upport armies and navies， and military leaders at the head of their victorious legions becoming our lawgivers and judges. the loss of liberty， of all good government， of peace， plenty， and happiness， must inevitably follow a dissolution of the union. in supporting it， therefore， we support all that is dear to the freeman and the philanthropist.
the time at which i stand before you is full of interest. the eyes of all nations are fixed on our republic. the event of the existing crisis will be decisive in the opinion of mankind of the practicability of our federal system of government. great is the stake placed in our hands； great is the responsibility which must rest upon the people of the united states. let us realize the importance of the attitude in which we stand before the world. let us exercise forbearance and firmness. let us extricate our country from the dangers which surround it and learn wisdom from the lessons they inculcate.
deeply impressed with the truth of these observations， and under the obligation of that solemn oath which i am about to take， i shall continue to exert all my faculties to maintain the just powers of the constitution and to transmit unimpaired to posterity the blessings of our federal union. at the same time， it will be my aim to inculcate by my official acts the necessity of exercising by the general government those powers only that are clearly delegated； to encourage simplicity and economy in the expenditures of the gove