The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1860-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
EsLLanr- Citizen, of The !Senate

throughout the year since last meeting, the
country has been emiuenty prosperous IN all lis
material interests. The general health has oeen e1
aelIent 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 re-
turns. In short, nation in the tide OF time mas
ever presented spectacle of greater material pros
perity than we have done until within very recent
period.
WHY is it. then, that discomfort generally
preyails and the union of the States, which is the
source of all these blessings, is threatened with des
tructonl The long continued Incorporate interior
ence of the Northern people with the question OF
slavery in the Southern States has at Length pro-
duced its natural effects The different sections OF
the Union are arrayed against each other, and
the time has arrived, much dreaded by the Father
his Country, when hostile geographical parties have
been formed. have long foreseen, and often fore
warned my countrymen of the now impending dan
ger This does not proceed solely from the claim
the part of Congress the territorial legislature
exclude slavery from the territories nor from the
efforts of different States To defeat the execution OF
the fugitive slave law. All any of these evils
might have been endured by the South without dan
ger to the Union las others have been) in the hope
that time and reflection might apply the remedy.
The immediate peril arises not so much from these
from the fact that the incessant and vlo-
lent agitation of tine slavery question throughout
the North for the last quarter of century, has at
last produced its malign influence the slaves. and
inspired them with vague notions of freedom. Hence
of security longer exists around the fam
lily altar.
This feeling of peace at home has given place to
apprehensions of servile instruction. Many
matron throughout the South retires at night in
dread of what may hefall herself and her children
before morning. Should this apprehension of
domestic danger whether real or ina nary. extend
and intensity itself until it shall pervade the masses
of the Southern people then disunion will become
Unavailable. the
ture. and has been implanted in the heart of man by
his Creator for the wisest purpose and political
union, however fraught with blessings and benefits
in all other respects, long continue if the neces
sary consequence be to render the homes and the
fresdes of nearly half the parties to it habitualy
and hOpeessly insecure. Sooner or later the bonds
of such Union must be severed. 1t is my conyic-
ton that this fatal period has not yet arrived and
my prayer to God is that He would preserve the
Constitution and the Union throughout all genera
tionS.
But let take warming in time, and remove the
of danger. 1t cannot be denied that for five
and twenty years the agitation at the North against
slavery in the South has been ncessant. In 1885
pictorial hand bills and intummatory appeals
circulated extensively throughout the South. of
character to excite the passions of the slaves; and
in the language of General jackson, " to stimulate
them to nsurrection. and produce all the horrors of
servie war;" This agitation has ever since been
continued by the public press, by the proceedings
of State and county conventions and by abolition
sermons and lectures. The time of Congress has
been occupied in violent speeches tins never
ending subject; and appeals in pamphlet and other
forms, endorsed by distinguished names, have been
forth from this central point and spread broad
cast the Union.
How easy would it be for the American people to
settle the slavery question forever, and to restore
peace and harmony to this distracted country.
They, and they alone, can do it. All that is
cessary to accomplish the object, and all for which
the slave States have ever contended is to be let
alone, and permitted to manage their domestic insti
tutions i'll 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 more re-
sponsible and have right to interfere, than
with similar institutions in Russia Brazil. Upon
their good sense and patriotic forbearance, | con-
TESS still greatly rely. Without their aid it is be-
yOnd the power of any President, matter what
may be his own political procIivities, to restore
peace and harmony among the States. Wisely limi-
ted and restrained as is his power, under con-
stituton and laws, he alone can accomplish but lit
tle for good or for evil, such momentous oues-
ton.
And this brings to observe that the election of
any one of our citizens to the office of President
does not OF itself afford just for diSsolvng the
Union. This is more especially true if his election
has been effected by plurality and not
majority of the people. and has resulted from tran
silent and temporary causes, which may probably
never again occur In order to Justify resort To
revolutionary resistance, the Federal Government
must be guilty of " a deliberate, palpahle and dam
gerous exercise of powers net granted by the Con-
sttution. The late presidential election, however
has peen held In strict conformity with its express
provisions. How, then. the result Justify a rev
olution to destroy this very Constitution! Reason
justice, regard for the Constitution, all reouire
that we shall wait for overt and dangerous act
the part of the President elect before resortpe
to sucn a remedy.
1t IS said, however that the antecedents 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 apprehen-
Slons OF contingent danger in the future sufficient tn
justify the immediate destruction of the noblest
system of government ever devised by mortals
From the very nature of his office, aud its high re-
sPenslblltles, he must necessarily be conservative
The stern duty Of administering the vast and COM
plcated concerns of this Government affords in it
self guarantee that he will attempt any viola
ton of clear constitutional right After all he is
no more than the chief executive officer of the Gov
ernmeDt His province is not to make but to exc
cute the laws. and it is d remarkable fact in our
history, that, notwithstanding the repeated efforts
on the part eft the antslavery party no single act
has ever passed Congress, unless we NAV possibly
except the Missouri Compromise, impairing in the
slightest degree the rights of the South to their
property in slaves. And it may also be observed
Judging from present Indications that no probabili-
ty exists of the passage of such an act by ma
JOrty OF both Houses either in the present or next
Congress Surely, under these circumstances we
ought to De restrained from present action bv the
precept of Him who spake as man never spoke. that
sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" The
day of evil may come, unless we shall really
bring it upon ourselves.
1t is alleged cause for immediate secession.
that the Southern States denied equal rights
with the other States in the common Territories b,.