Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-03-14
AMEs BUCHANAN's INAUGURAL
Address,

ay to take the solemn oath that will faith
lily execute the Office Of President OF the
uited States, and will TO the best of my
,ility, preserve, protect, and defend the con-
tuition OF the United States" In entering
pom this great Office, l must humbly invoke
le God oi our Fathers for wisdom and firm
ess to execute its high aud responsible du.
IS in such q manner us to restore harmony
nd ancient friendship among the people OF
lie several States, and to preserve our free
istitutions throughout many generations
Ionviuced that owe my election to the in.
erent love for the Constitution and the
juon, which still aninates the hearts Of the
american people, let the earnestly ask their
owerIul support in sustaining all just mea-
ures calculated to perpetuate these, the
ichest political blessings which heaven has
'ver bestowed upon any nation. Having de-
ermined not to become "a candidate for re.
lection, | shall have no motive to influence
ny cond1ct in administering the Government
Except the desire ably and faithfully to serve
ny country and to live in the grateful memo
~ of my countrymen. We have recently
passed through Presidential contest in
which the passions of our fellow-cilzens we're
excited to the highest degre. by questions Of
deep and vital Importance. But when the
people proclaimed their will, the tempest at
once subsided and all was calm. The voice
Of the majority, speaking in the manner pre-.
scrbed by the Constitution, was heard, and
instant submission followed. Our own coun-
try could alone have exhibited so grand aud
striking a capacity OF man for self govern.
ment. What happy conception, then, was
it for Congress TO apply this simple rule,
"that the will Of the majority shall govern"
to the settlement Of the question OF domestic
slavery in the territories. Congress is ne-
.1.4. al, ;,.ta l... tA,n ,tn,,,
nor to exclude it therelrom," but to leave the
people thereof perfectly free to form and re-
eulate their domestic institutions in their own
way, subject only to the Constitution Of
the United States. AS natural conse-
quence Congress has also prescribed that
when the Territory Of X ansas shall be admit
ted as q State, it shall be received into the
Union with or without slavery, as their own
constitution may prescribe at the time OF their
admission. A different opinion has arisen in
regard to the point of time when the people
of territory shall decide the question for
themselves. This is happily a matter of but
little practical Importance, besides it is ju-
dicial question which legitimately belongs to
the Supreme Court Of the United States, be-
fore whom it is now pending, and will, it is
understood be speedily and finally settled
To their decision. in common with all good
this may be, though it has ever been my indi
viluai opinion that, under the Nebraska. K au-
sas act the appropriate period will be when
the number Of actual residents in the Terri
tory shall justify the formation of Consitu.
ton with u view to its admission as O State
into the Union. But be this as it may, it is
the imperative and Indispensable duty Of the
the Government of tho United States. to Sc
cure TO every resident inhabitant 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 bo iairer than to leave the peo-
pie OF Territory free from all foreign inter.
ference, to decide their own destiny Tor them.
selves, subject to the constitution Of the Uni.
ten States. The whole Territorial question
being thus settled upon the prcple OF popu.
lar sovereignty-a principle as ancient as
free government itself--evcrything of a prac.
tical nature has been decided. 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 except that OF the respective States
themselves wherein it exists. May we not
then. hope that the long agitation on this
subject is approaching its end, and that tn,
geographical parties to which it has gveu
birth-so much dreaded by the Father of his
Country-will speedily become extinct p
Most happy will it be for the country when
the public mind shall be diverted from this
question to others OF more pressing and prac-
tical 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 10 po.
sitive good to any human being, it has been
prolific source OF great evils to the master
to the slave, and to the whole country. 1t
has a!enated and estranged the people OF
sister States from each other and has even
seriously endangered the very existence o
the Union. Nor has the danger yet entirely
ceased. Under our system there is q remedy
for all mere political evils in the sound sense
aud sober judgment Of the people. Time is
great corrective. Political subjects, which
but few years ago excited aud exasperatet
the public mind. have passed away and arc
now nearly forgotten. But the question o
domestic Slavery is of far greater importanc.
than OF any mere political question, because,
should the agitation continue, it may eventu
ally endanger the personal safety of large
portion OF our countrymen where the institu
tion exists In that event no form of gov
ernment however admirable in itself, howev
er productive Of material benefits, can com
pensate for the loss OF peace and domestic Sc
curity around the family alter. Let every
Union loving man, therefore, exert his best
influence to suppress this agitation, which
since the recent legislation of Congress, il
without any legitimate object. 1t is an evi
omen of the times that men have undertaken
to calculate the mere material value of til,
Union. reasoned estimates have been presen
ted OF the pecuniary profits and local aJvau
tages which would result to different State
aud sections from its dissolution and of tn
comparative injuries which such an even
would infict Oh other States and sections
Even descending to this low and narrow vie,
of the mighty question, all such calculation
ere at fault-the bare reference to a sing
consideration will be conclusive on thi
point. We at present enjoy free trad
throughout our extensive and expanding cour
try such Us the world never witnessed. Thi
trade is conducted on railroads and canals, o
noble rivers and arms OF the sea- which bin
together the North and the South, and tn
the East aud the West Of our Conlederacy
Annlhate this trade, arrest its free progress
by the geographical lines of jealous and ho:
tile State, aud you destroy the prosperity an
onward march of the whole and every par
a,.A int-a alp..a oil in