The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-03-06
LINC0LN'S INAUGURAL AD-
DRESS.

Fello,o- Citizens of tie United States:
In compliance with custom as old as
the government is itself, l appear before
you 10 address you briefly, and 10 take
in your presence tho oath prescribed by
the Constitution Of the United States TO
be taken by the President before he en-
ters on 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 special anxiety or
excitement Apprehension seems to ex-
list among the people of the Southern
States that, by the accession Of a rcpub-
lican administration, their property and
their peace and their personal security are
TO be endangered. There has never been
any reasonable cause for such apprehen-
sion. 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 speeches Of him
who now addresses you. do but quote
from one of those speeches when / de-
clare that have no purpose, directly or
indirectly, TO interfere with the institution
of slavery in the States where it exists.
l believe have no lawful right TO do so,
and have no inclination TO do so. Those
who nominated and elected me did so
with the full knowledge that | had made
this and many similar declarations and
had never recalled them, and, more than
this, they placed in the platform for my
acceptance, rs law TO themselves and TO
me, tho 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 judgement exclusive
ly, is essential TO that balance of power
on which the perfection and endurance of
our political fabric depend; and we de-
nounce the lawless invasion by an armed
force of the soil Of any State or Terrific
ry, no matter under what pretcxt, rs
among the greatest of crimes"
now reiterate these sentiments, and,
in doing so, l only press upon the public
attention the most conclusive evidence of
which the case is susceptible that the
property, peace and security of no section
are to be in any wise endangered by the
now incoming administration. ado, too
that all the protection which, consistent
with the constitution and the laws, Car
be given will be cheerfully given to al
the States when lawfully demanded, fol
whatever cause-as cheerlully to one sec
ton as TO another.
There is much controversy about The
delivering Of fugitives from service or la
Dor. The clause | now read is as plain
" written in the constitution as any 9th
or Of its provisions:
" No person held to service or labor il
one State under the laws thereof, escap
ing into another, shall, in consequence o
any law or regulation therein, be discharg
ed from such service or labor, but shall
be delivered up on claim of the party t
whom such service or labor may be due
1t was intended by those who made j
for the retaining of what we call fugi
tive slaves, and the intention of the law
giver is tho law. All members of Con
gress swear their support to the whole
constitutional this provision as mucl
TO ''as any other TO the proposition
then, that slaves whose cases come with
in the terms of this clause shall be deliy
ered their oaths are unanimous. Now
if they would make the effort in goo(
temper, could they not, with nearly equa
unanimity, frame and pass law by mean:
Of which to keep good that unanimous
oath9 There is some difference of opn
ion whether this clause should be enforc
cd by National or State authorities, bu
surely that difference is not very mate
rial one. If the slave is to be surrender
ed, it can be Of lite consequence to hin
or TO others by which authority il is done
and should any one, in any case, be con
tent that his oath shall be unkept on I
mere unsubstantial controversy as TO how
his oath shall be kept? Again, in any
law upon this subject, ought not all tn,
safeguards of liberty known in civilized
and human jurisprudence to be introduced
so that freeman may not be in any cast
surrendered rs slave? and might it no
be well, at the same time, to provide b,
law for the enforcement Of that clause il
the constitution which guarantees that tn
citizens Of each State shall be entitled {,
all the privileges and immunities of citi
zens in the several States?
l take the official oath to-day with n,
mental reservations, and with no purpos
TO construe the constitution or laws b,
any hyporcrtical rules; and, while ] d
not choose now to specify particular act
OF Congress as proper TO be enforced,
do suggest that it will be much safer TO
us, both in official and private stations
TO conform to and abide by all those act
which stand unrepealed, than to violat
any Of them, trusting TO find impunity j
having them held to be unconstitutional
1t is seventy-two years since the frs
Inauguration of President under our na
tional constitution. During that perio
fifteen different and greatly distinguish
citizens have in succession administers
the Executive branch of the government