The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1853-03-25

1
its place upon that ensign, without wealth to
purchase for him preierment or title to secure
for him place, it will be his privilege, and must
be his acknowledged right, to stand unabashed
even in the presence of Princes, with the proud
consciousness that he is himself one of a nation
of sovereigns, and that he cannot in legitimate
pursuit wander so far from home, that the agent
whom he shall leave behind, in the place which
now occupy, will see that no rude hand of
power, or tylannical passion, is laid upon him
with impunity. He must realize that upon ev-
cry sea and on every soil where our enterprise
may rghtfully seek the protection of our flag,
American citizenship is an inviolable panoply
for the security of American rights, and in this
connection it can hardly be necessary to reafirm,
principle which should now be regarded as
fundamental. The right, security, and repose
of this confederacy, reject the idea of inteifer-
ence or colonization on this side of the ocean
by any foreign power, beyond present jurisdic-
ton, as utterly inadmissible.
The opportunities of observation furnished
by my brief experience as a soldier confirmed
in my own mind the opinion entertained and
acted upon by others from the formation of the
government, that the maintenance of large
standing armies in our country would be not
only dangerous, but unnecessary. They also
illustrated the importance, / might well say
the absolute necessity, of the military science
and practical skill furnished in such an emf
nent degree, by the institution which has made
your army what it is, under the discipline and
instruction of officers not more distinguished
for their solid attainments, galantry, and de-
votion to public service than for unobtrusive
bearing and high moral tone. The army, as
organized, must be the nucleus around which,
defense. national military may be readily
formed Into we'll disciplined and efficient
organization. And the skill and self-devotion
of the navy assure you that you may take the
performance of the past as pledge for the
future, and may confidently expect that the
flag which has waved its untarnished folds over
every sea will still float in undiminished
honor. But these, like many other subjects,
will be appropriately brought at future time
to the attention of the coordinate branches of
the governments, to which shall always look
with profound respect and with trustful conf
dence that they will accord to me the aid and
support which ] shall so much need, and which
their experience and wisdom will readily sug-
gest In the administration of domestic affairs
you expect a devoted integrity in the public
service, and an observance Of rigid economy
in all departments so marked as never justly to
be questioned. If this reasonable expectation
be not realized, | frankly confess that or, of
your leading hopes is doomed to disappoint-
ment, and that my efforts in a very important
particular must result in ahumi!iating failure.
Offices can be properly regarded only in the
light of aids for the accomplishment of those
objects, and as occupancy can confer oprero-
gative, nor importunate desire for preferment
any claim, the pdblic interest imperativeIy
demands that they be considered with sole ref
erence to the duties TO be performed; Good
citizens may we'll claim the protection of god
laws and the Benign influence Of good govern
| ment, but q claim for office is what the people
ola republic should never recognize. No rea-
sonable man ofany party will expect the admin
istration to be as regardless of its responsible
ity and of the obvious elements of success as
to retain persons known to be under the in
fuence of political hostility and partisan pref
udice in positions which will require not only
severe labor, but cordial cooperation. Having
no implied engagements to ratify, no rewards
to bestow, no resentments to remember, and
no personal wishes to consult in selections for
official station, shall fulfil this difficult and
delicate trust, admitting no motive as worthy
either my character or position which does not
contemplate an efficient discharge of duty and
my obligations to the mass of countrymen and
to them alone. Higher objects than personal ag-
grandisement gave direction and energy to
their exertions in the late canvass, and they
shall not be disappointed. They require at
my hands diligence integrity. and capacity
wherever there are duties to be performed
! Without these qualities in public servants more
stringent laws for the prevention or punish
ment of fraud, negligence, and peculation will
be vain. With them, they viii be unnecessary.
But these are not the only points to which you
look for vigilant watchfulnes. The dangers Of
a concentration of all power in the general
government ola confederacy so vast as ours
are too obvious to be disregarded. You have
right therefore to expect your agents in every
department TO regard strictly the limits impos-
ed upon them by the constitution ofthe United
S ates, The great scheme of our constitonnl
liberty rests upon proper distribution ofpow-
er between the State and Federal authorities
and nxnerinnce has shown that fha harmony