Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-03-13
INAUGURAL AEsEsgs Ess,
ICF
mr.. POLK,
Delivered March 4, 1915.

FELLow-CiTIzEss: Without solicitation
on my part, have been chosen by the free aRd
voluntary sufrages of my countrymen to the
most honorable and most responsible Office on
earth am deeply impressed with gratitude
tor the confidence reposed ia me. Honofet
with this distinguished consideration at an ear
her period OF life than any o." my predecessors
| cannot disguise the diiTidence with which
am about to enter On the discharge of my eff
cial duties. & #
If the more aged and experienced men who
have filled the office Of President of the United
/, States, even in the infancy CT the Republic
dIstrusted their ability to discharge the duties
OF that exalted station, what ought not to be
/ the apprehensions Of one 50 much Younger and
! less endowed, now that our domain extends
from ocean to ocean, that our people have sc
1 greatly increased in numbers, and at tine
when so great diversity Of opinion prevails in
regard to the principles and policy which
| should characterize the administration of Gun
| government? Well may the boldest fear, and
the wisest tremble, when mourning responsible
tiles on which may depend our country's peace
and prosperity, and, in some degree, the hopes
and happiness of the whole human family
In assuming responsibilities so vast, fervent-
ly invoke the aid Of that Almighty Ruler Of
the universe. in whose hands are the destinies
OF nations and or men, to guard this heaven
favored land against the mischieis which. with
out His guidance, might arise from an unwise
public policy. With firm reliance upon the
! wisdom of Omnipotence to sustain and direc,
me in the path of duty which am appointed to
pursue, stand in the presence of this assem-
bled multitude of my countrymen, to take up
I on myself the solemn obligation, s'to the best
of my ability to preserve, protect, and defend
the Constitution Of the United Sates''
7 Aconcise enumeration of the principles which
! will guide me in the administrative policy Of
the government, is not only in accordance with
the examples set me by all my predecessors
but is eminently BETTING the occasion.
/ The constitution itself. plainly written as il
is, the safeguard of cur federative compact, the
offspring of concession and compromise, binding
/ together in the bonds Of peace and union this
great and increasing family of free and indie
pendent States, will be the chart by which
shall be directed.
1 1t will be my first care to administer the go.
vernment in the true spirit of that instrument
and to assume no powers not expressly granted
or clearly implied in its terms. The govern
] ment of the United States is one of delegated
| powers; and it is by a strict adherence to the
clearly granted powers, and by abstaining from
the exercise of doubtful or unauthorized implied
powers, that we have the only guaranty agans.
the recurrence of those unfortunate collisions
between the Federal and State authorities, that
have occasionally so much disturbed the harmo-
| ny of our system, and even threatened the per
petuity of our glorious Union. A..
''I'o the States respectively, or to the PEG
ple," have been reserved ''the powers not del
egated to the United States by the constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the United States" p
Each State is a complete sovereignty within
the sphere Of its reserved powers. The gov
eminent of the Union, acting within the sphere
of its delegated authority, is also complete
sovereignty. While the general government
should abstain from the exercise of authority
not clearly delegated to it, the States should &c
careful that, III the maintenance of their rights,
they do not overstep the limits ofpowers reser-
wed to them. One Of the most distinguished
Iof my predecessors attached deserved import
ance to ''the support Of the State governments
in all their rights, as the most competent admit
nistration for cur domestic concerns, and the
surest bulwark against anti-republican tenden-
cies )" and to the preservation of the general
government in its whole constitutional vigor, as
the sheet anchor of our peace at home and safe
ty abroac.'
! To the government of the =. S. has been
entrusted the exclusive management of our for
eign affairs. Beyond that, it wields few gen
eral enumerated powers. 1t does not enforce
reform ON the States. 1t leaves individuals,
over whom it casts its protecting influence, en-
tirely free to improve their own condition by
! the legitimate exercise Of all their mental and
physical powers. 1t is common protector OF
each and all the States; Of every man who
lives upon our soil, whether Of native or foreign
birth; of every religious sect, in their worship
of the Almighty according to the dictates OF
their own conscience; Of every shade of opinion
and the most free inquiry; of every art, trade,
and occupation, consistent with the laws Of the
States. And we rejoice in the general happi-
ness, prosperity, and advancement of our coun-
TRY, which have been the offspring of freedom,
and not of power. -ss ..t.-,l.
| This most admirable and wisesi system Of
well-regulated selfgovernment among men.
/ ever devised by human minds, has been tested
by its successful operation for more than half a
century; and, if preserved from thesusurpation
| Of the federal government on the enc hand,
and the exercise BY the States Of powers not
reserved to them on the other. will, ! fervently
hore and believe, endure for ages 10 come, and
dispense the blessings landreligioas liberty
to distant generations To effects an object so
dear to every patriot, Ishal devote myself with
Ianxious solicitude. 1t will be my desire to
| guard against that most fruitful source of dan
ger to the harmonious action Of our system,
(which consists in substituting the mere discre-
ton and captice ofthe executive, or Of MAORI
ties in the legislative department Of the gov
iernment, for powers which have been withheld
| from the federal government by the constitu-
ton. By the theory of our government, ma
iorities rule; but this right is not an ar
bitrary or unlimited one. Ii is a right to be