Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-03-08
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
SIDENT LIN COLIN,

FFLLow CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES
In compliance with custom as old as the
government itself, | appear before you to
address you briefly and to take in your pres
ence the cath TT 3scribed by the Constitution
of the United States, to be taken by the
President before he enters on the execution
Of his Office.
| do not consider il necessary a present for
me to discuss those matters of administra-
ton about which there is nospecial anxiety
or excitement Apprehension seems to exist
among the people OF the southern States that
by the accession Of Republican Administra-
ton their property, peace, ana personal Sc
curity are to be cndang red. There has
never been any reasonable cause for such
apprehension indeed the most ample evid-
ence to the contrary has existed and been
open 10 their inspection.
It is found in nearly all tAe ia lishef9
do but quote from one OF those speeches
when I declare that | have no purIo
directly OF indirectly 10 interfere with tue
inst tuition OF slavery in the States where it
exists. / believe have no lawful right to
d. 50. And | have ~ inclination to Do So.
Those who nominated and c cted me, did 50
with fall knowledge that | have made this
and many similar declarations and had never
recantcd them, aud more than this, they
placed in the platform Tor my acceptance,
and as a law to themselves and t. me, the
clear and emphatic resolution which ! 10"
read.
"Rssolltd, That tie maintenance inti3late Of tie
rights Of the State., and specially the right OF each
State to order 6cCnrol its own domestic ms tut o-s
according TO its own Judgment exc usiyelys essen
tial 20 the balance o. power, on which the p1rec-
ton and endurance OF cur political fabric depends
and we denouuce the awloSs invasion by an armed
force Of any State 81 Territory, matter under
what pretext, as the gravest of crimes"
now reiterate these sentiments, and ia
doing so l only press upon the public attcn-
ton the most conclusive evidence Of which
the case Is susceptible, that the property.
peace and security Of no section are TO be in
anywise endangered by the now incoming
Administration. l add TO that, all the pro-
lection which, consistently with the Consti-
tuition and the Laws, can be given, viii be
chearlully given TO all States when lawfully
demanded for whatever cause, as chcerfully
T. one section as 10 another.
There IS much controversy about the de-
liyering up lusitiyes from service or labor.
The clause | now r5al is as plainly written
IN the constitution as any other Of its pr0yi-
si0ns.
'sNo person held to service OF labor in one State
unier the laws thereof, escaping ilto another,
thal IN consequence %. any las or regulation
therein, be discharged from SUCH service or labor,
bat shall be delivered up on claim ri ihe party 10
whom such service or labtr may be due"
1t is scarcely questioned that this provision
was intended BIZ those VINO made il for the
retaining Of what we call fugitive slaves :
and the intention Of the law given is the law.
All Members OF Congress swear their support
TO the whole Constitution, to this provision
as much az to any other. To the proposition
then, that slaves whose cases come within the
terms OF this clause shall be delivered up,
their oaths are unanimous. Now if they
would make the effort in good temper, could
they not with nearly equal unanimity frame
and pass law by means Of which to keep
good their unanimous oath
There Is some difference Of opinion whether
this clause should be enforced by National or
by State authorities; but surely that difficult
~ is not a very material one. If the slave
is to be surrendered it can be of bat little con-
sequence 20 him or to others by which authors
ity it is done aud should any one in any
case be content that his oath should 90 I'M
kept on a merely unsubstantial controversy
as to how it shall be kept? Again in any
law upon this subject, ought not all the safe
guards of liberty known in civilized and hu-
name Jurisprudence to be introduced so that |
freeman be not in any case surrendered as
a slave; aud might it not be well at the |
same time to provide by law for the enforce |
ment of that clause in the Constitution which |
guarantees that the citizens of each state
shall be entitled to all the privileges and m
munities of citizens IN the several States d?
j take the official oath to-day with nc men
tai reservation, and with no purpose to con
strue the Constitution or laws by any hyper |
critical rules; and while | do not choose now |
to specify particular acts Of Congress as
proper to be enforced, do suggest that it |
Will be much safer for all, both in official and |
private stations, TO conform 70 and abide by |
ali those acts which stand uurepealed, than |
to violate any Ct them trusting to find impu- |
nifty in having them held unconstitutional.
IL is seyenty-two years since the first insu-
yuraticn of a President under our National |
Consultation; during that period fifteen diff
ierent and greatly distinguished citizens
have in Succession administered the Execu-
tive branch Of he government. They have
conducted it through many perils, and gen.
orally with great success, Yet with all
this scope for precedents, now
enter upon the same task for tn. brief Con-
stitutional term of four years, uncer great
and peculiar difficulties. A disruptioc of
the Federal Union, heretofore only men, !,