Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-03-13
From. the National IntcKgencer, Extra, March 4
Inaugural Address
PRESIDENT HARRISON.

supposed was to continue for the resi-
due of my life, to fill the Chief Execu>
tive office of this great and free nation.
| appear before you, fellow>citizens, to
take the oaths which the Constitution
prescribes, as a necessary qualification
for the performance of its duties. And
in obedience to a custom coeval with
our Government, and what | believe to
be your expectations, | proceed to pre-
sent to you summary of the principles
which will govern me, in the discharge
Of the duties which | shall be called u
pom to perform.
1t was the remark Of Roman Con-
ul, in an early period of that celebrated
Republic, that most striking contrast
vas observable in the conduct of cam
lidates for offices of power and trust,
,efore and after obtaining them-they
eldom carry out in the latter case the
hedges and promises made in the for
ner. However much the world may
ave improved, in many respects, in the
,pse Of upwards of two thousand years
nce the remark was made by the vir-
loGse6nd indignant Roman, fear that
strict examination of the annals Of
ome of the modern elective Governs
tents, would develope similar instan-
cs of violated confidence.
Although the fiat Of the People has
one forth, proclaiming me the Chief
lagistrate of this glorious Union, no
ing upon their part remaining to be
one, it may be thought that motive
ay exist to keep up the delusion under
hich they may be supposed to have
ted in relation to my principles and
Unions: and perhaps there may be
me in this assembly who have come
re either prepared to condemn those
shall now oliver, or, approving them,
doubt the sincerity with which they
e uttered. But the lapse of few
,nths will confirm or dispel their fears.
,e outline of principles to govern, and
asures to be adopted, by an Admins
ration not yet begun, will soon be ex>
!; lnged for immutable history; and !
y, IL stand, either exonerated by my
0, ntrymen, or classed with the mass of
10 Sc who promised that they might de-
ei We, and fattered with the intention
l3etray.
However strong may be my present
,urpose to realize the expectations of a
nagnanimous and conliding People, /
90 well understand the infrmities Of
,uman nature, and the dangerous temp
atoms to which ! shall be exposed, from
he magnitude of the power which it has
een the pleasure of the People to com>
nit to my hands, not to place my conf
Ience upon the aid of the Almighty
'ower which has hitherto protected me
nd enabled me to bring to favorable
ssues other important, but still greatly
Inferior trusts, heretofore confided to
ne by my country.
The broad foundation upon which
pur Constitution rests, being the People
"a breath of theirs having made, as q
breath can unmake, change or modify
tit can be assigned to none OF th'
great divisions Of Government but tina
IF Democracy. If such is its theory
hose who are called upon to admins
er it must recognise, as its leading
principle, the duty of shaping their mea
;ures so as to produce the greatest goo'
the greatest number. But, with thes
BROAD admissions, if we would compar
he sovereignty acknowledged TO exis
n the mass Of our People with the pow
sr claimed by other sovereignties, eve
oy those which have been considere
most purely democratic, we shall find
most essential difference. All other
lay claim to power limited only by the
own will. The majority of our cit
zens, on the contrary, possess SOW
reignty with an amount OF power pr
cisely equal to that which has bee
granted to them by the parties TO II
national compact, and nothing beyon'
We admit Of no Government by DivlI
right-believing that, SO far as pow
is concerned, the beneficent Creator h
made no distinction amongst men, tn
all are upon an equality, and that I
only legitimate right to govern is an
press grant ofpower from the Cover
ed. The Constitution OF the Unit
States is the instrument containing Il
grant of power to the several dePa
ments composing the Government.
an examination of that instrument,
will be found to contain declarations
power granted, and of power withhe
The latter is also susceptible OF dlvls
into power, which the majority haf
right to grant, but which they did