Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-03-17
C O N CIR ES S.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF
PRESIDENT HARRISON.

fee Of this great and free nation, appear
before you, fellow citizens, to take the oalhs
which the Constitution prescrlbes as a me-
cessary qualification for the performance
OF its duties. And in obedience to a Gus.
tom cneval with our Government, and
what | believe to be your expectations, l !!
lproceed to present to you summary of
| the principles which will govern ne In the |
discharge of the duties which shall be
called upon to perform.
1t was the remark of Roman Consul
in an earl J period Of that celebrated Re-
| public, that most striking contrast was
observable in the conduct of candidates for
offices OF power aud trust before and after
obtaining them-they seldom-carrying out
in the latter case the pledges and promises
smade 10 the FORMER However much the
world may have improved, in many res
! poets, in the laps of,upwards of two thou
sand 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 develop similar instances of vio!at-
ed confidence.
Although the fiat ofthe people has gone
forth, proclaiming me the Chief Magis-
Itfate of this glorious Union, nothing upon
their part remaining 10 be done, it may be
thought that motive may exist to keep
up the delasion under which they may be
supposed to have acted in relation to my
principles and opinions and perhaps there
J. 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 laps of few
months will confirm or dlspel their fears.
!, The outline of principles to govern, and
measures to be adopted by an Administra-
ton not yet brgun, will soon be exchang-
ed for immutabe history, and | shall stand
either exonerated by my countrymen, or
classed with the mass of those who prom
ised that they might deceive, and fatlered
with the Intention to betray. -,.s. 49,. - =.
!, However strong may be my present pur-
E pose to realize the expectations of mag
unanimous and confding People, Itoo veil
understand the infrmlties of human ma
. ture. and the dangerous temptations to
(which | shall be exposed, iron The mag
, nilnde of the power which it has been the
I pleasure of the People to commit to my
hands, not TO place my chief confidence
upon the aid of that Almighty Power
which has hitherto protected me, and ena-
: bile me 10 bring to favorable issues other
) important but still greatly inferior trusts,
heretofore confded to me by my country.
The broad foundation upon which our
Constitution rests being the People-,a
, breath of theirs having made, as breath
/ can unmske, change, or modify it--it can
be assigned 10 none of the great divisions
: Of Government but to that Of Democracy.
: 1t such is its theory, those who are called
; upon to administer il must recognize, as
/ its leading principle, The, duty of shaping
!, their measures so as TO produce the great
, est good to the greatest number Bul,
with these broad admissions, if we would
compare the sovereignty acknowledged TO
: exist in the mass of our People with the
: power claimed by other soveregnties, ev-
: en- by those which have bten considered
! most purely democratic, we shall find a
most essential difference: All others lay
:, claim TO power limited only by their own
:. will, The majority Of our citizens, on the
. contrary, possess a sovereignty with an
!, amount of power precisely equal to that
j which has teen granted to them by the
! parties to the national compact, and moth
), Ing beyond. We, admit of no Govern
ment by Divine right: believing that, so
. far as power is concerned, the -beni6cent
Creator has made no distinction amongst
2 men, that all are upon an equality, and
I that, the only legitimate right to govern is
= Ian express grant Of power from the gov
: erned. The Constitution of the United
:. States is the instrument containing this
grant of power to the several departments
:, composing the Government. On an sexa.
= mina,ion of that instrument, it will be
= found to contain declarations of power
~ granted, and of power withheld The LAT.
:, ter is also susceptible of division into pow
!, er which the majority had right to grant
= bat which they did not think proper TO en-
trus, 10 their agents, and that which they
could not have granted, not being possess
led by themselves. La other words, there
are certain rights possessed by each indi
ividual American citizen, which in hi:
compact with the others, he has nevel
surrendered. Some of them, indeed, he i
! unable to surrender, being, in the Ian
Iguage Of our system. unalienable.
The boosted privilege of Roman ciii
zen was to him shield only against
Epetty provincial ruler, whilst the prou'
democrat Of Athens could console himsel
under sentence of death. for suppose,
violation of the national faith which n,
one understood, and which at times wa
: the subject of the mockery of all, or Q
Punishment from his home. bis family, an,
his country. with or without an alledge'
ranse. that L WAS the act nnt OF 4 sinol