Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-12-05
Last Nights Report.
OF THE PRESIDENTS MES
SAGE.
w-A.ursOrOs. Dee.4

country, the Presidents asks why Il Is then thai
discontant now 30 extensively prevails, and the
union Of the States which Is theaouroe ofallt these
blessings Is threatened with destruction, The
long continued and ~iutemperate interference Of
the mortimer people with the question OF slavery
in the Southern States has a length produced rs
natural effects. The different States Of The Union
arc now arrEyed against each other, and the time
has arrived, so much dreaded BY the fathers OF
the country, when hostile geographical parties
have been formed. This does not proceed solely
rom the claim on the part Of Congress or the ter
ritorial legislatures 70 exclude slavery from the
territories, nor from the Efforts Of the different
state the execution Of the Fugitive Slave Law
but the immediate peril arises from incessant and
violent agitation OF the slavery question through
out the North for the last quarter Of a century,
has produced lis malign influence on the slaves,
hence q sense ofsecurity no longer exists around
the family altar. This feeling Of peace ct home
has given place to approximations ofseryile insur-
reetons, Many a matron throughout the South
Fetires at night In dread Of what may befsll her
self and children before the morning. Should
his apprehension Of domestic danger exist and
intensity intself until Il shall pervade the masses
Of Southern people then disnnion viii become in
evitable. Self preservation Is the first law of ma
ture, and no political union However fraught with
blessings and benefits in all other respects, can
longer continue, and the necessary consequence
be 70 render the homes and hresides Of nearly
half ofthe parties to &c are habitually and hope
leSsly insecure, secure. Sooner OF later the bonds
Ofsuch q Union must be severed. It Is my con-
Viction that this fatal period has not yet arrived.
Amer referring 10 the incessant agitation against
slavery at the North for the lasttWenty-hve years,
both BY press and the people, and asserting that
Congress b occupied with violent speeches on
easy Il would be for the American PEG
pie TO settle this slavery question, and restore
peace and harmony to this distracted country
which can be done by letting them alone and
permitting them to manage their OWE State af-
fairs. as they only only are responsible before
God for slavery existing among them, and with
which the North has no more right 70 interfere
than with the similar institutions in Russia or
Brazil, and the President still relies on the good
sense and torbearance Of the people, alleging
il Is out Of the power Of any President to accom-
plish. But little which leads him 70 observe that
the election Of any one of our fellow-citizens to
just cause Tor dissolving the Union.
The late election having been held in strict
conformity with the provisions Of the Constitu-
ton, does not justify q resolution TO destroy this
very Constitution. Reason, justice, and a regard
for the Constitution, ali require that we shall
wait for some overt and dangerous act on the
part Of the President elect, before r~esorting to
such 3 remedy,
Nj. Buchanan refers 10 the fact that the Presi
dents province l. not TO make but to execute the
laws. 1t is alleged as one cause for immediate
secession, that the southern States are denied
equal rights with the other States in the common
territory. But by what authfrity are these de-
niedY NOTIFY Congress; which has never passed,
and 1 believe never will pass any act to exclude
AAN~A AtAA 0I W.
by the Supreme Court, which has solemnly de-
cided thst slaves are property, and, Ike all other
property, their owners have a right to take them
into the common territories and hold them there
under the protection Of the Constitution. The
anticipation that Congress may pass some law
obnoxious Is no good reason for dissolution.
The President re asserts the power Of Congress
over property IN the Territories, and the sacred
rights Of property are secured by the COnstitu-
ton. The most palpable violations of %cOnstitu-
uJ.tnal duty which has yet been committed, con-
80 - r. -
defeat the execution Of the Fugitive Slave Law.
1t ought 20 be remembered, however, that for
these acts neither Congress or any President can
justly be held responsible. Having been passed
in violation Of the Federal Constitution, they
are, therefore, null and void. 1t will be the duty
of the next President, as it has been my own, to
act with vigOr in executing the Fugitive Slave
Law against conflicting enactments ofState Leg
islEtures. We are not to presume in advance
that he will violate his duty, which would be at
war with every principle Of Justice. Let US wait
for the overt act. The Fugitive Slave law has
been carried into execution in every contested
case since the commencement Of the present Adj
ministration. Let us trust that the State Legis-
latures viii repeal their unconstitutional and OBJ
nOxious enactments. Unless this shall be done
without unnecessary delay, II is impossible for
any human power TO save the Union, and the
Southern States have e right to demand this act
Of justice from the Northern States.
Should this be refused, the injured State, after
having first used all peaceful means to obtain
redress, would be justified in revolutionary resis-
lance to the Government Of the Union. The al
legged principle that as each State became a party
to the Union, by the vote Of its own people, as
sembled in convention, so any one of them may
retire from the Union in a similar manner, by
the vote Of such Q constitution, is wholly iDcon-
slstent with the history as well as the character
Of the Federal Constitution.
He then rehesrses a portion Of Gen. Jackson's
message of 1888, relative TO the nullifying ordi-
nance Of South Carolina, and says this Govern
ment was intended by its founders 70 be perpetual
and not Tn he nmnUlan at the w1encUra NJ enu ma
Of the contracting parties.
The President then enumerates the bowers CON
ferred on Congress BY the Federal Government,
and that these powers may be efectual, II also
preserves exclusive right 70 lay and collect all
import duties and other taxes, and has adapted
efectual means to r~estrainTthe States from inter
fering.
But the distinction must ever be observed
that this is q revolution against an esIab-
lished government and not a voluntary Sc
eession from it BY virtue of an inherent
constitutional right. In short, let us look
the danger fairly in the face. Secession is
neither more nor less han revolution. It
may or il may not be a j~usti6able reTolu-
ton, but still 1t is q revolution. What in
the mean time, Is the responsibility and
true position Of the Executive? He is
bound TO take care that the laws are faith.
fully executed, and from this obligation he
cannot be absOlved By any human power.
But what If the performance Of this duty in
whole or in part has been rendered im5rao-
by events over which he could have
exercised no control2 Such at the present
moment Is tho case throughout the State OF
South Carolina, so far ss the laws Of the
United States 70 secure the administration
Of justice by means Of the Federal Judi.
are concerned. All the Fedora loft
GERS within its limits, through whose
agency alone these laws can be car
ried into execution, have already re-
We no longer have 3 District
Judge, District Attorney or q Marshal in
South Carolina In fact the whole ma
Of the federal government necessa-
y for the distribution Of remedial Justice
among the people has been demolished, and
Il Eould be difficult if not impossible, to
it. The only acts Of Congress on
he statute book bearing on this subject are
hose Of the 28th Of February, 1895, and Sd
If March, 1907. These authorize the Presi-
lent after he shall have ascertained
hat the Marshal with his posse comitatus
s unable to execute civil or criminal pro-
in any particular case, TO cali forth the
and employ the army and navy to
I'D him in performing this service, having
BY proclamation commanded the in
10 dispense and retire peacably
0 their respective abodes Withine limited
inc. This duty cannot BY any possibility
% performed in q State where no Judicial
.uthoriy exists to issue process, and where
here Is no Marshal to execute it and where
ven If there we're such en- officer, the en-
ire population would constitute one solid
to resist him. Congress alone
AS power to decide whether the present
avs can or can not be amended SO IS to
AIRY out mora efectually the objects Of the
Constitution.
The revenue still continues to be collected
3 heretofore at the custom house at
;harleston, and should the collector unfor-
1nately resign, . collector may be appoint
d to perform this duty. It is not believed !
hat any attempt viii be made TO exbel che
United States from its property there bv s
'roe, but if in this / should prove to Be