Year: 1861

To THE SENATE AND HorsE oF RITREsgSrATrFs:-


A the opening OF your present sesssn called your at
ten,on to tho dangers which threatened the existence OF
the Unon expressed my opinion freely cycerning the
original these dangers and recommended such
measures as believed would have the effect Of tranquil
zing the country saving from the peril n which Il bad
been needlessly and most unfortunately thrown


Those opinions and recommendations do not propose
now to repeat My convictions upon the whole sub
ect remain unchanged The fact that grcat calamity
was impending over the nation was at that time,
Acknowledged by every intelligent citizen II had arcay
made itself felt throughout the length and breath Of tho
land The necessary consequences Of the alarm ths pro-
duced were most deporabc Imports fell of with aradity
never known before except in time Of war, IN the his
tory Of foreign commerce. The Treasury was uneS-
pectedly left without means, which had reasonably
countco upon 10 meet the public ensagcmcnts Trade
was parayzcd manufactures were stopped, the best pub


lie securities suddenly sunk in the Market every species
of property deprecated less and thousands Of
poor men, who depended upon their daily labor for their
daily bread were turned out of employment


deeply regret that am not able TO give You any in
formation upon the state OF the Union which Is more
satisfactory than what was thon obliged to commu
nicate On the contrary, matters are still
worse at present than they then were. When
Congress met, q strong hope pervaded the
whole public mind that some amcable ad-
iustment OF tho subject would be speedily made
by the representatives Of the States, which might
restore peace between the conflicting sections Of tho
country That hope has been diminished by every hour
of delay and the prospect Of booilcss settlement
fades away the public distress becomes more and more
aggravated Az evidence Of this II only necessary
70 say the Treasury notes authorized by the act OF the
17h of December last advertised according TO law,
and that no responsible bidder offered to take any
siderable sum at par at lower rate Of interest thaa
twelve per cent


From these facts IL appears that, In government or
ganixed like ours domestic strife, or even well grounded
fear Of civil hostes moro destructive Of our public
and private interests than the most formidable foreign



In my annuul Message expressed the conviction,
which have long deliberately held and which recent


ection has only tended TO deepen and confirm that no
State has the right by It's act 10 socede from the
union throw of its federal obligations ~ pleasure.
also declare my opinion TO be that IL that right
sted and should be exercised by any State Of tho
ederacy the Executive department Of this government
had authority undor the constitution 10 recognise It's
validity by acknowledging the Independence OF such
state. This loft Alternative as the chief executive
officer under the constitution OF the United states,
but to collect the public revenues and protect the
public property, so far as this might be
practicable under existing laws. This is stl
my purpose. Ny province Ia 10 execute, not 70
make the laws. belongs 70 Congress exclusively TO re-
peal modify, enlarge their provisions to meet exi
gencies they may occur. possess no dispensing
power certainly had right TO make aggressive war
upon any State and perfectly satisfied that the con
sttution has wisely withheld that power from Con.
ress But the right and the duty 10 use military force
dcfensvey against those who resist the federal officers
in the execution of their legal functions and against those
who assai the property Of the federal government,
clear and undcnable But the dangerous and hostile att
tude Of the States towards each other has already far
ranscended and cast into the shade the ordinary execu
tive duties already provided for by law and has assumed
such vast and alarming proportions TO place the sub
jcct entirely above and beyond executive control The
fact cannot be disguised that in the midst Of
great revolution. Therefore, commend the question TO
Congress- the only human tribunal under Providence
possessing the power 10 meet the existing emergency
To them exclusively belongs the power to decIarciwar
toauthorizs the employment Of military force Va a
cases contemplated by tho ccasttu, erd they e.arr
possess The powcr 10 remove all the crvtcccs vtc
might lead 20 war, and 70 pesos aud aoc 10 trs
distracted country. Oa tnem, AID N ten olc,o, req
the responsibility. Union is sacred trrss isft By
our Revolutionary fathers for their descendants, and
never did any other people inherit rich legacy. II
has rendered w pTospsrosa n reacs md kionphans N