The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-03-08
Inaugural Address of Abraham Lin.


COIN.
Fsllow. Otseys Of the Uaited States:
In compliance with custom as old as
the government ITSELF l appear before
you TO address you briefly and 10 take in
your presence the oath prescribed 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 II necessary for me at
present to discuss those matters OF adj
ministration about which there is no spe-
cial anxiety or excitement.
approximations seem to exist among
the people Of the Southern States that by
the accession of Republican admins
tration their property, their peace and
security are to DO endangered There
never has been any reasonable cause for
such apprehension. Indeed, the most
the while existed and been open to their
inspection. IL is found in nearly all the
published speeches of him who now cd
dresses you. do but quote from one Of
these speeches, when declare that |
have no purpose directly or indirectly to
interfere with the institution Of slavery
in the States where it exists | believe
that have no lawful right to do so, and
| have no inclination 10 do so. Those
who nominated and elected me did so
with the full knowledge that had madc
this and many similar declarations and
had never recanted them, and more than
this, they placed in the platform for my
acceptance, and as law to themselves
and to me the clear and emphatic resolu-
ton which now read
"Resoired, That the maintenance invio.
late of the rights of the States, and cs-
pecially the right to control their own
domestic institutions according to their
own Judgment exclusively, is essential to
the balance Of power on which the per-
| lection and endurance of our political
fabric depends, and we denounce the law
less invasion by an armed force of the
soil of any State or Territory, no matter
what pretext, as among the gravest of
crimes"
] now reiterate these sentiments, and
in doing SO, only press upon the public
attention the most conclusive evidence
Of which the case is susceptible, and that
the property, peace and security of no
section are to be in any wise endangered
by the incoming administration. l add,
too, that all the protection which is con-
sistent with the Constitution and the laws
will be cheerfully given to all the States
when lawfully demanded for whatever
cause. as cheerfully to one section rs to
another.
There is much controversy about deliv-
ering up fueitives from service or labor.
The clause l now read is as plainly writ
ten in the Constitution as any other of
its provisions: mo person held TO SER
vice or labor in one State under the laws
thereof. escaping to another, shall in con-
sequence Of any law or regulation therein,
be discharged from such service or labor.
but shall be delivered up on claim of the
(, party to whom such service or labor may
be due" 1t is scarcely questionable that
this provision was intended by those who
made it for the retaining of what we
call fugitive slaves. and the intention of
the law governs the law. All members of
Congress swear to support the whole Con-
stitution, this provision as 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
would 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 is some difference of opinion as TO
whether this clause should bo enforced
| by national or by State authority, but
surely that difference is not very mate
rial one. If the slave is to be surrender
/ ed it can be but of little consequence to
him or to others by which authority it is
done. Should any one in any case be
content that his oath should go unkept
on merely unsubstantial controversy as
to hoU it shall be kept? Again: In any
law upon this subject, should not all the
safeguards of liberty known in civilized
and human jurisprudence be inserted so
that freeman be not in any case sur
rendered as slave? And might it not
be well at the same time to provide by
law for the enforcement of that clause
in the Constitution which guarantees
that the citizens of each State shall be
entitled to all the privileges and inmu-
mites OF citizens in the several States?-
l shall take the official oath to-day with
no mental reservations and with no pur-
pose to constrne the Constitution and
laws by any hypercrtical rules, and while
90 not choose now to specify particular
acts OF Congress as proper to be enforced.
DO suggest that II will be much safer for
all. both in official and private station,
to conform to and abide by all those acts
which stand unrepealed. than TO violate
any OF them. trusting to find impunity in
having them held to be unconstitutional.
1t is seventy-two years since the first
Inauguration of President under our
Nationa! Constitution. During that Pc
Rod fifteen different and greatly distin-
guished citizens have in succession adj
ministered the Executive branch of the
government They have conducted it
through many perils and generally with
great success. Yet, with all this scope
FOR precedent, ] now enter upon the