Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-01-23
THE NATIO&Aa1 CRISIS.
Special Message Of the President.

threatened the existence of the Union ex-
pressed my opinion freely concerning the orig
Inal causes of these dangers and recommen-
Ged such measures | believed would have
1 the effect of traDquilizing the country, and
saving it from the peril in which it had been
neediessly and most unfortunately involved.
Ihqs. opinions and recommendations | do
! pcsPJses pov to repeat. My convictions upon
the whole subject remain unchanged. The
fact that great calamity was impending over
the nation was even at that time acknowledge
ed by every intelligent citizen. 1t had hard
| ly made itself felt throughout the length and
breadth of the land. The necessary conse-
quences of the alarm thus produced were
most deplorabe. The imports fell off with
| rapldity never known before, except in time
OF war, IN the history of our foreign commerce.
| i he Treasury was unexpectedly left without
! the means which 1t had reasonably counted
upon to meet Its public engagements, trade
was paralyzed. manufactures were stopped.
the best public securities suddenly sank In
the market, every species of property depreci-
| ated more or less, and thousands of poor men.
who depended or their daily labor for their
daily bread. were turned out of employment
deeply regret that l am not able to give you
| any information upon the state of the Union
which is more satisfactory than what | was
! then obliged to communicate. On the con-
| trary. matters are still worse at the present
time than they then were. When Congress
met strong hope pervaded the whole pub
/ lie mind that some amicable adjustment of the
subject would be speedily made by the Rep
resentatives of the States and of the people.
which might restore peace between Ihe con-
fiIcting sections of the country. That hope
has been dimiDished by every hour of delay.
and as the prospect of bloOdless settlement
fades away. the public distress becomes more
and more aggravated. As All evidence of this
il is only necessary to say that the Treasury
notes authorized by the act of the 18th of
December last. were advertised according to
law, and that responsible bidder offered to
take any considerable sum at par. or at a
lower rate of interest than II per cent
trom these facts It appears that, in a govern
menf organized ike ours. domestic strife, or
even well grounded fear of civil hOstilities, !
Is more destructive to our public OF private
interests, than the most formidable foreign
war.
In my annual message expressed the con-
vction, which | have long deliberately held I
aud which recent reflection has only tended !
to deepen and confirm, that no State has the 4
right, by its own act, to secede from this I
Union, or throw off its Federal allegiance at 1
pleasure. l also declared nv opinion to be. |
that, even if that right existed and should /
be exercised by any State of the Confederacy. /
the Executive Department of this Govern /
ment had no authority, under the Constitu- /
ton, to recognize Its validity, by acknowledg- |
ing the Independence of such State.
This left me no alternative as the Chief
Executive officer under the Constitution of
the United States, but to collect the public
]
far as this might be practicable under the ex-
listing laws. This is still my purpose. My
province is to execute, not make the laws
Ii belongs to Congress exclusively, to repeal.
modify enlarge their provisions to meet
I xigencies as they occur. L possess 10 dis
peDsing power. L certainly had no right to
make an aggressive war upon any state, and
am perfectly satisfied that the Constitution
has wisely withheld that power even from
Congress. But the right and duty to use the
military force defensiyely against those who
resist the Federal officers in the execution of
their legal functions, and against those who
assail the property of the Federal Govern
ment, is clear and undenable. Bu, :he dan
gerous and hostile attitude of States towards
each other, has already far transcended and
cast into the shade tue ordinary executive du-
ties already provided for by law aud has as
sumed such vast and alarming proportions as
to place the subject entirely above and beyond
tbe Executive control The fact cannot be
disguised that we are In the midst of great
Revolution In all its various bearings, /
therefore commend the question to Congress
as the only human tribunal under Providence
the power to meet the existing
emergency To them exclusively belongs
the power to declare war or authorize the en-
MI fpd nv !
The constitution, and they alone possess the
power TO remove the grievances which might
cad to war. and to secure peace and union to
his distracted country. On them, and on
tnem alone, rests the responsibility.
The Union is a sacred trust left by our
fathers to their descendants. aud
never did any other people inherit so rich a
egacy. 1t has rendered US prosperous in
peace and, triumphant in war. The national
lag has loated with glory over every sea
Uuder its shadow American citizens have
found protection and respect In all lands be-
nesth the sun. If we descend to considera-
lions of purely material interest, when, 10 the
history Of all time, has Confederacy been
bound together with such strong ties of mutu-
al interest? Each portion of it is dependant
On all. and all upon each portion for prosper
ty aud domestic security. A free trade
throughout the whole supplies ths wants of
one portion from the productions of another,
and scatters wealth everywhere. The great
planting and farming States require. and the
navigating States send their pro-
ductions to domestic and foreign markets,
ard furnish a naval power to render their
secure against all hostile at
tacks. Should the Union perish in the midst
of the present excitement, We have already
had . sad foretaste Of the universal suffering