rther back,
indicating on the spot the true, the great concession which, till new
orders, may be made to the South: "Those who elected me placed in the
platform presented for my acceptance, as a law for them and for me, the
clear and explicit resolution which I am about to read to you: 'The
maintenance intact of the right of the States, and especially of the
right which each State possesses to regulate and exclusively control its
institutions according to its own views, is essential to that balance of
power, on which depend the perfection and duration of our political
structure; and we denounce the invasion in contempt of the law by an
armed force of the soil of any State or Territory, upon whatever pretext
it may be, as the greatest of crimes.'" Mr. Lincoln adds further:
"Congress has adopted an amendment to the Constitution, which, however,
I have not seen, the purpose of which is to provide that the Federal
Government shall never interfere in the domestic institutions of the
States, including those which relate to persons held in service. In
order to avoid all misunderstanding concerning what I have said, I
depart from my intention of not speaking of any amendment in particular,
to say that, considering this clause henceforth as a constitutional law,
I have no objection that it be rendered explicit and irrevocable."

Concerning fugitive slaves, the inaugural discourse cites the text of
the federal Constitution, which decides the question for the present;
but he does not ignore the fact that this constitutional decision is as
well executed as it can be, "the moral sense of the people lending only
an imperfect support to the law."

As to the Territories, Mr. Lincoln declares clearly that the minority
must submit to the majority, under penalty of falling into complete
anarchy. Neither does he hesitate on the subject of the decisions of the
Supreme Court; these decrees, in his eyes, are merely special decisions
rendered in particular cases, and detracting nothing from the right
which the Confederation possesses to regulate its institutions and its
policy.

All this is very firm, without being provoking. The limit of
concessions is marked out, and a conciliatory spirit is maintained. It
is above all in disclosing his line of conduct towards the rebellious
States, that Mr. Lincoln happily resolves the problem of abandoning none
of the rights of the Confederation, while manifesting the most pacific
disposition, and leavi