The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-03-07
PEACEFUL
INiUGURl1|0N OF Mr. LINCOLN
fr-wAsHNGraN.
Observation-Disclosures
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the President before he enters on the exc
cution of his official duties. | do not con
slider il necessary at present for me
10 discuss those matters of admins
trstion about which there is special anx
iety or excitement The apprehension seems
to exist among the people OF the Southern
States. that. by the accession of Republi-
can administration. their peace and personal
security are to be endangered; but there has
never been any reasonable cause for such
apprehension. Indeed the most ample evil
dence to the contrary has all the while ex-
listed. and been open to their inspection.
1t is found in nearly all the published
speeches Of him who now addresses you
quote now from one of those speeches
where declare that have no purpose. di-
rectly or indirectly. to interfere with the
institution of slavery in the States where it
exists. believe have no lawful right to
do SO. Those who nominated me. and cleo
ted me, did SO with the full knowledge that
i had made this and many similar DECLARE
lions. and had never recanied them. And
more than this, they placed in the platform
for my acceptance. as law to themselves,
aud to me. the clear and emphatic resolu-
ton which l now read:
Resolved. That the maintenance inviolate
of the rights Of the States. and especially The
right Of each Stale to order and control its
own domestic institutions according to its
judgment. exclusively. is essential to the
balance OF power on which the perfection
and endurance OF orr political fabric d. pend;
aud we denounce the lawless invasion. by
an armed force OF the soil Of any State or
Territory. 10 matter under what pretext. as
among the gravest crimes.
/ nj in
doing so only press upon The public atten-
ton the most conclusive evidence OF which
the case is susceptible. The property.
peace and security of no sect are to be
in any wise endangered by the now ircom
ins administ ration. | add to this that all
the protection which consistently with the
Constitution and the laws can be given, viii
be cheer:ully given to all the States, when
lawfully demanded. for whatever cause, as
cheerfully to one section as another.
There is much controversy about the de-
livering of fugitives from service or labor;
the clause l now read is as plainly written
in the Constitution as any other Of its pro
visions:
mo persen held to service or labor 10
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, but shall be de
livered up on claim OF the party to whom
such service or labor may be due
1t is scarcely questioned that this provis
ion was intended by those who made it for
the reclaiming 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 Constitution. to
this provision as much as 10 any other. To
the proposition. then, that slaves whose ca
ses come within this clause shall be deliver
ed up. their oaths are unanimous Now if
they would make the effort in good temper.
could they not with nearly equal unanimi.
ty, frame and pass law by means of which
TO keep good that unanimous oathe 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. If the slave is
to be surrendered. it can be Of BIT little con,
sequence to him or TO Others by what au-
tbority it is done. Again. in any law upon
this subject. ought not all the safeguards of
liberty known to civilized and humane juris-
prudence to be introduced SO hat freeman
may never in any case be surrendered as
alave. and might it not be well at the same
time to provide by law for the enforcement
Of the clause in the Constitution which
guarantees that the citizens of each State
shall be entitled to all the privileges and
immunities of citizens in the several States
take the official oath to day, with no men
tai reservation and no purpose to conslrue
the Constitution and laws by any hypocrit-
icsl rules. and which do not choose now
TO specify particular acts of Congress as
proper TO be enforced, / do suggest that i,
will be much safer for all. both in official
AMI private stations. to conform to and abide
by all these acts which stand unrepealed.
than TO violate any OF them, trusting TO find
impunity In having them held TO be uncon.
sttutional.
The course herein indicated will be fol-
lowed. unless current events and eN pc fence
shall show m cd fcatiop or change to BE-
proper, and. In every case of ext gency. my
best discretion will be exercised according
to circumstances actually existing. with a
view and a hope Of peaceful solution Of
the national troubles. aud the restoration
of frAternal sympathies and affeo ions +
That there are persons in one section or
another who seek to destroy tire Union at
all events. ana are glsd OF any pretext to
do 1t, will neither affirm or deny. but if
there be such. may speak to them before
they enter upon SO grave matter as the
dis sole ton of our national fabric. with ali !
its benefits, its memories and hopes? ITO
those who really love the Y nion l need ad /
dress no word. Would it not be wise to
ascertain. previously to hazarding SO des>
psrats = step, whether there is not posi-
bility that . portion of the ills you fly /
from have NO real existence? Will you, /
while the certain ills you fly to are greater
than all the real ones you hy from. will /
you risk the coz mission of SO fearful /
mistake? All profess to be content in the |
Union if all constitutional rights can be /
Is it true, then. that any
right plainly written in the Constitution |
has been denied? think not. Happily |
the human mind 10 so constituted that no |
party can reach the audacity OF doing this. (
Think, if you can. of single instance In
which . plainly written provision of the
Constitutios has ever been denied. If by
the mere force of numbers a majority shall !
deprive minority of any clearly written
Constitutional right. it might. in . moral .
No; ns Of viav iustifv n reyolution IL