The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-04-25
Inaugural Address Of Presi-
dent Lincoln.

FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STArEs-In
compliance with a custom as old rs the Govern
ment itself, 1 appear To address you briefly, and
To take in your presence the oath prescribed by
the Constitution Of the United States, 10 be
taken by che President before he enters on the
execution of his office. l do not consider IL
necessary at present for me to discuss those mat
tiers Of administration about which there Is no
special excitement. The apprehension seems to
exist among the people Of the Southern States
that by the accession of n Republican Admins
%tratiOn, their property, their peace, and per-
sOnal security, are To- be endangered. There has
never been any reasonable cause for such appre-
tensions; indeed the most ample evidence to the
contrary has all the while existed and been open
To their inspection
liz Is found in ali the published speeches of
him who now addresses you. | do but quote
from one of these public speeches, when / de
clare that | have no purpose, directly OF indi-
rectly, to Interfere with the Institution of sla-
very in the States where il exists. | believe |
have no lawful right To DO 80 | have no incli-
nation To do 50. Those who nominated and
elected me. did So with the full knowledge that
| had made this and many similar declarations,
and had never recanted them and more than
this, they placed in the platform for my accep-
lance, ~ a law to themselves and to me, the
clear and emphatic resolution which | now read
. ResOired, That the maintenance inviOlate of
the rights of the States, and especially the right
of each State, to order and control its own do
nestle INSTITUTIONS according 10 It's own IudW-
ment exclusively, i essential to the balance of
power on which the perfection and endurance
of our political fabric depend , and we denounce
the lawless invasion by an armed force of the
soil of any state or Territory, no matter I'M
der what p~retext, a. among the gravest of
crimes"
now reiterate these sentiments, and doing so,
| only press upon the public attention the most
conclusive evidence Ot which the case is suscep-
tIble, that the property, peace and security Of
no section are to be in anywise endangered by
the new incoming administration. | add, too,
that all tn: protection which, consistently with
the Constitution and tine laws, can be given, will
be cheerfuiiy given To all the States, when law
fully demanded, for whatever cause, Is cheerfully
To one section as TO another.
There i much controversy about the delivery
of fugItiycs from service or labor. The clause |
now read i as plainly written in the Constitution
rs any other of the provisions:
mo person held to service or labor in one state. under the
laws thereof ,~eap.nS INTO another. shall, in consequences Of any
law or reEuIf-.on therein. be DISCHARGED from such service or
such service r. labor may be due"
1t Is scarcely questioned that this provision
was INTENDED by those whD made IL, for the re-
claiming uf what We call fugitive slaves. and the
intention # the aw-gIyer i the law all mem
beers of Congress swear their support to the whole
Constitution to this portion as much as to any
other; &" the proposition. then, that slaves whose
eases com within the terms of this clause. shall
- 1<
IL they would make the effort in good temper.
could the not with nearly unanimity frame and
pass n law by means of which they might make
good that unanimous oath. There il some differ
ence of opinion whether these clauses should be
enforced fy National or State authority, but
surely that difference Is not a very material one.
Ii the slaS. Is To b. surrendered ii can be Of little
consequence TO him OF TO others by which author
ity 1t is dine. We should in any case be content
that the oath shall b. kept, and avoid Il merely
unsubstan;iai controversy as 10 how it shall be
kept.
Again, in any law upon this subject, ought
not all the safeguards of liberty known in all the
civilized and humane Jurisprudence TO b. intro
duced 50 that 4 freeman may in no ease be sur
rendered - Il slave 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 privileges and immunities of
citize rs in the several States?
/ take the official cath to-day with no mental re-
servations and no purpose to cOnstrue the Constitu-
ton and laws by any hypereritcal rules, and while I
do not choose now To specify any particular acts Of Con-
gress rs proper to be enforced, 1 do suggest that IL
will be much safer for all, in official and private STA
tons, 20 abide by all the acts which stand uurepelI-
ed, than To violate any Of them. trusting TO find
impun.ty in having them held to be unconstitutional
IL IL seyenty-two years since the first inauguration
Of n President under our National Constitution.
During that period, fifteen different and greatly dis
tinguishedc citizens have in succession administered the