Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-08
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

the Executive. 1t has formed the staple of
daily editorials and the burden of all the Wash
ington correspondence. Every day new and
different story of the way and manner in which
it was diurnally rc-modeled to suit trouble
some and wont-be-suited Cabinet has been put
forth. In due process of time the Message has
made its appearance; and in all candor we do
not think it worth the powder that has been
wasted upon it. AS a contemporary remarks
in substance, most of what is in it that is true
is not new, and unfortunately what is new is
not in all respects true.
The first half of the message is devoted to
slavery secession and disunion, and the first
question and answer in this catcchism is as fol-
lows:
"Why is it, then, that discomfort now SO extensively
prevails, and the Union of the States, which is the
source of all these blessings is threatened with de-
struction? The long-continued and incorporate in
reference OF the Northern people with the question Of
Slavery in the Southern States has at length produced
its natural etfects.'
The North is the cause of all this difficulty
that we are now threatened with The North
has wantonly made war upon the rights of the
peaceable, neighborly, aw-abiding people of
the South, and has thus occasioncd all this
threatened secesson True to his instincts the
President can find no occasion for blame on the
part of Southern men and Shareholders. They
are all innocent, unoffending members of the
body polite and have stood patiently by while
the aggressive Northerners like the Goths and
Vandals of an earlier age have precipitated their
ruthless hordes upon Southern men and South
ern institutions! Such in substance is the ar
gument of the President as formally announced
in the last annual message he is ever to put
forth The Imprisonment of Northern seamen,
the mobbing of men of high character sent on
q constitutional mission from the North the
rifling Ct the mails in search of matter sent
from the North, the repeal Of the Missouri
Compromise, the forays into Kansas from slave
States by organized companies acting with the
connivance of those in authority, the studied
attempts to perpetrate frauds at the ballot-box
to prevent an honest expression of the popular
will, the refusal to admit territory into the
Union as a State because she will not tolerate
slavery, and the murderous assaults upon the
representative men of Northern States in the
National Senate Chamber-these are of no sort
nf aononnt in the controversy. The North have
been all wrong-the South all right.
What is the remedy for the great dangers
that overhang our country, imperiing its inst-
tutions? The President answers:
"All that is necessary to accomplish the object and
all for which the slave States have commended is
to be let alone, and permitted to manage their domes-
tic institutions in their own way"
In other words "If the South want ANYTHING
let them have it. Let them carry their slaves
when and where they will without molestation.
Enact such laws as they may think useful for
the preservation, encouragement and extension
of the peculiar institution" To settle all this
difficulty the President earnestly recommends
amendments to the Constitution which shall
embrace the following points:
81. An express recognition of the right Of prpert,
in slares in the States where it now exists, may
hereafter exist.
q The duty of protecting this right in all the como,
Territories throughout their territorial existence and
until they shall be admitted States into the Union
with or without. slavery, as their Constitutions may
prescribe.
g. A like recognition of the right of the master to
have his slave who has escaped from one State to an
other restored and delivered up to him, and Of The
raidity Of The Fhgitire Sure Lar endoted for this pu-
pose together with declaration that all State laws
impairng defeating this right violations Of the
Constitution, and are consequently null and void
That is, the South will consent to remain in
the Union if they can have everything their own
way; full guarantees for all they claim. They
are to concede nothing; all the concessions are
to come from the North 1t is the same old
story of the white man and the Indian who
went hunting with stipulation that they
should divide the game. A turkey and a crow
was killed. The white man said to his com.
panion, "rll take the turkey and you take the
crow, or you take the crow and I'll take the
turkey" The proposition seemed fair enough
at first, but upon thinking it over as they were
going home, new light broke in upon the red
skin, and he exclaimed, "You say it over agair
and say turkey TO me just once" We think il
would look little better and less selfish if those
in power should "say turkey to the North jus
once"
The President does not believe that any State
has any right to secede. We believe he is cor
rect in this opinion. But if they will secede h,
does not think we can do anything about it anC
here he is wrong. 1t may or may not be expe
dent to attempt to coerce South Carolina int
submission if she is determined to set at naugh
the laws of the country and set up for herself
But why the President has not as much powc
to execute the laws on the rebellious white mel
of that State as he has TO employ the army ant
navy to catch their runaway slaves, We are at
loss to comprehend.
In brief so much of the message az relate
to this whole subject bears the impress of be
ing the dictation of the ultra pro-sayerv part
OF the country. as represented in the persons O
some of the Presidents constitutional advisers
He backs up the most arrogant pretensions O
the Southern extremists. and then tells then
that If they are bent on secession he will 10
attempt to obstruct their nefarious designs
Thank Heaven, this is the last of James Buch
apan. In three months more we will fill tn
place he occupies with a man who will admins
ter the government in that catholic spirit whicl
knows but one country and common destiny
>ss-