Litchfield enquirer., 1841-04-22
TNAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF PRESIDENT TYLER.
D,,, of,hp T1n;ted STATES:

To fhe People 9fthe UnWeo oso.e'. - -, ,A,,.
FelIow.C itizens-Beiore nv ARRIVAL ~ Ha0
seat of Government the painiui co'n'nunlc%-
SCI. ms made TO you by the officers preSld-
~; ;,so over the several Departments, Of the
SasnIv regretted death of William Henry
IL rr;son. late President of the United States.
11non him YOU had conferred your suftrages
tnr the firsi office in your gift, and rad Sc
lec,ed him as your chosen instrument 70 cor
-oct and reform all such errors and abuses
nc Ind manifested themselves from time 10
a;me in the practical operation OF the GOV,
ernment. While standing at the threshnolo
of this great work. he has, by the dispensa,,
ton of an all wise Providence, been removed
from amongst us, and by the provisions oI
the Constitution the EFFORTS 10 DC oteceu ~
she occomplishing of this vitality important
task have devolved upon myself. This same
occurrence has subjected the wisdom ana
eufficicncy of our institutions to new test.--
For the first time in our history the person
elected to the Vice Presidency OF the Uniled
States. by the happening OF a contingency
nrovided for in the Constitution, has mad DC
volved upon him the Presidential ONCE
The shirt OF faction, which is directly OPP
posed to the spirit of lofty patriotism, may
find in this, occasion for assaults upon my
administration. And in succeeding, unoer
circumstances so sudden and unexpected
and 10 responsibilities SO greatly augmented;
10 the administration of public affairs, snail
Mace in the intelligence and patriotism of
Inc people nv only sure reliance. My ear
nest PRAYER shall be constantly addressed TO
the all wise and all powerful Being who
made me, and by whose dispensatlon am
called to the high office of President OF TINS
Confederacy, understandingly to carry OUT
the PRINCIPLES of that Constitution Wnlcn i
have sworn to protect, preserve q deIeno.
The usual opportunity which is afforded
TO a Chief Magistrate upon his induction to
Office, of presenting to his countrymen an
exposition of the policy which would guIde
his administration, in the form OF an lnaugu-
raj address, not having, under the peculiar
circumstances which have brought me 10 inc
discharge of the high duties OF rres'oen Oh
brief exposition of the principles which Will
govern me in the general course OF my ad-
ministration of public affairs would seem 10
be due as we'll 10 myself as to you: In re-
gard to foreign nations, the groundwork OF
INV policy will be justice ON our part 10 an,
submitting to injustice from none. While
shall sedillously cultivate the relations OF
peace and amity with one and all, II will be
nv most imperative duty to see tnat the
honor of the country shall sustain no Diem
ish. With view 10 this. the condition Of
our military defences will become matter
Of anxious solicitude. The Army, which has
in other DAYS covered itself with reliown, and
the Navy, not inappropriately 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 his
tory, that the tendency of all human institu.
lions is to concentrate power in the hands OF
a single man, and that their ultimate down.
fall has proceeded from this cause, deem it
Of the most essential Importance that COM
the sword and the purse. NO mafIef Wnefe
or how the public moneys shall be deposited,
so long as the President can exert the power
Of appointing or removing. at his pleasure,
the agents for their custody, the Commander
in Chief of the Army and Navy is in fact the
Treasurer. A permanent and radical change
should therefore be decreed. The patron
age incident to the Presidential Office, is al
ready great, is constantly increasing. Such
increase is destined to keep pace with the
growth Of our population, until, without fig
ure Of speech, an army Of office-holders may
be spread over the land. The unrestrained
power exertcd by selfishly ambitious man,
in order either to perpetuatc his authority or
TO hand it over to some favorite as his success
sor, may lead to the employment Of all the
object The right to remove from office,
while subject to no just restraint, Is incyita-
bly, destined to produce a spirit Of crouching
servility with the official corps, which, In or
der to uphold the hand which feeds them.
would lead TO direct and active interference
in the elections, both state and federal, there
by subjecting the course of state legislation
to the dictation of the chief executive officer,
and making the will Of that officer absolute
and supreme.
will, at proper time, invoke the action
Of Congress upon this subject. and shall read
fly acquiesce in the adoption of all proper
measures which nre calculated TO arrest
these evils, so full Of danger in their tenden-
CIV. will remove no incumbent from Office
who has faithfully and honestly acquitted
himself Of the duties of his Office, except in
such cases where such officer has been guilty
Of an active partizanship, or by secret means
the less manly, md therefore the more Oh.
iectionable- given his Official influence
10 the purposes Of party, thereby bringing
she patronage Of the Government in conflict
with the freedom of elections. Numerous
removals may become necessary under this
rule. These will be made by me through no
acerbity of feeling. have had no cause TO
cherish or indulge unkind feelings towards
any, but my conduct will be regulated by
profound sense of what is due to the country |
and its institutions nor shall I neglect TO
apply the same unbending rule to those OF
my own appointment. Freedom Of opinion
will be tolerated, the full enjoyment of the |
right of suffrage will be maintained as the
birthright Of every American citizen, but
saw alphabetically TO the official corps, thus
far and no farther have dwelt the longer
upon this subject, because: removals from,
Office are likely often TO arise, and ! would