Gazette and sentinel., 1860-12-15
MESSAGE
Governor Of the State OF Louisiana.

Gentlemen II The &saote and House # Re
p~rescat0tjres If he Gcasrol assembly Of
the Atofs IF LoviSianG:
have convened your Honorable
Bodies al this unusual time 10 consider
the condition Of our present and future
relations to the Federal Government,
before the control Of that Government
Is lodged III the hands Of a party, whose
avowcd principles are in antagonism to
the interests, the dignity, and wcll-be-
! ing Of Louisiana. The occasion calls
for grave dcIibcration. wise counsel.
cool Judgment. aud manly action. 1t
will be your province to decide whether
its Importance i~ustiics the assembling
of the people, through their delegates,
IN extraordinary Convention, 10 deter
mine, III that sovereign capacity, the
remedy proper IL bc applied to existing
evils. Never have we been more in
need of the protecting care and wise
guidance OF that Divine Providence,
whose aid and Influence it becomes
States as well as individuals to invoke.
An event has now occurred of the
gravcst import tp the people of this
whole country, bat especially to those
"f the Southern States. Abraham Lin
coin aui Hannibal HamIin having re-
Cclved thc Endorsement Of the political
party calling Itself Republican, the fun.
damenlal principle Of which Is an un-
reasoning and iauatiCal hostility to Slav-
cry, have now been elected to the two
highest Offices IN oar Federal Govern
ment, by "a purely sectional vote, and
IN contempt Of the earnest protest Of
the other section, that sucn election
would be- considered evidence Of a de-
ilb"rate design To- Ucrvrrt ihc powers of
the Government to the immediate in
jury and ultimate destruction to It's Pc
cu!Iar institution. Thirty years ago,
the public expression of such opinions
rs are now entertained and avOwed bv
these Two mon, IN any part Of this
country, outside Dt New England. would
have insured 10 their utter, swift and
ignominiouS punishment. The repre-
sentative man of those opinions, chosen
as the instrument b effect their praCti-
cal operation upon the administration
Of the National Government. is now a.
bout to occupy the chair ut Washington.
s. great has been the change II pub
lie sentiment IN the mou-siaych1,ding !
States # this C~uulctyrayy upon "A ques-
ton, vital to our interests, and inter-
woven with every raMIiicaUon Of our
social system.
feel myself oppressed hy the mag
mtude ct the issue involved in The action
Of our stale at It's crisis. have be-
held with admiration the beautiful and
we'.-pr"potuon"d iaor.c, made by our
loreiatIierS hands, 81 a Union OF Equals,
under safeguards provided by a toUSi'-
tuton adapted to 'hc wants "t the age
III winch II was MADE. have ciunE
with warm election to the Government
nnder which WE have become SO pros
porous ana great ana nave ~eud"avprcd
10 rePCl iie C'hNI'li'n' "hich events
nave forced upon me- ina 'liat uoVerh-
lheht Is a"ont 10 DC perverted 10 pur-
poses never designed oy It's founders;
'lla' the IIioh Is broken IN spirit by the
obstruction ot me e4uality
ci 'he states "Iiich coHlPoS IT, ana thc
forms oil the constitution INVOKED To
C,oak ihe Pcrpetra'lch1i on'ragcS upon
'Ie ri8ritS Vi some Vi tle NoVefeiGhtieS
"iliIu loInleG II.