Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-10-28

Gov. JoHNSON'S INAUGURATION AID
DRESS,
Gentlemen Of tie Senate, Of the House Of
Representatives, and Fello,o- Citizens:
1t has long been the established custom il
this State, upon the Inauguration of the Chic
Executive officer, to shadow forth, in what i
termed an Inaugural Address, such opinions a
he may entertain in reference to the leadin,
measures and policy of the State and Genera
Governments.
In obedience to this custom and to public ex
pectatlon, without further prelude, l will pro
eeed, in as briefand coucise manner as the
nature and the importance of the subject will
permit, to give such views as may entertain
in relation to some of those measures and prin
cIPles, which believe lie at the foundation of
the two great parties in this country, and in
Ttass fee q opis.soll wiI1rn nave arisen in
quarters of the globe, fundamental in their
character, and such as have existed ever since
men were first formed into social communities.
The beginning point of these differences was;as
| to where the proper lodgment of the Supreme
power should be made-whether in the hands
of one, or few men, or whether it should be
continued in the possession of the great mass
of the people, where it, of right, belongs. Be
tween the interested and designing few, on the
one hand, and the laboring many, on the other
political power has been vibrating, as the pen
dulum, from the origin of mans social condi-
tion to the present period of time Divisions of
sentiment upon this great problem, in this coun-
try, made its most remarkable development in
the Convention which framed the Constitution
of the United States. IN that Convention, there
were two parties-one of them headed by Mr..
Alexander Hamilton, who contended for that
form of Government which was strongest and
farthest removed from the mass Of the people,
and based upon the old monarchica, or kingy
notion, that man was made for government, he
not being capable of governing himself The
other party was headed by Mr.. Madison, who
contended that government was made for man,
be being honest and capable of governing him.
self. The ardent contest, or struggle, between
the advocates Of popular from a government
vesting the sovereign power in the mass of the
people, and those who stood opposed to it, result
ted in the formation Of the Constitution of the
United States as it now stands-less republic
an, in many of its leading provisions, than was
desired by those who had confidence in the in
tegrity, honesty and capability of the people to
govern themselves. By this reference to the
history of our country, it will be at once per-
took its rise and had its origin.
1t is almost manifest that the difference of
opinion between parties, or, more properly
speaking, the leaders of parties, (for the great
mass of the American people are Democratic
in sentiment,) does not consist in nsme merely;
but has deeper foundation in the United
States, and dates its origin anterior to any ap-
pelIation by which parties are known and de-
siynated in modern times. After the ratihca-
ton of the Constitution of the United States by
the several States, and when the Government
had been put into successful operation. these
same parties made their appearance in onother
and more imposing name; one of them conten-
ding for the exercise of all those powers which
had been sought as express grants, and refused
in the formation of the Constitution, by impli-
cation or q latitudinous construction of the
Constitution-the other contending for Gov
erLment of limited and defined powers, and for
q rigid and strict construction of the Constltu
ton. One of these was called the Federal par
ty-the other, the Republican or Democratic
party.
The Federal party from the formation of the
Government down to the moment when l stand
before you, have contended for the exercise OF
all doubtful powers on the part of the General
Government, without any restraint or limit as
to the Constitution of the United States has
most generally been viewed by them as pa
per wall, through which they could trust their
fingers at pleasure, or piece Of gum elastic
that could be expanded or contracted at the will
and pleasure of the Legislature.
The Democratic Republican party hold, that
this Government is one Of limited and fixed
powers;snd that no power can or should be exer-
csed, unless it is expressly granted; and the in
cidents necessary and proper to carry it into
full and fair effect.
l presume, at this period of my public life, it
is hardly necessary for me to state where stand
in reference to these questions or limitations of
Constitutional power. My past public course
has given, as 1 conceive, the more conclusive
evidence that / have always favored strict yet
liberal construction of the Constitution. hold
that no power should be exercised of doubtful
character, either by the State or General Gov
ernment. IF the exercise of doubtful powers
by the State or the Federal Government are ac
quisced in by the people, and persisted in on
the part of the law maker, the whole organic
law of the land becomes virtually repealed, and
the discreation of the usurping legislator be-
comes the measure and only limit of his power.
Our only hope and safe guard against con-
sumption of the fearful tendency of Federal poll
cy on the part of the General Government, in
all questions of doubtful power, is in direct
appeal to the States for an expression of opin-
ion on their part, as provided In the Constitu-
ton of the United States, as will settle all