Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-03-12
Buchanan's Inaugural Address.

fu,hfully execute the once OF IreSluent Oh
the United States, and will to the best Of
my ability, preserve. protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States
In en.erinp upon this grea. Office | most
humbly invoke the God Of our Fathers for
wisdom AMI trmness to execu'e / high
and responsible du les il snch manner il,
10 rcs;ore harmony AM he anci.nt f.ienl-
ship Smong the people of the several sia es
and TO preserve our free Ills iiu ioi ;hr'uth
ou; many genera. ions. Convinced ,ha
owe my election 40 the iuheiea, love Tor he
CONSTITUTION AMI h. Union which sill an
ima-es the hearts # he Ame9icei people.
let me r.es.!v asa .bei. powerful support
in sus al ii. al jls. measures calcaa eI
To rerp.,ua.e hrsc. the riches poll i..ai
bl.s,;nys which Heaven has ever bestowed
.,
Having determined not 20 become a can
.iila;e for recollection, | shall have no mo-
i've To influence my conduct il administer
ing the government, except the desire. ably
and ia ai.hfuIy to serve my country. and to
live i'll the grateful memory oil my coun-
;rymen We have recently passed through
IL Presidential contest In which the pass
IONS of our fellow citizens were excited to
The t;,b.st depree by questions of deep
J =; ;or,.uoo b,, wben the neoole
proclaimed their will, the tempest at once
,.bsiJ.d and all was calm. The voice of
lie mai ri V speaking in the manner per
Sc i,eI by the Constitution was heard, and
ms a:,l submission followed.
Our own country could alonr have ex-
,bi cd So grand and striking spectacle
e ,he capaci.y of man for sell govern
mcn.. What happy conception, then,
was for Congress 10 apply this simple
viii .ha tie will of the maj ori'y shall gov
en- in The Sc tlcmnt of The question ol
domestic slavery in the Territories. Con
-sress Is neither to le .isla;e slavery in.o any
I Terri orv or State. nor to exclude it there
from Inn, to leave the people thereof pre- :
f.e,ly fee 10 form and regulate their do
mes ic iasiit Itions in their own way. sub
icct only to the Constitution Of the United
S.a.cs.
As a natural consequence Congress ha'
also presc ''oed that when ne ier'',''y "
h'hsas S''''' oe aa'h'.,eu 10 . ''' '-....a .'.
L oe ''oe''e' '"'0 SSsiIti1fion may prescIib'
{. a The iime of their admission.
a di.ferent opinion has arisen in regar1
t. '"c iIme when the people of Territory
snail deci ie this question for themselves
This Is happily a matter of but li-,le prac
teal imp'r'a 'ce. ali besi les i, Is jldi
c'il ques ion which leg ina ely belongs t,
: TIE Sup'ene Court oi The Uni eJ Sa es
before whom i. is now pcn,lIny, auI will
i. is understood. be speedily All finally Sc.
tied 70 their descisi,n ia common Wit.
all good ci.izens. | shall cheeriuIly sub
nit. Whatever this may b.. though it la,
my InIivi luaI opinion tha. under the Ne
braska Kansas act. tue apprpp;i,e pe.ioI
will be when The number ol ac ua lesiien,.
III TIE Territory shall Justify the forma
ton of Cons luton win a view to i
admission as Siatc lao the Union: but be
that as ii may, j. is the imperative and in
dispensabls duty If the Government. ,f he
Uni:ed Safes to secure to every resil.u;
inhabi ant the free and independent expires
sion of his opinion by his vote. This sa-
cred right of each individual mus. be pre-.
served This being ACCOMPLISHED. no,h.
ins can be fairer than to leave the people oi
a Territory free from all foreiyu iuau.nc.
To- decide their own destiny for themselves
subject only tn II o Cons s;,,,;o, of ,ho II,
nied S..tes.
The whole terri orial question being thus
Sc led upon. the principle Of popular SOW
e.ei IN y. principle as ancient as free pov-
ernment Itself. everything Of a nrac,;cal
vl, bs i:III