Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1848-01-29

inaugural Address of the Gsvesnsr of RI
DELIVERED JANUARY ls. ls4s.

"e' evau WyeeU ot your presence ~ eAp'ess
to you. and through you TO my fellow citizens
Of the Commonwealth, my gratitude for the IA.
vor with which they have regarded my efforts
to ,;schsrae the duties OF my ,rust in good faith.
The cract;ral knowledge which I have scqui.
red of the ysrious and complicated duties Of the
Chief Executives Magistrate Of the State, incres.
ses the distrust have always felt. Of my ability
30 10 perform them, - to justify the public aP'
proval. and constrains me to solicit . acfUiinu-
ance OF the same kind indulgence which has
been hitherto extended to me so generously. Ta
In taking the solemu oath. which the Con.
stitution exscts from all who are clothed with
the delegated will of the people, it ia proper to
recall ia mind the principles upon which our CO.
verrment i, bssed-thst their spirit and mean.
ing may be spprehended, their value appreeia-
ted, and the obligation to guard them, with un.
firing vigilance, enforced. .., . .r.s h.r
| In the formation Of our government, political
power has been resolved into its simplest ele'
ment. T,is the power OF the people. BY the ex.
preston Of their will, in free and equal e'ec.
tions, to rule and this assumes for its bssis. the
great fundamental truth, that man Is capable
Of se!f government ..'r.' ."''.1 ''.
This great polhica! principle, only partially
developed before, was by our republican fathers
made tho groundwork Of written constitu.
,ions, which defined and limited the powers
Of government. and prescribed the du,ies Of
those to whom its administration was entrust.
ed This 10 tie animaiing principle Of cur
whole system. II shields life and liberty, the
sequi'ition and enjoyment o: property and re.
putation. Assuming the inherent and exclu.
sivs right Of the people to institute govern.
ment for their peace, safety and happiness. it
secures religious ireedom, free and equal elee-
iions, the trial by jury, general education. the
liberty Of the press, and all the essential guards
ot religious, political, civil and personal right.
! This democratic power OF government, 10 the
security Of liberty 10 oil it's froms and no
other Fundamental, political power. is fecog.
nized in this country. F"
I,s happy influence is traced, in the rewards
which follow industry and en,erprize among
us. with such astonishing rapidi,y. But as
wealth increases, causes that are inherent in
human nature. produce inequality in its dietri
button. The fathers Of our government, forsaw
the tendency of this, and that it might eventu.
ate in the crestion of permanent aristocracy Of
wealth. Wi.ely guarding against il. they not
only abolished the laws Of primoeeni,ure and
entails, and enacted our equal lswe Of descent
and distribution. bu, they secured to U.S. their
pos,erity, the equal right Of acquiring, posses.
sing and protecting property, by making it an
I essential article otthe Cons,ituiion. .f
I Still. political society. is. and always must be
infuenced, 10 considerable extent. BY the d..
fering circuns.snces Of the people. Capital and
labor, ifregarded separately, have apparently
different interests :-and yet these powers, il
left to their Unrestricted sction, under the salu.
,ary influence Of our system, mutually sustain
and cherish each other. Those ~ho rcprs.
sent each, WILL in the progress Of affairs, change
their positions; laborers will become cspi,,lists
lsborers :-and these quiet, and peaceful, and
equalizing revolutions will be ever in progress
neither power predomins,ing, OF injuriously
, controlling the other; bu, both contributing. ia
. perfec, harmony, 10 the promotion Of the gener
al welfare. -r y...f ..l ..--.ir .-ss
1t is 10 this free and natunl combination a
|, labor and capital, under the controlling infu
snce Of religious and civil liberty. that we mus
. sscribs the uaexampled psoxress Of civilization
and refinement susongst Us, the advance Of sci
enee and the arts, sud the illustrations which
10 exsh his moral end intellectual nature. Ye
!. i, js a kct, not 10 be concealed, that the inter
ests. 60 beneheiaily and justly united BY ,h'
; wise policy Of our system, are not sIways con
l. tent with that equality Of rights. which is il
fact 'he bes. security Of both. Capital, will
. untiring industry, 10 ever eeeking, from tn
. Legislature, the grant ofspe ciaI protection an
Perpetuity Of privilege. This, il sdgiued.
: q, once destructive Of the balance between ,hes
) powers. which il should be the aim of govern
!. ment steadily TO maintain. and works most ia
!. jurously 10 the citizen, lesding 70 oppression o.
the one hand, and 10 dependence on the o,he,
: Thus. the beautiful order Of the whole system
10 dersnged. and tho foundations upon whic
4 this noble structure of government has risen, I
Y eommsOd the admiration and control the dest
MES Of the world. are undermined. To cour
tersct this injurious tendency Of capital. and
conhns it within the just limits prescribed b