The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-03-07
lIlleQRAL ADDRESS
OF
Mr.. LINCOLN,
President Of the United
Sf0fcS.

states.
FElLow CITIZENS OF THE UNITED
STATES In compliance with 4 Gus
tom as old rs the Government itself. |
appear bcfrc YOU t. address YOU brief
~, and to take, in your presence, the
oath prescribed by the Constitution of
the United States to be taken by the
President before he enters on the exc
cution Of lis ofic &c. ] do not consider
it necessary, ut present, Tor me to dis
those matters Of administration
about which there is no special anxiety
or excitement. Apprehension seems to
10 excited among the people OF the
Southern States, that by the accession
of Republican Administration, their
property and their peace and personal.
security are to be endangered. There
has never been any reasonable cause
for ,nch apprehension. Indeed, the
most ample evidence TO the contrary
has all the while existed and been open
10 their inspection. 1t is found in near
~ oil the published speeches OF him
who now addresses YOU. | do but quote
from one Of those speeches when | de-
clare that | have no purpose, directly
or indirectly, to interfere with the insti-
tuition OF slavery in the States where it
exists. l believe I have no lawful right
to do 40, and have no inclination to
do SO Those who nominated and
elected me, did SO with the full knowl-
edge that I had made this and similar
declarations, and had never recalled
them; and more than this, they placed
in the platform for my acceptance rs n
law to themselves and to me, the clear
and emphatic resolution which ! now
read
"REsoLvED, That the maintenance in
violate Of the rights Of the States, and
especially the right Of each State to or
der and control its w domestic ins,i-
tutions according to its own Judgment
ex olusiyely, is essential to the balance
Of power on which the perfection and
endurance Of our political fabric de-
Ponds, and we denounce the lawl:ss in
VISION by armed force Of the soil Of any
State or Territory, no matter under
what prctcxt, ss among the the gravest
Of Crimes"
now ~reiterate those sentiments, and
in doing 80 ! only press upon the public
attention the most conclusive evidence
Of which the case is susceptible, that
the property, peace and security Of no
s*ct'on are to be i'll any wise %endanger-
cd by the now incoming Administration.
add, too. that all the protection which.
consistently with the Constitution and
the laws, can be given, will be cheer
fully given to all the States, when law
fully demanded. for whatever cause, as
cheerfullv to one section as to another.
There is much controversy about deliy-
erlng Of fugitives from service or labor.
The clause | now read is as plainly
written in the Constitution as any 9TH
er Of its provisions.
mo person held.to service or labor
IN n State under the laws thereof, es-
Gaping into another, shall, in conse-
qnence ct any law or regulation therein,
be disc. srged from such service or la
Dor, but shall be delivered up on claim
~ the pazty to whom such service or
lahor NAV lie due"
It was intended, by those who made
u. for the retaining Of what we cali
fugitive slaves ; and the intention Of the
l.w -giver is the law. All members of
Congress- swear to give their support to
-" whole Constitution to this provis-
'on AZ much as any other. TO the pro-
vision. then, that slaves whose cases
tome within the terms OF this clause
''sh..ll be delivered up'--thcir oaths are
unanimous. Now if they would make
~" effort, in good temper. could they
not with nearly equal unanimity frame
snd pass = law by means Of which to
Keep good that unanimous oath !: There
- ON difference Of opinion whether
thus clause should be enforced by Ma
t,ona' or State authority /; but surely that
difference is.not a very material one
II the slave is to bc surrendered. it can
he Of but little consequence to him or
70 others by which authority it is done,
should any one in any casc be con-
tent that his oath should be unkcpt, or
NHSa0StSIilIal COutlONtI'v CS
70 how it should be kept?
Again, in = law upon this subject,
ought not all the safeguards OF liberty
known in civilized and humane iurispru-
dcncc to be introduced, so that a free
man may not be in u case eurren-
dcrcd as \ slave? And might it not be
well AZ the same fine TO provide BY law
fnr the enforcement Of that clause in the
Constellation which guarantees that the
citizens Of each State shall be cntited
10 all the privileges and immunities Of
cltizens in the several States? l take
fhe official oath to-day with no mcnkal
reservation and with no purpose to con
sfrue the Constitution or law. by any
lypocritical rules, and while / do not
choose now to 'pccity particular acts Of
Congress as proper to be enforced, ! do
suggest that il will be much safer FOR
al, both in official and private stations.
q conform to and abide by all those acts
which stand unrcpealcd, than to violate
any OF them, trusting to find impunity
in having them held to be unconstitu.
tional.
1t is seyenty-two years since the frs,
~NAuuurAtio nf a proSident undar on,