The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-03-02
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


lion Tor the performance Of It's duties. And In ohedl-
enoe TO custom coeva with our Government, and
what believe to be your expectations, proceed 10
present TO youa 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 nm early
period of that celebrated Republic thai most striking
contrast was observable in the conduct of candidates
for offices OF power and trust before and after obtain
Ing themthey 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 wears
since the remark was made by the virtuous aud in
dgnant Roman, fear that strict examination of the
annals of some OF the modern elective governments.
would deveope similar instances of violated conf
dence.
Although the fiat of the People has gone forth, pro-
claiming Inc the Chief Magistrate Of this glorious
Union, nothing upon their part remaining to be done,
IL may he thought that motive may exist to keep up
the deluson under which they may be supposed to
Fave 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 |
stall now deliver, or, approving them to doubt the
sincerity with which they uttered. But the lapse
of few months will confirm or dispel their fears
The outline Of principles to govern, and measures to
be adopted by an Administration not yet begun will
soon be exchanged for lmmutabe history, and shall
stand, either exonerated by my counrynen, classed
with the of those who promised that they might
deceive, and flattered with he intention to betray-
However strong may be my present purpose TO realize
Interpretations Off magnanimous and confdlng Peo-
pie too well understand the dangerous temptations
to which shall be exposed, from the magnitude
OF the power which il mas been the pleasure Of the
People 10 commit TO my hands, not to place my
chief confidence upon the aid of that Almighty pow
which has hitherto protected me- and enabled me to
bring TO favorable issues other important hut still great
ly inferior trusts, heretofore confded to me by my
country.
The broad foundation upon which our Constitution
rests being the Peopea breath Of theirs having made
as breath unmake, change, or modify tit can
be assigned to none Of the great divisions Of Govern
ment but to that of Democracy If such is lis theory,
those who called upon administer it must recog
nize as its leading principle, the duty of shaping their
oroduce the greatest good tohe great
est number ~ with these broad admissions, If we
would compare sovereignty acknowledged TO exist
in the of our People, with the power claimed by
other sovereignes, even by those which have been
considered most purely democratic, we shall find most
essential difference. All others lay claim 10 power Ii
mted only by their own will. The majority of our
citizens the contrary, possess a sovereignty with
amount of power precisely equal to that which has
been granted to them by the parties to the national com
pact, and nothing beyond, We admit of no Govern
men, by divine right Believing that, far as power
is concerned, the Benefcent Creator has made no
distinction amongst men, that all are upon an equali-
ty and that the only legitimate right to govern Is an
Constitution of the United States the instrument
containing this grant of power TO the several depart
ments composing the Government. On examina-
lion of that instrument it will be found to contain de.
claratons of power granted and of power withheld,
The latter is also susceptible Of DIVISION into power
which the majority had the right grant but which
they did not think proper to ntrust to their agents
and that which they could not have granted, not be-
ing possessed by themselves In other words, there
are certain rights possessed by each individual Anne
~. y.th pttar
he has never surrendered. Some Of them indeed he
is unable to surrender being in the language OF our
system unalienabe. The boosted privilege OF Roman
citizen was to him shield only against petty pro-
vncial ruler, whilst the proud democrat OF Athens
could console himself under sentence Of death, for
a supposed violation of the national faith which no
one understood and which at times was the subject
Of the mockery of all, or the Punishment from his
home, his family and his country, with or without an
alleged cause that it the act, not Of single ty-
ron hated arisocracy, but Of his assembled coun-
try men Far different is the power our sovereignty
It can interfere with no ones faith prescribe forms Of
worship for no ones observance, infct no punish
ment hut after well ascertained guilt the result OF IN
yestiuaon under rules prescribed by the Constitution
itself These precious privileges, and those scarcely
less important, Of giving expression to his thoughts
and opinions either by writing speaking, unrc-
strained but by the liability for injury to others, and
that OF full participation in all the advantages winch
flow from the Government, the acknowledged proper
~ Of ALL the American citizen derives from no charter
granted by his fellow man. He claims them because
he is himself man, fashioned by the same Almighty
hand as the rest Of his species, and entitled to u
share of the blessings with which he has endowed
them Notwithstanding the limited sovereignty pos
scssed by the People of the United States, ana me
restricted grant of power to the Government which
thew have adopted, enough has been given to accom-
plish all the objects for whcht was created It has
been found powerful in war; and, hitherto, justice mas
been administered an intimate union effected, domes
tic TRANQUILITY preserved and personal liberty secured
10 the citizen. As was to be expected however, ICON
the defect of language and the necessarily seh'ehuous
manner in which the Constitution IS written, disputes
have arisen as TO the amount of power which II mas
actually granted or intended to grant
This is more particularly the in relation to that
part of the instrument which treats OF the legislative
branch And not only as regards the exerslse Of
powers claimed under a general clause, giving that
body the authority to pass all laws necessary to carry
into effect the specified powers, but IN relation 70 ,he
latter also IL is however consoatory to reflect, tna
most of the instances of alleged departure from Inc
letter or spirit Of the constitution, have ultimately re-
ceiyeJ the sanction Of majority of the people Ana
the fact that many of statesmen most distinguish
ed for talent and PATRIOTISM have been, at one time or
other of their political career, on both sides OF each u
the most warmly disputed questions, forces upon Us
the inference that the errors It errors there WERE are
attributable to the intrinsic difficulty, IN many IN
stances of asceraining the intentions OF the trainers
ne The constitution rather than the influence OF any
sinister or unpa,rotic motive. But the great danger
to our institutions docs not appear to me 70 DC IN
usui patton by the government OF power not gransu
by The peopc but by the accumulation in one OF the
departments Of that which was assigned to others.
Limited as are the powers which have been granted,
still enough have been granted to constitute despo-
tsm if concentrated in one OF the departments ms
danger is greatly heightened, as It has been always
observable that men less jealous Of encroachmenis
of one department upon another Than upon Their own
reserved rights When the Constitution oithe United
States first came fiom the hands OF the Convention
which formed it, many Of the sternes Republicans OF
,h av were alarmed at the extent of the power which
h,d been granted TO the federal government and more
particularly Of that portion which had been assigned to
The executive branch There were in features which
appeared not to be in harmony with their ideas OF sim
pIe representative Democracy or Republic And know