The Placer herald., 1860-12-22
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

to the present crisis in national affairs showing
the causes of the same. the rights of the States
under the Constitution, his opposition to State
cession, denial Of the right of coercion of State
on the part of the General Government and
pointing out mode to settle the existing difficult
ties in the Union.
After speaking of the general prosperity that
has attended the country until recent period
the President proceeds to speak of the dangers
that now threaten the confederacy with desruc
tion. and says
1.-THE long continued and Incorporate interfer-
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 now arrayed against each other
and the time has arrived so much dreaded by the
Father of his Country, when hostile geographical
parties have been formed. have long ioreseen
and often fOrewarned my countrymen OF the now
impending danger. This does not proceed solely
from the claim on the part of Congress, or the
Territorial Legislatures, to exclude slavery from
the Territories; from the efforts of the differ
ent States to prevent the execution of the Fugi-
tive Slave Law. All or any of these evils might
have been endured by the South without danger
to the Union, as others have been. in the hope
that time and reflection might apply the remedy
The immediate peril arises not so much from these
causes as from the fact that the violent agitation
of the slavery question throughout the North for
the last quarter OF Il century Nv lcHStu Plo-
duced its malgn influence on the slaves and In
spred them with vague notions of freedom -
Hence sense of security no longer exists around
the family altar This feeling of peace at home
has given place to apprehensions of servile insur-
rection. Many matron throughout the South
retres at nj ght in dread Of what may befal ner-
self and her children before the morning. Should
this apprehension Of domestic danger, whether
real or imao mary, extend and intensity itself I'M
til it should perVade the masses OF the Southern
people, then disunion will be inevitable. Self !
preservation is the first law Of nature, and has
been implanted in the heart of man by his Crea- |
tor for the wisest purposes, and no political
union. however fraught with blessings and bene-
fits in all other respects can long continue, II the
necessary consequences be to render the homes
and iresides Of nearly half the parties to it hab-
itually and hopelessy insecure. Sooner or later |
the bonds of such union must be severed. 1t is |
my conviction that this fatal period has not yet
arrived, and my prayer to God is that he would |
preserve the Constitution and the Union through |
out all generations. But let us take warning in |
time and remove the cause of danger. it cannot |
be denied that for five and twenty years the agita
tion at the North against slavery in the South
has been incessant 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 alone
can do it: all that is necessary to accomplish this
obje:t and all which the slave States have ever
ccntended for is to be let alone and permitted |
to manage their domestic institutions in their
own way as sovere On States. and they alone are
responsible before God md the world for the
slavery existing among them; for this the people
of the North are not more responsible. and have |
no more right to interfere than with similar in
stitutions in Russia or Brazil. Upon their good
se1se and patriotic forbearance, [ confess | still
greatly rely; without their aid it is beyond the
power OF any President no matter what may be
his political proclivities. TO restore peace and
harmony among the States. 1t is
alleged, as one cause for immediate secession, that
the Southern States are denied equal rights with
the other States in the common Territories; but
by what authority are they denied? Not by Con-
gress which has never passed-and. l believe, |
never will pass-any Act to exclude slavery from
these Territories; and certainly not by the Su-
preme Court. which has solemnly decided that
slaves are property, and like all other property,
their owners have u right to take them into the
common Territories and hold them there under
the protection of the Constitution. So far as
Congress is concerned, the objection is not to
ANYTHING they have already DONE but to what
they may do hereafter. 1t will surely be admit
ted that this apprehension of future danger is
not q good reason for an immediate dissolution
Of the Union. 1t is true that the Territorial
Legislature OF Kansas, on the 23d of February,
1860, passed in great haste un Act over the veto
of the Governor, declaring that slavery is and
shall be forever prohibited in the Territory. Such
an Act, however, plainly violating the rights of
property secured by the Constitution, will surely
be declared void by the Judiciary whenever it
shall be presented in legal form. Only three
days after my nau e,raton the Supreme Court of
the United States : nnly adjudged that this
power did not exist in territorial Legislature.
Yet such has been the Fictitious temper of the
times that the correctness OF this decision has
been extensively impugned before the people,
and the question has given rise to angry political
conflicts throughout the country. Those who
have appealed from this judgment of our highest
constitutional tribunal to popular assemblies
would if they could, invest Territorial Legisla
lures with power to annul the sacred rights of
property. This power Congress is expressly for
hidden by the Federal Constitution TO eXercise;
every State Legislature in the Union is forbidden
by its own Constitution to exercise it. 1t cannot
be exercised in any State except by The people,
in their highest sovereign capacity, when franz
ing or amending their State Constitution. In
like manner it can only be exerci' ed by the peo-
pie of the Territory, represented in Conven-
lion of delegates foN the purpose of framing q
Constitution, prepartoryto admission as State,
into the Union. Tben. and not till then. are they
invested with power to decide the ques ion
whether slavery shall or shall not exist within
their limits. This is an act of sovereign author
ity, and not of subordinate Territorial legisla
tiOn, for, if otherwise, then indeed would the
equality of the States in the Territories be
destroyed, and the rights of property in slaves
would depend, not upon the guarantees of the
Constitution, but upon the shouting majorities of
an irresponsible Territorial Legislature. Such a
doctrine, from its intrinsic unsOundness, cannot
long influence any portion Of our people, much
less can it afford good reason for dissolution of
the Union. The most palpable violations OF
constitutional duty which have yet been commit
ted consist in the acts of different State Legsla
lures to defeat the execution OF the Fugitive
Slave Law. The Fugitive Slave
Law hus been carried into execution in every
contested case since the commencement of the
present Administration; though often, it is to he
regretted, with great 10th and inconven ence,
aud with considerable expense to the Govern
Lat u usf hat ia Ef0fa Ya0i atu