Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-03-11
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF
President Harrison.
WASHINGTON, March 4, le41.

Chief Executive of ths great and free nation, APP
pear before YOU fsllow.citizens to taks the eaths
which tho Constitution prcscribes as necessary
qualification for the performance Of It's duties. And
in obedience TO custom coesal with Govern
mont. and what believe to be your expectations,
proceed 70 present TO you summary Of the prip-
ciples which will govern In the discharge Of the
dulies which shall be called upon to pcifotm.
Ii was tina remark Of Roman Consul. in an ear
ly period Of that celebrated Republic. that most
striking contrast was Observable in the conduct Of
candidates for Offices Of power and trust before and
after obtaining them--ihey seldom carrying our in
tho latter case the pledges and promises made 10
tho former. However much the world may have
improved In many respects. in the lapse ofupwsrds
o!two thousand years since the remark wus made
by the virtuous and indignant Roman, ! fear that's
strict examination of the snnsis Of some of the mod
ern elective Governments would deveiope similar
instances of violated confidence.
Although the Eat Of the People has gone forth,
proelaining the Chief Magistrate Of this glori-
Gus Union, nothing upon their part remaining TO be
done, il may be thought that motive may exist to
keep up the delusion under which they may be sup
POSED have acted in relation TO my principles and
opinions; and perhaps there may be some in this
assembly who have come here either prepared to
condemn those shall now deliver, or, approving
them, TO doubt the sincerity with which they
uttered. But the lapse of few months will con.
frm dispelth fears. The outline Of principles
TO govern, and measures to be adopted by an Adj
ministraton not yet begun, will soon be exchanged
for immutabe history. and shall stand either ex-
onerated by my country men, or classsd with the
mass of those who promised that they might de-
ceive, and Aattered with tho intention to betrsy.
However strong may be my present purpose to
realize the expectations OF msgnan.rnous and con
fding People, I too well understand tho infirmities
Of human nature, and the dangerous temptations To
which | shall be exposed. from the magnitude Of
-. III D.. L. - r. II
People to commit TO my ands, not to place my
chief confidence upon the aid Of that Almighty
Power which has hitherto protected me, and ena-
blcd mo to bring TO favorable issues other impor-
san,, but still greatly inferior trusts, heretofore
fdcd TO mo by my country.
The broad foundation upon which our Constitu-
tien rests being the Pcople-a breath Of theirs hay
ing made as q breath can unmnke, change, or mod
ify tit can be assigned to none Of the great d.
visions Of Government but 10 thai of Democracy
Ii such is its theory those who called upon TO
administer il must recognise. its leading princ
pie the duly Of shaping their measures to pro-
duce the greatest good To the greatest humber
But, with these broad admissions, If we would com.
pare the sovereignty Acknowledged to exist in the
mass Of our People with the power claimed By other
soveregnties, even by those which have been con
sdcred most purely democratic, shall find
most essential difference. All others lay claim
power limited only by theirownw The majority
Of our citizens the contrary. possess sovereign.
~ with an amount of power PRECISELY equal to that
which has been granted to them by tie parties to
the natural compact. and nothing beg ond. We ad.
init of no Government by Divine right; believing
that, so far power 10 concerned, the benz heent
Creator has made mo distinction amongst men, thsr
all are upon an equality, and that the only legti
mate right to govern IA an express grant Of power
from the governed. The Constitution Of tho United
States is tho instrument containing this grant OF
power to the several departments composing the
government
Ga an examination Of that instrument, II will be
found contain declarations of power granted and
of power withheld. This latter is also susccp tble
Of division into power WHICH the majority had the
rgh, to grant. but which they did think proper
to entrust to their agents. and thai which they
could not have granted, not being possessed by
Themselves. In other words there certain rights
possessed BY each individual American citizen,
which In his compact with the Others he has never
surrendered. Some Of them. indeed. he il unable
20 surrender, being. in the language Of our system,
0nalienabie.
The beas,ed privilege Of Roman citizen to
him shield only against petty provincial ruler.
whilst the proud democrat Of Athens could console
himself under sentence OF death, for supposed
violation OF the naiioaal faith, which under-
stood, and which at times was the subject OF the
mockery Of all, or of Danish aem from his home,
his family, and his country, with without nm al.
rant, or hatred aristocracy. but of his assembled
countrymsn. Far different is the power OF our sov-
ersignty. Il interfere with ons's faith PIE.
scribe forms Of worship f,r ones observance. in
Dict punishment but after we'll ascertained guilt
the result of Investigation under rules prescribed
by the Constitution itself These precious prvi-
lescs, and those scarcely less important OF giving
expression 10 his thoughts and opinions either b,
writing or speaking, unrestraned bur by the liabil
ity for injury TO Others and that of full paiticipa
ton in oil the advantages which aow from the Gov
eminent. the acknowledged properly Of ali, the A.
merican citizen derives from no charter granted by
his feow-man. He claims them because he is him
self man. fashioned BY the same Almighty hand as
the rest of his species. and entitled full share
Of the blessings with which he has endowed them
Mountaineering the limited sovereignty possess
ed by the People Of the United S,aiss and tho re-
stric,ed grant OF power to tho Government which
they have adopted enough has been given to
comphsh all the objects for which it created
1t has been found powerful ia war, and. hitherto,
justice has been administered, and intimate union
effected. domestic tranquility preserved, and perso
nal liberty secured to the citizon. As was TO be
expected. however. from the deleci of language
and the necessarily ssnlsntous manner in which
the Constitution 10 written. disputes have arisen
ss TO the amount OF power which IL has actually
granted, was intended TO grant. This 10 more
particularly the in relation that part Of thu
instrument which treats Of the legislative branch.
And not only as regard. the exercise Of powers
claimed under general clause, giving that body
the authority to pas all laws necessary to carry
into effect the specified powers, but in relation
the latter also. 1t is however. eonsoisiory to re-
tsct thar most of the instances oil alleged depar.
ture from the letter spirit OF the Constitution have
ultimately received the sanction Of majority Of
the People. And the fact. that many of our states
men, mos, distinguished for ,alen; and patriotism.
have bsen, at one time or other Of their political
career, on both sides Of each Of the most warmly
disputed questions, forces upon the inference that
the errors II errors there are attributable to the
intrinsic difficulty in many instances, Of ascertain.
Ing the intentions Of the trainers Of the Constitution
rather than the influence any sinister unpatri-
otto motive.
But the great danger 20 our institution. doe. not
Rppsar TO me to be in a usurpalion by the Govern
raen,. Of power NOT granted by the People. but by
the accumulation, in Of the de of that
which uas assiynaA m ofharw Iinn;fad "a arc Al.