The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-03-06

modes prescribed in tho instrument itself,
and | should, under existing circumstan-
ces, favor rather than oppose q fair oppor-
tunity being afforded to act upon it. l
will venture to add that to me the con
vention mode seems preferable, in that
il deems amendments to originate with
the people themselves, instead Of only
permitting them 10 take or reject PROPOSE
tons originated by others not especially
chosen for the purpose, and which might
not precisely suit, as they would wish
others TO accept or refuse.
understand proposed amendment
to the constitution-which amendment,
however, / have not seen-has passed
Congress, to the effect that the Federal
government shall never interfere with the
domestic institutions of States, including
that of persons held to service. To avoid
misconstruction of what / have said, L
depart from my purpose not TO speak of
particular amendments so far as 10 say
that, holding such provision to now be
implied in the constitutional law, l have
no objection to its being made express
and irrevocable.
The Chief Magistrate derives all his
authority from the people, and they have
conferred none upon him TO fix the term
for the separation of the States. The
people themselves alone can do this, if
they choose; but the Executive, as such,
has nothing to do with it. His duty is
to admister the present government as it
came TO his hands, and to transmit it, I'M
impaired by him, to his successor Why
should there not be political confidence
in the ultimate justice of the peopleG Is
there any better or equal hope in the
worlds In our present differences, is Ell
tber party without faith of being in the
right? If the Almighty Ruler of nations,
with eternal truth and justice, be on your
side of the North or on yours of the
South, that truth and justice will surely
prevail by the judgment of this great. tri-
bunal, the great American people. BY
the frame of the government under which
we live this same people have wisely Civ
en- their public servants but little power
for mischief, and have, with equal wisdom,
provided for the return of that little 70
their hands at very short intervals
While the people retain their virtue and
vigilance no administration, by any ex-
treme wickcdness or folly, can very seri-
ously injure the government in the short
space of four years.
My countrymen, one and all, think
calmly and well upon this whole subject
Nothing valuable can be lost by taking
time. If there be an object to hurry any
Of you in hot haste to step which you
would never take deliberately, that object
will be frustrated by taking time; bu. nc
good object can be frustrated by it. Such
Of you as are now dissatisfied still have
the old constitution, unimpaired on the
sensitive point, and the laws of your owl
under it. The new administration will
have no power, if it would, to change
either. If it were admitted that you
who are dissatisfied hold the right side Of
the dispute, there still is no single reason
for precipitate action.
Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity,
and firm reliance on Him who has nev.
or forsaken ills favored land are still com.
petent to adjust in the best way all oul
present difficulties. In your hands, my
dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in
mine, is the momentous issue of civil war
The government will not assail you. You
can have no conflict without being
yourselves the aggressors. You have
no oath registered in heaven to destroy
the government, while | shall have the
most solemn duty to preserve, protect and
defend it.
l am 10th to close. We are not enc
mics, but friends. We must not be enc
mics. Though passion may have strain
ed, il must not break, our bonds of Union
The mystic chords of memory, stretching
from every battlefield and patriots grave
TO every living heart and hcarthstonc al
over this broad land will yet swell The
} chorus of the Union when again touched
as surely they will be, by the better an
gels of our nature.