Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 1.djvu/368

now arrayed against each other and the time arrived so much dreaded by the Father of his Country* when hostile geographical parties have been formed." The message discussed with clearness the just complaint made by the Southern people against the sectional and meddle some legislation of Northern States and on this the language of this Northern-born President is as strong in its presentation of Southern views as can be found in any speech made by such representative leaders as Mr. Crittenden, Mr. Stephens, Mr. Mason and Mr. Jefferson Davis. Referring to the ease with which the disturbing cause could be removed and peace restored to the distracted country, the venerable President said, " How easy would it be for the American people to settle the slavery question forever and to restore peace and harmony to this distracted country ! They, and they alone can do it. All that is necessary to accomplish the object and all for which the slave States have ever contended is to be let alone and permitted to manage their domestic institutions in their own way. As sovereign States, they, and they alone are responsible before God and the world for the slavery existing among them." The message censured the nullification laws of several Northern States called Personal Liberty bills and declared that the other States had the right to demand their repeal as an act of justice. " Should this be refused, then the Constitution to which all the States are parties will have been willfully violated by one portion of them in a provision essential to the domestic security and happiness of the remainder. In that event the injured States, after having used all peaceful and constitutional means to obtain redress, would be justified in revolutionary resistance to the government of the Union." The position taken in the message that secession was unconstitutional but coercion was equally so, subjected the President to severe criticism. He was accused of evading the duty devolved on him of settling the dispute by a vigorous resistance to