Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-12-07
NJ + S s 4 & e.
Fel'om-citizens of The Senate
and the House of Representatives. ::


vests have been abundant. and plenty smiles
throughout the land. Our commerce and
manufactures have been prosecuted with en-
ergy and industry, and have yielded fair and
ample returns. 10 short, no nation in the
tide of time has ever presented spectacle of
greater material prosperity than we have
done until within very recent period
Why is it, then, that discomfort now so
ey tensively prevails, and the Union of the
States, which is the source of all these bless
! ipgs, 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 It's natural effects. The different
sections of the Union are now arrayed against
each other, and the tims has arrived, SO
much dreaded by the Father Of his Country,
when hostile geographical parties have been
formed. | have long foreseen and often fore
warned my countrymen Of the now impend-
| ing danger. This does not proceed solely
from the claim on the part Of Congress or
| the territorial legislatures TO exclude slavery
| from 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 with
out 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
incessant and violent agitation of the slavery
question throughout the North for the last
| quarter Of d century, has at length produced
its malign influence on the slaves, and
| inspired them with vague notions Of freedom
| Hence a sense Of security no logger exists
around the family altar. This feeling Of
peace at home has given place to apprehen-
siOns Of servile instruction. Many matron
| throughout the South, retires at night in
dread Of what may bsialI herself and her
| cElldren before the morning. Should this
| apprehension Of domestic danger. whether
| real or imaginary, extend and intensity itself
until il shall pervade the masses Of the
Southern people, then disuni0n will become
inevitable. Self-preservati0n is the first law
Of nature. and has baen implanted in the
heart of man by his Creator for the wisest
purpose and no political union, however
iranght with blessings and benefits in other
respects, can long continue, if the necessary
consequence be to render the homes and the
fresides of nearly half the parties TO it hab-
ltualy and hopelessly insecure. Sooner or
later the bonds of such Union must be
severed. 1t is my conviction that this fatal
period has not yet arrived and my prayer
to God is that he would preserve the Consti-
tuition and the Union throughout all genera
tons
But let US take warning in time, and re-
move the cause OF danger. It cannot be de-
MED that, for five and twenty years, the agi-
tatiln at the North against slavery in the
South has been incessant. In 1885 pictorial
handbills, and infammatOry appeals. were
circulated extensively throughout the South,
of a character to excite the passions of the
slaves and, in the language of General
jackson, 'tO stimulate them to instruction,
and produce all the horrors Of servile war,
This agitation has ever since been continued
by the public press, by the proceedings Of
State and county conventions, and by abOll-
ton sermons and lectures. The time OF
Congress has been occupied in violent speech
es on this never ending subject and appeals
in pamphlet or other forms, endorsed by dis
tinguished names, have been sent forth from
this central point, and spread broadcast over
the Union.
How easy would it be for the American
people tC settle the slavery question for ever,
and to restore peace and harmony to this dis
tracted country.
They, and they alone, can do it, All that
is necessary to accomplish the object, and all
for which the slave States have ever contend
ed, is 10 be let alone, and permitted TO man
age their domestic Institutions in their own
way. As sovereign States, they. and thew
alone, are responsible before God and the
world for the slavery existing among them.
For this the people of the North are no more
responsible, and have no more right to inter-
iere, than with similar institutions in Pusia
or in Brazil. Upon their good sense and
patriotic fOrbelrance | confess | still greatly
rely. Without their aid, it is beyond the
power of any President, no matter what
may be his own political proclivitlos, to res
tore peace and harmony among the States.
Wisely limited and restrained as is his power.
under our Constitution and laws, he alone
can accomplish but little, for good or for evil.
On such a momentOus question.
And this brings me to observe that the
election of any one our feliow-citizens to the
Office of President does not oF itself afford
Just cause for disSOlving the Union. This Is
more especially true is his election has been
effected by a mere plurality. and not 4 ma
Jority Of the people, and has resulted from
transient and temporary causes, which NAV
probably never again occur. In order r.
Justify 4 resort to revolutionary Resistance,
the Federal Government must be guilty of
"a deliberate, pulpable, anu DANGEROUS txer-
else Of powers not granted by the Cousti
tuition. The late Presidential election how.
ever, has been held in STREET c1mfornltv
with ITS express provisions. How, then. can
the result Justify revolution 10 Destroy this
very Constitution? Reason, justice, 4 r.
saEd Tor tte Constitution, eli require that
We shall Wal. ter some overt ana dinrerous
act On the part OF the President elect before
r5SJrt.ng to sIch Il remedy
1t is said, however, teat the antac,dzpts |
Of tie President elect have been sufficient ?, |
justify the fears OF the South that ne will at /
tempt to invade their constitutional RIGHTS 1
But are such aprrehensioES Of CONTINGENT /
LANCER IN the future sufficient TO justify the /
destruction Of the nOb!est system .
o. government ever devised by mortals p
FROM the very nature Of his Office, and its
high responsibilities, he must necessarily ba
conservative. The stern duty Of administer
Ing the vast and complicated concerns Of this
government affords in itself 4 guarantee that
he Will not attempt any violation Of ii clear
constitutional right. After all, he is no
more than the chief executive officer of the
7OFeLHHeut. MS province IS not To make |
but TO execute, the laws and it Is IL re-
TACT in our history, that, notwilh-
standing the repeated Efforts Of the anti
slavery party, no single act has ever passed
Congress, unless we may possibly except the
Missouri Compromise, lmpalring. in tine
ightest degree, the rights of the South to
heir property in slaves. And it nav also
re observed. judging from the present indi-
atlons, that no probability exists of the pas
age OF such an act, by a majority of both
Houses. either in the present or the next
congress Surely, under these circumstances
Te ought to be restrained from present
elton by the preceps of Him who snake AZ
ever man spoke, that Sufficient unto the
ay Is the evil thereof" The day Of evil
lay never come, unless we shall BRING il
pom ourselves.
1t IS alleged as one cause for immediate Sc i
esslon that the Southern states are denied
1nai lights with the other states in the com J
ION Territories. But by what authority are
lese denied? Not by Congress, which has t
ever passed, and believe never will pass. I
ny act to exclude slavery from these Terri
and ~. =