Nebraska advertiser., 1861-03-14


Constitution Of the Unac States. % 81
laken by The President before he enters
on the execution Of his Office
d nst consider It necessary present
for me e discuss those matters of HE Al.
nliaislEaii0n about which there s as spe.
cial anxiety or excitement The appre-
henslon seems 10 exist auonq he people
of the Southern States. that by lhe accss-
sion Of a Republican Administration, their
property and their peace and personal se-
euriiy are % be endangered. There
has never been any reasonable cause Tor
such apprehension. Indeed, the most am-
pie evidence 10 the contrary he's all tha
while existed and been open 30 lheir in
speclion. tits found in nearly al ths prb-
lished speeches of him who now address
ses you.
do bat quote from one Of those speech.
es where I declare that i have no purpose
directly or indirectly, % interfere with
The institution Of slavery Ia tie States
where Il exists. believe have no law
fu right to Do So. and I have 20 inclina-
ton 70 do so. Those who nominated and
elected ne, did SO with The full knowledge
that bad made this and aany similar
declarations, and had never recanfed them;
and more than this, they placed IN he
platform for NY acceptance as q law %
themselves and to me, the clear and EN-.
Phatic resolution which ] nov read
ResolUed. That the maintenance inTio.
late Of sbe right Of the States. and espec-
lialy The right Of each 70 order and con-
lrol Us own domestic institutions. accord.
ing % IFS own judgment exclusively. IS
sssenlialto the balance Of power on which
flhe perfection and endurance of our p0.
hlical fabric depend. and we denoaac8
The lawless invasion BY an armed force Of
the Government Of any State o. Terriio-
~, nc matter what prelexs, as among The
greatest Of crimes.
now reiierate these sentiments. and
IN doing 50, only press upon The public
atienlion the most conclusive evidences of
which The case Is susceptible. thatihe prop.
erly, peace aud security Of no section are
10 be IN any wise endangered 81 the row
incoming Administration. I add, too,
that all The protecuon which consistently
with the Constitution and the laws can b
given, will be cheeFfally given 70 al The
STATES when lawfully demanded for what.
ever cause, as cheerfully to one seclon as
70 another.
There is much controversy aboul he
delivery Of fagitives from service or labor.
The clause ! now read IS as plainly writ.
ten IN the Constitution as any ether Of Is
provisions
mo person held 70 service o. labor IN
one State under the laws thereof, escaping
into another shall, ia consequence Of any
law or regulation therein, be discharged
from such service or labor. bat shall be
delivered up on claim % the parry 70
whom such service or labor may Be due.n
Il is scarcely Questioned thai lhis pro-
vision was intended BY those who made i
for the reclaiming Of what We call fugl.
tive slaves. and the intention of the law
given is the law. All members Of Con-
gress swear their support 10 the whole
Constitution to this provision as much as
10 any other. To the proposition, then,
lhas slaves whose cases comes within he
terms Of Is clause "And shall Be deliT.
cred up" their oaths are unaniuous.-7
Now, If hey would make lhe effort IN
good temper, could they nol. with nearly
equanimIiy, frame and pass q law by
means Of which - keep good that unani.
nous cath.
There IS some difference Of opinion
whether this clause should be enforced
BY national or State authority. bui surely
that difference is not q very material one.
II the slave Is 10 be surrendered, il can b
Of bat little consequences 70 him Or % 9TH
ers, BY which authority i Is done. and
should any one, IN any case Be content
that bis oath shall be unkept, Or E merely
unsubsgantial controversy as 30 how i
shall Be kept. Again, IN any lau upon
this subject, ought not al the safeguards
Of liberty, known in the civilized and bur
name Jurisprudence 70 Be Introduced, s.
that freeman may not be in any casa
surrendered as q slave2 And might d
moi be well az the same time, 10 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 immnDiiies of
The citizens Of the several States
lake the official cath today, with %
mental reservations, and no purpose a.
conslrue the CoDsfiIuiion and laws by any
hypocritical rules; and while ! % not
choose. now. 70 specify particular scis oi
Congress as proper 10 be enforced. / a
suggest lhat il VIII Be much safer for az,
both il Official and private stations, q
conform 10 and abide By al ;hose acts
which stand unrepealed, than 70 violate
any Of them. trusting 70 fnd security ia
having them held 20 be unconstitutional.
l. is seventy-lwo years since the first
Inauguration Of a President, Under oar
National Constitution. During that Pc.
rod. fifteen different and greatly disiin-
guished citizens have. in succession, ad-
ministered the Execniive branch Of iha
Government. They have conducted i
through many periis. generally with great
success; yet. with al this scope for precai
dent. / now enter upon The sane lask fof