, 1861-04-04
PRESIDENT LINC0LN's INAUGURAL
ADDRESS.


In compliance with a custom as old as the Gov
ernmcnt itself | appear here to address you
briefly, aud to take, in your presence, the oath
prescribed by the Constitution Of the United
States, to be taken bv the President before he
enters IN the execution of his office. ! do not
consider il necessary at present for me to discuss
those matters Of administration about which there
is no spscal excitement. The apprehension
seems to exist among the people of the Southern
States, that, by the accession of a Republican
Administration, their prosperity and their peace
and personal security are to be endangered; hut
there has never been any reasonable cause for
such apprehension. Indeed, the most ample
evidence to the contrary all the while existed,
and was open to their inspection. 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 ! have no
purpose directly or indirectly to interfere with
the institution Of slavery in the States where it
exists. believe have no lawful right to do so.
have no inclination to do so. Those who nom.
mated and elected me, did sowith the full knowl-
edge that had made this and many similar de-
clarations, and never recanted them; and more
than this, they placed in the platform for my ac-
ceptance, as law to themselves and to me, the
clear and emphatic resolution which now
read:
Reso!red, That the maintenance inviolate Of
the rights of the states and csnecialIv the right
Of each State. TO order and control its own 10.
nestle institutions according tn its own iudcmrn,
exclusively. is essential to the balance of power
on which the perfection and endurance Of our
political fabric depends, and we denounce the
lawless invasion, by an armed force oil the gov
ernment, Of any State or territory, no matter
under what pretext, as among the gravest Of
I now ra;ter.ta those sentiments and in dining
so onI,, r.oss ,,no ,ha nuhI;c o,,or,io, The most
conci3s;ra o,;Jpn"o of wh;ch ,ho coso ;s enscen
,;Lio a., ~ .'.o.o".,' .oa.o ~ socnr;tv "
no soc,;on a." ~ Sa r. ,rr~;So cndance cd bv
he no,~ ;ncow;no " aSn,;r;s,ro,;on 7 sdd To-
,ho, ~ az ,.o.ss.,;as ,,t;ss soa.;...r,iy with
M IT, s,'S AZ III ~ Il" 80, Mi,
he ohsnrC,,I 80, 80 - III u, ~ S.s...o " no ,",,
S,lry Ser.naaS q. s.ha,a"e. Wy ~ os,,s. az .hssr
c,ii. - 40" so.,;o. ~ " - e,,,s" -
Thsre T. r,uch "on,.ovors,, ~ aSn,, ,h. do,;v.rv
or s'o;,;vss GsC,m sor";c" =. i.,aor Ths cianSn
Oo, sasd = .',.;.,n =; H. CO,s,.,,,;on
"s .ny o,hs. ~ ;,s nyyo~;s;css :" ''' U''''1'''"
1 n ,eaS.os " h"l,,p ~ ns..;.. L. a.,
-. ~ ~ - c Seee W ' ~ o''o
o.. sh"r - S .ons"s,,ns u's.eOr' ~ , .ps W 80, ~
i".e, shars;n ~ d r. s,,a s .,,"h ~" =,
Iahor h", shall ho Ja,;vassS nv an clam =" ~
"rt,, 40 ,.hn,.. s,'.S =. "s,;S W u s ~ 'he
""O"' suN" " ''oei ""' "
=. - Nl,.k q.
-. ;s,ssSS ieseyu is ~ u'aS ta's P,I.,',o" ~. y"
c,a;ra;n, ~ NJ, .oss IN W. s,o;,;a & ~ ~ S ~
;n,"n.;eSs =, ~ ~ % ssn ~, u ss
~ ros =. s"o %" so' tne -" MN ~
49, ~ s~e.r .nV'. sulLo,s ~ 'ne
"o,o OoS...S, ~, ~ VI ."'s Po'u!n "S a
~ any o.ne'. =" ne PIoposuon, ueI: ~. W.
s.ss .%sm 80 ~ Sa,;" In," .s ; % ~ ,"s
0suss sn." ~ ues.,eu ~ .r up, tner oA.us ~. aLs
~. WV, .ney Mou'u % n'aHe :.s t"S :.
u1ucl, una,'"'y irahc snu pass nW " "os"s MAJ
1I q, Wn'cn 20 MAKE goou 'nas unlnlnous oa,n
- .neIe = sons ,s uine,ence ~ 9P.non Mnet"cI
enese c,a1ses SIulu Oe enIorcea ~ nauonA, ..
otAte autno',ty' Out surrey tnae "nleIence 70 nO1
aye,y ma.erlAl one u une save 's 70 oe sur
rendered, can 9e OF put htue consequences 70
nun OF % etners oy wnat author'y Is zone
ana snonld any one IN any case oe content mat
nus oatn snall oe nnkept on merely unsnostah.
t'al controversy as 70 now y snan oe keM!
Agan' IN any Jaw upon tnls suo)ect ought MOI
ah .ne saIeguarus o. hoerty known N al cN'.-
ized ana human Jnr'sprndence 70 oe introduced;
50 tnSt freeman may N no case oe surrenuered e
slayei ana m,gnt u no. oe WEI. ~ tne satne
t,me 70 provloe oy Jaw !or tne enforcement OF
INA. c.ause IN tne Oonstit1uon wn,en guarantees
.nat tne eiu.ens OF eacn otate snah oe ehtlt'eu
% all the privileges ana immun'hes oi citizens OF
me se.efal oaeest J nke .ne omcsl oatn 70
esy WIN " ,ee'Ouet ~ Nv Pu'Puse
% constrne me Oonsutution ana Jaw oy any
pr'vate rules ana whhe 40 not choose now 70
specify paFueunr acts OF congress aS proper 70
DC enforced. ! DO suggest tnat . WI DC much
safer both IN official and private stations to con.
TORN % ana abide ny Al those acts which stand
unsepealed, .nal 70 slelate any oi tnem, uusting
70 nne security 10 having them held 70 oe uncon-
sttnuonal, u rs seventy-two years since the
nrst inangnranon Of President under our Ma
nonal CONSTITUTION During that period hiteen
allierent and greatly distinguished citizens hive
N succession administered the Executive, that