Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-03-12
pREstDENT BUCHANAN'S
IN AUGURAL ADDRESS.

- - - - - - - - ~ n D. y y
FELLOW C1TIzENs:-I appear before
you this day, to taketh solemn oath that
/ will faithfully execute the office of Pres
identof the L. States; and win to the best
OF my ability preserve, protect and and
defend the constitution of the U. States
In entering upon this great offic 7
must humbly invoke the God of o,r "a
theirs, for wisdom and firrnne. = 80 20
cute its high and RESPONSE 10 drt;aS ~
such amauner as to res5c re -, -
the ancient friendshjv !, among The neo ,,Lt.
ofthe several Star s; and to nrese,l TO d,,r
free institution, thro.ont manv aonora ~.
1i"ns' o9ilS.aced that owe nv election
TO inc lnr .erent love for the constitution
ana tDe Union, which still aniinates the
hearts OF the American people: let me
earnestly ask their powerful support III
sustaining all Just measures, calculated
70 perpetuate these, the richest political
blessings which heaven has bestowed up
on any nation. Having determined not
to become a candid ate for reelection,
shall have no mot se to influence my con.
duct ID admlnisf ering the government
except the des,ire, ably and faithfully tc
serve my coultry, and live in the CRATE
1ul memory ofmy countrymen.
" g have recently passed thro' Pres.
ldentlal contest in which the passions Of
our fellow citizens were excited in the
highest degree by questions Of deep and
vital Importance; but when the people
proclaimed their will, the tempcstat once
subsidized and all was callu. The voice Of
the majority, spe aking in the manner
prescribed by the constitution, an instant
submission followed. Our own country
alone could have, exhibited SO grand and
striking Q spectacle Of the capacity Of
man for selfgoyernment.
: What happy conception then was il
for Congress to apply this simple rule
that the will ofthe majority shall govern,
TO the settlement of the question of do
mestic Slavery, in the Territories. Con
gress is neither TO legislate Slavery into
any Territory or State, nor to exclude ii
therefrom, but to leave the people there
of perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions, in their own
way, subject only to the Constitution OF
the U. S. As natural consequence
Congress has also prescribed that when
tic Territory OF Kansas shall be admitted
as State, it shall be received
with or without Slavery, as their Con.
stitution shall prescribe at the time Of
their admission.
\ different opinion has arisen in re-
gard to the time when the people of the
Territory shall decide this question for
themselves. This is, happily, a matter
OF but little practical Importance; and
besides, is a Judicial question which le-
ultimately belongs to the Supreme Court
Of the United States, before whom it is
understood, itwillbe speedily and finally
settled. Tothcirdecision,i in common with
all good citizens, shall chcerfully sub
NIT, whatever this may be, though it has
been my individual opinion that, under
the Nebraska Kansas act, the appropriate
period will be when the number of actu-
al resident, in the Territory shall Justify
the formation of a constitution, with a
view to its admission as a State into the
Union.
But be this rs it may, it is the impera.
tive and indispensable duty of the gov
eminent Of the United States to secure to
every resident inhabitant the free and in
dependent expression Of his opinion by
his vote. This must be preserved. This
being accomplished, nothing can be fair
cr than to leave the people of a terrific
~, free from all foreign interference, to
decide their own destiny for themselves,
subject only to the constitution Of the
United States.
The whole Territorial question being
thus settled upon the principle of popu-
lar sovereignty-a principle as ancient
as free government itself; every thing OF
practical nature has been decided, and
no other qGestionremainsf for adjustment,
because all agree that under the Constit-
ution, slavery in the States is beyond the
reach Of any human power, except that
OF the respective States themselves
wherein 1t exists. May we not then
hope that the long agitation of this sub
jcct is approaching its end, and that the
geographical parties, to which ii has
given birth, SO much dreaded by the
Iathc. Of his Country, viii speedily be
come cNtinct? 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
influence
Throughout the whole progress of this
ggitation, which has scarcely known. any
iutrmission for more than twenty years,
whilst It has been productive of no pos
tive good to any human being, it has
been prolific source of great evil TO the
master, to the slave and to the whole
country. 1t has aIiouated and estranged
the people Of the sister States from each
other, and has seriously endangered the
very existence Of the Union. Nor has
the danger vet entirely ceased. Under
our system, there is n remedy for all
mere political evils, In the sound, severe
and sober Judgment Of the people -
Time is . great corrective. The pcliti-
cal subjects which, hut few wears ago
existed and cXasperated the public mind.
have passed away, and are now nearly
forgotten. But this question OF do
mp~,ic slavery is of far greater impor-
tauac than any mere political question,
because should Ill, agitation continue. it
may eventually ondanger the political
safety OF "a portion OF our countrymen.
whore the institution exists. In that
event no form Of government, however
productive in il self, however productive
If material benefits, can compensate for
the loss Of peace and domestic security
around the family altar Let every
Mon loving man, therefore exert his
best influence &c suppress this agitation
which si,cc he recent Legislation OF
Congress, is without any legitimate ob-
icy. 1t is an evil Of the times that men