The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-03-06
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
| Delivered At Washington, Monday,
| March 4, 1861.
Fellow- Citizens Of the United States:
! In compliance with a. custom as old as
( the Government itself, appear before YOU
to address you briefly, and to take, in your
| presence, the oath prescribed by the Con-
stitution Of the United States to be taken
! by the President before he enters on the
| execution of his official duties.
do not consider it necessary. at present.
for me to discuss those matters of admin.
| istration about which there is no special
anxiety or excitement Apprehensions
seems to exist 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 such apprchen.
sions. Indeed, the most ample evidence
to the contrary has all the while existed.
and been open TO the observation of all
1t is found in nearly all the published
speeches Of him who now addresses YOU,
do but quote from one of those speeches
when declare that l have no purpose, d.
rectly or indirectly, to interfere with the
institution Of slavery in the States where
it exists. l believe have no right to do
so, and have no inclination 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 recalled them. And more than
this, they placed in the platform for my ac-
ceptance, as a law to themselves and to me,
| clear and emphatic resolution, which |
| now read: ,fags zsat .F..s ,#r
Resolved, That the maintenance inyio-
late Of the rights of theStatcs, and especial
ly the right Of each State to order and con-
troll its own domestic institutions accord
ing TO its own judgment exclusively, is es-
sential to that balance of power on which
the perfection and endurance of political
fabric depends; and we denounce the law
less invasion by an armed force Of the soil
Of any State or Territory, no matter under
what pretext, as among the gravest Of
| crimes" EsgEA sale- aa.
l now reiterate those sentiments, and in
doing SO only press upon the public at
tention the most conclusive evidence Of
which the case is susceptible, that the prop
i
to be many wise endangered by the now
incoming Administration. l add, too, that
all the protection which consistently with
the Constitution and the Laws can be CIV
len, vii be cheerfully given to all the States
when lawfully demanded, for whatever
cause,as cheerfully to one section as to an
i other,
| Thfe is much controversy about the de-
/ liver, OF fugitivcs from service or labor
The clause which will now read is as
plaity written in the Constitution as any
otht Of its provisions: -.
no person held to service or labor in
on State under the laws thereof, escaping
ino another, shall, in consequence of law
oIregulation therein, be discharged from
srh service or labor, but shall BE- delivered
on claim Of the party to whom such ser,
We or labor be due"
1t was intended by those who made it,
r the reclamation Of what we call fugi-
We slaves, and the intention of the law
Avers is the law. All members of Con
ress swear their support to the whole
Constitution, to this provision as much as
70 any other proposition, and 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 |
that unanimous oath? There is some diff !
derence Of opinion whether this clause sho'd |
be enforced by National or State authori- !
ty; but surely, that difference is not a |
very material one. If the slave is to be SUR
rendered, it can be Of but little consequence |
to him or to others, by which authority it
Is done; and should any one in any case
be content that his oath shall be unkept on
merely unsubstantial controversy as to
whom it shall be kept.
Again, in any law upon this subject,
ought not all the safeguards of liberty |
known in civilized and humane jurispru-
dence to be introduced, so that freeman
may not be in any case surrendered as a
slave? faa @ !
And it might not be well, at the same time,
TO provide by law for the enforcement of that |
clause in the Constitution which guarantees
all the privileges and immunitiesOf citizens in
the Several States
l take the official oath to day with no mental
reservations. and with no purpose to construe
the Constitution or Laws by any hypOcritcal |
rule. And while do not choose now TO speci-
~ particular acts Of Congress rs proper to be
enforced, do suggest that it will be much
safer for all, in official or private stations, to
conform and abide by all those acts which
stand unrepealed, than T., violate any Of them.
trusting TO tnd IMMUNITY in having them held
TO be unconstitutional.
1t is seventy two years since the first in
auguration Of President under our Ma
tional Constitution. During that period,
fifteen different and greatly distinguished
citizens lave in succession administered
the Executive branch Of the Government
They have conducted it through many per-
lis, and generally with great success. Yet,
with all this scope for precedent now en-
ter upon the same task for the brief Con-
stitutional term of four years, under great
and peculiar difficulties.
Disruption of the federal Union, hereto
fore only menaced, is now formidably at
tempted. hold that in contemplation of
universal law and Of the Constitution, the
Union of these States is perpetual Per-
petuity is implied if not expressed in the
fundamental law Of all national govern
mess. 1t is safe to assert that govern
nleAk proper ever had provision in its or
eanic law for its own termination Con-
tinue to execute all the express provisions
Of our National Constitution, and the
Union will endure forever, it being imposi-
Uic W ucSuVy ~ eACePt ny soiuc aCuoh Hot
provided for in the instrument itself
The Union is much older than the Con-
stitution. 1t was formed in tact by the
articles of association in l774; Il was ma
tured and continued by the Declaration of
Independence in l776. 1t was further
matured, and the faith of the old thirteen
States expressly plighted and engaged that
it should be perpetuatd by the articles Of
Confederation in l776; and finally, in
1871, one Of the declared objects for or.
daining and establishing the Constitution
was to form more perfect Union. II by