The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-12-08
Che Cecil ll)bio.
Ei.KToN, DECEMBEHs, lsoo.
The President and Secession.

For month past he eyes Of the political
friends and f,cs Of the President. all over the
country, have been directed to him as the per-
son Of ali others, perhaps. most likely to fur.
nish solution. in his Annual Message to Con.
grcss, Of the difficulties now b,setting the gov
eminent. His friends looked in confidence.
while his opponents, in spite Of their fears of
what has been termed Mr. Buci,anan's char.
acteristic timidity. were in hopes the en,er.
gency would raise him above the unfavorable
influences supposed to surround him in q
cabinet divided in opinion upon questions
vital to the interest and perpe,sity Of the
government. and inspire him with that
decision sn1 courage so necessary to his re.
spensible ard trying position in this crisis.
His Message furnishes sufficient e3ilrnce Of
n desire TO act "well and wisely in this hour
ofperil 10 the Republic, and. as We prog, es.
ssd with the reading Of that portion Of it in
which he discusses, so .bly, the question Of
the right Of sectssioh, the impression become
stronger and mole encouraging. that the
Presidents patriotic desire TO save the
country from destruction had overcome all
the difficulties Of the case. Anl furnished the
mo,'us operondi by which the gordian knot Of
our troubles would either be united or
severed.
Like ninety.nine Of every hundred of those
who have read dis document, however, We
we're doomed to suffer q Sad disappoint
ment, and we arose from the reading OF
that part Of the Message in which the Presi.
dent so illogicully concud.s Tint the Cons,i,u.
ton has not conferred the power upon Con-
gress to enforce obedience to its own enact.
mcnts.-for that is the real question involved
in secession with the dsl,car,ening convic.
tien that, instead Of throwing oil upon the
troubled waters. and calming the storm now
raging around, and threatening to involve in
ruin our hitherto glorious country. the Mes,
sage, like the lurid glare of the lightning
only reveals to the terrified occupants of tn,
Ship Of State the pcrilous reefs upon which
they are rapidly and hopelessly driving.
The argument Of the President against the
right of Secession by State is irresistible. II
is digest oil the opinions -four aoles, States
man. and is complete, needing no addi;iona
word to render it convincing to the minds o
reasonable men. 1t seems. therefore. truly
astonishing, that the President, after foil ow
ing Mr.. Madison. in his conclusive argument.
on the same point, so far, was able to resis
the inevitable inference Of that great man S
view Of the question. as stated by himself
that il is not necessary to find q right &c
coerce inihe federal articles. shat being in
htrent ii,the compact" The singular posi-
tons Of The Message upon the right of Con
grrss Under the Constitution to enforce OBJ
dicnce to tsown laws, can only be accounted
for upon the suppositon that the President.
characteristic indtciSion .rasr been taken adj
vantage Of by the disunlonists around him
and in his counsels, in order to aggravate tn,
difficulties Of the nation. and render peace
full solution of its troubles almost impossible
The countcnarce given by the Message to ;ht
secrSSionsts, in their eaSonablc designs
against the unity Of the government, will. VT
fear, tend TO a precipitation Of all the evils o
dissolution.