Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/261

 LINCOLN shall grow weary of the existing government they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. I can not be igno- rant of the fact that many worthy and patriotic citizens are desirous of ha'ing the national Con- stitution amended. ... I understand a pro- posed amendment to the Constitution — which amendment, however, I have not seen — has passed Congress, to the effect that the federal government shall never interfere with the domes- tic institutions of the States, including that of persons held to service. To avoid misconstruc- tion of what I have said, I depart from my purpose not to speak of particular amendments, so far as to say that, holding such a provision now to be implied constitutional law, I have no objections to its being made express and irrevocable. The chief magistrate derives all his authority from the people, and they have conferred none upon him to fix terms for the separation of the States. The people themselves can do this also if they choose, but the executive, as such, has nothing to do with it. His duty is to administer the present government as it came to his hands, and to transmit it, unimpaired by him, to his successor. Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world? In our present differences is either party with- out faith of being in the right? If the Al- 251