The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-03-13
Inaugural Address
Citistas Of Tho Gated States.
ABRAHAM NC0LN,
Delirsredm Tasaiagtoa, Monday, March 1, 1861

N1NtstN' ~ - ~ -
Fe8loD- Citisens Of The Uaited States.
In compliance with a custom as old as the gov \
eminent itself appear before you 70 address you
briefly and to take in your presence the oath pre-
seribed by the Constitution of the United States to
be taken by the President before he enters upon
the execution Of his office.
do not consider it necessary for Inc at present
20 discuss those matters Of administration about
which there is no special anxiety or excitement
Apprehensions seem to exist among the people
Of the Southern States that by the accession of
Republican administration their property, their
peace and security are to be endangered There
never has been any reasonable cause for such APP
prehension. Indeed the most ample evidence TO
the contrary has all the while existed and been
open to their inspection. Ii is found in nearly all
the published speeches OF him who now addresses
you. do but quote from one of these speeches,
when declare that have no purpose directly or
indirectly to interfere with the institution Of slave
~ in the States where it exists. | believe that
have no lawful right to do so, and have no inci-
nation to do so. Those who nominated and elected
me did SO with the full knowledge that had made
this and many similar declarations and had never
recanted them, and more than this, they placed in
the platform for my acceptance and law TO
themselves and TO me the clear and emphatic reso-
luton which now read:
Resolred, That the maintenance inyiolate Of the
rights Of the States and especially the right to
control their own domestic institutions according to
their own Judgment exclusively, is essential 10 the
balance Of power on which the perfection and en-
durance Of our political fabric depend, and We de-
nounce the lawless invasion of an armed force Of
the soil Of any State or Territory no matter under
what pretext, as among the grayest Of crimes.
| now reterate these sentiments and in doing
50. only press upon the public attention the most
conclusive evidence Of which the case is suseepti
bic, and that the property peace and security Of
no section are 70 be IN any wise endangered by the
incoming administration ! add, too, that all the
protection which is consistent with the Constitu-
ton and the laws will be eheerfully given 10 all the
States when lawfully demanded for whatever cause,
As cheerfully 10 one section a. TO another.
There is much controversy about delivering up
fugitiyes from service or labor. The clause now
read IS as plainly written in the Constitution as any
other Of is provisions: No person held to ser
wee or labor in one State under the laws thereof
escaping to another, shall in consequence Of any
law or regulation therein, be discharged from such
service labor but shall Be delivered III on claim
Of the party to whom such service or labor NAV De
due" IL IS scarcely questionable that this proyi
sion was intended BY those who made il for the re.
claiming Of what call fugitive slaves and the in
tsntion Of the law governs the law. III members
o. Congress swear 70 support the whole Constitu-
Ton this provision a. much as any other To this
proposition, then, that slaves whose cases come
within the terms Of that clause shall be delivered
up, their oaths are unanimous. Now, il they
make the effort in good temper could they not
with equal unanimity frame and pass law by
means Of which to keep good that unanimous oath :
There i some difference Of opinion as to whether
this clause should be enforced By national or by
State authority but surely that difference i not
material one II the slave i 10 be surrendered il
can be but Of little consequence 10 him Or 70 others
by which authority it IS done. Should any one in
any case be content that his oath should 20 I'M
kept on a merely unsubstantial controversy as 20
loR i shall be kept! Again In any law upon
this subject should not all the safeguards II liberty
Known IN civilized and human jurisprudence BE- IN
serted, 30 that freeman Be not in any case sur
rendered as a slave. And might il not be well at
the same time 70 provide BIZ law for the enforce
inent Of that clause in the Constitution which guar
antees that the citizens 81 each State shall be en-.
titled u al the privileges and mmunities Of cti-
zens IN the several States. shall take the official
oath to-day with no mental reservations and with
No purpose 70 eonstrue the Constitution and laws
By any hypercritieal rules and while DO not choose
now 70 specify particular acts u Congress al
proper q h enforced do suggest that Il viii be
much safer for all both IN official and private sta.
tion. 70 conform 70 and abide by al those acts
At-A HslAt4A A4iali ~ flNAaAE "
them, trusting % lind impanity in having them
hGld p be constitutional
taL 4 seyenty.tgo years since the first inangura-
ton 81 President under our National C0nstitu.
ton. During that period fifteen different and
greatly distinguished citizens have ia succession
administered the Executive branch 81 the govern.
ment They have conducted X through many
peTils and generally with great success let with
al this scope for precedent nov enter upon tie
l. IL 1.sssf - a r. &
ye4Ts, under great and peculiar difficulty. dis
ruption " the Federal Union, heretofore only me
narsd, i nov fQrmidabiy attempted | hold that
ii contemplation ~ universal law and II tie Con.
ttituuon tile Union of these states Z perpetual
PerPctuiiy Is implied il moi expressed, u the fun.
lament law d al national governments IL ].
ale % assert that 10 government proper ever bad
provision ID i. organic las On its OWN termination
Continue q execute III The express provisions u
our national Constitution. ard Tic Union viii cn.
dlre forever. i being impossible % destroy il cx.
epi BY some action not provided fgr IN tie instru.
ment ITSELF
Again II ths rnitcd State. be not govern.
nlsAi proper but AZ association ~ states IL tht
nature q ; contract merely. can i under the con.
tract be peace4bly unnadt b. less than all th,
parties who made it, One party 70 the contract
iaay violate ii-bresk i, q q speak but Il doe,
require all Il lawfully restta11 Descending from
thest general pflnnpe-, ~ md the proposition
that ID legal contemplation The nion j. perpetual
confirmed ~ he history Il IL, Union itself The
lriqH Is much older tii4H TIC Constitution II
was iofniea ID fat by lie articles u association Ia
t7T4 Il - matufgd allI continued b5 ihe DeC.
iaratHau II Independence III 1876 II aas further
tnst1fed ard tie faith ~ 81 Tie then thirteen States
expressly n tiIted aud engaged that L should he
perpftgai q III articles 81 confederation 10 las.
ard iiually % 100 one Il lie DECLARED Objects u
Dtaaiuns sl3essatstiias Tia Constitution So "
firm nigis perfect Luaa Bit L Tia ltstitc-
Ton y the idgh by ore Il Is part only II tlie
states be lawful - possible { & les pef5ai than
! Wa bei9tt ar3 th Constitution Aa. lgst i vital
element q terpe,uiiy
II Follows from tttsg ttras taat III state utor
ts own InHfe n8tlUH ta8 lasfulit "a as.f ii tbr
Union. That resolves au1 ordinances u that i.
lot are legally Wat Ard tBat acts gf violence
within any state % states against tie AUTHORITY oi
fhe Fifdfi etalp4 nfH ff5ssfF5 f..tsa - -. w.,