Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-12-04
NJ E SSAGE 4.
Fslloac-caizens-cf. the Senate
and House Of Represelltatiucs !:

terests The general health has been excellent our har
vests have been abundant and plenty smiles throughout
the land. Our commerce and manufactures have been
prosecuted with energy and industry, and have yielded
fair and ample returns. In short, nation IN the tide
of time has presented spectacle of greater mate
rial prosperity than have done until within very re-
cent period.
Why is it, then, that discomfort now extensively
prevails and the Union of the States which is the
of all these blessings is threatened with destruction
The long continued and Incorporate interference OF the
Northern people with the question of slavery in the
Southern States has at length produced its natural eff
focts The different sections of tho Union now ar
rayed against each other and the time has arrived
much dreaded by the Father of his Country, when
hostile geographical parties have been formed. have
long oreseen and often forewarned my countrymen OF
the now impending danger This does not proceed sole
ay from the claim the part of Congress the terrific
'sa legislatures to exclude slavery from the Territories
from the efforts of different States defeat the exc
cuon of the fugitive-slave law All or any of these
evils might have been endured by the South without
danger to the Union las Others have been III the hope
that time and reflection might apply tire remedy The
Immediate peril arises not much from these t;sses
as from the fact that the incess,nt ard violent ag
taton OF the slavery question throughout the North
for the last quarter of century, has at length pre-
duced its malign influence the slaves a.:d inspired
them with vague notions of freedom Hence sense of
security no onger.exists aroend the family altar This
feeling of peace at home has given place to eppreenoS
of serve Instruction. Many matren throughout the
South rees at night in dread of what may bealI herself
and her children before the morning Should this appIe
extcnd and intensity itself until it she'll pefgado the
masses of the Southern people. then dsunion will be-
come inevitable Self representation is the first law of ma
ture, and has been implanted in the heart of by his
creator tor the wsest purpose and political union,
however faught with blessings and benefits in all other
respects can long continue if the necessary consequence
be to render the homes and the fresdes of nearly half
the parties to habitually and hopeessy insecure
Sooner later the bonds of such Union must be
ered 1t s my conviction that this fatal period has not
yet arrived and my prayer to God is that He would pre-
servo the Constitution and the Union throughout all
generations
But lot take warning ia time and remove the cause
of danger It cannot be denied that for five and twenty
years the agitation at the North agaist slavery in the
South has been incessant In 1855 pictorial hand bills
and infammatory appeals circulated extensively
throughout the South, of character to excite the pas
SONS of the slaves and in the language of General jack
son. to stimulate them to instruction, and produce all
the horrors of servilo war" This agitation has
since been continued by the public press by Che proceed
dngs of State and county conventions and by abolition
Sermons and lectures The time of Congress has been
rapied in violent speeches this ending subject
and appeals in pamphlet and other forms, endorsed by
distinguished Names have been sent forth from this
tTal point, and spread broadcast over the Union
How easy would be for the American people to settle
The slavery question forever and to restore peace and
harmony to this distracted country.
They, and they alone, do it, All that is necessary
70 accomplish the object, and all for which the slave
States have commended is to be let alone and per-
nited to manage their domestic institutions in their
own way AS sovereign States they and they alone,
responsible before God and the world for the slavery
istng among them For this, the people of the North
not responsible, and have right to in
torfere than with similar institutions in Russia in Bra
al Upon their good sense and patriotic forbearance
fess still greatly rely. Without their aid it is beyond
the power of any President matter what may be his
own political proclives to restore peace and harmony
among the States Wisely limited and restrained his
power, under Constitution and laws he alone can
accomplish but little, for good Or for evil such
mcntOus question.
ths brings To observe that the Of onv
of fellowcitzens to the Office of President does
not of itsef aord just for dissoying the Union
This is more especially true his election has been effect
ed by plurality, and not majority of the peo
pie, and has resulted from transient and temporary
CAUSES, which may probably again In order
to justify resort to revolutionary resistance the Federal
Government must be guilty of "a deliberate, papable
and dangerous exercise of powers not granted by the
Constitution. The late presidential election, however
has been held in strict conformity with its express proys
ions. How, then, the result justify revolution to
destroy this very Constitution Reason Justice regard
for the Constitution all require that shall wait
some overt and dangerous act the part of the Prcs
dent elect before resorting to such remedy.
1t Is said however, that the antecedens of the Prcs
dent elect have been sufficient to justify the fears of the
South that he will attempt to invade their constitutional
rights But are such apprehensoDs Of contingent danger
in the future sufficient to justify the immediate destrlc
ton OF the nobest system of government devised by
mortasP From the very nature of his Office and its
high responsibilities be must necessarily be conservative
The stern duty of administering the and complicated
concerns of this Government affords in itself guaran
tee that he will not attempt any violation of clear
constitutional right After ALL he is no more than the
Chief executive officer of the Government His province
is not to make but to execute the laws and it is re-
markabe fact in history, that notwithstanding the
repeated efforts of the antslavery party single ect
has ever passed Congress- unless may possib
the Missouri Compromise, imparing in the 81 ,phest de-
gree the rights of the South their prope nv in aes
And it may also be Observed judging from present indi
cations, that probability exists of me nasage of suc
an act. by majority of both Hou either in the pres
ent or the next Congress. Surly under these crcnm
stances ought to be res aimed from present action
by the precept OF him wo spake as never man spoke
that Sufficient unto tie day is the evil thereof The
day OF evil may nev come unless we shall rashly bring
it upon ourselves.
Ii Is alleged for immediate secession that
ne States denied equal rights with the other
o'e III Che common Territories But by what authority
aie 'fese denied! Not by Congress- which has never
<dssed and believe never will pass any act to exclude
slavery from these Territories and certainly by the
Supreme Court which has soemnly decided that slaves
property and like all other property their owners
have right to take them into the common Territories
and hold them there under the protection OF the Cons
tuition.
So far then 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 admitted that
this apprehension of future dagger good
immediate dissolution of the Union 1t is true that
the territorial legislature of Kansas, the 23d of Fcbru
ay 1862 passed in great haste an act over the veto of
the governor declaring that slavery s and shall be-
forever prohibited in this Territory. Such act, how
cver plainly violating the rights of property secured by
the Constitution, will surely be declared void by the jul
dieaary whenever shall be presented i'll aegal form
Only three days after my Inauguration the Supreme
Court OF the United States soemuly adjudged that this
power did not exist in territorial legislature Yet
such has been the ctous temper of the times that the
correctness of this decision has been extensively i'm
pugned before the people, and the question has given