Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-03-13
inaugural address OF the President of the United
states March 4th, 1857.

inaugural Address of the President OF the Unite"
States. March 4th. 1857
FELLOW. CITIZENS appear before you this day
to take the solemn oath that will faithfully exc
cute 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 Sates'
Tn entering upon this great office, must humbly
invoke the God of fathers for wisdom and firm
ness 10 execute its high and responsible duties In
such manner as to restore harmony and ancient
friendship among the people OF the several States,
and to preserve free institutions throughout many
generations Convinced that owe nay election to
the inherent love for the constitution and the Union
which still animatcs the hearts of the American PEG
ple let me earnestly ask their powerful support in
sustaining all just calculated to perpetuate
these the richest political blessings which Heaven
has bestowed upon any nation Having de-
termneI not to become candidate Tor reelection,
shall have no motive to influence my conduct in
administering the government except the desire
ably and faithfully 10 serve my country, and TO
live in the grateful memory of my couptrymen-
We have recently passed through presidential
contest in which the passions of fellow citizens
were excited to the highest degree by questions OF
deep and vital Importance but when the people
proclaimed their will, the tempest at subsidized,
and all was calm.
The voice of the majority, speaking in the manner
prescribed by the constitution, was heard. and IN :
slant submission followed. Our country could
alone have exhibited grand and striking specta-
Gle of the capacity O.! man for seitgovernment
What happy conception then, was it for Congress
to apply this simple rule-that the will of the ma
iory STALL govern-o the settlement of the question
of domestic slavery in the Territories Congress is
neither " to leg sae slavery INTO any Territory
State nor to exclude !! theretrom but to leave the
people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their way, subject
only to the constitution of The United States" AS
natural consequence, Congress las, also, prescribed
that when the Territory of Kansas shall be admitted
State it " shall be received into the Union, with
or without slavery, their constitution may pre-
scribe al the time of their admission"
difference Of opinion has arisen in regard to the
point of time when the people of Territory shall
decide this question for themaelyes.
his is, happily, matter of but little practical
Importance Besides, it is a judicial question: which
legitmately belongs to the Supreme Court of the
United States, before whom it i. pending, and
will, 1t is understood, he speedily and finally settled
10 their decision, common with all good citizens,
shall cheerfulv submit, whatever this may be though
it has ever been my individual opinion that under
the Nebraska Kansas act the appropriate period will
be when The humber of actual residents IT, the Ter
Fitory shall Justify the f. rnaon of constitution with
q view to lis admission a State into the Union
But be this it may, it is the imperative and indis
pensabe duty of the government of the Unted!States
10 secure TO every resident lnhabtan the free and
independent expression of his opinion by his vote.
This sacred hight Of each individual must be prese
we'd. That b. ing accomplished nothiug can be fairer
|
foreign interference, to decide their destiny for
themselves, subject only to the constitution of the
| United States.
! The whole territorial question bel, thus settled
upon the principle ct popular sovereignty-a prinCi-
pie as ancient as free government isef-everythin
of practical nature has been decided No other
question remains ter adj ustment 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
| he IN
this subject approaching It's end, and that the geo.
graphical parties to which it has given BIRTH so much
dreaded by the Father of his Country, will speedily
become extinct Most happy will it be for the
country when the public mind shall be diverted from
this question to Others of pressing and practical
importance Throughout the whole progress of this
agitation, which has scarcely known any intermisson
for more than twenty years. whilst has been pro.
ducve of no positive good to any human being, it
has been the prolific of great evils 10 the mas
ter, to the slave, and to the whole country 1t has
aienated and esranged the people of the sister
from each other. and has seriously endangered
the very existence of the Union. Nor has the dam
ger yet entirely ceased. Under system, there is
a remedy for all mere political evils in the sound
sense and sober Judgment OF the people Time is a
great corrective. Political subjects which but few
years ago excited and e1asperated the public min /
have passed away and are now nearly forgotten.
But this question Of domestic slavery is of far gaver
importance than any mere political question, because,
should the agitation continue, it may eventually
danger the personal safety of large portion of our
countrymen where The institution exists, In that
event, no form of government however admirable in
itself, and however productive of material Benefits
can compensate for the loss of peace and domestic
security around the family altar. Let every Union
loving therefore, exert his best influence sup
press this agitation, which, since the egisla-
tion of Congress- is without any legitimate object.
1t is evil omen of the times that men have I'M
dertaken to calculate The material value of the
Union Reasoned estimates have been presented of
the pecuniary profits and local advantages which
would result to different States and sections from It's
dissolution, and of the comparative 1nj uries which
usch event would infet on other States and sec
tons, Even descending to this low and narrow view
of this mighty question, all such calculations are at
fault. The bare reference to a single consideration
will be conclusive this point. We at present enjoy
free trade throughout extensive and expanding
country, such the world has witnessed. This
trade is conducted railroads and canalson noble
rivers and arms Of the sea-whch bind together the
North and the South, the East and the West of our
| confederacy Annihilate this trade, arrest its free
progress by the geographical lines of Jealous and
hostile States, aud you destroy the prosperity and
onward march oil the whole and every part, and in
VoVe oil In one common ruin. But such considera-
lions. Important they in themselves, sink into
lnsigniticance when reflect on the terrific evils
which would result from disunion to every portion of
the confederacy-to the North not more than to the
South 10 The East not more than to the West These
shall not attempt 10 portray; because | feel an
humble confidence that the kind Providence which
inspired our fathers with wisdom to frame the most
perfect form Of government and Union ever devised
by man will not suffer it perish until it shall have
been peacefully instrumental by It's example, in the
extension of civil and elgous liberty throughout the
world.
Next in Importance to the maintenance of the con.
stuioD and the Union is the duty Of preserving the
government free from the tain even the SUSPICION
of corruption Public virtue is the vital spirit of re.
publics and history proves that when this has de-