Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-01-18
The President's Message.

threatenci the existence OF the Union.
expressed my opinion ircc'y concerning tho
original causes OF these dangers. and recon.
menied such measures as I believed would
have the effect Of tranquiliIin: the country,
saving II from the peril ia which IL had been
. necdlc.sly AMI most unfortunately thrown.
Those opinions and Recommendations | do
= not propose now 10 repeat. Ny own con-
vic,ions upon tho whole subject remain un.
changed. Tho fact that great calamity
was impending over the nation was even at
that time acknowledged by every intelli-
: gent citizen. IL had already made itself
felt throughout the length and breadth Of
7, the land. The necessary consequences OF
the alarm thus produced were most deplor.
able. The imports fell OF with rapidity
never known bo.Orc. except in time Of war,
in the history oi our foreign commerce.
, The Treasury was unexpectedly left with
out means. which ii had reasonably count.
cd uron to NEE, its public engagements.
Trade was paralyIcd, manufactures were
stopped, the best public securities suddenly
sunk ia the market, every species Of proper
~ deprecated moro or less. and thousand,
OF poor men. wh' depended upon their daily
labor FOR their daily bread were turned out
OF employment.
dc,ply regret that am not able TO give
you any information upon the state ol tho
Union. which u more satisfactory than what
! was then obliged 10 communicate. In
the contnry. matters are s,ill worse a,
present than they then were. When Con-
grc-. me, .,ron: ho.e perSaded the whole
public mind that some amicablo adjustment
- ,...1l - .,....ltl.g ht
the representatives, OF the States. which
might restore poace between the conflicting
sections Of the country. Tha. hope has
been demolished by every hour OF delay,
ani as the prospect Of blool!c's settlement,
fades away, the public d,s,rsss becomes
more and more aggravated. ~ an evidence
of this. IL j. only necessary 20 say the rras-
ury notes authorized hy the act ot the lIih
of December last, we're advertised according
to law. and that no responsible bidder odtr.
ei 20 take any considerable SUN at par at y
lower rate OF interest than twelve per cent.
From thee facts u appears that in gov.
ernmcnt. lrsiuiEI like ours domestic strife,
or even well. grounded fear oi ciyil hostl.
i,ics. j. more destructive of our public Rui
private interests than the most formidable
foreign war.
In my Annual Message expressed tho
conviction. which have long deliberately
held. aud which recent reflection has only
tended to dccpcn and confirm, that no State
has the right bs its own &C; 10 scccic from
the Union. or throw OF u, FEDERAL obliga.
tons at pleasure. ! also dsclarc nv opln.
ION to be that even il tha, rish, existed, and
should b. exercised by any State OF the Con.
ic,lrracy. the Executive Department Of this
Government has no authority, under the
Constitution. 20 recognize Its validity, by
acknowledging tho Independence OF such
State. This left me no alternative. a. the
chief executive officer under the Cunstitu-
ton oi the United States. but To collect the
public revenues and protect the public
property. ~ far as ui sht D. practicable un-
der eIlsiin. laws. Thi, is It'll my purp,s'
Ny province is 10 execute. not 10 make the
LAWS. IL belong. q Congress exclusively O.
rrpeal. modify, or enlarge thoir provision.
70 meet cliscncIcs as they may occur
possess m dispensing power. certainly
had no right 10 make aggressive VAR upon
any STATE. and am Perfectly s4iI-iei that
the Constitution has wisely withheld that
pow r. even from COngrcss.
But the right and the duty u use miIl'
iary fore. deirnsi-ely against those who re-
,st the Federal officers m the execution OF
their legal functions. and against iho.s wno
assall the property vi the Federal Govern
mrut. Is clear aud undvniablc. But tho
dangerous and hostile attitude Of the States
toward each other has already lar 'ran.cenf-
"a ani ca.t into the shade the ordinary tx
ecuuSe duties already provided Tor by law.
aud ha. assumed such ,a.t aud alarming
proportion. as 20 place the subJec, entirely
above and beyond Executive control. The
fact cannot be disguised that we are IA the
mid., of great revolution. Therefore,
recommend thu question t. Congress ss tho
only human tribunal under Providence pos.
sessin: the power 10 meet the EXISTING emer.
.ency. 10 them. exclusively, belongs the
power o. declare war or tO authorize the
employment vi military force in all eases
contemplated by the Constitution, and they
alone possess the power % remove ali tho
grievances which might lead TO war. and to
secure peace and union % this distracted
country. On them. and on them alone,
rests the responsibility. The Union is u
sacred trust. LETT by our revolutionary
fathers for their descendants, AMI never did
any other pcoplc inherit 50 rich legacy.
IL has rendered us prosperous IN peace ami
triumphant IN war. Tho national ilac has
hOatei IN glory over every sea, and under
us shadow American citizens have found
protection and respect IN al lands beneath
the sun. II We de-ccnd 10 considerations Of
purely material interest, when in the his.
tory of all time has confederacy been
b1Gnd together bv such strong ties OF mu-
tual interest? Each portion c. i.is dcpend.
rnt upon all, and all upon each portion. Tor
prosperity and domestic security. Free
trade throughout the whole supplies the
want. Of one portion from the productions
oi another, aLd scat,ers wealth everywhere.
The crea, planting aud farming States r..
ouirs the aii Of the commercial and pa,i.
eating State. TO send their productions to
domestic and foreign markets, and furnish
the naval power tO render their ,ranspOria.
ton sccuse against all hostile attacks.
/. Should the Union perish in the midst OF
the present excitement. We have already had
u sad iOretas,e Of the universal suffering
which would result in iis destruction. The
calamity would be severe in every portion
Of the unlon. and would DO quite as great.
to say the least. in the Southern as IN the
Northern States.
The greatest ag.rava,ion Of the evil, ani
that which would place Us in the mos, un.
favorable light. both before the world and
posieriiy, is. as am firmly convinced. that
the secession movement has been chiefly
based upon MISREPRESENTATION a, the South
Of the sentiments Of the majority in several
OF the Northern States. let the question
be answered IRON the political assemblies to
the ballot box, and the people themselves
would speedily redress the serious grleV-
ances which the South have suffered. But
anna La Ill, irial En made ha.