The Placer herald., 1857-04-04
Inaugural Address.

FELLow-crrIzENs II appear before yor
to day to take the solemn oath that | viii
faithfully execute the office of President o
the United States and will, to the best OF
my ability preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States
In entering upon the great office, must
humby invoke the God of our fathers for
wisdom and firmness to execute its high and
responsible duties, in such manner as to
restore harmony, and the ancient friend
ships among the people of the several
States, and to preserve our FREQ institutions
throughout many generations.
Convinced that owe my election to the
inherent love for the Constitution and the
Union which still animates the heart of the
American people, let me earnestly ask their
powerful support in sustaining all just
measures calculated to perpe tuate the rich,
est political blessing which Heaven ever be-
slowed upon any nation. Having determin-
ed not to become a candidate for reelection
| shall have no motive to influence my con-
duct in administering the government, ex-
cept the desire ably and faithfully to serve
my country and to live in the grateful mem
ory Of my countrymen.
We have recently passed through Presi-
dental contest, in which the passions Of our
fellow-citizens were excited to the highest
degree by questions of deep and vital impor-
tance. But when the people proclaimed
t;iu,I will, the tempest at once subsded and
all was calm. The voice of the majority
speaking IN the manner prescribed by the
Constitution was heard and instant submits
sion followed. Our own country could alone
have exhibited SO grand and striking spec
tacie of the capacity Of man for self-govern-
ment What a happy conception, then, was
it for Congress to apply this simple rule,
that the will of the majority shall govern
the settlement Of the question of domestic
slavery in the Territories.
Congress is neither to legislate slavery in
70 any territories or State, nor to exclude
it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof
perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way sub
jsci 0Dly to the constitution of the United
States. AS natural consequence, Congress
has also prescribed that when the territory
of Kansas shall be admitted as a State, it
shall be received into the Union with or with
out slavery, as the constitution may pre-
scribe at the time of their admission A
the time when the people of territory
happily matter of but little political impor-
tance, and besides it is a judicial 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 finally settled. To their decis-
sion in common with all good citizens,
shall cheerfully submit, whatever this may
be, though it has been my individual opinion
that under the Kansas-N ebraska act, the APP
propriate period will be when the number
of actual residents in the territories shall
Justify the formation of constitution with
a view to its admission as state into the
Union, but be this as it may, it is the imper-
atiX,e and indispensable duty of the govern
zaent of the United States to secure to
every resident inhabitant the free and inde-
pendent expression of his opinion by his
yote, this sacred right Of each individual
must be preserved, and this being accom-
pshed nothing can be fairer than to leave
the people of territory free from all for
eign interference to decide their own destiny
tor themselves, subject only to the constit4-
hor of the United States. The whole ter
rltorial question being thus settled upon
the principles of popular sovereignty, a
principle as ancient as free government ITSELF
everything of a practical nature has been
decided and no other question, remains for
adjustment because all agree that under
the constitution, slavery in the States is
beyond the reach of any human power ex-
ceept that Of the respective States themselves
where it exists.
May we not then hope that the long agita-
ton on this subject is approaching its end
and that the geographical parties to which
II has given birth so much dreaded by the
father Of his country, will speedily become
extinct.-Most happy will it be for the coun-
try when the public mind shall be diverted
from this question to others Of more press
lPg and practical importance. Throughout
the whole PROCESS of this agitation, which
has scarcely known any intermissiop fol
more than twenty years, while it has been
productive of no positive good to any human
being, it has been the prolific source of great
evils to the master, to the slaves, and the
whole country, and the whole country has
alienated and estranged the people of the
sister States from each other. This even
seriously endangered the very existence OF
the Union, nor has the danger yet entirely
ceased. Under our system, there is RENE
dy for all mere political evils, in the sound