Year: 1859

"A Ouf oecp ana hoarteit gfhutuuo 10 que t(
y that Almighty Power which has bestowed


upon us such varied and numerous blessings


throughout the past year. The general


health Of the country has been excellent our


harvests have been unusually plentiful, and


prosperity smiles throughout the land In
, deed, Notwithstanding our demerits we have
much reason 10 believe from the past events
> in our history, that we have enjoyed the
special protection Of Divine Providence ever
! since our origin as a nation: We have been
: exposed to many threatening and alarming
1 difficulties 10 our progross but on each sue


cessive occasion the impending cloud has
7 been dissipated at the moment il appeared
D ready TO burst upon our head, and the dam
: ger to our institutions has passed away.
{ May we ever be under tho divine guidance


and protection


Whilst il is the duty of the President


"from time TO time to give TO Congress ini


formation Of the state Of tho Union | shall
! not refer in detail 10 the recent and bloody


occurrences at HRrpers Ferry Still it is


proper to observe that these events, howev'
5 or bad and cruel in themselves, derive their
/ chief importance frop the apprehension


that they are but symptoms Of an incurable


disease in the public mind, which may
, brsak out in still more dangerous Outrages,
terminate at least in an open war by the
! North to abolish slavery in the South


Whilst, for myself, entertain no such ap-


prehension, they ought to afford solemn


warning to us oil to beware Of the approach
of danger


Our Union is stake of such inostimable
value as to demand our constant and watohl
iul vigilance for its preservation In this
view, let me implore my countrymen, North
and South, to cultivate the ancient feelings of
mutual forbearance and good will towards
each other, and strive to allay the demon
spirit of sectional hatred and strife now
alive in che land. This advice proceeds
from the heart of an old public functionary
whose service commenced in the last gene'
ration, among the wise and conservative
statesmen of that day, now nearly all passed
away, and whose fret and dearest earthly
wish is to leave his county tranquil, pros
porous, united, and powerful.


We ought to reflect that in this age, and
especially in this country, there 10 an in
cessaDt fux and rcHux of public opinion
Questions which in their day assumed a
most threatening aspect, have now nearly
gone from the memory of men, They arc
volcanoes burnt out, and on the lava and
ashes and squalid scoriac Of old eruptons
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 excitement should those
who wisely seek to apply the remedy, cons
tinue always 10 cOniine their efforts within
the pale of the Constitution. If this course
be pursued, the existing agitation on the
subject of slavery, like everything human,
will have its day and give place to other
and less threatening controversies


Public opinion in this country is all,pow-
erful and when it reaches dangerous ex-
cess upon any question, the good sense OF
the people will furnish the corrective and
bring it back within safe limits. Still to


hasten this anspicions result at the present
crisis, we ought to remember that every raj
tional creature must be presumed to intend
the natural consequences of his own teaoh-
ings Those who announce abstract doc
trines subyersive of the Constitution and
the Union, must not be surprised should
| their heated partisans advance one stop
further, and attempt by violence to carry
these doctrines into practical effect. In
this view of the subject it ought never to be
forgotten that, however great may have been
the political advantages resulting from the
Union to every portion Of our common couns
try, these would all prove to be as nothing
should the time ever arrive when they can-
not be enjoyed without serious danger to
the personal safety of the people of fifteen
members of the c0nfederacy.


If the peace of the domestic freside through
\ out these States should ever be invaded--f the
mothers of families within this extensive res
gion should not be able TO retireto rest at night
without suffering dreadful npprehensious Of
what may he their own fate and that Of their
children before morning--it would be vain TO
| a 10 ali la fha lie
which result to them from the Union. Self
preservation is the first instinct Of nature 4; and
therefore any state Of society in which the sword
| is ell the time suspended over the heads Of the
people, must at last became intolerable. But
indulge 10 no such gloomy forebodings Onthe
contrary, l firmly believe that the events at
HarpeT's Ferry, by causing the people 10 pause
and reflect upon the possible peril TO their cher
ished institutions, will be the means under
Providence, of allaying the existing excitement
| and preventing future outbreaks of similar
character. They will resolve that the Const-
tuition and the Union shall not be endangered
by rash couRsels, knowing that, should "the
silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be bro
ken at the Fountain human power
could never reunite the scattered and hostile
fragments.


cordially congratulate you upon the final
settlement by the Supreme Court of the Unis
ted States Of the question Of slavery in the
Territories, which had presented an aspect so
truly formidable at the commencement Of ray
administration. The right has been established
Of every citizen to take his property Of any
kind, including slaves, into the common Ter
ritories belonging equally to all the States Of
the Confederacy, and TO have il protected there
under the Federal Constitution. Neither Con
gress nor a territorial Legislature nor any hu>
man power has any authority TO annul or i'm,
pair this vested right. The supreme judicial
Of the country, which is a coordinate branch
OF the Government, has sanctioned and aiS
frmed these principles OF constitutional law,
so maniiestly just in themselves, and 80 well
calculated to promote peace and harmony
among the States. II is striking proof OF III e
sense of Justice which Is inherent in our peOs
ple that the property in slaves has never been
disturbed, to my knowledge, in any Of the
Territories. lolg


Even throughout the late troubles in Kansas
there had not been any attempt, as l am cTedi
bly, informed, 10 interfere, 10 a single instance
with the right Of the master Had any such |
attempt been made, the judiciary would have |
doubtless afforded an adequate remedy. Should /
they fail TO do this hereafter, it will then be |
time enough TO strengthen their hands by fur |
ther legislation. Had II been decided that
either Congress or the territorial legislature |
possess the power to anDul or impair the right |
TO properly in slaves, the evil would be intol /
cradle. IL the latter event, there would be |
struggle for majority Of the members Of the
Legislature at each successive election, aud the !
sacred rights Of property held under the Fed |
eral Constitution would depend Cor the time
being on the result. The agitation would |
thus be rendered incessant whilst the terrific. |
rial condition remained; and its baneful iuS
nuence wonld keen aliva A dangayoua arcita