The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-12-14
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fello,u Citizens Of the Senate
-. and House Of Representatives

FeH0tc Citizens OF the SenGte
and House Of Representatives. ~.
Throughout the year since our last meet
ing, the country has been eminently pros
porous in its material interests. The gen.
eral health has been excellent, our harvests
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, no nation in
the tide of time, has ever presented spec
tacle of greater material prosperity, than
we have done until very recent period.
Why is it then that discomfort now extern
sively prevails, and the union of the States,
which is the source 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 effects. The
different sections of the Union are now Or
rayed 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
foreseen, and often forewarned my country
men of the now impending danger. This
does not proceed solely from the claim on
the part of Congress or the territorial legis.
latures to exclude slavery from the terrific
ries 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
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 a century has at length produced its ma
lign Influence on the slaves, and inspired
them with vague notions of freedom hence
a sense of security no longer exists around
the family altar. This feeling of peace at
home has given place to apprehensions Of
servile instruction. Many q matron thro'>
out the South retires at night in dread of
what may befal herself and her children
before the morning. Should this apprehen-
sion of domestic danger, whether real or
imaginary, extend and intensity itself, un-
til it shall pervade the masses of the south
ern people, then disunion will be inevitable.
Self.preservation is the first law of nature,
and has been implanted in the heart of
man by bis Creator for the wisest purposes,
and no political union, however fraught
with blessings and benefits, in all other re-
spects, can long continue, if the necessary
consequences be to render the homes and
fresides of nearly half the parties to it hab-
itually and hopeessly insecure. Sooner or
later the bonds of such a uniUn must be
severed. 1t is my conviction that this ia
tai period has not yet arrived, and my pray
er to God is that he would preserve the
Constitution and the Union throughout all
generations. But let US take warning in
time, and remove the cause of danger. 1t
cannot be denied that for five and twenty
years the agitation at the North against
slavery in the South has been incessant.
10 1885, pictorial hand bills and infamma>
tory appeals were circulated extensively
throughout the south, of character to ex-
cite the passions of the slaves-and in the
language of General Jackson, to stimulate
them to insurrection, and produce all the
horrors of servile war. This agitation
has ever since been continued by the pub
lie press, by the proceedings of state and
county conventions, and by abolition
sermons and lectures. The time of Con-
gress has been occupied in violent speeches
on the never ending subject, and appeals
in pamphlet, and other forms, Endorsed by
distinguished names, have been sent forth
from this central point, and spread broad
cast over the Union. How easy it would
be for the American people to settle the
slavery question forever, and to restore
peace and harmony to this distracted coun.
try. They alone can do it. All that is
necessary to accomplish this object, and all
which the slave states have ever contended
for, is to be let alone and permitted to man.
age their domestic institutions in their own
way, as sovereign states. They, and they
alone, are responsible before God and 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 institutions in
Russia or Brazil. Upon their good seuse
and patriotic forbearance confess still
greatly rely.
Without their aid it is beyond the pow.
er of any President, no matter what may
be bis own political proclivities, to restore
peace and harmony among the states. Wise
ly limited and restrained as is his power
under our constitution and laws, be alone
can accomplish but little for good or evil,
on such momentous question and this
brings me to observe that the election of
any one Of our fellow citizens to the Office
of President, does not of itself afford Just
cause for dissolving tine Union. This is
more especially true il his election has been
effected by mere plurality, and not ma
jority of the people, and has resulted from
transient and temporary causes, which may
probably never again occur. In order to
justify resort to revolutionary resistance
to the Federal Government, he must be
guilty of deliberate, palpable, and dangerous
exercise of powers not granted by the con-
stitution. The late presidential election,
however, has been held in strict conformity
with its express provisions. How then can
the result justify a revolution to destroy this
very constitution :? Reason, justice and re-
gard for the constitution all require that we
shall wait for some overt and dangerous act
on the part of the President elect, before
rescrting to such remedy.
1t is said, however, that the antecedents
of the President elect have been sufficient to
Justify the fears of the South that he will
attempt to invade their constitutional