Year: 1860

,.,,r,ont has been looked for with considerable


interest in all sections of the Union; in fact, Sc
,ons fears were entertained by the great mass of
4 ..ro loval American hearts, that the President


.rould not take the same high, constitutional po-
4 o,on as that assumed by Jackson, during SIM


.,or crisis to the one which now threatens to pre-
i oinitate the only free Government the world has
.eor known-the most glorious heritage ever be-
oueathed by immortal patriots to their children
into state of anarchy, chaos and ruin. But all


doubts as to the Presidents course are removed /;
ho is for preserving the Union by virtue Of the
Constitution, relying upon the patriotism of the
,ocsos His views in reference to secession and
d;suniop are similar to those of Gen Jackson,
\ o,d he even quotes the language of that noble
old patriot to sustain his position.


Our space is too limited to publish the message
cntre and can only give a synopsis.


Cause OF THE PRESENT AGITATIoN.--Th Pres
;1ent starts out by giving the following reasons


for the present deplorable state of bitter feeling
in the South:


The long continued and Incorporate inter
ference of the Northern people with the question
of slavery in the Southern States has at length
nroduccd its natural effects the different sections
of the Union are now arrayed against each other,


and the time has arrived so much dreaded by the


Father of his Country, when hostile geographical


narties have been formed. | have long fOreseen
and often forewarned my countrymen of the now


impending danger This does not proceed solely
from the claim on the part OF Congress, or the
Territorial Legislatures, to exclude slavery from
the Territories; from the efforts of the differ
ent States to prevent the execution of the Fugi-
tive Slave Law. All or any of these evils might
have been endured by the South without danger
to the Union, as others have been, in the hope
that time and reflection might apply the remedy.
The immediate peril arises not much from
these causes, as from the fact that the violent
agitation of the slavery question throughout the
North for the last quarter of century has at
length produced its malign influence on the
slaves and inspired them with vague notions OF
freedom Hence sense of security no longer
exists around the family altar This feeling of
peace at home has given place to apprehensons
of servle instruction. Many matron through
out the South retircs at night in dread of what
may befal herself and her children before the
morning. Should this apprehension of domestic
danger. whether real or imaginary. extend and
intensity itself until it should pervade the masses
of the Southern people, then disunion will be
inevitable Self preservation is the first law of
nature, and has been implanted in the heart of
man by his Creator for the wisest purposes, and
no political union, however fraught with blessings
and benefits in all other respects, can long con
tnue, if the necessary consequences be to render
the homes and fresides of nearly half the parties
TO it habitually insecure. Sooner or later the
bonds of such union must be severed. 1t ismy
conviction that this fatal period has not yet ar
rived, and my prayer to God is that he would
preserve the Constitution and the Union through
out all generations"


POWERS OF THE PREsIDENT.-Upon the powers
of the President and the election of any citizen
to that elevated position, being just cause for
secession, he says:


at is beyond the pOwer of any President, no
matter what may be his own political proclivitles,
TO restore peace and harmony among the States.
Wisely limited and restrained as is his power
under our Constitution and laws, he alone can
accomplish but little for good or evil, on such
mOmentous question and this brings me to OBJ
serve that the election of any one of our fellow
citizens to the office of President does not, of
itself afford Just cause for dissolvng the Union.
This is more especially true if his election has
been effected by mere plurality, and not ma
jority of the people, and has resulted from tran
sient and temporary causes which may probably
never again occur. In order to justify resort
10 revolutionary resistance, the Federal Govern
went must be guilty of deliberate, palpable
and dangerous exercise of powers not granted by
the Constitution The late Presidential election
however, has been held in strict conformity with


its express provisions. How, then, can the result
Justify revolution to destroy this very Consti


tuition? Reason, justice and regard for the Con-
stituton all require that we shall wait for some
overt and dangerous act on the part of the Pres


ident elect before resortlng to such remedy. III
is said, however, that the antccedents OF the
President elect have been sufficient to Justify the
4 fnar # tha Co,tt, at hp w n
their constitutional rights but are such appre-
tensions of contingent danger in the future sum
cient to Justify the immediate destruction OF the
nOblest system of government ever devised by
moras? From the very nature OF his office,
and his high responsibilities, be must necessarily


be conservative. The stern duty of administer
ing the vast and complicated councils of this
Government affords in itself a guarantee that he
will not attempt any violation of clear constl'
tutiona right. After all. he is no more than the
chief executive officer of the Government his
province is not to make, but execute its laws, and
ii is a remarkable fact in our history that not
withstandng the repeated efforts OF the Anti
Slavery party, not single Act has ever passed
Congress, unless we may possibly except the Mis-
souri, Compromise, impairing in the slightest de-
gree the rights of the South to their property in
slaves and it may also be observed, Judging
from present Indications, that no probability eX-
lists of the passage of such an Act by majority
of both Houses either in the present or the next
Congress. Surely, under these circumstances,
we ought to be restrained from present action by
the precept of Him who spake as never man
spoke, that sufficient unto the day is the evil
thereof. The day of evil may never come, unless
we shall rashly bring it upon ourselves"


FUdITvE SLAVE LAw.-He urges upon the
Northern States repeal of their obnoxious en-
actments, in opposition to the Fugitive Slave
Law, as being, not only unconstitutional, but an
outrage upon the rights of citizens resident in
the South. He says the South Z" has the consti-
tutional right to demand the repeal of these
laws, and if their just demands are not complied
with, then, after having exhausted all peacable
and constitutional means to obtain redress, that
they would be justified in revolutionary resistance
to the Government of the Union"


SEcEssIoN.-He denies the right of secession,
and upon this point is clear and unmistakabe


81 have purposely confined my remarks to
bnpauSn