Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-12-13
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.


FelloW Citizens Of the Senate
and house Of representatives.
Throughout the year since our last meeting
the country has been ccninenty prosperous i'll
ill its moterial interests. The general health
has been excellent, our harvest have been abun-
dent. and plenty smiles throughout the land.
Our commerce and manu- features have been pros
ecuted with energy and industry, and have
yielded fair and ample roturns, In short, no
nation in the tide Of tina has ever presented Il
spectacle OF greater material prosperity then we
have done until within very recent period.
Why is it, then, that discomfort now SO eXton-
siyely prevails, and the Union Of the States
which is the source of all these blessings, is
threatened with destruction? The long contin-
ued and Incorporate in tertorence ofths North
ern people with the question of slavery in the
Southern States has at length produced its ma
tural effects. The different sections of the I'm
ion are now arrayed so much dreaded by the
Father OF his Country, when hostile geographic
cal parties havs been formed. have long
foreseen and often forewarned my countrymen
of the now Impending danger This does not
proceed solely from the claim on thu part
of Congress or the Territorial Legislatures to ex-
clude slavery from the Territories, nor from the
efforts of diff 5rcnt States to DEBATE the execution
Of the fugitive slave law. All or any of these
evils might have been endured by tho South
without danger to the Union (as Others have
been) in the hope that time and reflection
might apply the remedy Tho immediate peril
arise not 30 much from these causes as from the
fact that the incossant and violent agitation of
the slavery question Throughout the North for
The last quarter of century has at length pro-
duced its mallgn influence on the slaves, and
inspired them with vague notions Of freedom.
Hence a sense Of security no longer exists a.
r5an1 the family altar This feeling of peac at
home has given place to approximations of ser
vile instruction Many matron throughout
the South retires at night in dread ofwhat may
befall herself and her children before the morn
ing. Should this apprehension of domestic dan
ger, whether r4a! u imaginary, extend and in
tensity its,f until it shall pcrvado the masses
Of the 81; en- people, then disunion will be-
come Inevitable. Solf preservation is the first
law Of nature, and has baen implanted in the
hear: Of man for the wisest purpose ; and no
political union, however traught with benefits
in all other respacts, can long continue if the
nescessary consequences he tn render tho homes
and the Grosidcs OF nearly halt the parties to it
habitually and hopclessly insecure. Sooner or
later the bonds of suoa UnioA must be served.
tits my c30Y:c ion that this fatal period has not
yet arrived ana my prayer to God is that lie
would preserve the constitution and the Uoon
throughout ali generations.
Bat let "a take warniu, in time, and remove
the cause of danger. 1t cannot be denied that
for five and twenty years, the agitation at the
North against sInverv At tho South has been in
cessant. In 1885 pictorial handbills and inham-
matory appeal where circulated extensively
throuSbout the South, of character to excite
the psssops of the slaves and in the hngua-
no Of General Jackson. I" to stimulate them to
iosurrcction and nroduca al the horrors of ser
vile war; This argitatjon has ever since been
continued by The pnnlic press, by tho proceed
ings Of State and County Conventions, and by alb
nl;tioo sormone and larfurca The time ofCon-
,,,es, hn. ham ,o,npiad in violent speeches on
his never enJino subject. and apreals in pam
rhlpts and nthor forms endorced by distinguish
ed names have beeu sent forth from this cen =
,ral pont and spread broadest over the Union.
How easy would it be for the American peo IL.
Mo ,o sattle the slavery question for ever. AMI
r. restore neacn and barmonav to this distracted
'.,nnfry1
Tbny and tbov alamo can do il. All that
* necessary to aSclmnljsh the object and all for
,.b;oI tha sl,vss States have oySr contentad is
to he LET alone. and permitted to manage Their
lomostic institutions in their own way. AS
sororo;n,r States thew and thew alone, are res
1ons;hln heG,rp Cod and the world for slavery
rx;sts among them. For this the people Of the
North are not more resnonslble. aud have no
,,oro r;'.ht ~ interG,ro tbcn with similar in
at;.,,;aooa - Pn..;a NV IN BRAZIL TTnon their
sI aoIyoav,d ,,,tr;o,;o rorhearonce confess
500 W., -. .,:.,;l "a =, H.,