Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-03-13

Allef lhe DIbCth5lou lhu IeuthtA lHt
platform, Senator Raker, OF Oregon, in,
troduced Mr.. Lincoln to the assembly.
Mr.. Lincoln is received with cheers. -
He lays down his manuscript, clips his
hand in his pockets and pulls out pair Of
steel bowed spectaales This is signal
for merriment in one portion of the crowd
A lusty hawk eyed fellow cries out "TalIe
of them speotacles, we want to see your
eyes" | didn't know he wore glasses"
remarked another, "they amt in the
picters," and similar remarks kept the
audience who could not hear his voice in
good humor, until a rousing cheer from
the Presidential pagola enlisted their at
tention.
The followingis the address. which he
read in clear, distinct voice:
Feiior Citiscns of The United States -
In compliance with custom as old as the
Government itself, appear before you to ad.
dress you briefly, and to take, in your pres
ence, the oath prescribed by the Constitution
of the United States to be taken by the PrcSi-
dent before he enters on the execution OF his
office. | do not consider il nee .ssary at pres
ent for me to discuss those matters OF admin
istratOn about which there is no special anx-
iety or excitement. Apprehension seems to
exist among the people 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 reasonable cause
for such apprehension. Indeed, the most
ample evidence TO the contrary has all the
while existed and been open to their inspec
tion. 1t is found in nearly all the published
speeches of him who now addresses you.
do but quote from one Of these speeches when
| declare that 81 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 50, 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 dec
larations, and had never recanted 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.
RsSOtrei, THAT the maintenance invioatc
OF the rights Of the States, and especially the
right of each State to order or control its own
domestic institutions according to its own
Judgment exclusively, is essential to that bal
ance Of power on which the perfection and en-
durance of our political fabric depend. And
we denounce the lawless invasion by an arm
ed force of the soil Of any State or territory,
no matter under what pretcXt, as amongst the
grayest OF crimes"
now reiterate these sentiments, and in do.
ing so, | only press upon the public attention
the most conclusive evidence of which the
case in susceptible-that the property, peace
and security Of no section are TO be in any
wise endangered by the new incoming Admin
istraion. | add, too, that all the protection
which, consistently with the Constitution and
the Laws. can'be given, will be, .Checrlully
given to all the States, when lawfully deman-
dcd, for whatever cause, as Cheertully to one
section as to another. There is much Contro-
yersy about the delivering Of fugitives from
service or labor. The clause | 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
another, shall, in consequence Of any law or
regulation therein, be discharged from such
service or labor, bu! shall be delivered up on
claim of the party to whom such service or Ia
Dor may be due"
1t is scarcely questioned tha, 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-giver is the law. All
members OF Congress swear their support to
the whole COnStitutiOu--tO this provision as
much as to any other-to the proposition then
that slaves whose cases come within the terms
Of this clause, and "Shall be delivered up
their Oaths are unanimous. Now il they would
make the effort in good temper, could they not,
with nearly equal uuanimty, frame aud pass
a law by means Of which TO keep good that u.
nanimouS oath There is some difference OF
opinion whether this clause should be enforc-
ed by National or State authority but surely
that difference is not a very material one. II
the Slave is to be surrendered, il can be OF but
little consequence to him or to others, by
which authority il is done. And should any one
IN any case be content that his oath shall be
unkept on a merely unsu5stantial controversy
as to how it shall be Rcptl Agan-in any
law upon this subject ought not all the safe
guards Of liberty known in the civilized and
humane jurisprudence to be introduced, so
that a freeman may not be, in any case, sur
rendered as n slave And might it not be
we'll, at the same time, to provide 10y law for
the enforcement OF that clause in the ConStl-
tuition, which guarantees that 'the citizens OF
ges and mmunities Of the citizens in the sew
eral States" / take the official oath to-day
with no mental reservation ard with no pur-
pose to construe the Constitution or laws by
any hypercritical rules. And while LIDO not
choose now to specify particular acts to Con
gress as proper to be enforced, | do suggest
that it will be much saler for ali, both in Off
clal and private stations to conform to and a
bide by all these acts which stand unrepeal
ed than to violate any Of them, trusting &c
find impunity in having them held to be un
constitutional.
i 1t is scarcely scyenty-two years since tn,
first Inauguration of President under our Ma
tional Constitution. During that period hiteer
different and greatly distinguished citizen:
have in succession administered the executive
branch of the Government. They have con
ducted it through many perils, and generally
with great success. Yet with all this scope io
precedent, now enter upon the same task iol
the briei constitutional term Of four years, un
der great and peculiar difficulty. disruption
Of the Federal Union, heretofore only men
aced, is now fOrmidably attempted. | hold
that in, cnptatnt,latinn pf universal law and q