Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-03-20
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF
PRESIDENT HARRISON.

posed was TO continue for the residue of nv life,
to fill the Chief Executive Office of this great
aod free Nation, appear before you, fellow.
citizens, 10 take the oaths which the Constitu
ton prescrbes, as q necessary qualification for
the performance Of its duties. And in obed.
ence 10 a custom coeYal with our Government,
end what | believe to he your expectations,
proceed TO present to you summary Of the prn.
cip'es which will govern ne in the discharge
Of the duties which shall be called upon to
perform.
It was the remark Of Roman Consul, in an
early period Of that celebrated Republic, that
most striking contrast was observable in the cen.
duct Of candidates for Office Of power and trust,
before and after obtaining lhem-thcy seldom
carrying out, in the latter case, the pledges and
Proascs made in the former However much
the worll may have improved, in many respects,
in the lepsc Of upwards OF two thousand years
since the remark was made by the virluous and
indignant Roman. fear that strict examination
al the snuals Of some Of the modern elective
governments, would develope similar instances
Of violated confidence.
Although fic fat Of the People has gone forth
prociaiminC me the Chief Magistrate Of this
glorious Union. nothing upon their part remain.
ing to BE DONE it may be thought that motive
may exist TO keep up the deIusion under which
tlsy may be supposed to have acted in relation
10 ny principles and opinions and perhaps there
may be some in this assembly who have come
here either prepared TO condemn those shall
now deliver or, approving them, to douh, the
sincerity with which they are uttered But the
lapse Of a few months will confirm or dSpel
their fears. The outline Of principles to gov.
ern. and measures to be adopted, by an Admin
isfalion not yet begun, will soon b, exchanged
Tor immutable history, and shall stand either
exhoner1ted by my countrymen. or classcd with
the mass OF those who promised that they might
deceive, and flalered with the intention to be.
tray. However strong may be my present pur-
pose to realize the expectations of a magnanj.
NOUS and confllng People, | too well under
stand the dangerous temptations to which shall
10 exposed, from the magnitude Of the power
which It has been the pleasure Of the People to
commit to my hands, not to place my chief con.
hdcnce upon the aid Of that Almighty power
winch has hitherto protected me, and enabled me
TO bring to favorable issues other important hut
s:;I greatly inferior trust, heretofore coniled TO
tie by my county.
Tbs broad foundation upon which our Con.
shtu,on rests being the Peoplc--a breath OF
theirs having made, as breath can unmake,
change, or modify tit can be assigned to none
Of tic great divisions Of Government but 10 that
OF Democracy. If such is its theory those who
are called upon to administer it must recognize.
80 It's leading principle, the duty Of shaping their
measures SO ss TO produce the greatest good to
the greatest number. But, with these broad
admissions. If we would compare the sovereignty
acknowledged 10 exist in the mass Of our people,
with the power claimed by other soveregnes,
even by those which have been considered most
purely democratic, We shall find most essential
difference. All others lay claim to power limit.
ed only BY their own will. The ma ority OF our
citizens, on Tie contrary, possess d sovereignty
with an amount OF power precisely equal 10 IT,
which has been granted 10 them by the parties
10 the national compact, and nothing beyond
We admit Of no Government by divine right
Believing ;ha,, SO far as power is concerned the
BeEefcent Creator has made no distinction
amongst men, that all are upon al equality, and
that the only legitimate right to govern is an
cypress grant Of power from the goverued.-
The Constitution Of the United States is the
Instrument continuing this grant OF power to the
several departments composing the Government.
On an examination Of that instrument it will be
.~gad 10 contain de araons Of power gra tied
end Of power w,hheld The latter is also sus
ceptibe Of division, into power which the major.
~ had the right TO grant, but which they did not
TANK proper to in,ms! to their agents, aad that
which .hey could not have granted, not being
possessed by themselves. In other words, there
ere certain rights possessed by each individual
.:'nc!i, an citizen, which, in his. compact with
i!.c Others he has never surrendered. Some Of
tie y, indeed, he is unable to surrender, being in
tha language OF our system unalena5.e. The