The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-03-05
PRESIDENT LINC0LN'S
Inaugural Address F!


| 'fshc III youI PTeSeHCc vic odiu prONlueu
by the Constitution of the United States
to be taken by the President before he
enters on the duty of his office.
l do not consider it necessary at pres
ent for me to discuss those matters OF
administration about which there is nc
especial anxiety or excitement. Appre-
hension seems to exist among the people
of the Southern States that by the ac-
cession of Republican administ ration
their property, their peace and personal
security are to be endangered, but there
has never been any reasonable 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 ad-
dresses you. do but quote from one
of those speeches when l declare that l
have no purpose, directly or indirectly,
to Interfere with the institution of Slav-
cry in the States where it exists. l be-
lieve l have no lawful right to do so, and
l have no INCLINATION to do so. Those
who nominated and elected me did SO
with the full knowledge that l had made
this, and many similar declarations, and
had never recalled them; and, more than
this, they placed in the platform for my
acceptance, as a law to themselves and to
me, the clear and emphatic resolution
which now read
RESOLVED, That the maintenance invi-
olate OF the rights of the States and es-
pecially the right of each State to order
and control its own domestic institutions
according to its own judgment exclusive
ly, is essential to that balance of power
on which the perfection and end urance
Of our political fabric depends, and we
denounce the lawless invasion by an
armed force of the soil of any State OF
Territory, no matter under 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 that the
property, peace and security of no sec
ton are to be in any wise endangered by
the now incoming Administration
add, too, that all the protec ton, which
consistently with the Constitution and
the laws can be given, will be cheerfulIy
given TO all the States, when lawfully de-
manded, for whatever cause, as cheer
fully to one section as to another.
There is much controversy about de
livering fugtives from service or labor
The clause | now read is as plainly writ
ten in the Constitution as any other Of its
/ provisions.
No person held to labor in one State,
under the laws thereof, escaping into an.
other, shall in consequence of any law
or regulation therein, be discharged from
such service or labor, but shall be de-
livered upon claim of the party to whom
such service or labor may be due
1t was intended by those who made il
for the retaining OF what we call fugit-
i've slaves, and the intention of the law
gIver is the law. All members Of Con-
gress swear their support of the whole
Constitution, to this provision as well as
to 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 effort in
good temper, could they not with near
ly equal unanimity, frame and pass a
law, by means of which 10 keep good
their unanimous oaths ? There is some
difference of opinion whether this clause
should be enforced by National or State
authority. but surely that difference is
not a very material one. II the slave is
to be surrendered, it cnn be Of little con-
sequence to him or to others by what au-
thority 1t is done and should any one
in any case be content that his oath shall
be unkept, or merely unsubstantial con
troversy as to how it shall be kept p
Again, in law upon this subject, ought
not all the safeguards of liberty known
in civilized and humane jurisdiction to
be introduced SO that free man may moi
be in any case surrendered as a slave p
And might it not be well at the same
time to provide by law for the enforce
ment of that clause in the Constitution
which guarantees that the citizens Of
each State shall be entitled to all the pro
visions and immunilies of the citizens o
the severa. States =?
take the official oath to -day with nc
mental reservations, and with no purpose
to construe the Constitution or laws BY
any hypercriIicai rules. And while l dc
not choose now to specify any particular
acts of Congress as proper 10 be enforced
do suggest that il will be much safe
for al in official and private positions ID
conform to, aud abide by all those act,
which stand unrepealed. than to violate
any Of them, trusting to find impunity
in having them held to be unconslitu
tional.
1t Is seventy-two years since the first
inauguration of President under our ma,
tional Constitution. During that period
fifteen have administered 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 same task for the same consti-
tutional term Of four years, under great
and peculiar difficulty.
| DISRUPTION Of the federal Union here.