Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-03-05
INAUGURAL ADp1Kss.

- .-.=NAUauRAL ADnREss.
The following is copy Of the Inaugural
Address delivered yesterday BY the Hon
James buchanan on his install alton "a Presi.
dent Of the United States for the ensuing four
years: - - p r. - x. =
FELLOW -CrrizENs: appear bsfors van th;,
day to take the solemn oath athat viIl
faithfully execute the Office of President Of
tho United States, and will, to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect, and defend ne
Constitution Of the United States.
In entering upon this great Office I must
humbly invoke the God Of our fathers for Wis.
dom and nrmness to execute its high and re.
sponsible duties in such manner as 10 restore
harmony and ancient friendship smone tle
people of the several States, and to preserye
our free institutions throughout m any genera.
tions: Convinced that owe nv election "a
the inherent love for the Constitution and the
Union which still animstes the hearts of tbe
American people, let me earnestly ask their
powerful support in sustaining ali just me AZ.
ures caicuia to perpetuate these the richest
political blessings which Heaven has ever be +.
slowed upon any nation Having determined
net 10 become q candidate for reelection. T
shall have no motive to influence my conduct
in administering the Government except the
desire ably and faithfully to serve my cou utry
and to live in the grateful memory of nv
| countrymen.
We have recently passed through Presi.
DENTAL contest in which the passions of our
fellow citizens were excited to the highest de-.
gree by questions Of deep and vital import.
anoe; but when the people proclaimed their
| will the tempest at once subsidized and all was
calm. The voice Of the majority, speaking
In the manner prescribed by the Consultation,
was heard, and instant submission followed.
Our own country could alone have exhibited
50 grand and striking spectacle of the CO.
paoity Of man for self government
| What . happy conception, then, was II for
Congress to apply this simple rule-that the
will Of the majority shall govern-to the set.
tiement OF the question of domestic slavery
in tho Territories Congress is neither " to
lcgislate slavery into any Territory or State
nor to exclude it therefrom but to leave the
| people thereof perfectly free to form and reg.
uiate their domestic institutions in their own
way, subject only to the Constitution of the
United States" As a natural consequences.
Congress 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 constitution
may prescribe at the time of their admission. F"
difference of opinion has arisen in regard
70 the point OF time when the people of Ter
ritory shall decide this question for them.
| selves.
This Is, happily, matter Of but little prac.
tical importance. Besides, it is a judicial
question which legitimately belongs to the
Supreme Court of the United States, before
whom it is now pending, and will, it is under
stood, be speedily and finally settled To the:r
accession, In common with all good citizens, l
shall cheerfully submit, whatever this NAV
be, though it has ever been my individual
opinion that under the Nebraska-Kansas act
the appropriate period will be when the mum.
Der OF actual residents in the Territory sb all
justify the formation CT a constitution with a
view to Its admission as State into the Union.
But, be this as it may, it is the imperative
and indispensable duty of the Government Ct
the United States to secure to every resident
inhabitant the free and independent exnres.
sion OF his opinion by his vote. This sacred
right OF each individual must be preserved.
That being accomplished, nothing can be fair
or than to leave the people of Territory free
from all foreign Interference to decide their
own destiny for themselves, subject only to the
Constitution Of the United States
Inc whole Territorial question being thus
eignty-a principle as ancient as free govern
ment ltself-every thing Of q practical nature
has been decided. No other question remains
Tor adjustment; because all agree that under
the Constitution slavery in the States is be-
yond the reach of any human power except
that of the respective States themselves where
In 1t exists: May We not, then, hope that the
long is agitation on this subject is approaching
It's end, and that the geographical parties to
which it has given birth, 90 much dreaded by
the Father of his Country, will Speedily be-
come extinct? Most happy will it be for the
country when the public mind shall be di.
verted from this question to others Of more
pressing and practical Importance Through.
out the whole progress of this agitation, which
mas scarcely known any intermission for more
than twenty years, whilst it has been produc.
tive Of no positive good to any human being,
It has been the prolific source Of great evils to
tho 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. Under our system the re
Is q remedy for all mere political evils in the
sound sense and sober jud gnent of the people.
Time is great corrective. Political subjects
which but few years ago excited and exas.
perated the public mind have passed avay
and are now nearly forgotten. But this cues
ton OF domestic slavery is of far graver i'm
portarce than any mere political question, be-
cause, should the agitation continue, it may
eventually endapger the personal safety of a
large portion Of our countrymen whore the
institution exists In that event no form Of
government, however admirable in itself, and
however productive of material benefits, can
compensate for the loss of peace and domestic
security around the family altar Let every
Union. loving man, therefore, exert his best
influence to suppress this agitation, which,
since the recent legislation of Congress, is
without any legitimate object.
1t is an evil omen of the times that men have
undertaken to calculate the mere material
value Of the Union. Reasoned estimates have
been presented of the pecuniary profits and
local advantages which would result to differ
ent States and sections from its dissolution,
and OF the comparative injuries which such an
event would inflict on other States and sec.
tions Even descending to this low and a narrow
view Of the mighty question, all such calculs-
tons are at fault The bare reference to q
single consideration will be conclusive on this
point. We at present enjoy q free trade
throughout our extensive and expanding
country, such as the world has never wit.
messed. This trade is conducted on railroads
and canals, on noble rivers and arms of the
sea, which bind together the North and the
South, the East and the West Of our Confede-
raw. AnnihllatA this trado