Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1841-05-01
From the National Inielligencer.
OFFICIAL.
To the People Of Tie United Stltes.

Fellow. CITIZENS: Before my arrival
at the Seat of Government The painful
communication was made TO you by the
officers presiding over the several Depart.
ments OF the deeply regretted death Of
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, late Prcs-
dent of the United States. Upon him you
had conferred your suffrages for the first
Office in your gift, and had selected him
as your chosen instrument to correct and
reform all such errors and abuses as had
manifested themselves from time TO time
in the practical operation Of the Govern
ment. While standing al the threshold
Of this great work, he has, by the dispen-
sation Of an ali wise Providence, been re-
moved from amongst us, and by the pro-
visions OF the Constitution the efforts 10 be
directed to the accomplishing of this vi
tally important task have deyolved upon
myself. This same occurrence has sub
jected the wisdom and sufliciency of our
institutions to new test. For the first
time ia our history the person elected to
the Vice Presidency of the United States,
by the happening Of contingency pro-
vided for IN the Constitution, has had de.
yeoped upon him the Presidential office.
The spirit of faction, which is directly
opposed 10 the spirit Of lofty patriotism,
may find ia this occasion for assaults upon
my administration. And in succeeding,
under circumstances so sudden ard unex-
pected, and 10 responsibilities so greatly
augmented, to the administration of pub.
lie affairs, shall place in the intelligence
and patriotism Of the People my only sure
reliance. MY earnest prayer shall be con
stan.ly addressed to the alI.wise and all
powerful Being who made. and by whose
dispensation am called to the high office
of President of this Conledcracy, under
standingly 10 carry out the principles Of
tina: Constitution which | have sworn +" TO
protect, preserve, and defend"
The usual opportunity which is afford
ed TO Chief Magistrate upon his Undue
ton to Office of presenting to his country.
men an exposition Of the policy which
would guide his administration, in the
form OF an inaugural address, not having,
under the peculiar circumstances which
have brought me TO the discharge of the
high duties of President of the United
States, been afforded 10 me, briel expo.
sition of the principles which will govern
me in the general course Of my admins
tration Of public affairs wonld seem to be
due as well to myself as to you. Ia re.
gard to foreign nations, the groundwork
Of my policy will be justice on our part
to all submitting to injustice from none.
While shall sedulously cultivate the re.
lations Of peace and amity with one and
all il will be my mostimperative duty to see
that the honor Of the country shall sustain
no blemsh. With view to this, the con-
dilion Of orr military defences will become
a matter OF anxious solicitude. The Ar
my, which has in other days covered itself
with renown, and the Navy, not inappro.
priately termed the right arm Of the public
defence, which has spread light of glory
over the American standard in all the
waters Of the earth, should be rendered
replete with efficiency.
In view Of the fact, well avouched by
history, that the tendency of all human
institutions is to concentrate power in the
hands of single man, and that their uln,
mate downfall has proceeded from this
cause, deem it of the most essential i'm
portance that a complete separation should
take place between the sword and the
purse. No matter where or how the
public moneys shall be deposited, so long
as the President can exert the power Of
appointing and removing, at his pleasure,
the agents selected for their custody, the
Commander-in.chief Of the Army and
Navy isin fact the Treasurer. A perma-
nent and radical change should therefore
be decreed. The patronage incident 10
the Presidential office, already great, is
constantly increasing. Such increase is
destined to keep pace with the growth Of
our population, until, without figure Of
speech, an army Of officeholders may be
spread over the land. The unrestrained
exerted by selfishly ambitious man, in
order either 10 perpetuate his authority or
TO hand it over to some favoritc as his
successor, may lead to the employment of
all the means within his control to accom-.
plish his object. The right to remove
from office. while subjected to no just re-
straint, is in evitabIy destined to produce
a spirit Of crouching servility with the
official corps, which, in order TO uphold the
hand which feeds them, would lead to d.
rect and active interference 10 the cleo
tons, both State and Federal, thereby