The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-12-13

powers. The President declares that to |
make war upon a state at variance with |
the spirit of the Constitution, and after
having conquered State, how are wa 10
govern ii? We could not govern it by |
despotic power. nor could not by physical |
force compel its people to elect Senstor
and Representative, and petorm all other
duties apperainiug to An independent
State. The fact is that our Union resls
upon public opinion, and can never be ce-
mented by the blood of It's citizens shed in
civil war. iii; cannot live in the affec-
tons of the people. it must one day perish
Congress possesses many means OF pre-
serving it by Cancellation. but the sword
is net placed in their hands to preserve it
by force. But may be permitted sol
emnly to invoke my countrymen to pause
and deliberate before they determine to de-
stroy this the grandest temple which has
ever been dedicated to human freedom
since the world began. It has been con-
secrated By the blood Of our fathers, by the
elories Of tbe past. and by the hopes Of
the future. The Union has already made
us the most prosperous. and ere long will.
if preserved, render us the most powerful
nation on tie face Of the earth. In every
far region Of the globe the Tile Of Ameri-
can citizens is held in the highest respect
and when pronounced in foreign lands il
causes the hearts Of our c0untrymen to
swell with honest pride Surely when we
reach tie brink of the yawning abyss we
shall reccil with horror from the fatal
plunge. By such a dread catastrophe the
the hopes of the friends OF freedom al. over
the world be destroyed. and a long night
of leaden des7oiism would enshroud the
nations. Our example for more than
eighty years would not only be lost, but it
would be quoted rs conclusive proofthat
man is unit for self government. The
slavery question, like everything human.
will have its day. | firmly believe
that it has already reached and passed the
eliminating point, but if in the midst of
the existing excitement, the Union shall
perish, the evil may then become irrepar-
able. Congress can contribute much TO
avoid it by proposing and recommending
TO the Legislatures Of the several States
the remedy for existing evils, which the
Constitution has itself provided for its own
preservation. The President proposes
that his explanatory amendment to the
Constitution be adopted by Congress for
tho final settlement of the true construc-
ton OF the Constitution on three special
points An express recognition OF the
right Of property in slaves in the States
where it now exists, or may hereafter ex-
ist. The duty of protecting this right in
all the common territory Throughout their
territorial existence, and until thew shall
be admitted as States in the Union, with
II without slavery. as their constitutions
n.sy prescribe. A like recognition of the
rieht Of The matter to have his slave who
has escaped from one State to another re-
stored and delivered up to him. and o!
The validity of the fugitive slave law en-
acted for this purpose, together with a
declaration that all State laws impairing or
defeating this right are violations Of the
Constitution. and are consequently null
and void. Such an explanatory amend
ment would, it is believed, forever termin-
ate the existing dissensions and restore
peace and harmony among the States
The President then discusses our foreign
relations. Our relations with Spain have
been complicated by the refusal of the SEN
} ate to ratity the contract for the adjust
msnt of the Cuba claim SO called. The
President reiterates his commentator for
the acquisition of Cuba BY fair purchase
: With the exception of Mexico. our rela-
tons are generally Of satisfactory char
! acter. In relation to Kansas, the Presi-
dent says the desperate band recently as
scm5led under notorious outlaw in the
, the southern portions Of the Ter
? ritory. to resist the execution of the laws
r and pIunder peaceable citizens, will,
} doubt not, be speedily subdued aad
7 brought 10 justice, He recommends a
5 Pacific railway. Congra,ulates the coun-
try upon the apparent diminuiion of the
J slave trade. and the extinction of the fill
1 clustering sentiment. and in view of the
2 destitution in Kansas recommends to Con
gress that ifany constitutional measure oi
relief can be devised. that the subject
: should be duly considered.