The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-12-12
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Feilo,c Citi=ens Of the Senate and the House
Of Rcpresentdtires:

/ the country mas Detu tIiluenuN prosperous III
all its material 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; III short,
no nation in the tide OF time has ever present.
ed i spectacle Of greater material prosperity
than we have done, until within a very recent
period Why is it, then, that discontent now
50 extensively prevails, and the Cmon oil the
States, which is the source OF all these bless
ings is threatened with destruction! Inc long
continued and Incorporate interference Of the
Northern people with the question of slavery
in the Southern States has at length produced
its natural effects. The different sections OF the
Union are now arrayed against each other, and
the time has arrived-so much dreaded by the
Father of bis cOuntry-when hostile seogra-
phical parties have been formed. l have long
foreseen and often forewarned my countrymen
Of the now impending danger. his does not
proceed solely from the Claim on the part OF
| Congress, or The Territorial legislatures 10 eX-
| clude slavery from the Territories, nCI from the
efforts of the different States to Geeat tue exc
cution OF the Fugitive Slave law. All or any
of these evils might have been endured by the
South, without danger 10 the Union, as others
have been, in the hope that time and reflection
might apply the remedy. The Immediate peril
, arises, not So mulch from these causes, Us from
the fact that the violent agitation vi the slave
| ry question throughout the North, for the last
quarter Of a century, has at length produced
! It's mallgn influence on the slaves ald inspired
| thcm with vague notions OF freedom. Hence Il
sense OF security no longer exists around the
family altar The feeling OF peace at home has
| given place to apprehensions Of servlie insur-
| rectlon. Many matr0n throughout the south
reti.es at night in dread Of what may beiai. her
| self and her children before morning. Should
this apprehension of domestic danger, whether
reel or imaginary, extend and intensity itself un-
! Ii; it shall pervade the masses of the Southern
people, disunion will become inevitable. Self
| preservation is the first law OF nature, aud has
| been implanted in the heart of man by his ere
| ator for the wlsest purpose, and 10 political
| union, however traught with blessings and ben
etits in all other respects, can long continue il
! the necessary consequences be 10 render the
| homes aud the fre-sIdes of nearly half the par
| ties to it habitually and hopelessy insecure
Sooner or later the bonds of such a Union must
be severed. 1t is my conviction that this fatal
period has not yet arrived, and my prayer TO
God Isl that He would preserve the Consttu-
lion aud the Union throughout all generations.
But lei 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 pie
torial handbills aud iDilammatory appeals were
circulated extensively throughout the South, ol
a character TO excite the passions oi the slaves
and in the language OF General Jackson, to
stimulate them 10 insurrection, and produce al
the horrors of u civil war;" This agitation has
ever since been continued by the public press
by the proceedings Of State and county conven
tions, aud By abolition sermons and lectures
aud the time of Congress has been occupied ii
violent speeches on this neyer-ending subject
and appeals in pamphlet and other forms, en-
dOrsed by distinguished names, have been sent
forth from the central point, and spread broad
east over the Union. How easy would it be
for the American people to settle the slavery
question for ever, aud to restore peace and har
mOny to this distracted country. They alone
can do it. All that is necessary 10 accomplish
the object, and all for which the slave State!
have ever contended, is TO be let alone, anC
permitted to manage their domestic institutions
IN their own way. As sovereign States, they
and they alone are responsible before God auC
the world for slavery existing among them
For this the people OF the North are not mort
responsible, aud have no more right to intererC
than with similar institutions in Russia or Br
zL Upon their good sense and patriotic for
bearance, confess, still greatly rely. With
ont their aid it Is beyond the power of ali,
President, 10 matter what may be his own po
iltlcal procilvltles, to restore peace and harmO
= ny among the States Wisely limited aud re
" strained, rs Is his power under our Constitution
and laws, he alone can accomplish but little 70
good or for evil, on such a mOmentous question
e And this brings me TO observe. that the elec
ton Of any one OF our tellow-citizens to th
Office OF President, does not of itself afford JUS
cause for dlSsolving the Union. This is NOR
especially true If his election has been e.fecte
by mere plurality, and not majority of tn
people, and has resulted from transient and TEN
porary causes, which may probably never aga
occur. In order TO Justify a resort to revou
IS tionary resistance, the Federal Government mus
n be guilty OF a deliberate, palpabe and danger
/ Gus exercise OF powers not granted by the Con
Is stitu;OD.
= The late Presidential election, however ha
been held IN strict Conformity with its expires
= provisions. How, then, can the result Justify
revolution, to destroy this very Constitution
H. Reason justice, regard for The Constitution, al
require that we shall wait for some overt and
dangerous act on the part of the Presiden
elect before resortng to such Il remedy.
Ii Is said however, that the antecedents OF tht
y President elect have oeen sufficient to Justify
the fears of the South that he will attempt tC
invade their Constitutional rights, but aresucl
, apprehensions of contingent danger ID the fu
iure sufficient to justify the i'm Mediate destruc
tion OF the noblest system of Government eve
: devised by mortals? From the very nature o
his office, and its high responsibilities. he mus
D. necessarily be conservative. The stern duty o
administering the vast and complicated con
e Germs OF this Government, affords in itself :
guarantee that he will not attempt any viola
ton OF clear Constitutional right.
After ALL he is no more than the chafexecu
> tive officer of the Government. His province
is not to make. but to execute the laws: and i
IS remarkable fact in oar history that, not
= withstanding the repeated efforts Of the anti
slavery party, no single act has ever passed
!, Congress, unless we may possibly except th'
Missouri Compromise, impairing in the slightest
degree, the rights of the South TO their prop
s. erty in slaves: and it may also be observed
Judging from present indication. ,hst no proba
- bihty exists Of the passage of such an act b,
majority OF both Houses either in the pres