Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-12-08
Presidents Message.
FELJow CITIzEEs OF TBE SENATE
AND HOUSE OF REpRsENrA ATtvrs

II
AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Throughout year since our last meeting the country b,
been emnentty prosperous in all its material interests The
general health has been excellent harvests been
abundant aud plenty smiles throughout the land com
and Manufacture have prosecuted with energy
and industry and have yielded fir and ample 10
short nation in the tide Of time has lresented spec
taee Of greater material prosperity than we have done until
within very recent period.
Why sit them that dscouen extensively prevais
and the Union Of the States which The Of these
blessings Is threatened With destruction The long connu
ed and inemperse interference Of the Northern people with
question Of Slavery in the Southern States has length pro-
duced Its natural effects The different sections Of the Union
are now aayed against each other and tue time has arrived
much dreaded by the Father Of bis Country when hostile
geographical parties have been formed. have long foeseen
and Oen oreWarned my eouutymen Of the impending
danger This does not proceed solely from the claim on the
part Of Congress the Territorial esaures to exclude
from the Territories from the efforts Of different
States to defeat the execution of tho fugitive slave law All
Of these evils might have been BY the South
without danger TO the UniOn las others have been in the
hope that time and reflection apply the remedy The
mmediae peril arises not much FROM these from
the fact that the ncesaDt and violent agitation Of the slavery
question throughout the North the last quarter Of cen
tuy has at length produced its magu influence on the slaves
OF security longer exists around the fmy atsr
This feeling Of at home has given place
reres at in dread Of may be bersei and her
children before the morning Should this apprehension Of
ten itself until il shall pervade the masses Of Southern peo
pie then disunon will become inevitable Selprrervation
Is the first law OF nature and has been implanted in the heart
Of by his Creator for the wises purpose and no pot
cal union however faught with blessings and benefits all
he TO render the homes and the fesdes nearly half the
parties to habuay and hOpelessy Sooner or
later the bonds Of such Union must be severed II my
conviction that ibis fatal period has yet arrived and nv
prayer to God that lie would preserve the constitution and
the Uninn throughout all generations.
But let take warning in time remove the cause OF
danger II caunot be denied that for twenty years
the agitation at the North against slavery in the South
been nceant In 1885 pictorial hand bills inammatory
appeals circulated extensively Throughout South
character TO excite the passions of the slaves and the
language Of General Jackson ito stimulate them nsrrree
tion and produce all the horrors Of sere war; This sg
al he annlL ~
oceeng Of State and county conventions by abolition
sermons and lectures The time of Congress has been
pied 10 violent speeches this ending subject
appeals in pamphlet and other fos endorsed by
ed names have been sent forth from this central pon and
spread broadcast over the Uniou'
How easy wond it be for the American peoole settle the
slavery question forever aud to restore peace and harmony
They aRd they alone do it. All that necessary to
accomplish tle eoes and al for which TIE Slave States have
ever conbsn4e 10 TO Sbe ht ane and permitted to manage
their domestic institutions in their way As sovereign
the world for slavery existing among them For this The peo
pie OF the North are not more responsible, and have
right to interfere than with similar institutions In Russia or
BAIL Upon their good sense aud patriotic fOrbearunce
confess still greatly rely Without their aid II Is beyond
polcFprocves TO restore peace and harmony among the
states Wisely limited and restrained is power under
good or for evil, on such a momentous question.
And this brings me to observe that the election OF any
OF fellow citizens 10 the Office Of President does Of L.
self afford just for dsolvng tile Uuon This is more
especially true IL bis election has been effected by mere
plurality and majority Of the people aud has resulted
from transient and temporal causes Which NAV probably never
again occur in order to justify resort tn revolutionary
So W. seTa snd must DC guilty o. deber
by the constitution The late Presidential election however
has held in strict conformity with its express provisions
How then the esult justify revolution destroy this
very constitution Reason justice regard for the consti
tuOn all require that shall wait for aud dang
act on the part Of the President before esorng such
a remedy.
is said bowever that the autccedeuts Of the President
elect have been sufficient justify the the south
that he will attempt TO invade their constitutional rights
But such spprehensions Of contingent danger In he f
ture suciens to justify the immediate destruction Of the mob
iet system OF government ever devised by moas From
the very nature OF bis office and s high responsibilities he
must necessarily be conservative The stern duty Of adnnis
terng the vast and complicated Of
affords In itself guarantee that he will attempt any vo-
ation OF clear constitutional right. After ALL he Is no
than the chief executive officer Of the government His
pTovinea s not TO make but the laws and It Is
remarkable fact in history that Notwithstanding the
peated efforts Of the antsavery party single
passed Congress- unless may possibly except Missouri
Compromise imTang in the slightest degree the rights
the south to their property In slaves And it may
observed judging from present Indications that probabi-
y exists Of passage an act By majority OF 10th
honse either In the present the next Congress- Surely
under these circumstances, ought TO be restrained from
preen asa bJ the Pecept OF Him who spake as never man
spaks that saisent unto the fay the evil thereof" The
day OF evil may never come uules shall rashly bring
II alleged for Fum.ae secession that the
in tho Territories. but by Whit athrty are thss
denied; Not By Congress, which has passed, and
believe never will act 10 these
Territories and certainly not By the Supreme Cort u
hss soeon SeSq tsq ,na1 slaves are property and s an
the ferrtore and hold them there the pro-
lection OF the constitution.
So far, then, as Congress is concerned the OBJ
lection is not 10 anything they have already
done, but to what they may do hereafter. II
will sBrely be admitted that this apprehension
OffHiured danger Is no good reason for an immedi-
ate dissolution Of the Union. II is true that the
Territorial Legislature of Kansas on the 23d OF
FEBRUARY, 1860, passed in great haste an act,
over the veto Of the Governor, declaring that
Slavery 'fs, aaa Phall be, forever prohibited In
this territory" Such On act, however, plainly
violating the rights Of property scared by the
constitution. will surely be declared void By ths
judiciary whenever it shall be presented in legal
form.
Only three years after my Inauguration, the
Supreme Court OF the United States solemnly
adiudged that this power did not exist in q ter
Titodal legislature Yet such has been the
faoli0Gs temper OF the times that the correctness
OF this decision has been extensively impugned
before the people, and the question has given rise
to angry political conflicts throughout the
county. Those who have appealed from this
judgement Of our highest constitutional tribunal
TO popular assemblies would, II they could, in
vest a territorial legislature with power 70 annul
the snered igAis Of property. This power
Congress Is expressly forbidden By the federal
constitution 10 exercise. Every State Legisla-
tare IN the Union Is forbidden by is own con-
citation 10 exercise IT, II cannot be exercised
In any state except by the people In their high
eat sovereign capacity when framing or amend
ing their state constitution ~ like manner, il
can only be exercised by the people ofa terri
tory represented in convention Of delegates
Tor tbs purpose Of framing q constitution pre-
pefsiofy 70 admission ns a state into the Union
Then, and pot Until then, are they invested with
poMer ia decide question whether slavery shall
0f shah net exists within their limits This is %
act 0fs0vepsIGo. authority dnot Of snbordinate
Territorial isgislatiao. MheFe it0therwise, then
indeed would the equality Of the states 10 the
Territories be destroyed, and the nghls Of pro-
perly IN slaves would depend, not up0n the
guarantees OF the constitution. but Bpon the
shifting majOrites Of an inepressibls TsgrtOriall
Legislators. such doctrine, from is iuiFInBie