Constitution
and the Union throughout all generations
But lee us take warming in time, and re-
move the cause Of danger. ltcannol he ic-
MED that, for five and twenty years, the
agitation at the North against slavery in the
South has been inccsSant In 1850, pic
torial hand-bills, and inilanmatory appeals.
were circulated extensively throughout the
South, OF character 20 excite the passions
of the slaves and in the Language oi Gen
eral Jackson, Ito stimulate them to in~ur-
rcct.on, anu produce all the horror, OF u
>crviIc war. This agitation has ever since
been continued by the public press, hy ,hc
proceeding, d. State and County Conycu-
tiuns, aud hy Abolition sermons aud -
tGrcs. The time OF Congress h.# been &c
cupied in VI lent speeches ON this never
ending subject; and appeals in pamphlc,
and other forms, endorsed by distinguished
names, have been sent forth from this cen
trail point, and spread broadcast over the
Union.
How cay would it be for the American
people to settle the slavery question forever,
and to restore peace and harmony TO the
distracted country
They, and they alone, can do it. All that
IS necessary 10 acoomph h the object, and
all Tor Which the slave States have ever
contcuded, is to be let alone, and permitted
to manage their domestic institutions in
their own way. AS sovereign States, they.
and they alone, are responsible before God
and the world for the slavery cxi,ting
among them For this, the rcoplc of ;hc
North are not more responsible, and have
no more right to Interfere, than with SINH
lar institutions III Rus IA or Brazil. I pon
t'eir good sense aud patriotic ioybcamncc
| confess | still greatly rely. Without their
aid. it's beyond the power orauy President,
no matter what ",ay be - own political
procllvitics, to restore peace ana harmony
among the States Wisely limited and r.
strained rs is his power, under our Consti-
nand laws, he alone can accomplish but
little, for good or for evil, on such a moman-
tous question.
And this brings NE to observe t',ut The
election Of any one OF our fcllow-citi4cns to
the ,lii,, lf PRO : Ion. ,l.p. not nr i,. ,lr O., .