The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1860-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsllop eitisns Of the Senate
and House of RepTeseHfatiues.

Throughout the year, since our last meet ing the \
sI interests % Ths general Ssah las Ssen % eTc.Is1 m ms
,uT harveas have been abundant and plenty smiles I
throughout the land Our commerce and manufactures
nave been prosecuted with energy and industry, and
have yielded fair and smple returns In short no ma
lion In the tide Of time has presented spectacle Of
greater material prosperity than we have done until
within very recent period. Ia
prevails, and the Union Of the States, which Is the
Of all these blessings is threatened with destruc
ons The ongcontinued and ntemperate interference
Of the Northern people with the question Of slavery In
the Southern States has at length produced ts natural
effects. The different sections OF the Union
rayed against each other and the time has arrived, so
much dreaded by the Father Of his Country, when hos
tile geographical parties have been formed. have long
foreseen, and often forewarned my countrymen OF the
now impending danger This does rot proceed solely
from the claim the part Of Congress the Territorial
Legislatures TO exclude slavery from the Territories, nor
from the efforts Of different States to defeat the execu
ton Of the fugitive slave law. All or any Of these evils
might have been endured by the South without danger
the Union, las others have heen In the hope that time
and reflection might apply the remedy. The immediate
peril arises not much from these causes as from the
TACT that the incessant and violent agitation Of the sla
very question throughout the North for the last quarter
Of century, has at length produced Its magn influence
on the slaves and inspired them with vague lotions Of
freedom Hence q OF security no longer exists
around the family altar This feeling Of Ieace home
has given place to approximations ofserve nsurectlon.
Many maron throughout the South reIires at night
dread Of what may befa herself and her children before
the morning. Should this apprehension Of domestic
danger whether real imaginary, extend and intensity
itself until It shall peryade the mass Of the Southern
people, then dsunion will become inevitable. eelfpre
seryaHon IL the first Law Of nature, and has been i'm
planted in the heart Of man by his Creator for the wses
purpose and political union however fraught with
blessings and benefits In all other respects long
tnue II the necessary Consequence be TO render the
homes and the hresideS Of nearly half the parties to 1t
hAbnally and hopelessly insecure. Sooner or lattr
the bonds Of such Union must be severed. II Is my
conviction that this fatal period has not yet arrived and
my prayer 10 God Is that He would preserve the const
.ntion and the Union throughout all generations.
But let uS take warning In time, and the
Of danger It cannot he denied that for Eve and twenty
years the agitation at the North against slavery In the
eouth has been incessant. In 1888 pictorial hand bills,
and infammatoEy appeals, were circulated extensively
throughout the South Of character to excite the pas
sons Of the slaves and In the language OF General Jack
Gen. "to stimulate them to insurrecton, and produce all
the horrors Of seryile war;" This agitation has ever
since bsen continued by the public press by the proceed
ings OF State and county conventions, and by abolition
sermons and lectures. The time OF Congress has been
occupied in violent speeches on this ding sub
iect and appeals In pamphlet and other foms endorsed
by distinguished names, have been sent forth from this
central point and spread broadcast the Union.
How easy would Il be for the American PEOPLE to settle
the slavery question forever, and to restore peace and
harmony to this distracted coutry.
They and they alone, do IT, All that's necessary
10 accomplish the object and all for which the slave
states have ever conended Is to be let alone. and per
mitted TO manage their domestic institutions In their
own way As sovereign States, they and they alone
responsible before God and the world for the slavery
sng among n..bs and bsvs awe m Pore ,saht ~ ~.
, s NV hn vbsimar nsttutionsin Russia or in nm.
all Upon their good sense and patriotic forbearance con
Tess at greatly rely without their aid II Is beyond
ne noWer Of any PRECEDENT no matter what NAV be hIs
@ Pn,,,,csi prncyitIes 40 restore peace and harmony
among the States Wisely limited and restrained Il
his poWor under our Constitution and laws he alone car
scdwnh int little for good or for evil on such mo
mentous question.
And this brings me 10 observe that the election Of an
one OF our feowcitlzens to the Office OF President doe
tnft tlaatf afn ina
mS ore ssnecs,iy true II his has been eec
ed by mere plurality, and not majority, OF the peo
Pe, a'u hih nav rrobabIv never again occnr In ar
dsr 10 insfy resort to Revolutionary resistance th
FedeTa oyernment must be guilty Of "a deliberate pal
s,a and dangerous exercse Of powers not granted b
~ C,n.ti,niIon The late presidential election how
vsr ms ieen held in strict conformity with It's expires
nrovisIons How then, can the result Justify revolu
Sss,rov Ihisyer ConstituiIon7 Reason Iustce
@ w tor he 10 stitutlon ali reauire that We sbal
vail some overt and dangerous act on the part Of tn
prss,dcntelect before resorting to such rem edy
ala howeyer that the antecedents OF tho Pres
49, bevs Leen ,uacient 10 usify the fears of m
a.h ~, he viii attempt 10 invade their tlona
nh,. mt are such Of contingent dar
ger ID s 'Sa noSIsst svtem of government ever II
S,Sst INV moralsI From the very nature Of his ofic
bah responaIblItles he must necessarily be col
t,h w Tha sleyn dutv of alminstrInq the yast nr
t,s,sA cnpserns Of ihis joyernment affords In
s.,1 sna,sn,ee that no will not attempt any violation
,s nnn.titn,ionsi right After all he ia no mo
~ shs che oxecullye officer Of the Government,
rn,ncs Il NOT 70 make, but to execute The laws al
IsmsrkSbs fact in cur history, that no
whsandins the repeated efforts Of the antsayery pa
,mo..Is,v ~ sxcent The Missouri CompromIse imparn
M Ky .,sbto,t degree, the tights Of the souh 10 the
properly In slaves And 4 may also be observed Iud
ng a vn na'saVe oi such An act, by majority OF no
ouss either IL the present The next congress. Sure
under these circumstances, We ought 70 be restrain
iOm an .noTs nat s,suflcient unto lbe day II 4
aS tbsrso The day Of evil may never come, uni,
we we ,haIi rashly bring II upon ourselves.
,hsn atstes are dened eouai lights with lie o,b
ne hs common Territories yut by what author
are these deniedi Not by Congress, which has ne,
psSs,, from these Terr,ores and certainly not by