Mountain Democrat., 1857-04-04
Mr.. Buehan.n,s Inaugural Address.

will faithfully execute the Office of Presi-
dent 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
rnust hunbly invoke the -God-of our
fathers for wisdom and firmness to exc
cute It's high and responsible duties in
such manner as to restore harmony and
the ancient friendship among the people Of
the several States, and to preserve our free
institutions throughout many generations.
Convinced that ] owe my election to the
inherent love for the Constitution and the
Union which still animateS the hearts Of
the American People, let me earnestly ask
their powerful support in sustaining all
just measures calculated to perpctuate
these, the richest political blessings which
Heaven has ever bestowed upon any ma
ton. Having determined not to become
candidate for reelection, shall have no
motive to influence nay conduct in admin
istering the Government except the desire
ably and faithfully to serve my country,
and to live in the grateful memory of my
countrymen.
We have recently passed through a
Presidential contest in which the passions
of our 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 once
subsided, and all was calm. The voice of
the majority, speaking in the manner pre-
scribed by the Constitution, whs heard,
and instant submission followed Our
own country could alone have exhibited
SO grand and striking a spectacle of the
capacity of man for self governnent.-
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 Tcrritoricsl Congress is
neither to lcgislate Slavery into any Ter
ritory or State, nor to exclude it there
from; but to leave the People thereof per-
fectly free to form and regulate their do
mestic institutions in their own way, sub
ject only to the Constitution of the United
States as natural consequence. Con-
| gress has also prescribed that when the
Territory of Kansas shall be admitted as
a State, it shall be received into the Union
with or without Slavery, as their Consti-
tuition may prescribe at the time Of their
admission. A different opinion has arisen
in regard to the time when the people of
q Territory shall decide this question for
themselves. This is happily matter Of
but little practical Importance, and beside,
it is a judicial question, which legitimate
ly belongs to the Supreme Court of the
United States, before whom it is now pen.
ding, and will, it is understood, be specd-
ly and finally settled. To their decision,
in common with all good citizens, shall
cheerfully submit, whatever this may be,
though it has been my individual opinion
that under the Nebraska Kansas act the
appropriate period will be when the num-
Der of actual residents in the Territories
shall justify the formation of Constitu-
ton with view to its admission as a
State into the Union. But, be this as it
may, it is the imperative and indispensa.
bic duty Of the Government of the United
States to secure to every resident inhabi-
tant the free and Independent expression
of his opinion by his vote. This sacred
right of each individual must be preserv-
ed. This being accomplished, nothing
can be fairer than to leave the people of o
Territory free from all foreign interference
to decide their own destiny for them.
selves, subject only to the Constitution of
the United States. The whole Territorial
question being thus settled upon the prin-
clple OF popular sovercignty-a principle
as ancient as free Government itsclf--ev-
erything Of practical nature has been
decided, and no other question remains
for adjustment, because all agree that un-
der the Constitution Slavery in the States
is beyond the reach of any human power,
except that of the respective States them.
selves wherein it. exists.
May we not then hope that the long aci.
tation on this subject is approaching its
end, and that the geographical parties to
which it has given birth, so much dreaded
by the Father of his Country, will speed
lily become extinct. Most happy will it
be for the country when the public mind
shall be diverted from this question to
others of more pressing and practical i'm
portancc. Throughout the whole pro-
gress of this agitation, which has scarce.
ly known any intcrmission for more than
twenty years, while it has been produc.
tive of no positive good to any human be-
ing it has been the prolific source of great
evils to the master, to the slave and TO the
whole country it has alienatcd and es-
tranged the people of the sister States,
from each other, and has even seriously
endangered the very existence of the I'M
ion. Nor has the danger yet entirely
ceased. Under our system there is rem
cdy for all mere political evils in the sound
sense and soberjudgment of the people,
Time is great corrective. The political
subjects which but few years ago cxas-
peratcd the public mind have passed away
and are now nearly forgotten; but this
question Of Domestic Slavery is of far
greater Importance than any mere politi-
cal question, because, should the agita.
ton continue, it may eventually endanger
the personal safety of large portion of
our countrymcn where the institution ex-
lists. In that event, no form of Govern
mcnt, however productive of material ben.
etts, can compensate for the loss of peace
and domestic security around the family
alter. Lctevcry Union-loving man there.
fore, exert his best influence to suppress
this agitation which, since the recent leg
islation Of COngress,is without any lcgiti-
mate object. 1t is an evil of the times
that men have undertaken to calculate
the mere material value of the Union.
Reasoned estimates have been present
ed Of the pecuniary profits and local adj.
vahtages which would result to different
States apd sections from its dissolution.
and of the comparative injuries which