St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-19
The Inauguration.
The Address of President Buchanan.
IMPOSING CEREMONIES.
WASHINGTON. March |


Breckenridge rode in an open carriage. sur
rounded by the keystone Club, preceded by
the military. A lady, representing the Cod
dcss of Liberty, mounted on u high platform
drawn by six horses, followed: after which
came miniature ship-ofwar, made by the me
chanics at the Navy Yard and several Clubs
and Engine Companies.
Mr. Buchanan reached the Capitol at
| O'Clock, where tremendous crowd was await
| ing his arrival He was received with cnthu-
siastic cheers, and in the presence of many
thousands, proceeded to deliver his Inaugural
| Address.
Fd'o'r Citizens: | appear before you this day
| to take the solemn oath that will faithfully
execute the Office of President of the United
States; and will to the best of my ability pre-
| serve, protect and defend the Constitution of
| the United States.
In entering upon this great Office most
humhly invoke the God of our Fathers for
| wisdom and iirmness to execute its high and
| responsible duties in such Il manner. as to re-
store the harmony and ancient friendship
! among the people of the several States and to
| preserve our free institutions throughout many
generations. Convinced that owe nv cleo
ton to the inherent love for the Constitution
and the Union. which still animatcs the hearts
of the American people. let me earnestly ask
their powerful support i'll sustaining all just
measures calculated to perpctuatc these, and
| the richest political blessings which Heaven
has ever bestowed upon any nation. Having
! determined not to become Il candidate for re-
| election. shall have no motive to influence
my conduct in administering the Government,
except the desire ably and faithfully to serve
my Country. and to live in the grateful mem
| DRY of my Countrvmcn.
We have recently passed through PrcSilcn-
tal 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 subsidized, and all was calm. The
voice of the majority. speaking in the manner
prescribed by the constitution, was heard. and
instant submission followed. Our own coun-
try could alone have exhibited SO grand and
striking spectacle of the capacity of man for
self-Sovcrnmcnt. What a happy conception
then was it for Congress to apply this simple
rule, that the will of the majority govern, to
the settlement of the question of domestic
slavery in the Territories. Congress is to nci-
Their legisatc slavery into Territories or States,
nor to exclude it thercfrom, but to leave the
people perfectly free to form and regulate their
domestic institutions in their own way sub
iect only to the Constitution of the United
States, as Il natural consequence
Congress has also prescribed that when the
Territory of Kansas shall be admitted as a
State, it shall be admitted into the Union with
or without Slavery, as their Constitution may
prescribe at the time of their admission. 4
different opinion has arisen in regard to the
time when the people of a territory shall de-
eide the question for themselves This is hap
PLY, matter of but little practical impor-
tancc and, besides, it is judicial question,
which, legitimatcly, belongs to the Supreme
Court of the United States, before whom it is
now pending. and will, it is understood. be
speedily and finally settled. To their decision,
in common with all good citizens shall Ui.,ti-
fully submit whatever this lnav he Though
1t has been my individual opinion that, under
| the Nebraska Kansas act, the appropriate pc
riod will he when the number of actual resi-
dents i'll the territory shall justify the forma-
ton OF Constitution with view to its ad-
mission as Il State into the Union. But. be
this rs it may, it is the imperative and indis-
pensablc duty of the Government of the Uni
ted States to secure to every resident inllabi-
tant the free and independent expression of his
opinion, by his vote.
This sacred right oreach individual must be preserved
This being accomplished. nothing be frcr than to
leave the people oil aterrtory free from all foreign inter
ference Ia decide their Constitution. The whole terrific
rial question being thus settled upon the priucip
Sq'it'er sovereignty principle ancient free GOV
;ii , ","h =" 81 Pi '''i1l' tatut ii'> pee'i
because all agree that, under the Constitution. slavery
cxcrnt IN, ,r ,Io r,,a.,;,.o -. y, 49,: H., , 49,
il exi.ts Nav ~. NO, Lnno - ,n, ,i u "dt i,
ton ON this subject approaching its end and that the
Sro,nb n,. ,h W ", ~ ~ NC WI 'ii , i,'n
come cNtinctf Most happy will il he for the country
when the public mind shall be diverted from this ques-
Tnron,lon, ,,,n whole 'rnrss , Of i i,,; ;ii
L,s r.. , , ~ 80. VI u "i.t' "t''h
ty voars Whit !; h. hc, i,,',, ' t ~, Nm, ~
r ~, @ h, i -; ' , ~, VI no poslVe
Of great c,.,n tha - ,h 'i d ~, '
w., ~ ,'o '"' hih''cf' W 'ic sla'c anu 10 tic
=. b.. ~ ,, =, .. =, -,
s,, NJ f .,n rs,fEe te people % the sister
ii'li ''iei ana MT even seriously eiidahser-
ei me very existence 81 the lnon Nor has the danger
su t.es c'sea. hner our system there l. RENE
dy Tor al mere political evils IN the sound sense ani SO
Der judgment OF The people. Time i great corrective
me political suo'eSt' which nut few years ago excited
~ 'tcu 'e P,'o nih" nave passed away ana
yer! "i lar greater Importance than any mere roti
cal question: because should the agitation continue
may eventually "iidanger the personal safety Of large
portion OF our rnuntrymcn, wh"r" the institution exists.
In that evetho form OF government, however advisable
IN lisei can compensate for the loss Of peace AMI do
onovng man Therefore his best influence to sup
press this agitation which since the recent legislation of
It an evil T Of the time. that "n In ye undertaken to,
calculate the mere material value of the Union Ez-
mates have been presented of the pecuny profits aud
local advantages which would result 10 different States
and sections from its di>soulon-of the comparative in
lures which such would infc ON other States
ana sections. Even descending tis low and narrow
OF the wcghy question ali such calculations are at
fault The bare reference to sng, consideration will
be conclusive this point We at pre- sent enjoy free
radc throughout extensive and expansive country.
;ich As the world never witnessed. This trade is con- I
iucted railroads and canals noble rivers and
If the which bind together the North and the South
he East and the West of confederation Annihiate
his tradc-ar:est its free progress by the geographical
Inc Of jealous and hostile Stltelni You destroy the
,1nl.
art and involve all in one common ruin But such
idcrations, important they in themselves sink
lto i'm significance when we rcct the terrible evils
Which would re- :u from dnon to every portion of the
the North not more than to the South,