The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-06
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS
GEN. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON,
March 4fh 1871,


sident Of the United States.
Called from a retirement which | had supposed wa
to continue for the residue of my life To fill the Chic
Executive Office of this great and free Nation, sp
pear before YOU citizens 10 take the oaihs which
the Constitution prescrbes, as necessary qualiflca
ton for the performance Of its duties And in obedi
ence to a custom coeval with our Government an,
what believe to be your expectations, proceed e
present 10 you summary Of the principles which will
in the discharge OF the duties which sinai
be called upon TO perform.
, IL was the remark Of Roman Consul, in anearly
period of that celebrated Republic that most striking
contrast observable in the conduct of candidates
for Offices Of power and trust before and after obtain
ing them-they seldom carrying out IN the latter case
the pledges and promises made IN the former How
ever much the world may have improved, in many
respects in the lapse of upwards two thousand years
since the remark was made by the virtuous and in
Jgnant Roman fear that strict Examination Of the
annals OF of the modern elective governments,
would devcope similar instances of violated conf
dence.
Although the fiat Of the People has gone forth, pro
claiming the Chief Magistrate Of this glorious
Union nothing upon their part remaining to be done
il may be thought that motive may exist 10 keep up
the delusion under which they may be supposed To
tave acted in relation TO my principles and opinlons
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 are uttered But the lapse
Of few months will confirm or dispel their fears
be adopted, by Administration not yet begun, will
soon be exchanged for mmutable history, and shall
stand either exonerated by my countrymen, cassed
with the mass Of those who promised that they might
deceive, and lattered with the intention to betray.-
However strong may be my present purpose 10 realize
the Expectations OF a magnanimous and conhdng Peo
pie, too well understand the dangerous temptations
to which shall he exposed, from the magnitude
of the power which it has been the pleasure of the
People to commit, to my hands, not to place my
chief confidence upon the aid of that Almighty pow
which has hitherto protected me, and enabled to
bring 10 favorable issues other important hut still great
y interior trusts heretofore conlidcd to me by my
country
The broad foundation upon which our Constitution
being the Peoplea breath OF theirs having made
as breath can unmake, change, modify tit can
be assigned to OF the great divisions OF Govern
ment but TO that of Democracy II such its theory
those who called upon to administer it must recog-
nize, its leading principle the duty of shaping their
measures to produce the greatest good the great
est number But, with these broad admissions if we
would compare the sovereignty acknowledge 10 exist
in the Of People, with the power claimed by
other soveregntics, by those which have been
considered most purely democratic shall find most
essential difference. All others lay claim TO power IL
mited only by their will. The majority Of our |
citizens, on the contrary, possess sovereignty with
an amount Of power precisely equal TO that which has
been granted 10 them by The parties to the national
pact, and nothing beyond. We admit OF no Govern |
ment by divine right. Believing that so far as now r
is concerned, the Beneicent Creator has made no
distinction amongst men, that all are upon an eaua
", and that the only legitimate right govern is an
express grant of power from the governed The
Constitution of the United States the instrument
this grant OF powerto the several depart
ments composing the Government. On an examine
ton Of that instrument it will be found to contain de-
caratlons OF power granted and OF power withheld.
The latter is also susceptible of DIVISION into power
which the majority had the right 10 grant, but which
they did not think proper intrust to their agents
and that which they could not have granted, not be-
ing possessed Ivy themselves In other words there
are certain rights possessed by each individual Anne
1can citizen, which, in his compact with the Others
ne has never surrendered. Some Of them, indeed, he
s unable to surrender, being in the language of
system unallenablc. he boosted privilege OF Roman
,iizen was to him shield only against a petty pro-
ins,a ruler whilst the proud democrat of Athens
,ne understood, and which at times was the supJec'
q the mockery OF all, the Punishment from ms
home his family and his country with or without an
alleged cause; that it the act not OF single W
ron or hated aristocracy but OF his assembled coun-
lrymen Far different is the power OF our sovereignty
1t interfere with no ones aith, prescrne o,s p
worship for no ones observance, inflict no punish
ment hut after well ascertaned guilt the result OF N
yes,ipaton under rules prescribed by the CONSTITUTION
itself These precious privileges, and tnose soal.y
less important, OF giving expression 70 h's .''ous
and opinions, either by writing or speaking, unrc
strained but by the liability for injury TO oihers %
that of all participation in all the advantages which
flow from the Government, the acknowledged P,"pe'
~ Of all, the American citizen derives ifon' no
granted by his fcllow.man. He claims them because
he is himself a man, fashioned by the same A'm'en'yy
hand MS the rest his species, and entitled 70 iui
share of the blessings with which he mas ehuoweu
them Notwithstanding the limited sovereignty Pus
sessed by the People of the United States ana he
restricted grant of power TO the Government VINO"
they have adoped enough has been given to accom-
psh all The objects for whichn was created. ~ has
been found powerful IN war, and htherto, Jus'ce ua'
been administered intimate union effected, domes,
tic tranquility preserved and personal liberty secured
10 the citizen Aswas 10 be expected however, from
The defect OF language and The necessarily sen'enous
manner in which the Constitution rs written, uisPues
have arisen as to the amount OF power whch ~ mas
ocu,llv urapted, or intended to grant
This is more particularly the case in relation to tnat
, &c III, instrument which treats of The legislative
branch And not only as regards 'he exefAse y, =,
movers claimed under general clause, sNinS M
S, tho authority 10 pass all laws necessary to carry
effect the specified powers but IN relation 70 ,he
,auer also IL is however, consolaory TO renec' a'
,ost If the instances of alleged departure from 'he
,er ar shirt of the constitution, have ultimately re-
-,iycd the sanction o. majority oil the peoP'e ~
no fact that many of statesmen, most distinguish
-. e,r talent and patriotism have been, at one uhs
the of their poll ca on both SIDES OF eaoh -
ne most warmly disputed questions, forces upon US
a,,rbu,,be 10 the intrinsic difficulty, in many IN
stances of ascertanng the intentions OF the laei'
If the constitution, rather than the influence OF any
sinister or unpatrioc motive But the great nas'i
To institutions does not appear '" iho ~ - -
usuruaton by the government OF power not gtan.,'u
by the people but by the accumulation IN one 0, .ne
dcpnrtmcnts OF that which was assigned TO others
;,n;,e as are the powers which have been granted
s, enough have been granted to constitute despo
sm # concentrated in one ofsthe departments Tins
danger is greatly heghtened as it has been always
observable that less jealous OF encroachheh
% 80 ,.,ortmen, upon another than upon their owl
reserved rights When tho Constitution of,he unlie'
S,a,os 6rst came fiom the hands of the Convention
which formed it, many of the sternest Republ cans
tho day were alarmed at the extent OF the power VIM
hal been granted to the federal government ana NOR
PARTICULARLY of tina, portion which had been assignee