Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-03-12
.HWR PBBS
President IIARRIsON,s inaugural
ADD R ESS.


ton for the Performance offs duties And in obedi-
ence to n custom coeval with our Government and
what believe TO he your expectations, proceed to
present to youa summary OF the principles which will
govern IN the discharge of the duties which shall
be called upon to perform.
1t was the remark of Roman Consul in the carly
period Ut that celebrated Republic, that most strik-
ing contrast observable in candidates for Offices
otpowcr and trust before and after obtaining them
they seldom carrying out in the latter the pledges
made in the former. However much the world may
have improved in many respects in the lapse of up
wards oitwo 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 develope similar
instances of violated confidence.
Although the fiat of the people has gone forth, pro-
claiming me the Chief Magistrate of this glorious
Union, nothing upon Their part remaining to be done
may be thought tina, motive may exist TO keep up
the delusi,n under which they may be supposed to
have acted in relation to my principles and opinions,
a1I perhaps there may BE- some i'll this assembly who
have come here either prepared to condemn those
shall new deliver, or approving them, TO doubt the
sincerity with which they uttered. But the lapse
of few months will confirm or dispcl their fears
The outline of principles To govern, and measures to
beadoptcd by an Administration not yet begun, will
soon he exchanged for nmutablc history, and shall
sand either exonerated by my countrymen, or clas-
scd with the mass Of those who promised that they
might deceive, and haterci with tho intention to be-
tray.
However strong may be my present purpose tore
nlize tn. expectations OF mnonanmous and conidng
people, too we'll understand the infrmitcs of human
nature, and the dangerous temptations 10 which
shall be exposed, from the magnitude of the power
which il has been the pleasure of the people to com
init 10 my hands not to place my chief confidence
upon the aid OF that Almighty Power which has hh
erto protected me, and enabled me to bring to favor
able issues other important but still greatly inferior
trusts heretofore contided to me by my country
The broad foundation upon which our Constitution
rests being the pcoplea breath oil theirs having made
asa breath can uninnke. change or m blfy tit
I've assigned to of the great divisions of govern
men but t. that of Democracy. If such is its theory,
those who are called upon to administer il must re-
cognisa as its leading principle, the duty of shaping
their measures as to produce the greatest good to
the greatest number. But, with these broad adnis-
sons if we would compare the sovereignty acknowl
edged to exist IN the mass Of onr People with the
power claimed by other sovclcgltics, even by those
which have been considered most purely domocrat-
ic, shall find most essential difference, All others
law claim 10 power limited only by their own will -
The minority of orr citizens on the contrary, possess
n sovereignty with an asount OF power precisely
equal to that which has been granted to them by the
parties 10 the national compact, and nothing beyond.
We admit ONO Government by divine right beliye
ing that far power IL concerned the bencficent
Creator has made no distinction amongst men, that
are upon equality, and that the only legitimate right
govern is express grant of power ii N the gov
erned The Constitution Of the united States is in
struinent containing this grant of power 10 the
al departments composing the Government. On
a1examinaton Of that instrumental will be found 10
contain certain declarations Of power granted, and Of
power withheld The latter is also susceptible of
division into power which tie majority had the right
70 grant, but which they did not think proper 10 en-
trust to their agents, and that which they could mo-
have granted, not beng possessed by themselves
In other words, there certain rights possessed by
each individual American CITIZEN, which, in his com
pact with the others, he has never surrendered
Some of them indeed, he is unable to surrender being
in the language Of our system, unalienabc.
The boosted privilege of Roman citizen to him
shield only against petty provincial ruler, Wills.
the proud democrat Of Athens could console himself
under sentence ofdeath, for supposed violation o.
the national faith, which no one understood md
which al times was the uhHc, Of the nockery of ALL OF
Of Punishment from hishonr his family, and his
country, with or without an alleged cause; thatt was
the act not ola single tyrant, or hated arstocracy
bat Of hi assembled countrymen. Far different is The
power of our sovereignty. Ii can interfere with NJ
mans faith, prescribe form. of worship for no one.
observance intlct punishment bu, after we!lascey
tanned guilt the result of investigation under forms
prescribed by the Constitution itself These preciou.
privileges, and those scarcely less important, of Civ
ing expression TO his thoughts and opinions either by
writing speaking, unresraned but by the liability
for injury 10 othcrs, and tina: Of full participation
all the advantages which low from the Government
the acknowledged property ofal the American cilizci
derives from no charter granted by his fellow man
lie claims them because he is himself man, fash
Toned by the same Almighty hand as the rest of hr
species, and entitled 10 full share Of the blessings
with which he has endowed him.
Notwithstanding the limited sovereignty posses
sed by the people VI the United States, and the esrc
ted grant OF power to the Government which they
have adopted enough has been given to accomplish
all the Objects for which Il created. 1t has beer
administered, an intimate union effected, domestic
tranquility preserved, and personal liberty secured t
the citizen As was 10 he expected, however, from
the Eject OF nguase, aud the necessarily santenou
manner in which the Constitution is written disputes
have arisen to the amount OF power which it ha
actually granted or was intended to grant. This i
more particularly the case in relation to tina, part o
the instrument which treats Of the legislative branch
And not only asresards the exercise OF powers claim
ed under general clause, giving that body the au
thorty 10 pass all laws necessary to carry into cilec
the specified powers bu, in re alton to The latter also
1t is. however consohtory to reflect thai most Of thu
instances alleged departure ON the letter or spri
ofthe Constitution have II llnricly received the sane
ton of majority OF the people. And tie fact tina
many OF our statesman, most distinguished for taen
and patriotism, have been, at one time or other O
their political career on both sds OF each of the mos
warmly disputed questions forces upon us the infer
ence tia, tn errors If errors they were, are a,ribu
table 10 the intrinsic difficulty in many instances, G
as.etaa!tl the intentions of the trainers OF the Con
sutuilon rather than the influence of any mister o
unpa,touc motive. ,.
Bat the great danger our institutions does ma
appear - IN to be in usurp ,,pn, by the Govern