Year: 1860

AAN ~ bAAS1A N"NA "hANh leAo
bestowed upon US such varied and nu-
merous blessings throughout the past
year. The general health of the coun-
try has been excellent; our harvests
have been unusually plentiful, and pros
perity smiles throughout the land. In
deed, notwithstanding our dement's, we
have much reason TO believe, from the
past events in our history, that we have
enjoyed the special protection of Divine
Providence ever since our origin as a ma
ton. We have been exposed to many
threatening and alarming difficulties in
our progress but on each successive oc-
casion the impending cloud has been dis
sipated at the moment it appeared ready
to burst upon our head, and the danger
to our institutions has passed away. May
we ever be under the divine guidance
and protection.


Whilst it is the duty Of the President
from time to time to give to Congress
information of the state of the Union"
/ shall not refer in detail to the recent
sad and bloody occurrences at Harper's
Ferry. Still, it is proper to observe
that these events, however bad and cruel
in themselves, derive their chief import
auce from the apprehension that they are
but symptoms of an incurabie disease in
the public mind, which may break out il
still more dangerous outrages, and termi-
nate at last in an open war by the North
TO abolish slavery in the South. Whilst,
for myself, l entertain no such apprehen-
sion, they ought to afford a solemn warn
ing to US all to beware of the approach
of danger. Our Union is a stake Of such
inestimabie value as to demand our con-
slant and watchful vigilance for its pres
ovation. In this view let me implore my
countrymen, North and South, to culti-
vate the ancient feeling of mutual for
bearance and good will towards each
other, and strive to allay the demon spirit
of sectional hatred and strife now aliye
in the land. This advice proceeds from
the heart of an old public tunctionary
whose services commenced in the last
generation, among the wise and conser-
vative statesmen of that day, now nearly
all passed away, and whose first and
dearest earthly wish is to leave his
country tranquil, prosperous, united and
powerful.


We ought to reflect that in this age
and especially in this country, there is
and incessant fux and refux of public
opinion. Questions which. in their day
assumed most tbreatning aspect, have
now nearly gone from the memory o
men. They are volcanos burnt out, and
on the lava and ashes, and squald scoriae
of old eruptions, grow the peaceful olive
the cheering vine, and the sustaining
corn Such, in my opinion, will prove
to be the fate of the present sectional ex
citement, should those who wisely seek
TO apply the remedy, continue always tC
confne their efforts within the pale O
~ T.-,t.t,eso, II IL h. ,,,,-
sued, the existing agitation on the sub
ject of domestic slavery, like everything
human, will have its day, and give place
to other and less threatening controver
sizes. Public opinion in this country il
all powerful, and when it reaches dan
gerous excess upon any question, th'
good sense of the people will furnish tn
corrective, and bring it back within saf'
limits. Still, to hasten the auspiciou
result, at the present crisis, we ought t.
remember that every rational creature
must be presumed to intend the natura
consequences of his own teachings.


Those who announce abstract doctrine
subversive of the Constitution and tn
Union must not be surprised should thei
heated Partisans advance one step further
and attempt by violence to carry thes
doctrines into practical effect. In thi
view of the subject it ought never to b
forgotten that, however great may hav
been the political advantages resultin
from the Union to every portion of ou
common country, these will all prov
to be as nothing should the time ever al
rive when they cannot be enjoyed with
out serious danger to the personal safet
of the people of fifteen members Of th
confederacy. IL the peace Of the dc
mestic freside throughout these State
should ever be invaded--if the mother
of families within this extensive regio
should not be able TO retire to rest Z
night without suffering dreadful apprt
tensions of what may be their own fat
and that of their children before morr
ing-it would bs vain 10 recount to sue
people the political. benefits which re
suli 10 them from the Union.