Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-03-07
THE INAUGURAL.

President Pierce's Inaugural address, like all
other productions of the same class, is made up
for the most part of barren generalites and there
fore affords but limited field for commen iary.
What strikes us most forcibly in this document,
is its verbose inflated and sophomore style. Tho
Inaugural reads like fourth of July Grafton, and
a very bad one at that. The speaker evidently
aimed at high display of his oratorical powers,
but notwithstanding, the ambitious character of
his address, it mus, rank extremely low as liter
airy performance. There is total absence of any
thing like vigorous and striking thought. Ideas the
: most trite and commonplaceare clothed in high
sounding and redundant verbage and tricked oat
in the tinsel ornaments of meretricous rhetoric.
1t is not thus that men of strong nteects and earn
es, convictions wont to speak on great occa-
sions. The truly great and practical Statesman,
in stating his views of public affairs, aims at the
severest simplicity of style and leaves defamation
to school boys.
The most imp ortant announcements contain
ed in the inaugural is that relating to the
acquisition of territory. General Pierce declares
that it is eminently important that we should &C
quire .'certain possessions" not now within our
jurisdiction, and we are left to infer that he de-
signs applying himself Immediately to the work
of annexation. We are not informed in what
quarter of the globe these coveted posse ssons lie,
but we take il for granted that Cuba is one Of
them, and that negotiations for the purchase of
that island, will soon be resumed. As Gen.
Pierce speaks 10 the plural number, it would
seem that his annexation views are not limited
to Cuba, but that he contemplates extending the
area of freedom in some other quarter. Perhaps
he would have Canada, the Sandwich Islands
another slice of Mexico. But here we are left
wholly in tue dark and must amuse ourselves
for the present with guessing at Gen. Pierce's
embryo schemes for the territorial aggrandize-
ment of the country. His assurance that the
national faith shall be strictly observed in any ate
tempts he may make to effect the desired acqui-
sition, will be gratifying to the honest and right
minded men of all parties, and should he faith
fully redeem his pledge he will SO far, at least
have deserved theiglatitude of his country. But
profession is one thing and practice another. The
utmost latitude of opinion may exist as to what
constitutes breach of national faith, and we
therefore attach but little weight to the vague
and general declarations of the inaugural IN refe-
renee to this subject. If Gen. Pierce contem-
plates resortng to the same means to extend our
territory that were employed by his Democratic
predecessor, Mr.. Polk, then all the conservative
professions of his inaugural are mere cant and
stuff.
The President takes occasion to declare b.
belief that the Constitution of the United States
recognises slavery~-that the Southern States are
entitled to fugitive slave law, and that the Com
promise measures of 1850 are constitutional, and
should be carried into effect. We fully concur
with General Pierce in these sentiments
and are pleased to that he does not shrink
from avowing them, notwithstanding he "hates''
slavery and regards tia great 'moral, social and
political evil" Gen. Pierce's doctrine on the
subject of the Compromise is the true Wing
doctrine. 1t was the doctrine of Clay and Web
ster, and constituted the platform which the
Wing administration of Willard Fillmore stood,
resolutely and immoveably. from the first to the
last moment of its official existence. We &C.
cord to this part of the inaugural our hearty ap
probation.