, 1860-02-03
FHE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FalO1O- Citizens of The Senate and
House of RspTeseRtd

Our deep ana heartfelt gratitude IS Que
~ that Almighty Power which has be-
NoSed upon Us such varied and numerous
Nessings the past year. The general health
d the country has been excellent Oar
shnfvests hEte been unusually plentiful, and
prosperity smiles throughout the land =
Indeed, Notwithstanding our de,nerits, we
have much reason to believe, from the past
ttents in our history, that we have enjoyed
the special protection Of Divine Providence
aver since our origin as nation. We have
bgeu exposed to nsRy threatening and
alarming difficulties in our progress; bot on
each successive occasion the impending
tloud has been dissipsted at the moment
n appeared ready to burst upon our head,
and the danger to our Institutions has
psssed away. May we ever be under the
Divine guidance and protection psi
tHr HARPER's FERRY AFFAIR-RELATIoNs OF
NORTH AND soUTH-TNDUCEMENTs TO PATRI-
ono FEELINGS AND THE UNION
Whilst it is the duty of the President
from time to time to give to Congress To-
formation Of the state of the Union, shall
not refer in detail to the recent and bloody
occurrence Of Harper's Ferry Still, it is
propeF TO observe that these events, how
ever bad and cruel in themselves, derive
their chief Importance from the apprehen-
sIou that they are bat symptoms of an in.
Curable disease in the public mind, which
may break out in stilLmore dangerous out
RACES, and terminate at last in an open war
bT tie North TO abolish slavery in the
South. Whilst for myself / entertsin no
such apprshensions, they ought to afford q
solemn warning to Us alt 10 beware of the
approach Of danger. Our Union is stake
Of such iRestimable value asto demand our
constant and watchful vigilance for its
preservation. In this view let me implore
M eOuptEymeuI North and South, to culti
yate The ancient feelings Of mutual fOrbeAr-
Ance and good will towards each other, and
strive to allay the demoh-spirit Of sectional
hatred and strife now alive In the land.
This advice proceeds from the heart Of an
old public functionary, whose service com
menced in the last generation, among the
wise And conservative statesmen Of that
day, now nearly all passed away, and
whose first and dearest earthly wish is to
leave his country trauqoi, prosperous, uni
Ndand powerful yrcIleU af Ila uI
10 We ought to reflect that in this age, and
especially in this country, there is On inces
sAnt fax and Eeaux. Of public OpinioD,-
Questions, which in their day assumed al
most threatening aspect. have now nearly
gone from the memory Of men. They are
Iolcanoes burned out, and on the lava aud
aShes and squalid iscoriS Of old eruplioDs
grow the peaceful olive, the cheering vine
and sustaining corn. Such, in my opinion,
will prove to be the fate Of the present sec
lional excitement, should those who wisely
seek to apply the remedy continue always
to cou6ne their efforts within the pale Of
the Consultation. II this course be pur-
sued, the existing agitation on the subject
Of domestic slavery, like everything human,
will haVeits day, and give place 70 other
and less threatening controversies. i.HI.
osPublie opinion in this country is all-pow-
erful and when il reaches dangerous ex-
cess upon any question, the good sense Of
the people will furnish the corrective and
bring il back within safe limits. Still, 10
hasten this auspicious result at the present
crisis, we ought 10 remember that every ra-
donal creature must be presumed 10 intend
the natural consequences Of his own teach
inEs Those who announce abstract doc
trines sabversive Of the Constitution and
the Uhion, mast not be surprised should
thslr1 heated partizans advance one step
further and attempt By violence to carry
these doctrines into practical effect In
this view Of the subject, it ought never TO
be forgotten that, however great may have
been the political advantages resulting
from the Union to every portion Of our
common country these would all prove to
be aS nothing should the time ever arrive
when they cannot be enjoyed without seri-
ont damage 10 the personal safety Of the
people Of hfteen members Of the confedera.
cy. II the peace Of the domestic freside
throughout these States should ever be in
Vaed; IL the mothers Of families within This
extensive region should not be able to re-
tire to rest at night without suffering
dreadful apprehensionS Of what may be
theif own fate, ana that Of their children
before the morning, it would be vain to re-
esbnt to such people the political bene-
Gu which result to them from the Union.
Self-preservatiOn is the first instinct Of pa
ture and therefore any state Of society in
WHICH the sword is all the time suspended
over The heads Of the people, must at last
become intolerable.
But | indulge In no such gloomy forebo-
dings, On the contrary, I firmly believe
that the events at Harper's Ferry, By
causing the people to pause and reflect up
on the possible peril to their cherished in-
stitutious, will be the means, under Provi-
deuce, Of allaying che existing excitement
and preventing further outbreak of simi-
lar character. They will resolve that the
Constitution and the Union shall not be
endangered BY rash counsels, knowing that,
should the silver cord be lOosened, or the
golden bowl be broken at the fountain, hu-
man power could never reunits The scatter
ed and hostile fragments