Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-03-13
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

United States"
In entering upon this great office, l
must humbly invoke the God of our
fathers for wisdom and iirmness to exc
cute its high and responsible duties in
such manner as to restore harmony and
ancient friendship among the people of
the several States, antt to preserve our
free institutions throughout many gene
rations. Convinced that I owe my cleo
ton to the inherent love for the consti-
tuition and the Union which still ami
mates the hearts of the American people,
let me earnestly ask their powerful sup
port in sustaining all just measures cal
culated to perpetuate these, the richest
political blessings which Heaven has
ever bestowed upon any nation. Having
determined not to become candidate for
reelection, l shall have no motive to in
huence my conduct in administering the
government except the desire ably and
faithfully to serve my country, and to
live in the grateful memory of my coun-
trymen.
We have recently passed through a
presidential contest in which the passions
of our fcllow-citizens were excited to
the highest degree by questions of deor
and vital Importance; but when the peo-
pie proclaimed their will, the tempest
at once subsidized and all was calm.
The voice of the majority, speaking
in the manner prescribed by the consti.
tuition, was heard, and instant submis-
sion followed. Our own country could
alone have exhibited so grand and stri
king.a spectacle of the capacity of man
for solf-government.
What a happy conception, then, was il
for Congress to apply this simple rule
that the will of the majority shall gov
ern-tO the settlement of the question
of domestic slavery in the Territories
Congress is neither ''to legislate slavery
into any Territory Or State nor to exclude
it therefrom; but to leave the peopl,
thereof perfectly free to form and regu
late their domestic institutions in thei
own way, subject only to the constitution
of the United States" As a natura
consequence, Congress has, also, pre-
5 scribcd that when the Territory of Kan
sas shall be admitted as a State, it "shal
be received into the Union, with or with
out slavery, as their constitution ma,
prescribe at the time of their admission.
A difference of opinion has arisen il
regard to the point of time when The
people of Territory shall decide thi
question for themselves.
This is, happily, amattcr of but littl'
practical importance. Besides, it is
judicial question, which legitimatcly be
longs to the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States, before whom it is now pend
ing, and will, it is understood, be speed
lily and finally settled To their decis.
ion, in common with all good citizens,
shall cheerfully submit, whatever thi
may be, though it has ever been my in
dividual opinion that, under the Nebras
ka Kansas act, the appropriate period
will be when the number of actual resi-
dents in the territory shall justify thu
formation of constitution with view
to its admission as State into the Union
But be this as it may it is the impera
tive and indispensable duty of the gov
ernment Of the United States to secur,
to every resident nhabitant the free anC
independent expression of his opinion b,
his vote. This sacred right of each in
dividual must be preserved. That being
accomplished, nothing can be fairer thar
to leave the people of Il Territory, fire,
from all foreign interference, to decide
their own destiny for themselves, subiec
only TO the constitution of the United
States.
The whole territorial question being
thus settled upon the principle Of popu
lar sovereignty principle as ancien
as free government itself everything o.
a practical nature has been decided. Ne
other question remains for adjustment
because all agree that, under the consti
tuition, slavery in the States is beyond
the reach Of any human power, except
that of the respective States themselves
wherein it exists. May we not, then,
hope that the long agitation on this sub
ject 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 speedily become ex-
tinct? 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 importance.
Throughout the whole progress Of this
agitation, which has scarcely known any
intermission for more than twenty years
whilst it has been productive Of no pos
tive good to any human being, II has
been the prolific source of great evils to
the master, to the slave, and to the whole
country. 1t has alienated and estranged
the people Of the sister States from each
other, and has even seriously endangered
the very existence Of the Union. Nor
has the danger yet entirely ceased. I'm
der our system, there is 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 ex-
cited and exasperated the public mind
have passed away and are now nearly
forgotten. But this question Of domes-
tic slavery is Of far graver importance
than any mere political question, because,
should the agitation continue, it may
Il n