Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-03-10
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
PRESIDENT HARREsON.


great and free nation, appear before you
fellow citizens, to take the oaths which the
constitution preScrbes, as a necessary quail
hcalon for the performance offs duties. And
In obedience 10 custom coeval with our gov
ernment, and what believe to be your expec-
tatlons, proceed to present to you sum-
mary of the principles which will govern me
Ia the discharge OF the duties which | shall
be called upon 10 perform.
It was the remark Of Roman Consul. in
an early period of that celebrated republic.
that a most striking contrast was observable
in the conduct of candidates for Office of pow
er and trust before aad after obtaining them
they seldom carrying out in the latter case
The pledges and promises made in the former.
However much the world may have mprov-
ed, in many respects, in the lapse of upwards
OF two thousand years since the remark was
made by the virtuous and indignant Roman.
] fear that strict examination of the annals
OF some Of the modern elective governments,
would deyelope similar instances of violated
confidence.
Although the fiat of the people has gone
forth. proclaiming me the Chief Magistrate of
aims glorious Union, nothing upon their part
remaining to be done, it may be thought that
motive may exist to keep up the delusion
under which they may be supposed 10 have
acted in relation TO my principles and cpin-
ions; and perhaps there may be some in this
assembly who have come here either pre-
pared to condemn those shall now deliver,
or approving them, TO doubt the sincerity with
which they are uttered. But the lapse of a |
few months viii confirm or dispel their fears. |
The outiiae Of principles to govern, aad meas |
ures TO be adopted, bv an Administration not
vet begun, will soon be exchanged for immu- /
table history; and shall stand, either exon. |
Grated by my counTymen, or classed with the
mass of those who promised that they might |
deceive, and hauered with the intention to
5e;ray.
However strong may be my present pur-
pose 10 realize the expectations of magnan-
Imous and confding people, too well under
stand the inhrmines OF human nature, and the
dangerous temptations 10 which shall be ex-
posed, from the magnitude of the power which
II has been the pleasure Of the people to com
nit to nay hands, not to place my chief conf
dence upon ihe gld OF that Almighty Power
which has hitherto protected me- and enabled
me 10 bring 10 favorable issues other inpor-
TAM. but siil greatly inferior trusts heretofore
coHhJed 10 ne by my country
The broad foundation upon which our Con- I
sti,uu0a rests, being the People breath of
theirs having made, as breath can unmake. |
change, or modify l;--iI can be assigned TO
none OF the great divisions Of Government,
but 10 that OF Democracy. Ii such is lis the
ory, those who are called upon to administer
II must recognize. as It's leading principle,
the duty of shaping their measures so as to
produce the greatest good 10 the greatest
number. But, with these broad admissions,
II we would comparethe sovereignty acknowl-
edge TO exist in the mass Of our people with
the power claimed by other sorerelgnties,
even bv those which have been considered
most purely democratic, we shall find most
essential difference. All others lay claim to
power limited only by their own viii.
The majority of our citizens, on the con-
trary, possess a sovereignty with an amount
Of power precisely equal TO that which has
been granted to them by the parties to the
national compact, and nothing beyond. We
admit Of no Government by Divine right-be-
hevng that, so far aSpoweris concerned, the
benihcent Creator has made no distinction
amongst men, that all are upon an equality,
and that the only legitimate right to govern is
an express grant Of power from the governed.
The Constitution Of the United States is the
containing this grant Of power TO
lhe several departments composing the Gov
eminent. On an examination Of that insiru-
meLt Of power withheld. The latter is also
susceptible Of division into power which the
had the right TO grant, bat which
they dad not think proper to inirust to their
agents. aud that which they could not have
granted, not being possessed by themselves
In other words, there are certain rights pos
sessed by each individual American citizen,
which, in his compact with the others, he has
never surrendered. Some of them, indeed,
he is unable to surrender, being, in the Ian
guage Of our system, unahenaole.
The boasted privilege of Roman citizen
was to him shield only against petty pro-
vincial ruler, whist the proud democrat Of
Athens could console himself under SEN
fence Of death, for a supposed violation ofthe
nationa! faith, which no one understood, and
which d. 'inles was lhe subiecf Of the mock