ThewilloftheAmericanpeople，expressedthroughtheirunsolicitedsuffrages，callsmebeforeyoutopassthroughthesolemnitiespreparatorytotakinguponmyselfthedutiesofPresidentoftheUnitedStatesforanotherterm.Fortheirapprobationofmypublicconductthroughaperiodwhichhasnotbeenwithoutitsdifficulties，andforthisrenewedexpressionoftheirconfidenceinmygoodintentions，Iamatalossfortermsadequatetotheexpressionofmygratitude.ItshallbedisplayedtotheextentofmyhumbleabilitiesincontinuedeffortssotoadministertheGovernmentastopreservetheirlibertyandpromotetheirhappiness.

Somanyeventshaveoccurredwithinthelastfouryearswhichhavenecessarilycalledforth——sometimesundercircumstancesthemostdelicateandpainful——myviewsoftheprinciplesandpolicywhichoughttobepursuedbytheGeneralGovernmentthatIneedonthisoccasionbutalludetoafewleadingconsiderationsconnectedwithsomeofthem.

TheforeignpolicyadoptedbyourGovernmentsoonaftertheformationofourpresentConstitution，andverygenerallypursuedbysuccessiveAdministrations，hasbeencrownedwithalmostcompletesuccess，andhaselevatedourcharacteramongthenationsoftheearth.TodojusticetoallandtosubmittowrongfromnonehasbeenduringmyAdministrationitsgoverningmaxim，andsohappyhavebeenitsresultsthatwearenotonlyatpeacewithalltheworld，buthavefewcausesofcontroversy，andthoseofminorimportance，remainingunadjusted.

InthedomesticpolicyofthisGovernmenttherearetwoobjectswhichespeciallydeservetheattentionofthepeopleandtheirrepresentatives，andwhichhavebeenandwillcontinuetobethesubjectsofmyincreasingsolicitude.TheyarethepreservationoftherightsoftheseveralStatesandtheintegrityoftheUnion.

Thesegreatobjectsarenecessarilyconnected，andcanonlybeattainedbyanenlightenedexerciseofthepowersofeachwithinitsappropriatesphereinconformitywiththepublicwillconstitutionallyexpressed.TothisenditbecomesthedutyofalltoyieldareadyandpatrioticsubmissiontothelawsconstitutionallyenactedandtherebypromoteandstrengthenaproperconfidenceinthoseinstitutionsoftheseveralStatesandoftheUnitedStateswhichthepeoplethemselveshaveordainedfortheirowngovernment.

Myexperienceinpublicconcernsandtheobservationofalifesomewhatadvancedconfirmtheopinionslongsinceimbibedbyme，thatthedestructionofourStategovernmentsortheannihilationoftheircontroloverthelocalconcernsofthepeoplewouldleaddirectlytorevolutionandanarchy，andfinallytodespotismandmilitarydomination.Inproportion，therefore，astheGeneralGovernmentencroachesupontherightsoftheStates，inthesameproportiondoesitimpairitsownpoweranddetractfromitsabilitytofulfillthepurposesofitscreation.Solemnlyimpressedwiththeseconsiderations，mycountrymenwilleverfindmereadytoexercisemyconstitutionalpowersinarrestingmeasureswhichmaydirectlyorindirectlyencroachupontherightsoftheStatesortendtoconsolidateallpoliticalpowerintheGeneralGovernment.Butofequaland，indeedofincalculable，importanceistheunionoftheseStates，andthesacreddutyofalltocontributetoitspreservationbyaliberalsupportoftheGeneralGovernmentintheexerciseofitsjustpowers.Youhavebeenwiselyadmonishedto“accustomyourselvestothinkandspeakoftheUnionasofthepalladiumofyourpoliticalsafetyandprosperity，watchingforitspreservationwithJealousanxiety，discountenancingwhatevermaysuggestevenasuspicionthatitcaninanyeventbeabandoned，andindignantlyfrowninguponthefirstdawningofanyattempttoalienateanyportionofourcountryfromtherestortoenfeeblethesacredtieswhichnowlinktogetherthevariousparts.”Withoutunionourindependenceandlibertywouldneverhavebeenachieved；withoutuniontheynevercanbemaintained.Dividedintotwenty-four，orevenasmallernumber，ofseparatecommunities，weshallseeourinternaltradeburdenedwithnumberlessrestraintsandexactions；communicationbetweendistantpointsandsectionsobstructedorcutoff；oursonsmadesoldierstodelugewithbloodthefieldstheynowtillinpeace；themassofourpeoplebornedownandimpoverishedbytaxestosupportarmiesandnavies，andmilitaryleadersattheheadoftheirvictoriouslegionsbecomingourlawgiversandjudges.Thelossofliberty，ofallgoodgovernment，ofpeace，plenty，andhappiness，mustinevitablyfollowadissolutionoftheUnion.Insupportingit，therefore，wesupportallthatisdeartothefreemanandthephilanthropist.

ThetimeatwhichIstandbeforeyouisfullofinterest.TheeyesofallnationsarefixedonourRepublic.Theeventoftheexistingcrisiswillbedecisiveintheopinionofmankindofthepracticabilityofourfederalsystemofgovernment.Greatisthestakeplacedinourhands；greatistheresponsibilitywhichmustrestuponthepeopleoftheUnitedStates.Letusrealizetheimportanceoftheattitudeinwhichwestandbeforetheworld.Letusexerciseforbearanceandfirmness.Letusextricateourcountryfromthedangerswhichsurrounditandlearnwisdomfromthelessonstheyinculcate.

Deeplyimpressedwiththetruthoftheseobservations，andundertheobligationofthatsolemnoathwhichIamabouttotake，IshallcontinuetoexertallmyfacultiestomaintainthejustpowersoftheConstitutionandtotransmitunimpairedtoposteritytheblessingsofourFederalUnion.Atthesametime，itwillbemyaimtoinculcatebymyofficialactsthenecessityofexercisingbytheGeneralGovernmentthosepowersonlythatareclearlydelegated；toencouragesimplicityandeconomyintheexpendituresoftheGovernment；toraisenomoremoneyfromthepeoplethanmayberequisitefortheseobjects，andinamannerthatwillbestpromotetheinterestsofallclassesofthecommunityandofallportionsoftheUnion.Constantlybearinginmindthatinenteringintosociety“individualsmustgiveupashareoflibertytopreservetherest，”itwillbemydesiresotodischargemydutiesastofosterwithourbrethreninallpartsofthecountryaspiritofliberalconcessionandcompromise，and，byreconcilingourfellow-citizenstothosepartialsacrificeswhichtheymustunavoidablymakeforthepreservationofagreatergood，torecommendourinvaluableGovernmentandUniontotheconfidenceandaffectionsoftheAmericanpeople.

Finally，itismymostferventprayertothatAlmightyBeingbeforewhomInowstand，andwhohaskeptusinHishandsfromtheinfancyofourRepublictothepresentday，thatHewillsooverruleallmyintentionsandactionsandinspiretheheartsofmyfellow-citizensthatwemaybepreservedfromdangersofallkindsandcontinueforeveraunitedandhappypeople.