Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-03-11
s.B. ROW, EDrroR AND PROPRIETOR.
CLEARFIELD, PA. MARCH IL, 1851.

THE EISAuGuRATIox-THE MEssAGE.-We take
up considerable portion of our paper to-day
with an account Of the Inauguration of James
Buchanan and his Inaugural Address. Every
one must at once be struck with the pomp and
show displayed at the Inauguration, reminding
one more of the ostentaton and parade accom-
panying the coronation of some titled mon
arch than of the plainness and simplicity of
ceremony which formerly characterized the
accession of our Presidents to office. 1t shows
that there is tendency to degenerate from
ancient American integrity, and that the dig
nifty of the office is lost in the worship of the
man, and in base subseryiency to the party he
represents.
The inaugural address has the good quality
of being short, and Mr.. Buchanan states, in
the outstart, that he will not be candidate
for e-election, from which he would have us
conclude that he has no inducement to stray
from the path of duty and rectitude. We
hope he may not. Time viii tell whether he
does. He applauds the ready submission of
the minority in the late warm contest to the
declared will of the People. The praise he
thus bestows on the Americans and Republi-
cans is virtual condemnation of his own par
tisans who declared that if Fremont was elect
ed they would not submit-that the Union
would be dssolved-a hue cry to which he
is indebted for many vote Mr.. Buchanan
holds that Congress has not the power to ex-
clude slavery from the territories; in this diff
fering, not only from the opinions of Jetfer-
son and other great men of the past, but from
h ~ in b;s .;r g
approving and upholding the Missouri Com
promise. He denies to the people of Kansas
any power to inhibit Slavery until they shall
come to form State Constitution, saying that
the time is, however, 'sa matter of but little
practical Importance With a Supreme
Court to decide that the STAKEHOLDER has right
to take his slaves there, hold them, and de-
mand the same protection Of the law that You
would for cattle or other domestic animals, the
time is all-important, any one can see after
but moments reflection. Mr.. Buchanan,
however, promises to protect the people of
Kansas in the enjoyment of Popular. Sover-
eighty. We shall see how he does It. He
thinks it is an evil omen of the times that men
have undertaken to calculate the mere mate
rial value of the Union-a hit, we should say,
at the disunionists; reprobates corruption in
high places; deprecates extravagant expendi-
lures; approves the reduction just effected in
the Tariff; condemns appropriations for doubt
full enterprises recommends an increase of
the navy, and the construction of a military
road to the Pacific--but whether he means a
railroad or not, can only be guessed at; and
avows himself opposed to meddiing in the do
mes.ic affairs of other nations. He juStifes
the acquisition of Texas and the territory ce-
ded by Mexico, and says that, if in acting up
on the principle he has laid down, we shall still
further extend our acquisitions, no nation viii
have right to interfere or complain-which
is evidently intended as morsel for the fill
buster-favoring portion of the party.