Year: 1861

\
strue the Constitution and the law by any
private rules; and while do not choose
now to specify particular acts of Congress
as proper to be enforced, do suggest that
it will be much safer, both in official and
private stations, to conform aud to abide by
all those acts which stand unrepealed, than
to violate any of them, trusting to find sc.
curty in having them held to be unconsti-
| tutional.


1t is seventy two years since the first in
! auguration of a President under our Ma.
tional Constitution. During that period
fifteen different and greatly distinguished
citizens have in succession administered the
Executive. That branch of the Government
they conducted through many perils, gen.
orally with great success. | now enter up
on the same task for the brief Constitu tional
term of four years under great and peculiar
difficulty. Disruption of the Federal Union,
heretofore only menaced, is now formally
attempted. hold, then, in contemplation
Of universal law aud the Constitution, the
Union Of the States is perpetual. Perpetu-
ity is implied, if not expressed. in the fun
damental law of all national Governments.
1t is safe to assert that the Government
proper had provision in its organic law
for its own preservation.' Continue to exc
cute all the express provisions of our Ma
tional Constitution aud the Union will en-
dure forever, it being impossible to destroy
it except by some action not provided for
in the Instrument itself. Again. if the Uni
ted States be not Government proper, but
an association OF States, in the nature of a
contract merely. can ii as O contract be
r1aoaooHl.t ,,u1nag H,,o oH ,ts 40
who made it? One party to a contract may
violate it-break it, so to speak-but does
it not require all to lawfully rescind it?


Descending from these general principles
we find the proposition that in legal con-
temptation the Union is perpetual confirmed
by the history of itself The Union is much
older than the Constitution it was framed
in fact, by the articles of association, in
IVA. Ii was matured and continued by the
Declaration of Independence, in 1776. Ii
was further matured on the faith o. all the
the thirteen States, who expressly plighted
and engaged that it should be perpetual, by
the articles Of Confederation in l776, and
finally in 1889, one of the declared objects
for ordaining and establishing Constitu-
tion was to form more perfect Union by
all or part only Of the States. Possibly the
union is less than before the Constitution,
having lost the vital element Of perpetuity


1t follows from these views that no State,
upon its own mere motion, can lawfully 90
out of the Union; that resolves and ordi-
nances to that effect are legally void, and
that acts Of violence within any State or
States against the authority Of the United
States are insurrectionary or revolutionary
aaonr1iuo, 10 ofp
consider that in view of the Constitution
and laws, the Union is unbroken, and TO the
extent of my ability, shall take care, as the
Constitution itself expressly enioins, that
the laws of the Union be faithfully executed
in all the States. Doing this, deem it to
be only simple duty on my part. and
shall perform it, so far as practicable unless
my rightful master, the American people,
shall Withhold the requisite means, or in some
authoritative manner, direct the contrary.
trust this will not be regarded as "a menace
but only as a declared purpose of the Union
that it will only defend and maintain the
Constitution itself In doing this, there
need be no blOodshed or violence, and there
shall be none, unless it be forced upon the
national authority. The power cOnlided to
me will be used to hold, occupy and possess
the property and places belonging to the
Government, and collect duties on IMPORTS;
but beyond what may be necessary for these
objects, there will be no using Of force
against or among the people anywhere.
Where hostility to the. United States in any
interior locality shall be 40 great and so
universal as to prevent competent resident
citizens from holding Federal Offices, there
will be no attempt to force obnoxious stran-
gers among the people that object.


While the strict legal right may exist in
the Government to enforce the exercise Of
those Offices. the attempt to do 50 would be
irritating and 80 nearly impraetcable with
al that Ideem it better to forgo for the time
the use Of such officers The mails unless
repeled will continue to be furnished in all
points of the Union So far as possible the
people everywhere shall have the sense Of
perfect security. which is most favorable to
calm thoughts and reflection. The course
here indicated viii be followed, unless cur
rent events and experience shall show
modification or change to be proper; and in
every case and exigency, my best discretion
will be exercised according TO circumstan-
ces actually existing, with view and hope
Of peaceable solution of the national
A. y q A r.