Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Ftilor Citizens Of tao Senate and House o
Representatives..

ReprescHfafipes
Throughout the year since our last meeting
the country has been eminently prosperous in
all it, 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 aud industry,
and have yielded fair and ample returns, ia
short, no nation In the tide Of time has ever
presented a spectacle Of greater material pros
perity than we have done until within very
recent period. Why is il then that discomfort
now extensively prevails, and the Union Of
the States, which j. the source Of all Of these
blessings, is threatened with destruction? The
long continued and incorporate interference
Of the Northern people with the question Of
slavery in the Southern States, has at length
produced it's natural effects. The different
sections ofthe Union are now arrayed against
each other and the time has arrived, go much
dreaded by the Father Of his Country, when
hostile geographical parties have been formed.
/ have long foreseen and often forewarned my
countrymen Of the now impending danger
This does not proceed solely from the claim
on the part Of Congress or the Territorial Leg
islatures 10 exclude Slavery from the Terrific
ries, 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, "a others have been, in the hope
that time and reflection might apply the rem
edy- The immediate peril arises, not so much
from these causes, az from the fact THAI the
violent agitation Of the slavery question
throughout the North for the last quarter Of
century, has at length produced its malign
influence on the slaves, and inspired them
with vague notions Of freedom. Hence a
sense of security no longer exists around the
family altar. This feeling of peace at home
has given place 10 aPprehensions Of servile
Instruction. Many n matron in the South
retires at night with a dread of what may be-
fal herself and children before the morning
Should this apprehension of domestic danger
whether real or imaginary, extend and inten-
sify itself until il shall pervsde the masses Of
the Southern people, disunion will become in
evitable- Selfpreservation 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 fraught with
blessings and benefits in all other respects,
can long continue If the necessary conse-
quenee be 10 render the homes and firesides of
nearly half the parties To IL habitually and
hopelessly insecure. Sooner or later the bonds
Of such a union must be severed II is nv
conviction that this fatal period has not yet
arrived, and my prayer 10 God is, that lie
would preserve the Constitution and the Union
throughout all generations. But let us take
warning IN time, and remove the cause Of
danger. IL cannot be denied that for FIVE and
twenty years the agitation ut the North against
slavery In the South, has been incessant. In
1885 pictorial handbilis and inhammatory APP
peals were circulated extensively throughout
the South, of n character to excite the passions
OF the slaves, and IN the language Of General
Jackson, 10 stimulate them 10 insurrection
and produce all the horrors Of n ssrvilc war.
This agitation has ever since been continued
by the public press, by the proceedings Of
State and county conventions, aud by Adolf
ton sermons and lectures, and the time OF
Congress has been occupied IN violent speech
80 on this never ending subject, and appeals
in pamphlet and other FORMS, endorsed by
distinguished names, have been sent forth
from this central point and spread broadcast
over the Union. How easy would il be for the
American people 10 settle the slavery question
forever, and TO restore peace and harmony to
this distracted country. They alone can do il.
All that is necessary 10 accomplish the object
and all for which the slave States have ever
contended, j. 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 existing among them. For
this the people OF the North are not response
bic, and have no more right To interfere than
with similar institutions i'm Russia or Brazil
Upon their good sense and patriotic forbear-
ance ! confess ] still greatly rely. Without
their aid II n beyond the power of any Presi-
dent, no matter what may be his own polite
al proclivities, to restore peace and harmony
among the States. Wisely limited and re-
strained as Is HE power under our Consttu-
ton and laws, he alone can accomplish but
little for good 81 Tor evil IN such a momcntous
question. And this brings me 10 observe that
the election of any one of our fellow citizens
to the Office of President does not Of itself af-
ford just cause for dissoving the Union. This
is more especially true ifhis election has been
effected by mere plurality and not ma
ority OF the people, and has resulted from
transient and temporary causes, which may
probably never again occur In order to Jus
tify resort 10 revolutionary resistance the
Federal Government must be guilty of de
liberate, palpablc and dangerous exercise of
powers not granted by the Constitution. The
late Presidential election, however has been
held IN strict conformity with it, express pro-
visions. How, then, can the result justify n
revolution 10 destroy this very Constitution?
Reason. justice, regard for the Constitution,
all require that we shall wait for some overt
and dangerous act ON the part OF the President
elect before resorting 10 such remedy. IL is
said, however, that the anteccdcnts OF the
President elect have been sufficient TO justify
the fears of the South that he will attempt to
invade their constitutional rights. But are
such apprehensions Of contingent danger suf-
hcient 10 justify the Immediate destruction Of
the nobicst system of government over de
viscd by mOrtals. From the very nature Of
his otliee and as high responsibilities, he
must necessarily be conservative. The stern
duty Of administering the vast and complca-
ted concerns Of thfs Government affords in It
self guarantee that he will not attempt any
violation of n clear constitutional right
After all. he - no more than the chief ex-
ecutive officer of the Government. His Prov
ince J. not To make, but execute its laws. and
II Is a remarkable fact in our history that,
notwithstanding the repeated efforts OF the
anti-slavcry party, no such act has ever pass
ed Congress, unless We NAV iayofably except
the Missouri Compromise impairing. in the
slightest degree the rights OF the South to
their property in slaves; and il may also be
observed. judging from present indications,
that no probability exists OF the passage of
such an act by majority of both Houses
either IN the present or next Congress Surely
under these circumstances we ought to be re-
strained from present action by the precept of
Him who spoke a. never man spake, that,
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof -
The day OF evil may never como. unless we
shall rashly bring u upon ourselves. II j.
alleged "a one cause for Immediate secession f.
that the Southern States are denied equal
rights with the other States IN the common
Territories. But by what authority ere these
denicdf Not by Congress, which hiss never
passed, and believe never viii pas. snv act
% exclude slavery from these Tcrrit, les. and
certainly not by the supreme Court, which
has solmcnly decided that slaves are proper
~, and like all other property their owners
have right 10 take them into the Common
Territories, and hold them there under the
protection oi the Constitution. So iaf. then.
rs Congress j. concerned, the objection j. not
20 anything they have already done, hit 10
what they may do hereafter. II will surely
be admitted that this apprehension Of future
danger = no good reason for an irs .ned a.e
dissolution Of the Union. II is true that the
Territorial Lee stature Of Kansas. on he 2sd
o Eelrli -. II. h.. N.