Democratic banner., 1845-03-15
engrOssment and third reading Of the
bill; it was decided as follows:
Yeas, 27-Nays, 25.
The Senate then Adjourned.
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF JAMES X. POLK.
Delivered 4th March, lS45.

Fellow CrrlzENs:-Wiihout sole
itation on INV part, ! have been cho
sen by the flee and voluntary sufira
ges of my c%ountrvmen to the neS'
honorable and most responsible office
on earth. ] am deeply impressed
with gratitude for the confidence re-
posed in me. Honored With this dis.
tinguished consideration at an earlier
period Of lie than any Of nv prede
cessors. | cannot disguise the d H.
dence with which ! am about TO en-
ter on the discharge Of my official du-
ties.
Ii the more aged and experienced
men who have filed the office Of
President Of the United States, even
in tie infancy os the Republic. dis
trusted their ability 10 discharge the
duties of that exalted station. what
oush, not to be the apprchensions of
one 50 much younger and less endaw-
ed, now that ouI domain extends from
ocean to ocean, that onr people have
so greatly increased in Numbers, and
Il, IA time when so great diversity OF
opinion prevails in regard to the prIn-
ciples and policy which should char
acterize tie ADMINISTRATORS Of aur
Government Well may The bo!dest
fear and the wisest tremble, when
mourning responsibilities on which
may depend u couD'ry's peace and
prosperity. and, in onie degree, the
hopes and hapl ness Of The whole
human faulty.
In a>sumin. responsibilities 81 vast.
| feivenlIy invoke The aid "i that Al
mighty RnI.r Of the Universe, Ia
whose hands aie She d.s mes Il ma
tons and eI Men, To- gua'd tins hsav-
en-fayured land against ;he mGshiei>
which, wIti,"ut his guidance might IL
rise from an unwIse Iubiic policy
With II 6rm reliance upon the wIs-
dom e OnnIpoteuee 1" sustain and
direct ne ia the path oi duty Which ]
am app, inied 10 pul>Mp, stand IL
the presence cf I, Is assembled multi
tude of my countrymcn. ,o lake up
N myscIf the solemn obtigu'on ''Io
the ! est Of NY ability Ia ~pitserve.
project and delenG The Constitution
Of the United States
A concise ,uun!eraii"n Ot the prin-
ciples whnh vii guide me IA the ad
min's,ra,ive policy Of tie govern
mont. is.noI "hly in acc"rdancs wiih
the examples set me by oil my pred
ccessors. bu, S entirely beating the
occasion.
The constitution itself, plainly writ
ten us il Is. tie safeguard oil our fed
erali,e compact, the offspring oi con-
ce,sion and c"u promise. binding to-
gcrher in the bonds Of peace and L.
Mon this gr' al AMI increasing iLmt,
Of tree ard Independent States, will
he the CT All by which sshaN lie d.
rec,ed
il will he nv Grs: care 20 ada mis-
ter tie government in he tn spirit
OF that instrument, and 10 assume no
yowe,s not Ell ressiv granted. or
clearly implied in is tera>. The
Governm.n mt Of TIE Unred States i
ore of de!ega ted and limited powers;
and it is bv a strict adherence 10 the
clearly granted powers. aad by all
staining from the exercise OF do'abi-
fui or Unauthorized implied powers
! that We have he ouly suie guaranty
against the recurrence at those TN
urtunaie COLLISIONS etwesn The Fed.
eral and State authorities. whs'hiaee
occasionally SO much Disturbed the
harmony OF rur system, and even
threatened the ~le'peiG'ty - oEr
glorious Union.
ITO the States respectively. ar t.
the people" have teen reserved 1.-THE
powers not delegated 10 the United
States BY the constitution, mol pre-.
hihi,ed by it to the States" Each
State is a complete sovereignty with
in the sphere of its reserved powers
The government of the Union, act
ing within the sphere of ITS del'eatss
authority. is also a complete sove
reign,y. While the general govern
ment should abstain from the e1er
!. else of authority not clearly dcfega
ted to it. the States should lie equal
" careful tn; in the maintenance o
their rishts, they do not oveistep ih'
limits of powers reserved To ,hem.-
; One Of the most distinguished OF m.
/ predecessors attached deserved i'm
/ p%ortance to 'the support Of tn
: State governments in al their right
$ as the most competent admin'S'ra
l ton for our domestic concerns, al,
: the surest bulwark against anti-re