The North-Carolina standard., 1845-03-12

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doubted success-of our great political experiment
Instability, haste, procrasnation, discourtesv and
lndeclsien habtually discountenance ed and ban1sh-
ed leave, in undisturbed supremacy here the pow
ers Of enlightened reason, and the vigor of prac.
6tica1 patriotism. Our country reaps thence solid
and substantial adVantages in her policy, institu.
t1ions, prospects, and renown.
/ The eitlzen whom it has, pleased people to
lelevale by their suffrages from the pursuits of
private and domestic fife, may best evfnce his
grateful sense of the honor thus conferred bv de-
voting his faculties, moral and Intellectual reso
lutely to their service This Fshall do; vet with
a diftidence unavoidable To- one conscious that
almost every step in his appointed path is to
him new and untried, and sensible how dam
gerous a contrast must occur in the transfer of
powers from practised to unpractised hands In
observing, however, upon this foor number of
those experienced and skilful statesmen on whom
the nation jastly looks with pride and reliance, I
am assured that there can. be but little danger of
tpubIic disadvantage from inadvertencies or mis-
takes, which their counsel may readily avert or
rectlfy. And thus, gentlemen, while aiming,
frankly and impaFtially, to exercise the functions
of an unaccustemcd station IN the spirit of the
constitution for the enlarged and lasting purposes
of revered country, and with sincere good will
towards all, may cherish the encouraging hope
Of being able, with the assent of an induieent
attract your confidence.
| At forty minutes past IL o'clock, the Hon
James K. Polk, President elect of the United
States accompanied by the cx-President of the
United States, the Hoh: John Tyler, was intro
duced by the committee of arrangements, and,
having bowed to the assembled Senate, took his
seat in front of the desk of the Secretary of the
Senate
AT five minutes before l2 o'clock, the assistant
IF he r.. Il
procession from the Senate Chamber to the plat
form at the east front of the Capitol and the pro-
cessien formed and proceeded accordingly, as
follows,
The Marshal of the District of Columbia;
The Supreme Court Of the United Statee
The Sergeaht-at- arms of the Senate;
The Committee of Arrangements;
The President elect, ex-Presdents, tho Vice
President, and Secretary of the Senate
The members of the Senate
The Diplomatic Corps
The Mayors of Washington, Georgetown, and
Alexandria, and the other persons before admit
led on the floor of the Senate.
On reaching the front Of the psstico, the Pre-
sidcnt elect and Chief Justice took the seats pro.
vided for them; '-
The cx,Presidens, the Committee of Arrange
ments, and Associate Justices of the Supreme
Court, occupied position several feet in the rear
OF the President elect.
The Vice President Secretary, and Members
fthe Senate occupied parallel lines next in rear
T. The Diplomatic Corps occupied the next bo-
sltlon and the space Immediately in their rear
was assigned to the late Speaker, Clerk, and
Members of the Senate and House of Represen-
tatics
The Ladies, and such persons as, by the rules
of the Senate and arrangements of the committee
were Omitted within the Senate chamber, occupied
thn-et thar of tbo
The President elect then read the following l
INAUGURAL ADDRESS:
FELLow-Crr1zENs: Without solicitation on
my part, l have been chosen by the free and vol
unary snfrages Of my countrymen to the most
honorable and responsible Office on earth. | am
deeply impressed with gratitude for the confidence
reposed in mo. Honored with this distinguished
consideration at an earlier period of life than any
of my predecessors,I cannot disguise the off
dence with which am about 10 enter on the dis
charge of my official duties.
z If the more aged and experienced men who
have filled the office of President of fhe Unit
distrused their ability to discharge the duties of
that exalted station what ought not to be the ap.
prehenSions of one so much younger and less en-:
dowed, now that our domain extends from ocean,
to ocean, that our people have So greatly increas,
ed in numbers, and at time when so great diver
sity OF opinion prevails in regard TO the princi-t
Piles and policy which should characterize the adj
ministration of our government? We'll may the
boldes fear, and the wisest tremble, when incurr-
ing responsibilities on WHICH may, depend our
peace and prosperity, and, in some de-
gree, the hopes and happiness of the whole human
family.
In ASSUMING responsibilities so vast, I-ferventTy
invoke the aid of that Almighty Ruer,of the uni
verse, in whose hands are the destines Of nations
and of men, to guard this heaven-favored land a.
gainst the mischiefs which, without His guidance,
might arise from an unWise public policy. With
a firm reliance upon the wisdom of Omnipotence
to sustain and direct me in the path of duty which
l amapponted to pursue, l Stand in the presence Of
this assembled multitude ofmy countrymen, totaIie
upon myself the solemn obligation, "to the best
of my ability, preserve protect, and defend the
constitution OF the United States"
A concise 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
beftting the occasion.
The constitution ITSELF plainly written as it is
the safeguard of our federatfve compact the off:
spring of concession and compromise, binding
together in the bonds of peace and union this great
and increasing family of free and independent
States, will be the Chart by which shall be di-
rected.
1t will be my first care to administer the gov
in the true spirit of that instrument, and
70 oeeunna M na1erS NOT exnrceSIy GRANTED or