Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-03-16
2,5olittcal.
ADDRESS
Delivered By JOHN QUINCY ADAMS
at has Inauguration as President
of The United States,
March 4, 1926.

! March 4, 1925.
| In compliance with an usage coeval with
the existence of our Federal Constitution, and
| sanctioned by the example of my predecessors
in the career upon which | am about to enter,
! appear, my fellow citizens, in your presence,
and in that of Heaven, to bind myself by the
solemlities Of a religious obligation, to the
faithful performance Of the duties allotted to
me, IL the station to which have been CALI
| ed.
In Unfolding to my countrymen the princi-
pies ly which shall be governed, in the full
| flment Of those duties, my first resort will be
to that Constitution, which shall swear, to
the best of my ability,to preserve, protect and
defend. That revered instrument enumerates
the powers, and prescribes the duties, of the
Executive magistrate; and, in its first words,
declares the purposes to which these, and tn e
whole action of the Government, instituted by
| ii, should be invariably and sacredly devoted
Ito form more perfect union, establish JUS
tee, ensure domestic tranquility, provide fo-
The common defence, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to
the People Of this Union, in their successive
generations. Since the adoption of this social
compact one of these generations has passed
away. 1t is the work of our forefalhers. Ad-
minlstered by some of the most eminent men,
who contributed to its formation through a
most eventful period in the annals of the world
| and through all the vicissitudes of peace and
war, incidental to the condition of associated
man, it has not disappointed the hopes and as
plratlons of those ilustrious benefactors ftheir
age and nation. 1t has promoted the lasting
welfare OF that country 80 dear to us all; it has
to an extent far beyond the ordinary lot of hui
mainly, secured the freedom & happiness OF this
People. We now receive it as precious in
heritance from those to whom we are indebt-
ed for its establishment, dcuby bound by the
examples which they have left us, and by the
blessings which we have enjoyed, as the fruits
of their labors, to transmit the same, unimpair-
ed, to the succeeding generation.
In the compass of thirty-six years since this
great national covenant was instituted, body
OF laws enacted under its authority, and in
conformity with IFS provisions, has unfolded its
powers, and carried into practical operation its
effective energies. Subordinate departments
have distributed the Executive functions in
their various relation, to Foreign affairs, to the
Revenue and Expenditures, and to the militia
ry force of the Union, by land and sea. A CO.
ordinate department of the Judiciary has ex-
pounded the Constitution and the Laws set
ting, in harmonious coincidence with the Lee
gislative will, numerous weighty questions of
construction which the -impcrfection of human
language had rendered unavoidable. The
year 1t Jubilee since the first formation of our
Union, has just elapsed; that of the declara
ton Of our Independence is at hand. The
contamination of both was Effected by this Con-
stituiion. Since that period, population of
four millions has multiplied to twelve. A ter
ritpry bounded by the Mississippi has been ex
tended from sea TO sea. New States have
been admitted to the Union, in numbers ne ar
ly|eqnal to those of the first confeder alton.
Tieaties of Peace, Amity and Commerce,
have been concluded with the principal do
m MONS Of the earth. The people of other
nations, inhabitants Of regions acquired,
MT by conquest, but by compact. have been
United with us in the participation of our
rights and duties, of our burdens and bless
nRs. The forest has fallen by the axe of our
wpodsmen--the soil has been made to TEEN
by the tlllage of our farmers-our commerce
has whitened every ocean. The dominion OF
man over physical nature has been extended
by the invention OF our artists. Liberty and
Law have marched, hand in hand. All the
purposes OF human association have been &C
cdmpished as effectively as under any other
government on the globe and at cost little
exceeding, in whole generation, the ex-
ptnditures of other nations in a single year.
4 Such is the unexaggeratcd picture OF our
condition, under Constitution fouaded upon
tfe Republican principle of equal rights. To
admit that this picture has its shades, is but to
say that it is still the condition of men upon
earth. From evil, physical, moral, and polit-
lcai, it is notsour claim to be exempt. We
have suffered, sometimes by the visitation Of
Heaven, through disease often by the wrongs
and injustice of other nations, even TO the ex-
tiemlties OF war; and, lastly, by dissenslons
among NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. perhaps INSOFAR
able from the enjoyment Of freedom, but
which have more than once appeared TO threat
en- the dissolution of the Union, and with it,
the overthrow of all the cnjoyments of our
present lot, and all our earthly hopes of the
future. The causes of these discussions have
been various, founded upon differences of spec
ulation in the theory of Republican Govern.
ment; upon conflicting views of policy, in ouI
relations with fore ign nations upon jeal-
ousies of partial and sectional interests, aggra-
waited by pTejudices and prepossessions,
winch strangers TO eacE other are ever apt to
entertain.
1t is source Of qualification and encourage
ment 81 Inc, to observe that the great result Of
this experiment, upon the theory of human
rights, has, at the close of that generation by
which it was formed, been crowned with sue.
cess, equal to the most sanguine expectation.
: of its founders. Union, justice, tranquility
the common defence, the general welfare, and
the blessings OF lbertyAall have been promot.
ed by the government under which we have
lived. Standing at this point of time looking
back to that generation which has gone by.
and forward to that which is advancing, we
may, at once, indulge in grateful exultatiOr
and in cheering hope. From the experience
of the past, we derive instructive lessons fo1
the future. OF the two great political parties
which have divided the opinions and feeling,
of our country, the candid and the just viii
now admit, that both have contributed splen
did talents, spo'less integrity, ardent patriot