Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1841-04-15
PRESIDENT TYLER'S
A ID r f. s S,
To the People Of the United States

10 lne feOple OIL the unllCd States
FELLOW CITIZENS: Before my arrival al
The scat of Government tho painful communi.
cation was made to youby the officers pre-
siding over the several departments, of tn,
deeply regretted death of WILLIAM Henry
HARRisoN, late President of the U. States.-
Upon him you had conferred your suilinges
for the first office in your gift, and had sclcc
ted him as your chosen instrument TO correct
Sand reform all such errors and abuses ms had
manifested themselves from time 10 time in
the practical operation of the Government
While standing al the threshold OF this great
work, he has, by the dispensation Of an all
wise Providence, been removed from amongst
us, aud by The provisions Of the Constitution
: the efforts to be directed to the accomplish
i ing of this vitality important task have devol.
we'd upon myself. THIS same occurrence has
subjected the wisdom and sufficiency OF our
institutions to new test For the first time
. in our history the person elected to the Vice
Presidency of the United States, by the hap
pcniDg Of contingency provided for III the
constitution, has had d,volved upon him tn,
Presidential office. The spirit of faction
y hich is directly opp sod to the spirit of q
lofty patriotism, anny find in this occasion foI
assaults upon my administration. Aud H.
succeeding, under circumstances so sudden
and unexpected, and responsibilities so great
y augmented, To the administration u! public
affairs, shall place in the intelligence anc
patriotism Of the people my only sure rcll
ance. My earnest payer shall be constantly
addressed to the al-wise and all. powerful
Being who made me, and by whu,c dispen.
saton ! am called TO the high office Of Presi
! dent Of this confederacy, understandingly t.
carry out the principles of that constitution
which ] have sworn ITO protect preserve and
defend"
The usua, opportunity which is afforded to
a chief magistrate upon his induction to office.
of presenting to his countrymen an expos ton
of the policy which would guide his admins.
lration, in the form of an inaugural address,
not having, under the peculiar circ cunsi ianccs
which have brought me TO the discharge OF
/ he high duties of President Of the United
States, been afforded TO me, brief expos
ion Of the principles which will govern me in
he general course Of my administration Of
Jui llc affairs would seem to be due as well to
myself as to you. In regard to foregr
nations, the groundwork Of my policy will b,
iHstlce on orr part to all, submitting to in
: justice from none. While shall sedu.ousl,
cultivate the relations of peace aud amity
with one aud all, it will be my most impera.
! tive duty to sec that the honor of the country
shall sustain no blcmish. With view t.,
this, the condition Of our military defcnces
will become n matter OF anxious sollci,udc -
The army, which has IN other days covered
itself with renown, and tho navy, not inap
propriately termed the righ, nrN Of ihe public
defoGcc, which has spread a light Of glory
over the American standard in all the waters
of the earth, should be rendered replcte will
efficiency.
In view Of the fact, well nvouchcd by his
tory, that the tendency of all human institu
tinns is 10 concentrate power in the hands ol
a single man, and that their ultimate downfall
has proceeded from this cause, deem it of
the most essential importance that a complete
separation should take place between the
sword and the purse. No matter where oI
how the public moneys shall be deposited, So
4 long us the President can exert the power OF
appointing and removing, at his pleasure, the
agents selected for their custody the CON
i inander in chief of the army and navy is H.
I fact the treasurer. A permanent and radical
4 change should therefore be dccrecd. The
patronage incident TO the Presidential office
already great, is constantly increasing
: Such increase is destined to keep pace will
the growth Of our population, until, without
figure Of speech, an army OF oiliccholdcrs
may be spread over the land. The unre-
strained power exerted by selfshly ambi.
tous man, in order either to perpetuate his
authority or 10 hand it over to some invorite
as his successor, may lead TO the employment
of all the means within his control 10 accom-
psh his object.
The right to remove from office, while
subjected TO no just restraint, is inevitably
destined to produce spirit Of crouchDs ser
Witty with the official corps, which in order
to uphold the hand which feeds them, would
cad to'direct and active interference in The
elections, both state and federal, thereby
subecting the course of state legislation Il
! the diclatlon Of the chief Executive officer
and making the will of that officer absolute
and supreme. ! will. ai proper time, in
woke the action OF Congress upon the sub
Meet, and shall readily acquicscc in the adop
ton of all proper measures which are calcu
lated to arrest these evils, so full of danger
in their tendency. will remove 10 incum
bent from Office who has faithfully and hon
csily acquitted himself of the duties OF hi'
office, except in such cases where such Off
0Cer nus UecU pUIty VI uH uCtlNc
or by secret mcans-thc less manly, and
thcrci,rc the more objcctionable-ha given
his official influence to the purposes OF par
y, thereby bringing the patronage OF th,
Government IN conflict with the freedom ol
elections. Numerous removals may becom,
necessary under this rule. These will b,
made by me through no uccrblty OF feeling
have had no cause to cherish or indulge
unkind feelings toward any, hut my conduc,
will be regulated by profound sense Of
what is due TO the country and it's institutions
nor shall neglect 10 apply the same unbend
ing rule to those Of my own appointment =
Freedom of opinion will be tolerated, the full
enoyment of the right of suffrage will b,
maintaincd as the birth right Of every
American citizen, but say cmphotlcally I,
the official corps, "rhus far and no farther
have dwclt the longer upon this subject
because rcmovals from office are likely Otter
to arise, and would have my countrymeI
to understand the principle Of the Exccullv,
action.
In all public expenditures the most rigi'
economy should be Iesortcd to, and as ont
Of its results, public debt in time Of peace
be scdulously avoided. A wise aud palrioii'
constituency will never object to the Impo-
si,on of necessary burdens for useful ends
II ,.,,., ,,,sdon, dictates tho tyyort ia suc