US Presidency
1925

It is, andshould be, jealous of its prerogative. I welcome its cooperation, and expectto share with it not only the responsibility, but the credit, for our commoneffort to secure beneficial legislation. These are some of the principles which America represents. We have notby any means put them fully into practice, but we have strongly signifiedour belief in them. The encouraging feature of our country is not thatit has reached its destination, but that it has overwhelmingly expressedits determination to proceed in the right direction. It is true that wecould, with profit, be less sectional and more national in our thought. It would be well if we could replace much that is only a false and ignorantprejudice with a true and enlightened pride of race. But the last electionshowed that appeals to class and nationality had little effect. We wereall found loyal to a common citizenship. The fundamental precept of libertyis toleration. We can not permit any inquisition either within or withoutthe law or apply any religious test to the holding of office. The mindof America must be forever free.