The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-03-13
INAUGURAL ADDRESS Il
PREsIDENT T LINCOLN

Fellow Citizens of the United States
In compliance with a custom as cid as the
government itself, appear before you to ad-
dress you briefly 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 execution of his Office.
do not consider it necessary, at present, for
me to discuss those MASTERS Of administration,
about which there is no special anxiety or sx-
citement. i Es oa .li3 10 s4its5.ss54 s,+-, s.5
|. : Apprehension seems to exit among the
people Of the Southern States, that, by the
accession of a Republican Administration,
their property, and their peace and personal
security are to be endangered And there has
never been any reasonable cause for such ap
l+prehension. Indeed the most ample evidence
| to the contrary has all the while existed. and
been open to their Inspection. 1t is found in
lnearly all the published speeches Of him who
now addressed you. ,as-4 TIA, r..s..-z'.
[ / do but quote from one Of those speeches
when declare that have no purpose, direct
y or Indirectly, to interfere with the institu-
tion of slavery in the States whore it exists.
/ belisveI have nolawful right to do SO, and 1
have no inclination to do so. Those who nom
mated and elected nae, did 80 with the full
lknswledge that I had madssthis and many
similar declarations, and had never recanted
them; and more than this, they placed in the
platfsrm, for my acceptance as = law to them
selves and to me, the clear and smphatic rsso-
luton which. now read - g AZ 7eilesze
1 4 Resolped, That the mainterance inviolate of
the rights Of the States. and especially the
right of each State. to order and control its
ewn domestic institutions according to its own
Judgment exclusively is essential to that bal
ance of power on which the perfection and
endurance of our political fabric depends, and
and We dsnounce the lawless invasion by an
armed force Of the government Of any State
Tor Territory, no matter under what prstsxt, Is
amongst the graxest of crimes. aA aik1f
~ I now reiterateI these sentiments. and
i'm doing SO. j. only press upon the public
which the ease is susceptible, that the
property. peace and security of ne nation
are to be in any wise endangered by the
Inowa incoming administration. > I add,
NOW. that the protection which consistent.
lily With the Constitution. and the laws, can
be given, will be eheerfallya given to all
the States, when lawfully demanded; for
Whatever cause, as eheerfully to one SEQ
tion as to another.s sds da9i % sgrs 81
There is much controversy about. the
delivering of fugisives from service or Ia,
Dor. The clause I now read, is a. plainly
written in the constitution as any other ol
its provisions:i eNo person held to ser.
vice or labor in one State, undsr the laws
thereof, and escaping into snothsr, shall
in consequence of any law or regulation
therein, sbs discharged from such service
or labor, but shall be delivered up on
claim Of the party to whom such service
OF labor may be due;yy it is scarcely qaes-
toned but this provision was intended BY
those who made it for the reclaiming oil
whatiwe call fugitive slaves and; tho ia.
tention of the law giVersa is the Law: all
members o Congress swear their support
to the whole Constellation. ts this proyis.
ion as much as TO any sother, to the prop.
osition, then, that slaves whose cases come