Given on March 4th, 1861, Abraham Lincoln begins his first inaugural address by saying he would only speak of those matters of special importance or anxiety. He then addresses the particular anxiety coming from the south, and that there has been no reasonable cause for it. He asserts he has no purpose to interfere with slavery, and does not believe he has the legal right to. He denounces the fears of the southerners that a Republican administration would put their peace and lifestyle at risk. He pointed out that he had just taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and that this meant he had agreed to execute all laws faithfully in all states, including those that had seceded. He assured there would be no use of force against the southern seceded states unless it proved absolutely necessary for him to do so in order to reestablish the union or if the south made the first offense. Lincoln stated that the Constitution was a contract binding all the states into the union, and in order for secession to be legal, all of the states had to agree upon it first. He also said that he had no objection to an amendment to the Constitution, if that is what the people wanted. He states that the President derives all his power from the people and though the people can separate the states it must be done under their agreements, since the President's duty is only to enforce the government as he received it. He also points out the power of the people in that they leave so little room for government mischief that it cannot be ruined in the span of a term of four years. He encourages the people to think long about their decisions, to not rush into them lest they make a mistake. He also points out that the people have taken no oath to destroy the government, while he had just taken one to preserve, protect and defend it.
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