, 1841-03-20
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

pOS6Q was 10 COUliuuC " btIC CSiUu vi ulN
life, to fill the Chief Executive Office of thi
grea, and free Nation, | appear before you
feIlow-citizens, to take the oaths which the
Constitution prescrihes, as a necessary quail
fcation for the performance of its duties.-
And in obedience to a custom coeval witt
our Government, and what ! believe to be
your expectations, / proceed TO present tt
you a summary OF the principles which viii
govern me in the discharge Of the durie:
which | shall be called upon to perform.
1t was the remark Of a Roman Consul, in ar
early period Of that celebrated Republic, thai
4 most striking contrast was observable in
the conduct of candidates for offices OF pow
er and trust, before and after obtaining hem
they seldom carrying out, in the latter case,
the pledges and promises made in the former.
However much the world may have improv,
ed, in many respects, liz the lapse OF up.
wards Of two thousand years since the re.
mark was made by the ~virtunus and lndig-
a Roman. | fear that Il strict eX rninnti n
of the annals of some of the modern eIec,
tive governments, would develop" similar
instances of violated confidence.
Although the fiat of the People has zone
forth, proclsiming me the Chief Magistrate
Of this glorious Union. nothing upon their
part remaining to be done. it may he Thought
that a motive may exist 10 keep m 80 =, II
sion under which thew m.v u. sd -
have acted in relation 10 my u:Incrp''S ana
opinions: and perhaps there may re >uhr'e IN
this assembly who have come ere either
prepared TO condemn those ] shall now de-
liver, or, approving them. to doubt the since
rity with which they are uttered. But the
lapse of a few months will confirm or di>peI
their fears. The outline of principles 10
govern, and measures To he adopted. by IN
Administration not yet begun, will so"n I'e
exchanged for mmuiable history. aud SI al
stand. either exonerated by my cuuni vmen.
or classed with the mass of those whr prom
Used that they might deceive, and ~tlattered
with the intention TO betray. However
strong may be my present purpose 10 realize
the expectations of a magnanImOus and con-
fding People, | too well understand the dam
gerous temptations to which | shall b. ex-
posed, from the magnitude of the power
which it has been the pleasure of the Pco-
pie to commit to nv hands, not IL place MY
chief confidence upon the aid OF that Almi-il-
ty power which has hitherto protected me.
and enabled me 10 bring to favorable issues
other important but still greatly inferior
trusts, heretofore confided TO me bv my
country.
The broad foundation upon which our
Constitution rests beingthe People--a breath
Of theirs having made, rs 4 breath can I'M
make, change, or modify tit can be assign
ed to none of the great divisions OF Govern
ment, but to that Of Democracy. II such
80 &c III Avn, &ho.a rIo..-
minister It must recognize, Us lis leading
principle, the duty of shaping their measures
so as to produce the greatest good to the
greatest number. But, with these broad
admissions. if we would complre the sove-
relgnty acknowledged 10 exist in the mass
of our People, with the power claimed by
other sovereignties wen by those which
have been considered most purely Democra-
tic. we shall find 4 most essential difference.
All others lay claim to power limited onlv
by their own will. The majority of our
citizens, on the contrary. possesses Il sove-
reISnty with an amount of powDr precisely
equal to that which has been granted to the -
by the parties TO the natinnIl CO upact. and
nothing beyond. We admit Of no Govern
ment by divine right. Believing that, so far
as power is concerned. the Benef:enr Crea-
tor has made no distinction amongst men.
that all are upon IN equality, and that the
only legitimate right to govern is IN express
grant of power from the governed. The
Constitution Of the United States is the in
strument containing this grant If power t,
the several departments composing the Gov
ornment On an exam;n ton al tIl, n
sirument il will be found t, conti.n declare
tons OF power granted and If power with
held. The latter Is also susceptible of divis-
ion into power. which the m~Iio-itv hal tie
right to grant but which they ia MT tItnI
proper to lntruSt 10 their Iger :. IN thai
which they did not think proper to ;ntcust to
their agents. and that w!liafI they could not
have granted. not being poS> sse1 by them
selves. In o;lar words. TIE = are certain
rights possessed ~ elcl inI;viiII lmeric IN
citizen which. in his compact with the Others
he has never surrendered. Some of them
indeed, he is unable to surrender. being. in
the language OF our system, unalienable.-
The boosted privilege of Il Roman citizen
was to him 4 shield only against apetty pro-
vincial ruler. whilst the proud Democrat oil
Athens could console hrmself under Il SEN
i'll l