Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1860-12-21
: PRRSIDENE'S = MESSAGE.

s4lfsi5f ssAS 34-s tfa8a
Throughout the year since our. last meeting,
the country hiss been eminently prosperous I'M
all its material interests. The general health
has been excellent, our harvest have been sbun.
daut. and plenty smiles throughout the iand.
Our commeree, and manufactures have been pros
Iec0ted with energy and industry and have yield
ed fair and ample returns; in short, no nation
in the tide of atime has ever presented q specta-
Gle of greater material prosperity than We have
done, until within very recent porlod- ~ ny
ia IL then that discomfort now extensively pre-
wallis and the Union of the States which 1s Il
the source of all these hlessingssis threatened 4
. with distraction. The long centinued and in
tenpsfats intsrferspcs e ths Northern s Peo,se s
ern States, has at length produced its natural
effects The different sections of the Union are /
- now arrsyed against each other, ana the time
has arrived so much dreaded by the Father OF
his Country when hostile geographical parties
have been formed. l have long toreseen and /
often forewarneds my eountryme Of the now |
siespending DANGER This does not proceed sole
ly from the claim on the part OF Congress or the
Territorial legislatures to exclude Slavery fFom
the Territories. nor from the efforts of different
States to defeat the execution OF the Fugitive
Slave Law All or any of these evils might |
have been endured by the South, without dam
gefito the Union as others have BEEN in the hope
that time and reflection might app the remedy
The immediate peril arises, not. go much from
these causes, as from. the fact that the violent
agitation of the slavery question Throughout .he
North for the last quarter of century, has
at length produced its mafgn influence on the
i slaves, and inspireda them<with vague notions
of freedom. Hence sense Of security no
longer exists asound the family altar. This
feeling Of peace at home has given place to ap
ureAensions of serVile Instruction. Many
matron throughout the South retires At night
in dread Of what may befal herself and her
child yeun befere the morning. Should this ap-
pseheusion of domestic danger, whether reat or
imaeinary extend and intensity itself until it
shall Hpertade the masses of the Southern
people, disunion will become inevitable-.
Self-preservation is the first law of nature, and
has been implanted in the heartof man by bis
Creator for the wfsest purpose and no political
union, however fraaght with. blessings and
belsfts IN all oshsr respects, can "a long s9psPRs s
heCnaes and the fresdes OF nearly half the par
ties to IL hahitaal1y and hopelessIy Insecure
Sooner or later the bonds of suoh union must
be severed. Hfssmy conviction that this fatal
period has not yet arrived, and my prayer to
God is that lie would preserve the Constitution
and the Union throughout all generations But
j let us take warning in time, and remove the
: - cause oftanger. 1t cannot be denied that for
SSe aadItwenty years the agitation at the North
3 AGAINST Slavery in the South, has been inces-
Il SAINT In 1885 pictorial handbills and infam-
matory appeals were cirGulaaea extenslseiy
tfe passions Of the slaves, and IN the language o
g General Jackson, to sstimulate them to iusur
reetionl 70 and produce all the horrors o.
a saryile war This agitation has evel
"a press by the proceedings of State anC
y County Conventions, and by Abolition sermon
d and lectures, and the time of Congress has beer
al occupied in violent speeches on this reverend
q Tin subject, and appeals in pamphlet and othe
d TO, rs, endorsed by distinguished names, hav
1t been sent forth from this central point AM
I'd spre b broadcast over the Union How seas
st ID il be for the american people 10 settl
g theSlayery question forever, and Stos srestor
HQ peace and harmorny TO this distracted country
- They alone could do it. All that is necessar
to accomplish the object, and lafor which tn
Shvs States have ever contended, is to be le
mes alone and permitted to manage their domesti
,oh institutions in their own way, sovereig
ivi States They and they alone, are responsible b
say fore God and the world for the Slavery sxstin
II among them For this the people of the North al
CO not responsible and have no more right TO il
In fere than wita similar institutions in Russia
in in Brazil Upon their good sense and patriot
tha -Sorbearauce confess still greatly rely. Wit
ter9 out their aid it. is beyond the power of an
neir President no matter what may be his own p
els ltieal procivties, to restore peace and harmon
naue ~aIsong the States Wisely limited and restrai
- ed as is his power under our Constitution al
'r1iE laws he alone can accomplish but little
We. good or for evil on such momentous questio
Sp And this brings to observe that the electit
of m -of sy one Of our fellow citizens to the once
dissolving the Union. This is more especial
true II his election has been effected by anne
= plurality, and not majority ofthe people, al
ii hasresulted from transient and temporary caas
u loSS~A.
san order to Justify resort to revolutionary res
the tauce, the Federal Government must be gull
eioA of deliberate, palpable and dangerous exerc
fons of powers net granted by the constitution
iohS The late Presidential election, however,
oi e teen held in strict conformity, with its expr
: I;d previsions. How, then. can the result just
. fs a .trevclutcu destroy this very Constitatio
nd agai Reason, justice, z regard for the Constl
red teaiovert and dangerous act on the part OF \
,rs to President elect before resorting to such re
rues am eaysIt is said however. that the antecede
rbed of the President elect have been sufficient
! i,fetify the fears of the South, that he will
cpFItempt to invade their Constitutional rights,
~ are such appreheusions of contingent dangel
TO be the future sufficient TO justify the
ard WI structou of the noblest system of GoverDHl
now ever devised by mortals. From the very nat
e dSea ofhis ONCE and its high responsibilities,
rs "oE must necessarily be conservative The at
as frie ou'y " -; fsoasSrr eF,rds 4, ;,se
@ hes W. guarantee that he will not attempt any vi
i .he ~: ~ tios. Of q clear Constitutional right
',u n t After all he is more than the chief ex
ng wea uVe eaioo, % -. - . -, - r - = :.
,tn t remarkable fast in our, history that, not "
into az standing the repeated efforts Of the an-sla'
e of ds party, ne such act has ever passed oongr
4 with I unless we may faxorably except the Miss
that VIC Compromise, impairing, in the slightest de-
sunshine the rights Of the South to their property
teps and slaves and it may also be observed, JUDI
ose sgnr from present indieasSns, tina. no proeao
II beat. tyaof both Houses either in the present
ZsesxtH Congress. Surely under these
spp.v cumstances we ought to be restrained
present action by the precept of Him who 81
read SON as never man spake, that Sufficient unto
es that Is The dav thereofr The dav of evil
CT Yother; - eome unless we shall raablv hrip
u er and upon ourselves. It is alleged cause
en- Immediate secession, that the Southern s.
eeu e ara denied equal rights with the other 81
we to MIN Sso oo.nsup ~. ~ - og ~. ~ -. !.
nd thougYthof4y arg tnese aenieu' To. py Sons
Up in tho kwnae mas nese. PsssIu, ,u = 80 20 =
ers in NJ pass, any ast 70 s1eiuoe slavery rom
Md th,s esritories; and certainly net by the Sup
expressiCourt, which has solemnly decided that 81