Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-03-12

Communications addressed to this Office must
be POST PAID.
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF
JAMES BUCHANAN.
Fezlow- Citizens: I appear before you this
day to take the solemn oath s'that [ will
faithfully execute the office of President of
the United States, and will, to the best of
my ability, preserve, protect, and defend
: the constitution of the United States"
In entering upon this great Office, must
humbly invoke the God of our fathers for
wisdom and frmness to execute its high and
responsible duties in such manner as to re-
store harmony and ancient friendship among
the people of the several States, and to pre-
serve our free institutions throughout many
generations Convinced 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 perpetuate these, the
richest political blessings which Heaven has
ever bestowed upon any nation. Having
-~determined not to become a candidate for
reelection, [ shall have no motive to infu-
ence my conduct in administering the gov
ernment except the desire ably and faithful
ly to serve my country, and to live in the
grateful memory of my countrymen.
We have recently passed through Pre-
sidential contest in which the passions of
our fellow citizens were excited to the high
est degree by questions of deep and vital
Importance but when the people proclaim
ed their will, the tempest at once subsided
and all was calm.
The voice of the majority, speaking in the
manner described by the constitution, was
heard, and instant submission followed -
Our own country could alone have exhibit
ed 50 grand and striking spectacle Of the
capacity of man for self lf-government.
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 slave
ry in the territories! Congress is neither
s'to legislate slavery into any Territory 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, subject only to the consti-
tuition of the United States" As natural
consequence, Congress has, also, prescribed
that when the Territory Of Kansas shall be
admitted as a State, it 'sshal be received
into the Union, with or without slavery, as
their 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 a
Territory shall decide the question for them
selves.
This is, happily, matter of but little
Il - III
cial 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 and finally settl-
ed. To their decision, in common with all
good citizens, [ shall cheerfully submit,
whatever this may be, though it has ever
been my individual opion that, under the
Nebraska-Kansas act, the appropriate peri
cd will be when the number of actual resi-
dents in the Territory shall justify the for
nation of constitution with view to its
admission as State into the Union. But be
this as it may, it is the imperative and in
dispensable duty of the government of the
United States to secure to every resident in.
habitant the free and Independent expression
of his opinion by his vote. The sacred right
of each individual must be preserved That
being accomplished, nothing can be fairel
than to leave the people Of Territory, free
from all foreign interference, to decide their
own destiny for themselves, subject only to
the constitution of the United States.
a The whole territorial question being then
settled upon the principle of popular sove-
reignty- principle as ancient as free gov.
ernment itself everything Of practical
nature has been decided. No other ques.
.tion remains for adjustment; because all
agree that, under the constitution, slavery
in the States is beyond the reach of any hu.
man power, except that of the respective
States themselves wherein it exists. May
we not, then, hope that the long agitation
of this subject is approaching its end, and
that the geographical parties to which it has
given birth, SO dreaded by the Father of his
: Country will speedily become extinct! Mos,
happy will it be for the country when the
public mind shall be diverted from this ques-
tion to others of more pressing and practi-
cal importance. Throughout the whole pro-
gress Of this agitation, which has scarcely
known any intermission for more than TWEEN.
ty years, whilst it has been productive of nc