The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-04
Presidents Message.
Fs!lOiO Citizens ofthe Senate

and House Of Representatives:
Our deep ard heartfelt gratitude is due to
that Almighty Power which has bestowed
upon US such varied and numerous blessings
throughout the past year. The general
health Of the country has been excellent; |
our harves,s have been unusually plentiful, |
and prosperity smiles throughout the land. |
Indeed, notwithstanding our dement's, we
have much reason to believe from the past
events in our history, that we have enjoyed
the specill protection of Divine Providence
ever since our origin as nation. We have
been exposed to many threatening and
alarming difficulties in our progress, but on
each successive occasion the impending
cloud has been dissipated ct the moment it
appeared ready to burst upon our heads, and
the danger to our institutions has passed
away. May we ever be under the Divine
gnidauce and protection! g.
Whilst it is the duty OF the President "from
time 10 time to give to Congress information
of thu stnte Of the Union,". shall not refer
in detlil to the recent cad and bloody occur.
rences at Harper's Ferry. Still, it is proper
to observe that these events, however bad
and cruel in themselves, derive their chief
Importance from the apprehension that they
are bot symptoms OF on incurable disease in
the public mind, which may break out in
still more dangerous outrages and terminate
at last 10 an open wor by The North to aboI.
sh slavery in the South. Whilst, for nv.
self | entertain no such apprehension, thev
ought to pffOrj a solemn warning to lis all to
} bew re of the approach OF danger. Our I'm
ion is stake OF such inPs;ima BILE value as to
demand on: constant and watchfuI vigilance
for its preservation. In this view let me i'm.
plDre my countrymen, North and South, to
cultivate the ancient feeling of mutual for
bearance and good will towsrds each other,
and strive to sliuy the demon spirit Of sec.
tonal strife now live in the land. This ad.
vice proceeds from the heart oil an old rublic
tunctionary whose services commenced in
the last genera ion, among the wise and con
servative statesmen Of that day, now nearly
all passed away, and whose first and dearest
earthly wish is to leave his country tranquil,
prosper united and happy.
We ought to reflect that in this age, and
especially in this country, there is an nces.
SAINT tlux and refu= of public opinion. Cues
f tons which in their day assumed q most
threatening aspect. have now nearly gone
forth from the memory of men. They are
"Volcanoes burnt out, and oa the lava and
:hes and sqnald scor3 of old eruptions
grow the peaceful olive, the cheering vine,
aud the sustaining corn" Such in nv opiD.
ion will prove to be the fate of the present
sectional excitement, should those who wise.
y seek to apply the remedy, continue ALWAYS
to coutine their efforts within the pale of the
+ Constitution. II this course be pursued, the
existing agitation on the subject of domestic
Slavery, like everything human, will have
its day aud give place to other and less
. threatening controversies. Public opinion
- in this cou0try is all powerful, and when il
. reaches q dangerous excess upon anv cues
tion, the good sense of the people will fur
nish tie corrective and bring it back within
. s1te limits. Still, to hasten this auspiciout
i result, at the present crisis, we ought to re-
member that every rational creature must be
presumed to intend the natural conseouen.
, , ces OF his own teachings. Those who an.
noan nee abstract doctrines subversive to the
Constitution and the Union. must not be
surprised should their heated partsaas ad.
vance one step further, and attempt by vio-
lence to carry these doctrines into effect. In
this view of the subject it ought never to be
forgotten that however great may have been
the political advantages resulting from the
Union to every portion of our common coun.
try, these would all prove to be as nothing
! should the time ever arrive when they can.
not be enjoyed without serious danger to the
personal tety of the people OF fifteen mem.
> bers of the confederocy. If the peace of the
domestic freslde throughout these States
should ever be invaded-if the mothers oil
families within tnis extensive region should
not be able TO retire to rest at night without
suffering dreadful apprehensions Of what "a sy
= be their own fate and that of their children
before the morning-it would be in vain tc
:, recount to such people the political bene.
- fits which result to them from the Union.--
. Self.preservatien is the Erst instinct of ma.
" ture and the efore any state Of society in
which the sword is all the time suspended
over the heads of the people, must at last bs
come iatolerable. But indulge in no such
IT., gloomy forebodngs On the contrary,
= 6-mly believe that the events at Hqrper't
% Ferry, by causing the people to pause ant
" re flect upon this possible peril oftheir cher
10 10 ,hed Institutions, will be the means. unde
Is Providence, Of alayiog the existing excite
~ ment and preventing future outbreaks Of I
- similar character. They will resolve tha
W the Constitut and the Union shall not b,
- endangered by rash couns els, knowing that
- den bowl be broken X at the fountain, !
human power could never re unite the scat
- tered and hostile fragments.
cordially congratulate you Upon the fna
~ settlement by the Supreme Court of tn
!. United States of the question of slavery il
y, the territories which had presented an as
pect so truly formidable at the commence
- ment OF my administration. The right hs
> been established of every citizen to take hi
40 property Of any kind, including slaves, int
- the common territories belonging equally I
~ al the States in the coHfederacy, and to hav
. it protected there under the federal constit,
80 80 ton. Neither Congress nur Territori
~ Legislature nor any human power has an
- authority to annu or impair this vested RICH
The supreme Judicial tribunal OF the countr
he which is Q coordinate branch OF the govern
os ment, has sanctioned and affirmed thes
m principles OF constitutional law, SO man
Iy testify just In themselves, and so we'll ca
Iv culated to promote peace and harmon
~ among the States. 1t is striking proof {
10 the sense of justice which is inherent in ou
nd people, that the property in slaves has ne'
or er been disturbed, to MY knowledge, in an
-. of the territories. Even throughout the lat
~ troubles in Kansas there had not been an
:" attempt, as | am credibly informed. to intel
- fere in a single instance with the right {
the master. Had any such attempt bee
= made, the judiciary would doubtless have o.
forded an ample remedy. Should they fa
no to do this hereafter, it will then be tim
Ds enough to strengthen their hands by furthe
~ ~ legislation. Had it been decided that eithe
-, :" Congress or the territorial legislature poi
SS .ko nowap IN nnnnI 0r imUair the rtOh