Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-03-07
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE
PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT.
! Fellor-c citizens of the United Slatcs:-In COM
pliance with custom as old as the government
itself, ! appear before You to address you briefly,
and to take. In your presence, the oath prescrib-
ed by the Constitution of the United States, to
be taken by the President "bcfore he enters on
the execution of his office"
l do not consider it necessary at present for
me to discuss those matters of administration
about which there is no special anxiety and ex-
element.
Apprehension seems to exist among the peo-
pie of the Southern States that by the accession
of a Republican administration, their property
and their peace, and personal security, are to be
endangered. There has never been any reason
able cause for such apprehension. Indeed, the
most ample evidence to the contrary has all the
while existed, and been open to their inspection.
1t is found in nearly all the published speeches
of him who now addresses you. l do but quote
II have no purpose directly or indirectly, to in
terfere with the institution of slavery in the
States where it exists. l believe have no law
full right to do so, and have no inclination to
do So" Those who nominated and elected me
did so with full knowledge that had made this,
and many similar declarations, and had never
recanted them. And more than this, they placed
in the platform, fer my acceptance, and as a law
to themselves, and to me, the clear and emphatic
resolution which now now read:
Resolved, That the maintenance inviolate of
the rights Of the States, and especially the right
of each State to order and control it's own do
nestle institutions according to it's own judg-
ment exclusively. is essential to the balance of
power on which the perfection and endurance
of our political fabric depends and we denounce
tbo IL h. Of fI,oc coil
of any States or Territory, no matter under what
pretext, as among the gravest of crimes"
l now reterate these sentiments; and in doing
so, only press upon the public attention the
most conclusive evidence of which the case is
susceptible, that the property, peace and securi
ty of no section are to be in anywise endangered
by the now incoming Administration. l add,
too, that all the protection which, consistently
withsthe Constitution and the laws, can be given,
will be checrfully given to all the States when
lawfully demanded. for whatever cause-as
cheerfully to one section as to another.
There is much controversy about the deliver
ing up of fugitive slaves from service or labor
The clause l now read is as plainly written in
the Constitution as any other of its provisions:
"No person held to service or labor in one
State, under the laws thereof, escaping into an
other, shall, in consequence Of any law or regu-
lation 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 questioned that this provision
was intended by those who made it, for the re-
claiming of what we call fugitive slaves; and
the intention of the law-gver is the law. All
members Of Congress swear their support to the
whole Constitution to this proposition, as much
as 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 eff
fort 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 difference of opinion whether
this clause should be enforced by national or by
State authority 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 dotes
Anu should any one, in any case, be content
that his oath shall go unkept on a merely un-
substantial controversy as to hoac it shall be
kept?
Again in any law upon this subject ought not
all the safeguards of liberty known in civilized
and humane jurisprudence to be introduced, so
that free man be not in any case surrendered
as slave? And might it not be as we'll at the
same time to provide by law for the enforce
ment of that clause in the Constitution which
guarantees that ssthe citizens of each State shall
be entitled to all privileges and immunities of
citizens in the several States ?"
take the official oath to-day, with no mental
reservations, and with no purpose to construe
the Constitution or laws, by any hypocritical
rules. And while I do not choose now to speci-
fly 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 to, and abide by, all those acts which
stand unrepealed than violate any of them,
trusting to find impunity in having them held
to be unconstitutional.
1t is seventy-two years since the first inaugu-
ton of a President under our national Constitu-
ton. During that period fifteen different and
greatly distinguished citizens, have. in success
sion, administered the executive branch of the
government. They have conducted it through
many peris; and, generally, with great success.
Yet, with all this scope for precedent, I now
enter upon the same task for the brief constitu-
tional term of four years, under great and pecu-
liar difficulty. A disruption Of the Federal
Union heretofore only menaced, is now formi-
daily attempted.
l hold, that in contemplation of universal
law, and OF the Constitution, the Union OF these
States is perpetual. Perpetuity is implied if
not expressed, in the fundamental law of all
national governments. 1t is safe to assert that
no government proper ever had provision in
it's organic law for its own termination. Con-
tinue to execute all the express provisions of our
national Constitution, and the Union will en-
durc forever-it being impossible to destroy it,
except by some action not provided for in the
instrument itself
Again, if the United States be not govern
ment proper, but an association of States in the
nature of contract merely, can it, as contract
be .peaceably unmade, by less than all the par
ties who made it? One party to contract may
require all to lawfully rescind it?
Descending from these general principles, we
find the proposition that, in legal contemplation,
the Union is perpetual, confirmed by the histo-
ru Of the Union itself The Union is much older