Columbus Democrat., 1852-01-24
GOVERNOR FOOTE'S INAUGURAL.

FeIIow Citizens The scene which j. now IN
progress IS but The quiet termination of fierce.
" contested political struggle, IN which ques,
tions,ot the utmost magnitude aud Importance. Ia
the present and future generations. hay. been
subjected 10 elaborate scutny aud tn animated
discussion in many of the States nf the conl.dpr
acy, and IN which principle. VITALITY essential 10
the maintenance OF Rppuhican institutions, have
been SO enforced upon the hearts and under
slandinge Of The enlightened millions who inhabIt
I this fair connentas 10 rpudpr il almost lmpo..i.
bic that the time should ever arrive when those
, principles shall be shameIulIy IorgpDIon or erin
inay di-rgirded, In taking upon m, Sc I the du
Ties and rrsp0l -,blltles apprriiining Ia the hiph
executive station, To which il has been my of>
tune to he elevated by the spnnianeon. IsuiIfige,
Of my fellow citizens, feel It to ne alike du, 10
those who have thought proper, il manner so
honorable, TO associate my name with thai glorl
ou. cause, he triumph of which we this day
celebrate, aud Ia my own altitude ASA public
hnctionaty that should avail myself Of he pre,
eal convenient opportunity Of reviewing, IN IL
concise aud explicit manner, few Of the lead
ing hcls which have marked contest, which
has a LIST brcn brought 10 close, under cir
cUmSlatc o deemed y ausp rious
Abon four years since, condition Of lhings
existed of nature ca actlaiei to awaken the
most painful apprchensions in the public nlnd oi
the country, A valuable and extensive terfilnfi.
d domain had been wresttd tom the Republic
o. Mexico. by our conqueting armies. the lllie o
which was destined TO be, in airw months there
after, formally perfected by soIumn aern,imha
compact. The enemies Of our sIoulhefn nslill-
Mons, distributed somewhat nneaqualiy among
certain ol The non. savrhnldng State Of the Tn
lon had already c0nspirrd 10 ether for The pur
pose Of bringing about the exclusion Of S ulkern
Shareholders and their slaves from every loot Of
The territory which had been newly acquired,
through the insiumrntaIlty OF what is well
known As WilmOl PrOys0. The Abolition of
slavery in The DSricl Of Columbia by Congres
sIpnal enactment, had been constantly threaten
rd ifr s"rlrs "i years aneceGrnt TO the period
T'ielr 10, and thrr were indications % sgnf,
lcahl I" be dl'fegard"d, lhai The Arua consum
nation OF this nelIrnu. schpmp ol injustice and
iana'icsl folly was well nigh Al hand. The pro
hibton by Congress o the trade ~ slaves be-
tween state and state, and between the Dsrict
oi Columbia and slave holding states Of the
Conirderacy had besn Cor bong time oprnh
and audsc ousI proclaimcda as part Of The higher
tdic faction 81 the North. Il had been al.p most
explicitly aVo~ed, both in the Halls Of Congrrs,
AID elsewhere, that the measures lusl specified
would he only preliminary 10 direct assault upon
I y lem Of domestic slavery wherever found
existing. Meanwhile, and indeed almost ever
since the foundation Of The government itself
thal important clause in he Federal constitution
(kuown to have been sin. qua non To the es-
tabshment of the Union ti3ei, tsn now eIisling.)
Which provides for the rscapure and restoration
of Iugitives from service, bad been usnlllngiy
al nangh lnd in numerous instances d-lb
erately trodden under foot. The admission of
California into the Unon-nol as an integral
part Of a general system Of equitable compro.
mise 10 which there is reason Ia believe there
is no State of The South "ould have the ets
,hlectpn, )--bu as a septralr and substantive &c
t uncompensslrd justice, Insligsied by section
a hostility, and brought forward VIGOROUSLY an
Ter Abolition aud Free soil auspices, was zeal
usly urged and even impetiously demanded.
The boundary question between lrIas AID
New Mexico nr rather between the unItd
states and Texas, had become subject oi iear'
ul controversy, and no discerning man 10 The
Republic in the least degrre doubted ihal y ms
llesion should remain unadIn'ied, only ior ir~ !
nonths longer, unprlncped iactlonIss, IN the
pposte section OF the Union, would seze
upon il for the purpose ol bringing upon ths
country all the incalculsbls horrors OF bloody