The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-01-16
The Presiaen.,s special Message.

snres - | believed would have the effect Of
tranquiliEing the country it rom the
peril in which it had been needlessly and most
unfortunately thrown. -
Those opinions and Recommendations ! do
not propose now to repeat. Ny owR convIc-
tons upon the whole subject remain unchang.
ed. The fact that great calamity was i'm
pending DER the nation was, even at that time,
acknowledged by every intelligent citizen. Ii
had already made itseli ielt through the length
and breadth Of the land The necessary con-
sequences Of the alarm thus produced were most
dsplorable. Imports iell ofwith rapidity new
er known before. except in time Ct war. in the
history Of our fereigp commerce.. The Treasu-
ry was Unexpectedly left without means, which
il had reasonably counted upon, 10 meet the
public engagements. Trade was parslyzed, man
ufactures were stopped, the best public securi
ties suddenly sunk in the market, every species
Of property deprsciatsd more, or less, and thou.
sands Of poor men, who depended upon their
daily labor for their daily bread, were turned
out Of employment. -, -.s5 - 49,. --- .-e
/ deeply regret that lam notable to give you
any Information upon the state Of the Union
which ia mure satisfactory than what was
obliged TO communicate the contrary, mat
'ers are still worse At present than they were.
When Congress met, strong hope pervaded
the whole public mind that some alnicable sd-
justment. Of the subject would be speedily made
by the Representatives. OF the States, which
might restore peace between the conflicting
sections OF the country, That hope has been
diminished by every hour OF delay, and as the
prospect Of bloodless settlement fades away,
Ihe public distress becomes more and more ag-
gravated. AS an evidence OF this, it IS only ne.
-,
the act of the 18th of December last were ad-
vertised according to law, and that no respon
sible bidder offered to take any considerable
sum at par at lower rate of interest than
1 twelve per cent. -. ss "a, .~.,.s.t.s-s sas
| From these facts it appears that, in govern
lnent organized like ours, domestic strife, or e.
ven a well grounded tear OF civil hostililes. is
| more destructive Of our public and private in
terests than the most formidable :vregn war.
| In my annual Message depressed the con
| yiction, which have long deliberately held,
| and which rece t reflection has only tended to
deepen and confirm, that no State has the right
by its own act TO secede from the Union, or
throw off its federal obligations at pleasure /
also declare my opinion to be that, even if that
right existed. and should be exercised by any
State Of the con ederacy, the Executive depart
ment Of this government had no authority un-
der the constitution to recognize its validity by
acknowledging the independence Of such State.
This lett me no alternative, as the chief execu-
tive officer under the Constitution OF the Uni
States, but to collect the public revenues and
protect public property, so lar as this might be
practicable under existing laws This Is sill
INV purpose. NV province is TO execute, not to
make laws II belongs to Congress exclusively
to reveal, modify or enlarge their provisions to
meet the exigencies as hey occur. | possess no
dispensing power. | certainly had no right TO
make an aggressing war upon any State, and |
am perf city satisfied that the Constitution has
wisely withheld that power even from Congress.
But the right and the duty 10 use military lorce
defensive iy, against those who resist the eder
al officers in the execution OF their legal iunc-
tions and against thuse who assail the property
of the ledersl government. is clear and undenia.
Bile. But the dangerous and hostile attitude OF
the States towards each other has already Tar
transcended and cast into the shade the ordina.
ry executive duties already provided for by law
and has assumed such vast and alarming pre-
portions as to place the subject enllrely aOoye
and beyond executive control, The lact cannos
be disguised that We are in the midst Of agreat
| reyolution. Therefore, / commend the qies
| tion To Congress-. as the only human tribunal
under Providence possessing the p,wer to meet
| the EXISTING emergency. 10 thein exclusively
belongs the power to declare war, or to author,
ize the employment Of military lorce In all CO
SOS con EN- plated by she Constitution and they
lone pessss the power 10 remove all the gfieVan,
ces which might Lead to war, aud secule peace
and union to this distracted country. on tns,n,
and on them alone, rests the responsibility. Ihs
Unpn il sacred trust, ieit by our Revolution
sry fathers ior their descendants, and never dc
any other people inherit ~ rich legacy. J.
has rendered Us prosperous IN peace aud trium
plant IN war. The national Tag has hoa,ed II
glory over every SEA, and under Its shadow A
nerican citizens have iound pretection and rs
lspect in all lands beneath The sun. II we de
Escend to considerations oipursiy material lnter
est, where, IN the history OF MI time, has Cor
iedersey been bound together b, such stronl
ties of mui usl interest Each pcrtlon q u u
dependent upon all, and all upon each portion
br prosperity and domestic security. Free
trade throughout the whole supplies the wants
OF one portien from the pruductions oi another
and scatters wealth everywhere. lhe great
Iplan ing and farming States require the aid 9
the commercial and navigating states u send
their productions 70 iOreign and doinestIc mar
kels, aud furnish the naval power 70 re"ds
their transportation secure against sll hosul'
attacks. s.es 7s sear Wa gslt@ f.sA al
| Should the Union perish in the midst of ths
present excitement. we have already had SAL
fore.aste oi the universal suffering which wo'e
result from It's destruc iun. rhe calamity, wo'd
be severe in every portion of The Ua,on and
would be quits as great, to say the least in ths
Southern as in the Northern States, s
/ The greatest aggravation Of the evil and thai