Special Message
12/19/1858
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
It affords me great satisfaction to perform this duty.
It must be allowed that these precedents, so numerous and so long continued, are entitled to great respect, since we can...
I certainly had no right to make aggressive war upon any State, and I am perfectly satisfied that the Constitution has w...
However strong may be my desire to enter into such an agreement, I am convinced that I do not possess the power.