The home journal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1857-1857, 1857-03-20
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

four years:
- FELLOW CIrrzENs;--l appear before
YOU this day 10 take the solemn oath that
| will faithfully execute the Office Of
President Of the United States--anj Will
10 the best Of my ability preserve, protect
AMI defend the Constitution OF the U,
States. In entering upon this great ollicc,
! most humbly invoke tho God OF our
Fathers for wisdom and frmness TO exe'
cute its high and responsible duties IN
such manner as to restore harmony ana
the ancient friendship among the people
OF the several States, and to preserve our
free institutions through many genera
tons. Convinced thet owe my election
to the inherent love for the Constitution
and the Union which still anlmates the
hearts Of the American people, let me
earnestly ask their powerful support in
sustaining all Just measures calculated to
perpetuate these, the richest political
blessings which Heaven has over bestowed
upon any nation.
Having determined not TO become can.
didate for reelection, shall have no
motive to influence my conduct in admin
istering the government except the desire,
ably and faithfully TO serve my country
and to live in the grateful memory ofmy
countrymen. We have recently passed
through Presidential contest in which
the passions Of our ielow.citizens were
excited to the highest degree by questions
of deep and vital importance, but when
the people proclaimed their will, the tenn
pest at once subsidized, and all was calm
The voice ofthe majority, speaking in the
manner prescribed by the Constitution,
was heard, and instant submission fol-
lows.
Our own country could alone have eX.
hibted 80 grand and striking spectacle
of the 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 the settlement Of the question Of
domestic slavery in the Territories
Congress is neither TO legislato slavery
into any Territory or State, nor to exclude
it therelfom, but to leave the people
thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way, subject only to the Constitution of
the United States.
As a natural consequence, Congress
has also prescribed that when the Terrific
ry of Kansas shall be admitted as State,
it shall be received into the Union with
or without slavery, as their Constitution
may prescribe at the time of their admis,
sion.
Adiferent opinion has arisen in regard
to the time when the people of Terrific
ry shall decide this question for them.
selves. This is happily matter of but
little practical Importance, and besides,
it is judicial question, which Legitimate
ly belongs to the Supreme Court of the
United States, before whom it is now
pending, and will, it is understood, be
speedily and finally settled. To their
decision, in common with al! good cit.
zans, | shall cheerfully submit, whatever
this may be, though it has ever been my
individual opinion that under the Nebras,
ka.K Kansas act the appropriate period will
be when the number Of actual residents
in the Territory shall justify the forma'
ton of a constitution with view to its
admission as State into the Union
But, be this as it may, it is the imperative
and indispensable duty Of the government
of the United States to secure to every
resident inhabtant the free and independ.
cnt expression of his opinion by hisvote
This sacred right Of each individual must
be preserved. That being accomplished
nothing can be faircr than to leave the
people of a Territory free from all foreign
interference to decide their own destin.
for themselves, object only to the Con
stitution Of the United States.
The whole Territorial question beln
thus settled upon the principle OF popula
sovereignty-a principle as ancient as ire
government itself--everything of prac
! teal nature has been decided. No othe
question remains for adjustment; becaus
all agree that, under the constitution
slavery in the States is beyond the reac
of any human power except that OF tn
r respective States themselves wherein
/, exists. May we not, then, hope that tn
long agitation on this subject is approach
ing its end, and that the geographical
parties to which in has given birth, S
, much dreaded by the Father Of his Coun
try, will specify become extinct? Mos
. happy will it be for the country when til
, public mind shall be diverted from thi
, question 10 others of more pressing ant
t practical Importance. Throughout tn
whole progress of this agitation, whlcl
has scarcely known any intermission 10
more than twenty years, whilst it has beef
! productive Of no positive good to an,
, human being, it has been the proifi
source Of great evils to the master, to tn
slave, and to the whole country. 1t ha