Year: 1860




The genersl health of the country has
been exceslens, our hsrvests have been
unusually p4ertifsl, and prosperity smiles
throughout the land. Indeed, notwith-
standing our demerils, we have much rcas
son to believe FROM the past events inv oar
history. that we have enjoved the special
protection Of Divine Providence ever since
our origin as a nation. We have been
exposed to many threatening and alarming
difficulties in our progress, but cii eacfs
successive occasion the impending cloud
has been dissipated at the moment it ap-
peared ready to burst upon cur head, and
the danger to our institution has passed
awar. May We ever be under the Divine
guidance and protection.


JOHN BROWN.


Whilst it IS the duty of the Presidens
" from time to time to give to Congress
information of the state of the Union" 4
shall not refer in detail to the recent sad
and bloody occurrences at Harper'S Fer
ry. Still it is proper to observe that these
events, however bad and cruel in them.
selves, derive their chief Importance frou,
the apprehension that they are but symp-
toms of an incurablc disease in the pub
lie mind, which may break out ip still
more dangerous outragcs, and terminals
at last in an open war by the North to-
abolish slavery in the South. Whilst, for
myself, | entertain no such apprehension.
they ought to afford solemn warning to
US all to beware of the approach of dang
er. Our Union Is a stake of sach ines
timable value as TO demand our constant
and watchful vigilance for It's prcscrYa-
ton. In this view, let me impiore my
countrymen, North and South, to cult.
vate the ancient feelings Of mutual for.
bearance and good will towards each other,
and strive to alay the demon spirit of sec.
tionaI hatred and strife DOW alive in the
land This advice proceeds from the hears
OF an old public functlonaiy whose scrvi
ces commenced in the last generations,
among the wise and conservative states
men Of that day, now nearly all passed
away, and whose first and dearest earthly
wish is to leave his country tranquil, pros
porous, UNI ca, ana powerful.


We ought to reflect that in this age,
and especially in this country, there is MA
incesant fux and refux of public opinion.
Questions whic+ in their day assumed
most threatening aspect, have now near
ly gone from the memory of men. They
are volcanoes burnt out, and ON the lava
aud ashes and squalid scoria of old erur.
tlons grow the peaceful olive, the cheer
ing vine, and the sustaining corn" Such,
in my opinion, will prove to be the fate
of the present sectional excitement, should
those who wise y seek to apply the RENE
dy, continue always to confine their efforts
within the pale of the Constitution. II
this course be pursued, the existing agi-
tation on the subject of domestic slavery,
like everything human, will have it's day,
and give PLACE to other and less threateH-
ing controversies. Public opinion in this
country is ali powerful, and when it reach.
es dangerous excess upon any question,
, the good sense of the people will furnish
the corrective, and bring it back within
safe limits. Still, to hasten this auspi-
cious result, at the present crisis, We oughs
10 remember that every rational creature
must be presumed to intend the natural
consequences of his own teachings. Those
who announce abstract ductr: nes subyer.
slye of the Constitution aud the Union,
must not be surprised should their heat
ed partlzans advance one step farther, and
attempt by violence to carry these doc
ilrlnes into practical effect In this view
of the subject, it ought never to be for
gotten that, however great may have been
the political advantages resulting from the
Union to every portion of our common
country, these would all prove to be az
nothing, should the time ever arrive whsE
they cannot be enjoyed without serious
danger to the personal safety of the peo.
pie of fifteen nlembers of the Confederacr.
If the peace of the domestic freslde
throughout these States should ey. r bo
iuvaded-if the mothers of families with.
in this extensive region should not be able
to retire to rest at uight without suffee-
ing dreadful apprehcnsions of what may
be their own fate and that of their chill
dren before the morning-it would be vaia
to recount to such people the political
benefits which results to them from tho
Union. Selfpreservaton is the first In
stinct of nature: and therefore any stats
of society in which the sword is all tho
time suspended over the heads of the peo.
pie, must at last become intolerable. But
| indulge in no such gloomy forebodings.
On the contrary, | firnll y believe that tho
events at Harper's Ferry, by causing the
people to pause aud reflect upon the pos
sible peril to their cherished institutions,
will be the means, under Providence, of
allaying the existing excitement, aud pre-