The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-12
WASHINGTON, April 8, 1s4l.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
MARCH A, 1901

Friends and fsilou-citizens:
q, ,,-a undertake the duties Of the first Ex-
sence Of that portion of my fellow citizens who
here assembled to express my grateful thanks for the
favor with which they have been pleased to look to-
wards me- declare sincere consciousness that the
task is above my talents and that approach it with
those anxious and awful presentiments which the
greatness of the charge, and the weakness OF my
powers Justly inspire rising nation, spread over
wide and fruitful land traversing all the with
the rich productions of their industry, engaged in
commerce with nations who feel power and forget
right, advancing rapidly to destinies beyond the
reach Of mortal eye when contemplate these tran
scendant objects and the honor the happiness and
the hopes Of this beloved country committed TO the Is
sue and the auspices Of this day, shrink from the
contemplation and humble myself before the magnl-
tude Of the undertaking. Utterly indeed should
despair, did not the presence of many whom here
see remind me- that in the other high authorities pro-
yded by our constitution, shall find resources of wis
DOM Of virtue, and Of zeal which to rely under all
difficulties To you, then, gentlemen, who are charg-
ed with the sovereign functions Of legislation, and to
those associated with you, look with encouragement
for that guidance and support which may enable us to
steer with safety tho vessel in which we are all EN-
barked, amid the conflicting elements of troubled
world
During the contest Of opinion through which we
have passed. the animation of discussions and of ex
ertions has sometimes worn an aspect which might
impose on strangers unused to think freely, and to
speak and to write what they think; but this being
now decided by the voice of the nation, announced
according to the rules Of the constitution, all will of
course arrange themselves under the will OF the law
and unite in common efforts for the common good
All too will bear in mind this sacred principle that
though the will Of the majority is in all cases to pre-
vail that will TO be rghtu must be reasonable; that
the minority possess their equal rights, which equal
law must protect and to violate would be oppression
Let them fellow citizens, unite with one heart and
one mind let us restore social intercourse that har
mony and affection without which, liberty, and even
life itself, are but dreary things And let reflect
that having banshed from land that religious in
tolerance under which mankind long bed and suf
ered have yet gained little, if we countcnance
political intolerance, as despotic, as wicked, and ca
pable of as bitter and bloody prosecutions During
the hroes and commissions Of the ancient world dur
ing the agonizing spasms OF infuriaed man, seeking
through blood and slaughter his long lost liberty, il
was not wonderful that the agitation of the pillows
should reach even this distant and peaceful shore;
that this should be felt and feared by some and
less by others and should divide opinions as to mea-
sures of safety but every difference OF opinion is not
difference Of principle We have called by different
brethren of the same principle we are all re-
pubcans: we all fcderaists. II there be any
among us who would wish to dissolve this Union, or
to change its republican form, let them stand unds
turbed as monuments OF the safety with which error
of opinion may be tolerated. where reason is e free
to combat it. / know indeed that some honest
fear that republican government cannot be strong;
that this government is not strong enough But would
the honest patriot in the full tide of successful expert
ment abandon government which has so far kept US
free and firm tho theoretic and visionary fear that
this government the worlds best hope, may, by pos
sbility, want energy to preserve itscfi tiust not
believe this the contrary, the strongest govern
ment on earth. believe it the only one where every
man. at the call of the laws would fly to the standard
of the law, and would meet nvasions OF the public
order as his own personal concern. Sometimes il is
said that man cannot be trusted with the government
Of himsef1 Can he then be trusted with the govern
ment Of others Or have found angels in the
form Of kings to govern hint Let history answer
this question
our own federal and republican principles our attach.
ment to union and representative government. Kind
" separated by nature and wide ocean from the
terminating havoc Of one quarter of the globe; too
high minded to endurethe degradatons of The Others
possessing a chosen country, with room enough for
our descendants to the thousandth and thousandth
generation; entertaining due sense of our equal