'An Extraordinary Appetite.
--.Charles Sumner, M. D,,of Rochester, com
municates lhe following particulars of a sur
gical case which came under - bis practice to
the Daily Union of that icily : -
“Tho subject was a young lady, nineteen
years of age, of nervous.temperament, very
healthy, and the daughter-of a respectable'
farmer in Butternuts, Otsego county, N. Y.
She first came to my office April 28th, 1653,'
to have a needle extracted from her led arm,
which, she said, * gat in accidentally ad she
was moving a bundle of carpeting,’ This, a
medium-sized sewing-needle,was soon found,
and extracted from (he interior side of the
fore-arm, about midway between the wrist
and the elbow. Ip-less than a week shecalled
again, saying she had another needle in her
arm, I examined and found deep in the bend
of the arm, a hard substance, which proved
to be a needle similanQo the first, and ac
counted for in a similar^knner.
“One week after needles werq
found, deep in the flesh, nbUnH three inches
from the elbow. May 29th, fourteen were
taken out, higher and more on the posterior
side of the arm. 30th, seventeen were taken
from the arm and shoulders. Some of these
were Superficial, lying just under the skin,
but most of them lay deep in the flesb, and
a number entirely under the biceps muscle.
One, of large size, lay with two-thirds its
length imbedded in the brachial artery. One
largo darning needle was found lying directly
on the bone, at the intersection of the deltoid
muscle; this caused some inflammation and
suppuration, which led to its detection, June
4th, twelve wore removed from the left arm,
two from the wnsi, eleven from the left, and
one from the right breast. The whole num
ber extracted during the month of June was
eighty-seven; September, ten ; October, twen
tv-eight; mostly from the left breast and left
side of the abdomen.
“ About the lasi of November, 1853,5 he
was attacked with violent spasms. These
continued about three weeks, and subsequent
ly a large number of needles were found in
nil parts of her left side, from the shoulder to
the knee. When apparently asleep she would
converse with her mother, and tell her where
the needles might be found, but when awake
she could seldom be induced to speak of them.
Also, when in this sleeping or somnambulic
sinie, she was enlirely unconcioiis of pain.
While culling through deep muscle, or io ihe
moat sensitive parts, we never could perceive
a moiion indicaiive of feeling—a number
were extracted in this sleeping stale —on the
contrary, when awake, she experienced acute
pain, even from the least incision.. -f*
" From January, 1854, no needles were
found until Ihe middle of the following sum
mer, when she resorted to pins, culling off
ihe heads and thrusting them into the flesh.
Subsequently she used hair pins, either
straightened and pul in whole, or the broken
halves. These wore found deep in the large
muscles of the ihigh. Several pieces of wire,
and parts 'of Ihe largest size of knitting
needles, nearly five inches in length, were
found lying directly on the bone of the thigh
on the anterior side.
“ The whole number extracted was, of sew.
ing needles, 297, and these were of all sizes ;
pins, 67 ; darning needles, 2 ; hair-pins, 5;
knitting-needles and wire,each 5 ; total, 383,
Almost every means has been resorted to find
the reason for sn strange a fancy ; but noth
ing has vet developed it. She is firm in her
denial of knowing when, how, or why she
did it, simply saying, * It must be that I do
n, for 1 Know no one else does.’ She is per
fectly sane on every other subject,”
The Deed Scott Case. —The New York
Tribune learns from trustworthy sources that
the Supremo Court of ihe United Slates in
the Dred Scon case, will by a large majority,
sustain the extreme Southern ground, deny
ing the constitutionality of ihe Missouri Com
promise Prdbably Judges Curtis and Mc-
Lean will alone dissent. Judge Nelson who
has been heretofore relied upon by many as
likely to favor the side of Freedom, is going
with the south. The decree of iho Court will,
it is supposed, be given in few days—perhaps
the day before nr the day following the in
auguration The majority of this august
Court are possibly weak enough to suppose
that this decree will tranquilize the country
— EI. Adi
Railroad Train Plunged into a River
—On the Chicago and Rock Island Road,"as
il crosses the Du Page river, five miles from
Joliet, (he heavy rains of Friday had swollen
the river till it overflowed ils baulks, covered
the bottom, and submerged the track on both
sides ofthe bridge, A freight train, consist
ing of the locomotive, lender, and seven cars
laden with horses, approached this river on
Saturday. The engineer, ignorant ofanv ob
struction, ana confident in the firmness and
safety of the road, though covered with water,
held on his way, ploughing through a stream
two feet deep, iho iron track, uniil
he rdkehed the bridge, when the appalling
fiel was reveilud that that the swollen river
had not only submerged ihe bridge, but swept
il awav 1 Locomotive, tender, and seven cars
with iheir freight of horses, one after anolher,
disappeared beneath the surface of ihe stream,
deep enough, bv reason of ihe freshei, toliide
from view every vestige 0.l the train. Down
with it went all m charga of it, and three of
I hem were lose—AV. Louis Repub,
liomiißLH About four weeks since, a
man named McDonald, who nl a shanty
where whiskey was sold, in the vicinity of his
house, become intoxicated and then started
for home, h was one of the coldest nights of
the season, and for a lime he traveled about
in a kind of circle, as his foot prints were
clearly disccranble Fh the morning, but could
not find his way to any house, though within
n few rods of one. His feet and hands were
so severely frozen that amputation was deem
ed necessary, and some three weeks ago both
feel, above the ankles, and the hands above
the wrists, \yero taken off, barely leaving .the
■ numb and one jointof the finger on the right
h ind. Mortification has since set in and is
rapidly approaching his body, leaving no
hope df his recovery. He has endured (he
most excruciating pain, oflen requiring two
men to hold him in bed, and his cries are so
bud as to.be heard a long distance. He has
a family.— El. Adt.
March came in like a lion.
THE AGITAfOp.
H. C0bb,....
WEJiSBOROUOH, pa; -'
T Intraday Morning,mar. IAISSTr
*«* All Buiiaess,«ud giber m utl
be addressed to the Editor to'intore attention.
A. 8., Ogdensburg, Pa.—Fes. Enclose in the
presence of the Paetmuter, end keep' » description
of tlie bills.
Tho clever little poem on the first page, enlitiled—
“ 1 Can and 1 Will," is from the pen of a veined con.
trlbntor, and should have been so credited.
The Republicans have carried the charier election
in Chicago by storm. Lang John Wentworth was
elected Mayor. Such is Republicanism in the home
of Douglas. The West is <wide awake.
We are experiencing some of the very keenest of
winter weather now-a-days. Just think of being
comfortable without fire all throngh February, and
the' mercury down 10 below iero in March ! This
month has displayed its leonine graces to the best
advantage. Hope it may be induced to display a
little of that commendable sheepishness of which
its present rampancy is said to be prophetic.
The Tribune perpetrates the following excellent
pun when in speaking ol the new cent it says:
■'They are a beautiful coin, all bgl the eagle, and
he seems to be going somewhere in a desperate hur
ry, probably bccause.bb has just got on a now s cent.’
The N- Y. Evening Poll rather drily remarks
of Buchanan's Cabinet, that it would seem design
ed as an asylum for aged and indigent politicians.
It is an aged and indigent Administration, and why
shouldn't all the imbecile trimmers who have sighed
tor a cosy place far (he lost 100 years, find rest and
asylum In the bosom of the sago of Wheatland 7
Fir* at Osceola. —From a correspondent who
subscribes himself our " longest friend," we learn
that the new dwelling house of Mr. H. B. Cillet,
at Osceola in ibis county, was destroyed by fire on
the 7lh instant, with its contents. Mr. C., who is
a thrifty and industrious mechanic, had been at work
jn the parlor for some weeks, completing the bouse,
and it was therefore filled with combustibles. The
fire took in this room, and was not discovered until
the flames burst through the wall into the kitchen.
Mrs. Gilley had one hand and arm severely burned
in endeavoring to elicck the flames,
Mr. Gilley’s loss is estimated at 91,306. We are
glad to learn that his neighbors, with a laudable
promptnsss, subscribed the sum of 9500 toward ma
king him whole. This amount will probably be
increased. f
The luangural.
Mr. James Buchanan is a modest'man. At
present, lie doesn't seem to be aware of Ihe exist
ence of any human creature or thing, aside from
James Bochanan and the great Shamoeratic party.
His inaugural ia not too long, well written and as
comprehensive as might be expected from the bero
of the Ostend Conference.
We are told by the ancient historians that the ru
lers of many nations of high antiquity, upon their
accession, were wont to deem themselves the incar
nation of the gods, and to reign in that capacity.
From the opening paragraph of the Inaugural, we
conclude that Mr. Buchanan has adopted this ides,
and now considers himself the incarnated spirit of
the popular will.
He commences by saying that be owea his elec
tion to the love of the people for the Constitution
and the Union. This is but a brssen reiteration of
the Satanic lie of the last campaign | a lie that the
pro-slavery orators glibly promulgated in nearly-ev
ery school district of the North, vi* • Trial Ihe
Fremont party ia opposed to the Constitution and
(he Union. Mr. Buchanan, wit li the puerility of do
tage, in taking the highest seat in the nation, finds
time to repeat-the stale falsehoods of a political
contest, which will go down to the future as a peri,
od in which the mendacity of the Sliamocracy reach
ed Us highest culmination. But Mr. Buchanan in
no considerable degree owes his bad eminence to
the affection of the people for the Constitution and
the Union. He owes his election, first, to the al
most unanimous vote of the South, and secondarily,
to John W. Forney and John P. Sanderson, who
hunted in couples. The South boldly declares its
contempt for the Constitution and the Union, unless
these national gods can be made to smile propitious
ly upon Slavery Propagandism. He was voted for
with the greatest unanimity in the very States
whose hostility to (he Union is least disguised and
where secession is (he test of political orthodoxy.
As these truths stand recorded in the election re
turns, we would be glad to hear Mr. Buchanan or
some of his admirers, explain how a man elected by
the votes of avowed Disonionists can owe his elec
tion to the “ love of the people for the Constitution
“ and Ihe Union.”
The President elect goes an to say (hat though
the last campaign generated considerable animosity,
yet the beneficent icsull has bad (be effect to allay
the unhealthy excitemenL His election said to the
warring elements—“ Peace, Be still.”' It has been
a weakness common to all self-styled great men and
pacificators of ail limes, to mistake the occasions]
lulls in the just indignation of an outraged people,
for acquiescence in the insolent demands of tyrants-
But Northern men do not view the election of Mr.
Buchanan as the voice of the people. And if he
presumes that this outward acquiesencc of the North
in his election, this apparent quietude of (he North,
ern people, to be the offspring of either despair or
conviction, he will awake from that dream to find
his airy castles tumbling about his ears. Being an
aristocrat in everything but birth, he cannot under
stood (he secret workings of the hearts of the mass
es. Were lie to sit down amoug our honest, true
hearted workingmen he would find (hat he it view,
ed as (lie enslaver of free territory, and barely toler
ated because of their habitual obedience to what is
popularly revered as the will of the majority; be
cause our institutions were thought to have been
established in that spirit and tbrongh the continued
manifestation of that spirit, permanency was hoped
to be secured for them.
He says that the will of the majority shonld gov
ern in determining the domestic institutions of the
Territories. That sounds very well, Mr. Buchanan.
Bqt the very men, to whose efforts ho owes his pres,
eat position, uphold by their votes, voices, legisla
tion and money, the suppression of the will of tin
majority in Kansas, by /ores and arm In Con
gress, they vote to sustain a code of laws which
make the expression of opinion upon ’great public
questions, except in a prescribed direction, Filonv !
And tills, too, in direct contravention of the loiter
and the spirit of onr Bill of Bights. This Inaugu.
ral is assuredly “ plethoric with glittering general
ities," and a weak glossing over of the wicked de
signs of a power which elected Mr. Buchanan be
cause he could be need, and which will use him, as
certainly as that the son shall riae to-morrow morn
ing,-Tift hi* cabinet alone, is sufficient ev.
idence of the corrupt imbecility, that is to character
ize the misrule of the next (bur years, and pfopbe
THE TI Off A, 0,0 AGITATOR.,
- r;-; 1 ■ ».*■ : —sr: —j —"'
•iapjlxrktr of
onkpaU g\ |f|
Vifc are next tilled to a high flqwn eulogy pf that
something wbiphjWe read aboala great dejQ, bat
which its patßltt.UlS’Douglas, bOiciliXownedahd spit |
ppon; which, like a speculator's paper ci• y ;,|ooka
verJTift'» cUy7 onTylhat il has no existence oat of
ibrbniaof the projector. Mr. Raciniun and-his
coadjutors may blind tiie unreasoning few-in regard
to this thing—if-if be a thing, bat a little fcStmre.
flection must convince any .reasonable jnao that
“ popojar sovereignly," as defined, by Jts champions,
is a political impossibility. The principle cannot be
operated,upoq even in a BUl%mqtblcs»,lhen, can
it obtain in a Territory—a dependency. Were there
any auch thing as “ pdpularsdvereignly," os ip. J'
plied lo Territories, why does Congress presume to
legislate at all tor Kansas? Why were the people
of Kansas not permitted to elect their own Govern
or, their Judges and other magnates how appointed
by the President, and that, too, without consulting
the people T Territories are considered as Die prop
erty of the general Government, and they are there,
fbre dependent upon and subject to the will of ihe
Government Really, the President is (he Execu
tive officer of the Territories, and in appointing a
Governor he but deputes such an one to act fur him
So absolute is the power of the President in this
matter, that he can remove and substitute at pleas
ure—as witness Pierce’s course in Kansas matters.
And thus “ popular sovereignly" gets the go-by
at the very cutset in the house of its friends. Mr.
8., knows that this is not a Government by the peo.
pic, but merely an approximation. It is a govern- 1
menl by demagogues. The people are supposed to'
bo sovereign; but look at the work of Northern
Daugfaces for the last four years! Was the repeal
of lire Missouri Compromise the work of the peo
ple? Never! they repudiated its authors and abet
tors. Popular will did not have a voice in that in
famy ; and yet we are told that the people are sov
ereign ! Abandon tho electoral method of electing
President and Vice President: you cannot do it.
You cannot da it,because that would mike the Ex
ecotive the choice of the people; and you cannot
da that because the SlaVeocracy will not permit you
to do it. It will not permit it to foe done because a
government by tho people, and Slavery, are incom
patibilities.
As to the destruction of geographical parties,—
the President elect will not live to see that, nor will
tho most youthful of hjs admirers. They must ex
ist while Slavery and the Union exist. Crush out
tho rphit of opposition to wrong in the souls of this
Northern people, and they may be destroyed. Rot
that spirit cannot bo crushed out. It is an attribute
of the soul—crush it, and manhood dies. r.
And so with Agitation, which Hie President takes
occasion to deprecate. When he can find some
clsase in the Constitution, by the misconstruction of
which freedom of spedth and of the press may he
destroyed, (and that matter will be attempted before
his term of office expires,} then Iks may be able to'
suppress agitation. Still, be will never be able to
subjugate the Northern mind, and to render that
obedient to the will of his Southern masters.
“Turible Ootkaoe in Kansas!”— Under this
caption we find an article in the editorial columns
of the Tunkhannock Democrat , relative to the re.
cent affray between one Sherrod and Gov. Geary.
We regret to see the conductor of so generally re.
spectable a journal as our North Branch contempo.
vary, retailing these mendacious reports about mat
ters and things in Kansas.He must certainly
have become cognisant of tfio fact so notoriously pa.
tent during the Presidential campaign, that these
Kansas outrages are all got op for political effect.
This was the allegation of every Buchanan slumperi
and journalist in the country. We repeal. then, that]
this fanatical persistence in manufacturing bogus
outrages in Kansas, and by conservative democratic
papervis lo h* cair UlGterh ho ob
ject in such an obstinate persistence in wrong doing,
and trust that the conservators of the democratic
parfy will take this fanatic in hand. Order reigns
in Kansas; border-ruffians have become lamblike.
We were told that the Investigating Committee’s
Report was unworthy of belief. How, then, are
they who found it impossible to believe 150 witness
es examined upon their oaths and testifying to the
truth of those discredited outrages, to believe in the
reality of this latest outrage, supported only by the
ipte dixit of a newspaper correspondent T
The editor of the Tunkhannock Democrat is cvi.
dently a Garrisonian Abolitionist of the worst color.
We suspected as much when, a short time since, he
affected to abuse ns for being of that school, doubt,
less to avert suspicion Irom himself. He shows the
black flag at last.
True to the vacillating character which by has
everywhere exhibited in public life, Mr. Bucbanap
has not yet completed his Cabinet appointment:,;
An extra session of the Senate was called by Mr.
Pierce for the purpose of confirming such appoint
ments as bis successor should make; but the Senate
has adjourned and Mr. Buchanan has not sent in a
single nomination. Still, the complexion of his
Cabinet seems to be decided upon so exactly that
it is known that the South will have four of the sev
en members. ’ln consideration of the fact Uiat the
North has a little more than double the population
of the South, this does not seem a very impartial
bestowal of power and patronage. It just renders
the Administration pro slavery to the core.
This is in keeping with the result of the election,
as well as prophetic of the result of Mr. Buchanan’s
Administration. We have before us a Southern pa
per, a leading democratic paper, which accepts tho
election of Buchanan as a “ moral deloatand
prophesies the actual defeat of its party in 1860.
It therefore urges tho friends of the South and
its “ institutions,” to make the most of their power
while they have it to wield. This same paper staled
during tho campaign, that the only hope ol the
South lay in the election of Mr. Buchanan ; and that
with him as President, Kansas would come in as a
Slave State in two years ; then one or two more out
of Texas; and then Cuba; and with these acquisi
lions, the South would be able to prevent the admix,
sion of any more Free Stales.
The first steps in the accomplishment of that dc
sirpd end have been taken. They have secured the
Executive and the Cabinet The rest is a work of
comparative ease. We are not disposed to be con.
sldered an alarmist; but time will reveal what we
have always held—that in the election of Buchanan
Kansas and Cuba were doomed. Popular sovereign
ty that moat delusive and damnable of political false
hoods, is to take the curse off the Executive should
ere; and popular-sovereignty must cloak one of the
most terrible outrages that Humanity has ever suff
ered. This may be read in the Inaugural. Kan.
sas is to be enslaved; and the people, who at heart
desire that it should be preserved to Freedom, are to
be appeased by the cry—"Oh, Mi. Buchanan is not
responsible, nor is the Democratic party responsible;
but under the beneficent influence of popular sover
eignty, the sovereign people of Kansas chose to be
slave* J"
P- 8. We have later news which slates that the
Cabinet has been completed and that the Senate has
confirmed the nominations. The telegraph stated
that the Senate had adjourned without receiving tlio
'appointments, • • * •
•fVivufeer lAs Seegrt of Poicer.” By Urn E. D.'
E, NvlJooTHwoaTtw _l
-ptP. of Philadelphia puh£
Il*pcrs;Bai a wd_ n in press with, the above litlp, and'
drilUlShe it aboal llie Ulh of the present month.’
' A hew work by Mrs, Soutbworth, we need not say,
wiU,becageKylsbngHYfler.“llwilT
odeoimp vetam*, prinlectand bpond in Petcrsqa'ael
'egatft styl?, ahd wilt be Seht prepaid bf mail'an rc
ceiptof-- - -- -
Peterson has lately published “ Tpi Bosnia
Boris;'’ by Ems sort Binsitt. It is printed and
bound in two'vohi'mes duodecimo,'paper'cover," and
will be sent £y’roail,'prephidy’on receipt of •!.,
To procure either of the above books, address T.
B. Petcrsoo,loB ChcstuaUstv Philadelphia, with
price enclosed, u •
Mr, Bssokassam’s Cabinet.
- Secretary of State-f*hewit Cass, of Mich
igan.
Secretary of the Treatvry —HowellCobb,
of Georgia;
Secretary of War—John B. Floyd, of
Virginia.
- Secretary .of the Navy— lsaac Toucy, of
ConnfecticUt.
Secretary of the Interior—Jacob Thomp
son, of Mississippi.
Poetmaeter General—A. V. Brown ol
Tennessee.
Attorney General —Judge Black,Penn.
Hdracr Gbrelbv’s only remaining son,
Raphael UiiLA'ND. died ol his farmer's resi
dence in New York, on Saturday evening, of
croup, after an illness of a few days. Mr.
Greeley, who had been from home during the
past two months—lecturing throughout the
West—returned to his residence about two
hours after (he death of his son.— El. Ado.
SonoiiVM.—A farmer at Groton Centre, 1
Ct., planted last year a quarter of an ounce
of the Chinese sugar cane seed, about the
middle of May. On Sept, 15, he cut two
thirds of the stalks, which had attained lo
13 feet in height, and crushed them in an old
cider mill, obtaining five gallons of juice,
which he evaporated to one gallon, and found
the molasses very fine. This (rial gives a
result of about three hundred gallons per acre
of first quality molasses.— Ex.
The New Taiuff.— The bill for the mod
ification of the Tariff which has passed the
House of Representatives, is simply an addi
lion rb the free schedule of the existing Act
of 1848. Tho domestic manufacturer and
foreign importer of Canon, Woolen, Worsted,
Iron, Steel and other fabrics, are left In the
same relation as before, the difference in favor
of home manufacturers of the Woolen and
Worsted Goods intintroducing the raw ma
terial costing above 50 and below 16 cents,
duty free. The practical effect is expected
to be the immediate extension of the Ameri
can Woolen mills, and all other factories to
which tree material and free drugs and dyes
are likely to afford a decided advantage in
competing with foreign urticles, and the furth
er effect will be to introduce caution on the
part of foreign manufacturers and merchants
engaged in the Woolen trade in their ship
ments to this country. The Chairman of the
Ways and Means Committee calculates that
the bill will reduce the revenue six millionsof
dollars directly by the rates of duly on the
raw materials, and four millions jncJLrpclly by
~ .m..--i.on ■ lireutiiouill 'of importations of
the manufactured articles which this encour-
Bgement to home competition will discourage.
FA. Repub.
A very sad case of seduction and suicide
is narrated in the Cincinnati papers as having
developed i'self on Saturday afternoon last.
It appears that a German named Kaiser, who
kept a meal store on Vine street, near Alli
son, had married fourteen years ago in
Germany, and recently immigrated to Cim
cinhati, and commenced a successful business
there —his family consisting of a wife and
one female child. His wife was known as
an apparently modest, quiet, hard working
woman, well esteemed by all who knew her.
About two months ago, Mr. Kaiser being
siek, his wife look charge of the shop, and
• Mr. K. coming down stairs one evening, was
,|istonished on detecting his wife and a man
Tlaroed Glossner, who kept a liquor store
near, in an illicit amour. He drove Glossner
.out, but the seducer escaped. When Mr. K.
returned to his shop he found.it closed, and
his wife gone. She was never seen alive
again, and was supposed to be concealed
somewhere. The villain who had seduced
her, rather gloried in his crime. Kaiser sadly
pursued his business, and applied for a di
vorce. On. Saturday last, when the ice broke
ia the Miami canal, the dead body of a woman
was revealed horribly disfigured. It proved
to be that of Mrs. Kaiser. An immense
crowd attended thecoroner’s inquest, and the
fact was established that on the evening of
her crime she proceeded directly from her
husband’s store to the canal, where she put
an end to her existence. She had on precisely
the same clothes, had the keys of the store in
her pocket, and the money she had that day
taken in. Those who knew her, believed the
offense was her first one, and that having
been detected, she at once determined to die
rather than live in disgrace.
Threats o f lynching were made against
Glossner, on learning the facts, but the police
interfered, and saved the offender, to be dealt
with by no other Court, perhaps, than that
one where offences neoer fail of punishment,
either in this life or the next, — Dispatch,
—A child was once called to make a choice
•from a nest of kittens, at) but the chosen one
being doomed to be drowned. The tender
lit) le creature -seemed to hesitate in her choice,
until her mamma, said— 11 1 think we’ll save
this one,” which was accordingly done,—
Shortly after the mother was confined to
twins, and one day the elder child was seen
looking intently into the cradle. “ What are
you doing there ?” asked mamma. “ Save
this one mamma,” was the reply at the seme
imq patting the rosiest baby, on the cheek.
- Pattebh County. —Every dollar of Stale
spd. County Tax assessed upon Susquehanna
coufaty for 1856 (amounting to 817,000,) is
collected or exonerated—all the unsettled du
plicate being for a militia lax of 1850. That
is the way they do up things thete—pay their
•axe.s promptly, without loss or delay, and
yo-'i the Republican ticket.,
■ THE INAUGURAL, ADDRESS.
j FKixpw.CirizENe:'[ appear before you
Ihis daT to Utke the solemn oath “ that I will
faithfully exwule the office of President of
the .United Stales, and will to the beat of my
.ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Con.
slilution of Ihe United Stoles.” In entering
upon tbis great office, t most humbly invoke
the God of our Fathers for wisdom and firm
ness to execute its high and responsible du
ties in such-a manner as (o' restore harmony
-snd-ancient friendship among the people of
the several Slates, and lo preserve our free
-institutions throughout many generations.—
Convinced (hat ( owe my -election to the in
herent love.for.the Constitution and the Union,
which still animates-the hearts of the Ameri
can people, let me earnestly ask (heir power
ful support in sustaining all just measures
Calculated (a perpetuate these, the richest
political blessings which Heaven has ever be
stowed upon any nation. ’ Having determined
not to become a candidate for re-election, I
shajl have no moiive to influence my conduct
- iri administering the Government except the
desire, ably and faithfully to serve my coun
try, and to live in the grateful .memory of
my countrymen. Wo have recently passed
- through a Presidential coolest in which the
passions' of our follow-cilizens were excited
to the highest degree by questions of deep
and vital importance. But when the people
proclaimed their will, the tempest at once
subsided, ond ail was calm. The voice of
the majority, speaking in the manner pre
scribed by the Constitution, was heard, and
instant-submission followed. Our own coun
try could qlone have exhibited so grand and
striking p spectacle of the capacity of mao
for self-government. What a happy concep
tion, then, was it for Congress to apply , this
simple rule, “ that the will of the majority
shall govern,’’ to the settlement of the ques
tion or domestic slavery in the territories.—
Congress is neither “ lo legislate slavery into
any territory, nor lo exclude it therefrom,”
but lo leave ihe people (hereof perfectly free
to form and regulate their domestic institu
tions in their own way, subject only lo the
Constitution of the United States. As a natu
ral consequence, Congress has also pre-l
scribed that when the Territory of Kansas
shall be admitted as a State, it shall be re-
ceived into the Union with or without slavery,
as their own Constitution may prescribe at
the lime of their admission. A different
opinion has arisen in regard to the point of
time when the people of a territory shall de
cide the question for themselves. This is hap
pily a matter of but little practical impor
tance, besides it is a judipiul question which
legitimately belongs to the Supreme Court of
the United States, before whom it is now
pending, and will, it is understood, be speedily
and finally settled. To their decision, in
common with all good citizens, I shall cheer
fully submit, whatever this may be, though it
has ever been my individual opinion that,
under the Nebrnskn-Kansas act, the appro
priale period will be when the number of
actual residents in the Territory shall justify
the formation of a Constitution with a view
to its admission as a State into the Union.—
But be this as it may, it is the imperative and
indispensable duly of the Government of the
United Stales, to secure to every resident in
habitant that free and independent expression
of his opinion by his vote. This sacred right
of each individual must be preserved.
This being accomplished, nothing can be
fairer than to leave the people of a Terr -
tory free from all foreign interference, to
decide their own destiny for themselves ,
subject only to the Constitution of the United
Slates. The whole Territorial question bem°
thus settled upon tfie principle of popular
sovereignty—a principle as ancient as free i
government itself— everything of a practical |
nature has been decided. No other question (
remains for adjustment, because all aoree
that, under the Conslilu'ion, slavery in the
States is beyond the reach of any human
power except that of the respective Stales
themselves wherein it exists. May we not,
then, hope that the long agitation on this sub
jecl is approaching its end', and that the geo
graphical parlies to which it has given birth—
so much dreaded by the Father of his Coun
try —will speedily become extinct I Most
happy will it be for the country when the
public mind shall be diverted from this ques
lion to others of more pressing and practical
importance. Throughout the whole progress
of this agitation, which has scarcely known
any intermission for more than twenty, years,
whilst it has been productive of no positive
good to any human being, it has been a pro
lific source of groat evils to the master, to
the slave, and to the whole country, ft has
alienated and estranged the people of sister
States from each other, and has even seri
ously endangered the very existence of the
Union. Nor has the danger yet entirely
ceased. Under our system there is a remedy
for all mere political evils in the sound sense
and sober judgment of the people. Time is
a great corrective. Political subjects* which
but a few years ago excited and exasperated
the public miqd, have passed r away and are
now nearly forgotten. But the question of
domestic Slavery is of fur greater importance
than of any mere political question, because,
should tho agitation!continue, it may even
tually endanger the personal safety of a large
portion of our countrymen where the institu
tion exists. In that event no form of Gov.
ernment, however admirable in itself, however
productive of material benefits, can compen
sate for the loss of peace and domestic secu
rhy around the family allap. Let every
Union-loving man, his bpst
in(luence"io suppress this agitation, which,
since the recent legislation of Congress, is
without any legitimate object. It is an evil
omen of the limes that men have undertaken
to calculate the mere material value of the
Union, reasoned estimates have been present
ed of the pecuniary profits and local advanta
ges which'"would result to different States and
sections from its dissolution and of the com
parative injuries which such an event would
inflict on other States and sections. Even
descending to this low and narrow view of
the mighty question, all such calculations
are at fault—the bare reference to a single
consideration will be conclusive on this point.
We at present enjoy a free trade throughout
our extensive and expanding country such as
the world never witnessed. This trade is
conducted on railroads and canals, on noble
rivers and arms of the sea, which bind to-
geiher the North and the South, the East and
the West of our Confederacy. Aomhilat,,
this Unde, arrest Us free progress by the geo.
graphical lines of jealous and hostile State*'
and you destroy this prosperity and onward
march of the whole and etery pan, and i n .
yolve all in 040 common ruin. But such con
siderations, important as they are in them
selves, sink into insignificance, when we re
flect on the terrific evils which would result
from disunion to every portion of the con fed.
eracy. To the North not more than to the
South—to the East not more than to the
West. These 1 shall not attempt to portray
because I feel an humble confidence, that the
kind Providence which inspiredj our fathers
with wisdom to frame the most berfect form
of Government and Union ever devised bv
man, will not suffer it to perish, Suntil it shall
have been peacefully instrumental by its ex
ample, in the extension of civil and religious
liberty throughout the world.
Next in importance to the maintenance of
tire Constitution and the Onion, is the duty of
preserving the Government free from the
taint or even the suspicion of corruption.—
Publio virtue is the vital spirit of Republics;
and history proves that when this has decayed
anti the love of money has usurped its place,
although the forms of free government may
remain for a season, the substance has ae
parted forever.
Our present financial condition is without
a parallel in history. No nation has ever
before been embarrassed front too largo a
surplus in its treasury. This almost neces
sanly gives birth (o extravagant legislation.
It produces wild schemes of expenditures and
begets a race of speculators and jobbers,
whose ingenuity is exerted in contriving and
promoting expedients to obtain public money.
The purity of official agents, whether right
fully or wrongfully, is suspected, and’he
character of the Government suffers in the
estimation of the people. This is. in itself.a
very great evil. The natural mode of relief
from this embarrassment is to appropriate the
surplus in the Treasury to get national ob
jects, for which a clear warrant can be found
in the Constitution. Among these I miutU
mention the extinguishment of the public oebi.
a reasonable increase of the Navy, which :s
at present inadequate to the protection of our
vast tonnage afloat, now greater than ihatoi
any o’her nation, as well as 10 the defence 01
our extensive sea 'coast. It is beyond ail
questions the true principle that no more rev
enue ought to be collected from <he people
than the amount necessary to defray the ex.
penses of a wise, economical and efficient
administration of the goxanrnmenl. To reach
this point, it was necessary to resort :o a
modification of the tariff, and this has, 1 irust.
been accomplished in such a manner as to
do as little injury as may have been atactica
ble to our domestic manufactures, especially
those necessary for the defence of the country.
Any discrimination against a mr'icuiar
branch for the purpose of benetilling favored
corporations, individuals nr interests, would
have been unjust to the rest of the community,
and inconsistent with that spirit of fairness
and equality which ought to govern m the ad
justment of a revenue tariff. But the squan
dering of the public money sinks into com
parative insignificance, as a temptation 'o
corruption, when compared with the squan
dering of the public lands. No nation in me
tide of lime, has ever been blessed with so
rich and noble an inheritance as we emoy in
the Public Lands. In administering this im
portant trust, whilst it may bo wise lo jrani
portions ol them for the improvement 01 he
remainder, yet we should never lorgcl that it
is our cardinal policy to preserve these lands,
as much as msv be, fur actual settlers, and
this at moderate prices. vVe shall thus not
only best promote the prosperity 01 the new
S ales and Territories, by furnishing Ihom a
hardy and independent race ol honest and
industrious ciliz»ns, but shall secure homes
for our children anf our children's children,
as well as for those exiles from loreign shores
who may senK m ibis country lo improve
their condition, and to enjoy ihe blessings 01
civil and religious liberty. Such emigrants
have done much to promote the growth and
prosperity ol the country. They have proved
faithlul both in peace and in war. After ae
coming citizens they are entitled under the
Constitution and laws, lobe placed on peneci
equality with native-born citizens; ana n
this character they should ever be unaiv
recognized. The Federal Constitution s a
grant from the States 10 Congress 10 certain
specific powers, and the question whether mis
grant should bo liberally or strictly Construed,
has more or less divided political parlies irom
the beginning. Without entering mlo me
argument, I desire 10 slale, at ihe commence
ment of my Administration, that long expe
rience and observation have convinced me
that a strict construction of'the powers 01
the Government is the only true, as well as
ihe only safe theory of ihe Constitution.—
Whenever, in our pa?l history, doubtful pow
ers have been exercised by Congress, these
have never failed to produce injurious ana
unhappy consequences. Many such instances
might ho adduced, if this were ihe proper oc
casion ; neither is it necessary for the puoiic
service lo strain the language of the Consti
tution, because all the great and uselul pow
ers required for a successful administration
of the Government, both in peace and in war,
have been granted either in express terms, or
by the plainest implication. Whilst deeply
convinced of these truths, 1 vet consider it
clear, that under the war-making power Con
gress may appropriate money towards me
construction of a military road, when this u
absolutely necessary for the defence 01 any
Stale or Territory of the Union, againsi lor
eign invasion. l Under the Constitution, Con
gress has power l “ lo declare war' 1 —“ to raw
and support armies*’—** to provide and main*
tain a navy,” and to call forth the rniiioa 10
“repel invasion.” Thus endowed 10 a"
ample manner with lire war making powei,
the corresponding duly is required that “ l|ie
United Stales shall proleol ( each of thorn (d 18
Stales) against invasion." Nor, is it poBsl
- to afford this protection to California a° a
our Pacific possessions, except by meansol *
military road through the Territories of it> B
United States, over which men and atnrnuoi
lions of war may be speedily transported Irotn
the Atlantic States, lo meet and repel the i" -
vader. In (Ire event of’a war with a navai
power much stronger than our otvoi *•
should then have uoot)ier available access' 0