First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln.docx
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FirstInauguralAddressofAbrahamLincoln
FirstInauguralAddressofAbrahamLincoln
MONDAY,MARCH4,1861
Fellow-CitizensoftheUnitedStates:
IncompliancewithacustomasoldastheGovernmentitself,IappearbeforeyoutoaddressyoubrieflyandtotakeinyourpresencetheoathprescribedbytheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatestobetakenbythePresidentbeforeheentersontheexecutionofthisoffice."
Idonotconsideritnecessaryatpresentformetodiscussthosemattersofadministrationaboutwhichthereisnospecialanxietyorexcitement.
ApprehensionseemstoexistamongthepeopleoftheSouthernStatesthatbytheaccessionofaRepublicanAdministrationtheirpropertyandtheirpeaceandpersonalsecurityaretobeendangered.Therehasneverbeenanyreasonablecauseforsuchapprehension.Indeed,themostampleevidencetothecontraryhasallthewhileexistedandbeenopentotheirinspection.Itisfoundinnearlyallthepublishedspeechesofhimwhonowaddressesyou.IdobutquotefromoneofthosespeecheswhenIdeclarethat--
Ihavenopurpose,directlyorindirectly,tointerferewiththeinstitutionofslaveryintheStateswhereitexists.IbelieveIhavenolawfulrighttodoso,andIhavenoinclinationtodoso.
ThosewhonominatedandelectedmedidsowithfullknowledgethatIhadmadethisandmanysimilardeclarationsandhadneverrecantedthem;andmorethanthis,theyplacedintheplatformformyacceptance,andasalawtothemselvesandtome,theclearandemphaticresolutionwhichInowread:
Resolved,ThatthemaintenanceinviolateoftherightsoftheStates,andespeciallytherightofeachStatetoorderandcontrolitsowndomesticinstitutionsaccordingtoitsownjudgmentexclusively,isessentialtothatbalanceofpoweronwhichtheperfectionandenduranceofourpoliticalfabricdepend;andwedenouncethelawlessinvasionbyarmedforceofthesoilofanyStateorTerritory,nomatterwhatpretext,asamongthegravestofcrimes.
Inowreiteratethesesentiments,andindoingsoIonlypressuponthepublicattentionthemostconclusiveevidenceofwhichthecaseissusceptiblethattheproperty,peace,andsecurityofnosectionaretobeinanywiseendangeredbythenowincomingAdministration.Iadd,too,thatalltheprotectionwhich,consistentlywiththeConstitutionandthelaws,canbegivenwillbecheerfullygiventoalltheStateswhenlawfullydemanded,forwhatevercause--ascheerfullytoonesectionastoanother.
Thereismuchcontroversyaboutthedeliveringupoffugitivesfromserviceorlabor.TheclauseInowreadisasplainlywrittenintheConstitutionasanyotherofitsprovisions:
NopersonheldtoserviceorlaborinoneState,underthelawsthereof,escapingintoanother,shallinconsequenceofanylaworregulationthereinbedischargedfromsuchserviceorlabor,butshallbedelivereduponclaimofthepartytowhomsuchserviceorlabormaybedue.
Itisscarcelyquestionedthatthisprovisionwasintendedbythosewhomadeitforthereclaimingofwhatwecallfugitiveslaves;andtheintentionofthelawgiveristhelaw.AllmembersofCongresssweartheirsupporttothewholeConstitution--tothisprovisionasmuchastoanyother.Totheproposition,then,thatslaveswhosecasescomewithinthetermsofthisclause"shallbedeliveredup"theiroathsareunanimous.Now,iftheywouldmaketheeffortingoodtemper,couldtheynotwithnearlyequalunanimityframeandpassalawbymeansofwhichtokeepgoodthatunanimousoath?
ThereissomedifferenceofopinionwhetherthisclauseshouldbeenforcedbynationalorbyStateauthority,butsurelythatdifferenceisnotaverymaterialone.Iftheslaveistobesurrendered,itcanbeofbutlittleconsequencetohimortoothersbywhichauthorityitisdone.Andshouldanyoneinanycasebecontentthathisoathshallgounkeptonamerelyunsubstantialcontroversyastohowitshallbekept?
Again:
Inanylawuponthissubjectoughtnotallthesafeguardsoflibertyknownincivilizedandhumanejurisprudencetobeintroduced,sothatafreemanbenotinanycasesurrenderedasaslave?
AndmightitnotbewellatthesametimetoprovidebylawfortheenforcementofthatclauseintheConstitutionwhichguaranteesthat"thecitizensofeachStateshallbeentitledtoallprivilegesandimmunitiesofcitizensintheseveralStates"?
Itaketheofficialoathto-daywithnomentalreservationsandwithnopurposetoconstruetheConstitutionorlawsbyanyhypercriticalrules;andwhileIdonotchoosenowtospecifyparticularactsofCongressaspropertobeenforced,Idosuggestthatitwillbemuchsaferforall,bothinofficialandprivatestations,toconformtoandabidebyallthoseactswhichstandunrepealedthantoviolateanyofthemtrustingtofindimpunityinhavingthemheldtobeunconstitutional.
Itisseventy-twoyearssincethefirstinaugurationofaPresidentunderourNationalConstitution.DuringthatperiodfifteendifferentandgreatlydistinguishedcitizenshaveinsuccessionadministeredtheexecutivebranchoftheGovernment.Theyhaveconducteditthroughmanyperils,andgenerallywithgreatsuccess.Yet,withallthisscopeofprecedent,Inowenteruponthesametaskforthebriefconstitutionaltermoffouryearsundergreatandpeculiardifficulty.AdisruptionoftheFederalUnion,heretoforeonlymenaced,isnowformidablyattempted.
IholdthatincontemplationofuniversallawandoftheConstitutiontheUnionoftheseStatesisperpetual.Perpetuityisimplied,ifnotexpressed,inthefundamentallawofallnationalgovernments.Itissafetoassertthatnogovernmentpropereverhadaprovisioninitsorganiclawforitsowntermination.ContinuetoexecutealltheexpressprovisionsofourNationalConstitution,andtheUnionwillendureforever,itbeingimpossibletodestroyitexceptbysomeactionnotprovidedforintheinstrumentitself.
Again:
IftheUnitedStatesbenotagovernmentproper,butanassociationofStatesinthenatureofcontractmerely,canit,asacontract,bepeaceablyunmadebylessthanallthepartieswhomadeit?
Onepartytoacontractmayviolateit--breakit,sotospeak--butdoesitnotrequirealltolawfullyrescindit?
Descendingfromthesegeneralprinciples,wefindthepropositionthatinlegalcontemplationtheUnionisperpetualconfirmedbythehistoryoftheUnionitself.TheUnionismucholderthantheConstitution.Itwasformed,infact,bytheArticlesofAssociationin1774.ItwasmaturedandcontinuedbytheDeclarationofIndependencein1776.Itwasfurthermatured,andthefaithofallthethenthirteenStatesexpresslyplightedandengagedthatitshouldbeperpetual,bytheArticlesofConfederationin1778.Andfinally,in1787,oneofthedeclaredobjectsforordainingandestablishingtheConstitutionwas"toformamoreperfectUnion."
ButifdestructionoftheUnionbyoneorbyapartonlyoftheStatesbelawfullypossible,theUnionislessperfectthanbeforetheConstitution,havinglostthevitalelementofperpetuity.
ItfollowsfromtheseviewsthatnoStateuponitsownmeremotioncanlawfullygetoutoftheUnion;thatresolvesandordinancestothateffectarelegallyvoid,andthatactsofviolencewithinanyStateorStatesagainsttheauthorityoftheUnitedStatesareinsurrectionaryorrevolutionary,accordingtocircumstances.
IthereforeconsiderthatinviewoftheConstitutionandthelawstheUnionisunbroken,andtotheextentofmyability,Ishalltakecare,astheConstitutionitselfexpresslyenjoinsuponme,thatthelawsoftheUnionbefaithfullyexecutedinalltheStates.DoingthisIdeemtobeonlyasimpledutyonmypart,andIshallperformitsofaraspracticableunlessmyrightfulmasters,theAmericanpeople,shallwithholdtherequisitemeansorinsomeauthoritativemannerdirectthecontrary.Itrustthiswillnotberegardedasamenace,butonlyasthedeclaredpurposeoftheUnionthatitwillconstitutionallydefendandmaintainitself.
Indoingthisthereneedstobenobloodshedorviolence,andthereshallbenoneunlessitbeforceduponthenationalauthority.Thepowerconfidedtomewillbeusedtohold,occupy,andpossessthepropertyandplacesbelongingtotheGovernmentandtocollectthedutiesandimposts;butbeyondwhatmaybenecessaryfortheseobjects,therewillbenoinvasion,nousingofforceagainstoramongthepeopleanywhere.WherehostilitytotheUnitedStatesinanyinteriorlocalityshallbesogreatanduniversalastopreventcompetentresidentcitizensfromholdingtheFederaloffices,therewillbenoattempttoforceobnoxiousstrangersamongthepeopleforthatobject.WhilethestrictlegalrightmayexistintheGovernmenttoenforcetheexerciseoftheseoffices,theattempttodosowouldbesoirritatingandsonearlyimpracticablewithalthatIdeemitbettertoforegoforthetimetheusesofsuchoffices.
Themails,unlessrepelled,willcontinuetobefurnishedinallpartsoftheUnion.Sofaraspossiblethepeopleeverywhereshallhavethatsenseofperfectsecuritywhichismostfavorabletocalmthoughtandreflection.Thecoursehereindicatedwillbefollowedunlesscurrenteventsandexperienceshallshowamodificationorchangetobeproper,andineverycaseandexigencymybestdiscretionwillbeexercised,accordingtocircumstancesactuallyexistingandwithaviewandahopeofapeacefulsolutionofthenationaltroublesandtherestorationoffraternalsympathiesandaffections.
ThattherearepersonsinonesectionoranotherwhoseektodestroytheUnionatalleventsandaregladofanypretexttodoitIwillneitheraffirmnordeny;