The North-Carolina standard., 1845-11-12
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
GOV. BROWN, Of TENNESSEE.
G,uiIcmen of NE SenaLe

and House Of Representatives,:
In presenting myself before you on the pre-
sent OCCASION feel very deeply impressed by the
soIemnities which we have just witnessed. The
transitions of power from one dynasty to nnotner
in the Old World have rarely been effected with
out revolution and bloodShcd There, the trI-
umph of the one party is loo often the destruction
of the other, leaving the great masses of the p"o-
pie but little benefited by the change of dominion:
: Ia our own free and happy form o! governments
it is wholly different Here, tLe great popular
principle is recognised in its full force, " that
all power is inherent in the people, and all ftec
governments are founded on their authority
and Instituted for their peace, safety, and hap
piness." Il is n remarkable fact that this was
the first great truth uttered by the ilustrious men
who framed the constitution of Tennessee. IL
seems to have been uppermost IN their mihoS'
and to have burst forth in advance OF all their no.
bic and patriotic sentiments.
II Is under the influence of this cardinal princl-
Die that we have just witnessed the surrender of
all the executive power and authority OF the State
by nv distinguished predecessor-a surrender so
peaceably and promptly made that il must constI-
iute one OF the highest eulogiums our represen-
tative form of government But in presenting
myself before you, and this large assembly, for
the purpose of assuming the high office from
which he has Just retired, I must be permitted to
express my deep and abiding gratitude to those
by whom it has been bestowed. To station so
exalted and responsible should never have aspir-
ed but for the unanimous call of my fellow-citi-
zens in convention assembled. Most earnestly
did desire the nomination of some other individ-
ual more able to vindicate and sustain the great
principles involved in the recent election Not that
then was, or ever could be, insrnsible 10 the
high honor of presiding over such noble and
gallant State rs I, ,nncssec. She is The land of
my YOUTH the home of my manhood have
traverscd her in al her borders and feel today
a proud consciousness :hat l love her. not more
for her physical grandeur. her lofty mountains,
her deep majestic rivers, her wide luxurant val
leys than for the moral excellence of her brave,
and hardy, and industrious people 10 preside
over such Stale and to contribute anything val
liable to the prosperity of such people, ought 10
kndle up the fires of a virtuous ambition IN the
bosom of any man living But, gentleman,
whilst freely admit the full influence of an emo
lion like this trust you will allow me to declare
the most unfrigned distrust of nv abilities 10 dis
charge the duties of the high office which am
about to assume. Fidelity and zeal in the dis
charge of those duties, and the most anxious and
earnest desire to advance the welfare and happi-
ness OF every individual member Of our beloved
commonwealth, without reference TO The party to
which he may belong, mnst be the only pledge
which can offer my rOuntrymen for this distln-
guished mark OF their preference and confidence.
The duties to which aIIude are embraced in
the comprehensive but solemn oath which you
will presently cause to be administered faithfully
I" to support the constitution OF this State and the
United States" In general terms, to support these
is to support all high principles of rational liberty
and representative govcrnment-the liberty Of
speech-the freedom of the prcss-lhe rights of
conscience, Of property. and repntaiion-lhe pnri-
iy of our elections, and the implicit obedience Of
the representative to the will of his constituents
IS not in fa Ill
nal principles OF government that the practical diff
feulty of the American statesman may be expect
ed to arise. The oath which you are about to
administer, to support not only the constitution of
the State OF Tennessee, but Of the United States
imposes double allegiance, challenging my most
nnreserved obedience to both governments II is
the danger of collision between them that consti-
tutes the precise point of difficulty and cmbarrass
ment In anticipation of the bare possibility of
such an event. ii becomes INV duty to dec larc the
principles on which should feel bound to act
10 declare them here IN your presence-to declare
Them now, at the very beginning of my admins
tration, and at the very moment when contract
the.obligation OF this double allegiance
Rightly understood, and fairly construed, Il
hold collisions between federal and state govern
menis to be utterly impossible. The wise men
who framed the former seem 10 have studiouslv
and necessarily guarded against such and event
They knew we'll that in the political as we'll as in
The physical world. where equal powers meet
fearful and dreadful pause must cnsue. They
therefore weighed and considered, with profound
anxiety, eVey line and word inserted into our fed
eral constitution. In the States to which this in.
strument was submitted for adoption the most dis
ngushed stateman and jHrists employed all their
alents and learning in an animated and fearless
discussion of its provisions The result of all this
care and patriotic labor was to throw additional |
safeguards around the sovereignty of the States bv
declaring that "the powers not delegated to the {
United States by the constitution, nor prohibited
by, it to the States reserved 10 the States re-
spectively or to people," $
This amendment should have rendered everv- !
hing easy and harmonious in the operation of
OuT polical system 1t should have established il
as maxim in the creed of every American states +
nan, never TO claim for the federal government
my power which was not expressly granted in /
he constitution. or which did not necessarily nr ii
properly belong to the execution of an express il
'ower 1t was for the establishment of this great
ale of construction that Jefferson and Madison. a
md the Virginia resolutions of 1898, SO earnestly i
:ontended. ~ 4h -
Bot unfortunately for the country, another .
chool of politicians rose up coey. with the con. Y
titution, Insisting an additional class of implied
,Owers, with no Limitation but the wild discretion q
# Congress, and guided by no object but the y
ague and Indefinite notion Of " the general wei. n
are" !
1t has been this difference of opinion as 10 the y
node Of constituting the federal constitution. that
has laid the foundation Of all the partv strngoles
:, he l.-L l..