The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-17
FLoRIpA.
FLORIDA. III
INAUGURAL AppREss OF Gov. WrLLIAM ID. MosELEr.

FLORIDA.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF Gov. WnLiAM ID. MosELEy.
Senators, Representatives. and Feilo,c eifis,ns:
should do injustice to the best feelings OF my
heart, were | not, on this occasion, TO express a
becoming sense Of gratitude for the envablc and
honorable Distinction recently conferred upon me,
IN elevating me to The supreme executive authority
Of the S,ate-a distinction the more highly priced,
from the hattering circumstances under which Il
was conferred; an expression OF public sentiment
through the suarages offreemen, for Office with
IN their git for which it was my earnest personal
desire not to be candidate.
feel, fellow-citizens, proud consciousness Of
the truth OF the remark, when | assert in the pres
ence OF my assembled countrymen, that this honor
Ihave never sought; nor could it have been accept
able TO me, but the voluntary offering OF free
men, Under such circumstances, do not feel my
self Ut liberty TO pass without advertlng TO consci-
BUSINESS my part Of the want of experiences to a
satisfactory discharge of trust the duties OF which
are alike arduous and responsible; nor should do
justice to my feelings, i failed to express the
deep sense Of painful soictude which is felt for the
performance of Them in manner at once acceptable
to my fellow-ctizens and to myself.
They are entered upon, however, with a conf
dent reliance upon the coordinate departments of
the government, in the inception and contamination
of such measures proper regard for the best in
teress of the people may suggest, and which, ifcon
summa,ed, may at once insure the happiness, the
prosperity, and the glory Of our common country.
Custom has sanctioned the usage which has ever re-
ceived my cordial appreciation, that public fnctona-
ries nirusted with executive authority when about
TO enierupon the discharge of the duties assigned
them, should give at least outline Of the leading
political principles which may be deemed proper to
be observed in the execution of the trust con6ded
10 thera
y is now, in obedience to this usage, thus sane
TONED by time, and with becoping respect for
public sentiment, that proceed publicly to declare
those princIpes,-so far, at least, as they may be
connected with the administration of the national
government; as they may be the bass of measures
whose final action may come within the scope of
theexecutive department of the State government.
In relation, then, TO federal government,
feel myself at liberty to remark, that believe it to
be government ofstrctly limited powers--ag govern
ment formed and established through the agency
and by the express authority and assent Of the
States, as independent sovereignties, by ceding
through written constitution, portions of that
sovereignty for certain enumerated and special pur-
poses, which could not be readily and happily
effected by the States as separate independent
munities;that the rights, powers and privileges not
thus transferred, reserved the rights Of the
States and Of the people;-that the exercise of any
powers by the government thus established, other
than those thus enumerated, or of such constructive
powers as may he necessary and proper to carry
into execution the enumerated powers, would be a
usurpaton of the rights of the States and of the
peopc--a violation of the letter and spirit of the
constitution, at once subversve of the compact of
the rights Of the States and of the people;--tha
among the most important and highly cherished
of the reserved rights, the right of the State in
terposton, under its CONSTITUTE nal authorities, as
the legitimate remedy for such an act of usurpation
on the part of the national government.
The history of the convention which formed the
federal constitution, leaves not reasonable doubt
OF the fact, that portion of the members Of that
distinguished body advocated strong central gov
ernmcnt of consolidated powers, at the expense
pf KNIT Such loav RI
cy Of their measures. Another portion ofthe same
body was for Withholding those constructive powers
from the government then about to be establish
ed
"Itwas the advocating or opposing these
ures, in the formation ofthe constitution, that gave
distinctive names to the parties that then divided
the Union and the principles then ayowcd, and the
measures issuing from them, have, from that TO the
present time, kept up the same political division I"
The one claiming for the federal government the
unlimited exercise Of the constructive powers the
other denying that right and insisting upon conf
ming it 10 such matters exclusively as were Of ma
tonal importance, and in the success Of which the
general welfare of the country Immediately
and directly concerned. At the head of the former
division was MIR. Hamilton; Of the latter, was MIR.
Jefferson. -
Ii this Legitimate exercise of the constructive
powers that established the first national bank and
gave birth to system of political log-roling,
der the specious name of internal improvements;
and TO the distribution among the States of the pro-
ceeds Of the sales ofthe public domain.
All of which measures, take this occasion to de-
clare, as the deliberate convictions Of my Judgment
TO be nraciioDs Of the constitution, usurpations
Of the rights of the States; and apart from the con-
stitutiona objection as upwse inexpedent, and inn
polite. The constitutlonaiity and expediency Of
these and kindred measures, do not, however,
deem it proper, nor is it my present purpose,
to discuss.
With regard to the protective policy, however,
feel myself at liberty to remark, with due defer
cnce and proper respect for the intelligence and
patriotism of those who think differently that if
there be any one measure, more than all others,
the offspring of constructive powers which should
be met with Incorporating hostility by the adj
vocates Of reserved rights and strict construction it
is that odous policy 1t is an excrescencc Of the
constitution, maintained at the expense of the day
laborer, the mechanic the mariner, the merchant,
the plancrin fine, at the expense of every species
and class of industrial pursuits known TO our coun-
try exceptto the directors ofthe power loom and the
lords Of the spinningjenny. 1t operates upon every
other species of industry it does upon the agri
culurait raises the price of the necessaries Of life,
and subjects labor, which is their capital, to the
competition of the rich capitalist Iii tax upon
every species of industry, not for the support of the
government economically administered; but to adj
minister to the "pageanry of soulless monopolics,
and to add to the overgown fortune ola favored and
naughty aristocracy.
l solemnly believe it to be violation of the ma
tional compact-of the rights of the many, for the
benefit ofthe few; and that, too, without the plea Of
necessity, and therefore without even the merit of
his plea whom the cravings of hunger have impeled
to an act of larceny. Permit me, in conclusions upon
this trite subject, remark that would seem that
the conclusion is strictly ogical that, whenever du-
ties on imports are not prohibitory, the duty con-
stiutes part of the price, and is consequently a
tax, and an unnecessary burden upon the consumer
especially when such tax is not required for the
support Of the government. The conclusion is also
equally irresistible, that when such duties are pro-
hibitory, foreign competition must cease, commerce
must wther and finally disappear, under its blight
ing, deadly influence; the sails of merchant
men, that now whiten every ocean, and unfurlcd
TO every breeze, will be unfurled no more; an in
direct revenue will no longer flow into the common
treasury. Direct taxation, for the support of the
government, is them the only alternatives state Of
things which, earnestly hope, may neverbe adopt
ed as the settled policy Of our young and still in