The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1860-01-06
of the Presidents Message.


gress to-day, at twelve o'clock.
The President, after expressing graft
tude to the Almighty for the many bles-
sings which has been extended to this
country, throughout the past year refers
to the recent bloody occurrences which
took place at Harper's Ferry. These
evils, though bad and cruel in themselves,
derive their chief importance from ap-
prehension, and are but symptoms of
that apparently incurable disease in the
public mind which may break out in still
more dangerous outrages, and terminate
in an open war by the North to abolish
slavery in the southern portion of our
Union. While the President himself en-
tertained no such apprehensions, they
ought to afford a solemn warning to us all,
to beware of the--ietidious approach of
such dangers.
The President implores his fellow coun-
trymen of the North and the South to
cultivate their ancient feelings towards
each other, and strive to allay the inllu-
ence of the demon-spirt of sectional ha-
tired and strife now alive in the land. He
says this advice proceeds from the heart
of an old public functionary whose SER
vices commenced in the last generation,
and with the wise conservative statesmen
of that day. He indulges in no gloomy
forebodngs of the future, and thinks
that the Harper's Ferry affair will be the
means of allaying tho existing excitement
and preventing farther outbreaks.
lie congratulates Congress on the final
settlement, by the Supreme Court, of the
question of slavery in the Territories
The right has been established that every
citizen can take his property, of every
kind, including slaves, into all the Ter
ritories belonging ecsally to the whole
of the Confederacy, and have it protec-
ted there under the Federal Constitution.
Neither Congress, nor Territorial Legis-
lature, nor any human power, has any
authority to annul or impair this vested
right. Thus has the status of Territory,
during the intermediate period from its
first settlement until it becomes State,
been irrevocably fixed by the final decis-
ion OF the Supreme Court of the United
States. The President then describes the
mode for the admission of Territory as
a State into the Union. He says it may
be admitted with or without slavery, as
its Constitution may prescribe at the time
of its application. This principle has
been fully recognized, in some form or
other. in former years, and by the almost
unanimous vote of both Houses of the
4 last Congress.
The President says that all lawful
means at his command have been en-
ployed, and will continue to be employed,
against violations of our laws prohibiting
the African slave trade. Our history
proves that the fathers of our Republic,
in advance of. all other nations. con-
demned the slave trade.
Ratifications have been exchanged,
and two supplemental conventions are
now pending, relating to the rights Of
Americans in China, and transit duties.
All our difficulties with Paraguay have
been satisfactorily adjusted.
Our relations with France and Russia
and with all the continental governments
of Europe, Spain perhaps excepted, con-
tinue most friendly.
The President recommends that an ap-
preparation be made to meet the de-
mands of the Armisted claimants.
The Presidents opinion in favor of the
acquisition Of Cuba, by the United States,
by u fair and honorable purchase, re.
mains unchanged. He. therefore, again
invites the serious attention of Congress
to this important subject.
He had good reasons, until recently, to
believe that he would be able to an
nounce that our difficulties with Great
Britain, growing out of the Clayton-Bul-
wer treaty. would have been finally adj
justed, in a manner alike honorable and
satisfactory to both countries. From
causes, however, which Great Britain had
not anticipated, she has not yet compile
: ted her treaty arrangement with Hondu-
ras and Nicaragua, in persuance of the
understanding between the two Govern
ments. 1t is, nevertheless, confidently
expected that these pending negotiations
will be soon accomplished.
In relation to San Juan, the President
entertains no doubt of the validity of our
title. He is happy to state that the ne,
gotiations which were left to Gen. Scott's
discretion could not have been placed in
better hands, and he successfully accom-.
plished the purposes of his mission.-
There is no longer any reason to appre-
hend collision between the respective
forces during the pending negotiations.
He regrets that Mexican affairs are un-
improved. He speaks on the subject at
length, and states that outrages of the
worst description have been committed
on the persons and property of citizens
OF the United States. There is scarcely
any form of injury which has not been
suffered by our citizens there during the
past few years. We have been nominally
at peace with Mexico, but so far as our
interests, our commerce, or our citizens
there in any private capacity, is con.
cerned, we might as we'll have been en-
gagged in open war.
In August last, Mr.. McLane. the Min
ister of the United States to Mexico, sent
communication. in which he expressed
the hope that the President would feel
authorized to ask from Congress- for the MI.