The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-03-19
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON,
President Of the United State,
MARCH 4ih, lS4l.

MARCH 4ih, 1871.
Called from retirement which | had
supposed was to continue for the residue
of nv tre, TO fill the Chief Executive
Office of this great and free Nation, APP
pear before you, fellow citizens, to take
the oaths which the Constitution pre-
scribes, as necessary qualification for
the performance of its duties. And i'll
obedience to custom coeval with our
Government, and what believe to be your
expectations, proceed to present to you
summary Of the principles which will
govern me in the discharge of the duties
which | shall be called upon TO perform.
Ii was the remark of Roman Consul,
in an early period of that celebrated Re-
public, that most striking contrast was
observable in the conduct Of candidates
for offices of power and trust, before and
after obtaining them--they seldom carry
ing out, in the latter case, the pledges and
promises made in the former. However
much the world may have improved, in
many respects, in the lapse of upwards OF
two thousand years since the remark was
made by the virtuous and indignant Ro-
man, fear, that strict examination OF
the annals of some of the modern elective
governments, would dcvelopc similar III
stances of violated confidence.
Although the fla, OF the people has
gone forth, proclaiming me the Chief
Magistrate of this glorious Union, moth
ing upon their part remaining to be done,
it may be thought that motive may exist
to keep up the delusion under which they
may be supposed to have acted in relation
to my principles and opinions and per
haps there may he some in this assembly
who have come here either prepared to
condemn those | shall now deliver. or,
approving them, 10 doubt the sincerity
with which they are uttered. But the
lapse Of few months will confirm or dis
pei their fears The outline of principles
to govern, and measures 10 be adopted,
by an Administration not yet begun, will
soon be exchanged for immulable history
and | shall stand either eXoneratcd by my
countrymcn, or classcd with the mass
Of those who promised that they might
deceive, and naitered with the intention
to betray. However strong may be my
present purpose TO realize the expectations
of magnanimous and contidng people,
| too well understand the dangerous temp.
talions TO which shall be exposed, from
the magnitude of the power which ii has
been the pleasure of the People to com.
init to my hands, not to place my chief
confidence upon the aid of that Almighty
power which has hitherto protected me
and enabled me TO bring to favorable is
sues other important but still greatly in.
ferior trusts, heretofore confded TO me by
my country.
The broad foundation upon which on
constitution rests being the people;
breath Of theirs having made, as a breatl
can unmake, change or modify tit car
be assigned to none Of The great divisions
of Government, but to that Of Democracy
/, IL such is its theory those who are c2llet
upon TO administer it must recognise, a
its leading principle, the duty of shapin!
their measures so as to produce thu
greatest good to tn greatest number
But, with these broad admissions. it w
: would compare the sovereignty acknowl
edged to exist in the mass of our people
, with the power claimed by other spyer
: eighties, even by those which have bee
: considered most purely democratic, "
shall find most essential difference. Al
! others lay claim to power limited only b,
5 their own will. The majority of GU
: citizens, on the contrary, possess
sovereignty with an amount Of power pre-
: csey equal to that which has been graz
n ted to them by the parties TO the nation,
: compact and nothing beyond. We adm
: Of no Government by divine right. b,
!, lievng that SO far as power is concerne
o the Bcnticcnt Creator has made no di.
C tincllon amongst men, that all are upo
e an equality, aud that the only legilima
y right to govern is an express grant I
o power from the governed. The Consl
h tuition Of the United States is the instr
!. ment containing this grant Of power 10 Il
,. several departments composing the Go
a eminent. On All examination Of that i
= strument it will be found 10 contain d