The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1853-03-12
PRESIDENT PIERCE'S INAUGURAL
ADDRESS,.


amer the c"rr,non;c, Of inauguration had tax
-, place a, Washington. on Friday:
III Cor >iNNMEv:
1t i.arriirt t. feel that no heart but nv
u,rn can know the personal rrgrct and bitter
~,rrov over which hau been borne to a pn-
si,ion 80 suitable. for o,lfrs rather than lcsir-
ahc for myself.
The cir u:a>tanrcs under which have
l-,-n called, for :. limited period, to preside
over th- esiinic, Of The Rrpuhir.tiil me with
IL profound Il n>r Of responsibility, but with
r,r Ia tn. post assigned me, not a. N one
sou.hi iut IN obrG!race TO the TH-ocl;''i
c,prc>sion Of vour will, arSwcrab.c ONLY for
a fearless faithful. and diiiycut exercise OF
my best powers.
| ought 70 BE- and am truly grateful for
the rare manifestation Of the nations conf
drn,c: bur ,hI5. So far from tightening my OBJ
legations, oniy adds to their weight. You
have Summoned me III my weakness: vou
tarst sustain ne by Your strength. " hen
looking for the tu!t,mrnt of reasonable re-
Guirrmrnt~ yaa VIII not be unnlinlful Of the
ur,at changes which have occurred. even
within The last quarter Of y century, and the
consequent augmentation a!.i comp!cxi,v OF
duties imposed. in the administration Of both
home and foreign affairs
Whether the ccmc:ts OF inherent force in
the Republic have kept pace with it., unTar-
aIc.rd progression N territory. population
and wealth. has hccn the subject ot earnest
thought and d>crssipn on both sides Of tn"
occan. Less than .Irtv-thrcr wears auO. the
Father OF hl> Country made the then ''rrrcnt
accession OF North Carolina to the Con~titu-
ton OF the t'n,c1 States. one OF the subject.
of his special con@ratu!atipn.
1t that moment. however, when the a"itl-
ton consequent upon the revolutionary Strug-
uIr had hardly subsidized, when we were Just
e.n-rring from the weakness and cmbarra>>-
mcn., 4 the Confederation. there was an ey-
i,!rnt consciousness of vi.or. equal to the
great ut,-ion 80 wisely and bra,cv ru fiiI, d
by our fathers 1t was not prr>umptuou~
assurance, but calm faith. sprin.ihg from
tlcar ,i,,r ot, the sources of power, in a GOV
ernncnt constituted like ours.
1t is no paradox to say that, although com
paratiycy weak. the new nation was in:riii>-
cally strong. Incon>ilrr,hlc in population
and apparent resources, it was upheld hv
broad and intelligent comprehension Of rights
md an all prr,a,lin! purpose TO maintain
rn-m, stronger than armamcnts. 1t came
from The turnarc OF the revolution. tempered
TO the nccr>,iirs OF the times. The thourht>
Of tie men of that day were as Practical as
thor sentiments were patriotic
They wasted no portion of their eneroirs
upon ,i!,. aud dclu>,c speculation. but with
: N and fearless step advanced brvonI the
governmental landmarks which had hitherto
r,,,l,n,cribcd the limits of human freedom.
md PLANTED their standard. whcr,. il ha, stood
against danger, which have threatened from
t,,...l. and internal agitation, which has a.
,urr- i.artulv m.naccd at home
They proved themselves equal TO the >oIu-
tn. ~ the rrcat prubl.m.to understand wr;,.h
i!,.,cmiud, had been Illuminated h, ,L.I,w,',
inc !:.h,s Of the revolution. The o,,i,r, ,nn.,h,
w., Nor tbirr drr,,,.j nt :, ill.,,
~--li1,l Th,v had ,>b;I;,.J ,at a,,i, H.
.,.L;,r.. In, vb.,,,u L;.,..
J., H.. 60 ,,nL mari, r,,,,.,,.L
,,,,;,t,;, Tl,r ,,.,,.a..,'J u"..,,'Ii
~, ,.,, Ill.,. IT,. :, VIZ '''
,',n,'', ,L',;. ',, L;,1 VI. ''>'n'' n''T
:, ~ wv" "''H' val" no, 10 i''''
','" u 10 l''r 'c'' ''','y
:, '' i',,. o''S''',.'! 'hce'e' =.
''''' -. ''' anu INV ''',''S '"''"'ce.
III ."'e' "" .r 'oun',H h"+ III III! judgement
WAS ''r 'H'''.e" Us h':heS' dnty to eu'f"rln"
'''''h"h,'!' II mas spoken ana VA, continue
~ >i''N'"o' ON! u! lis W"ra>.hut 10y Its acts.
the language oil sympathy. rnronra" cement
ara i:;'Pc 10 'ho>e WI" earnestly listen to torres
winch pronounce Tor the largest rational lib
cry. B"f, after all. the most anlmatiny
'onra1emeht ann potent appeal Tor freedom.
Will hc lis own history, ITS trials and It's tn
"mphs'
Ire-cmncntly, the power of car advocacy
r'p'Scs IN AR ':an'F PIE but no example, b"
II 'emc'"'ere"' can be powerful ior lasin.
T'""' ""r'c,e' apparent advantages may be
e''''d' !'Ih Is No. o'scu upon eternal Prih-
"p'es 81 r'Sh' anu JuS'''r' Our fathers de
,''T' 'or themselves oo'h upon the hour to
declare anu me hour TO strike. They were
''I''' -" JUICES vi ''e circumstances n'ii''I
.',ha; n,"s ,Io '.. ~ l'e"Se 10 '"'h o'l'cl
'he'r i'sS' 'le'r fortunes ana their sacred
:I.:. VI. "i"',i''''' vi We Pr''tle>'
mn, 'rl ''""'e """ :'i 10 us
l." '''s VIZ" ""''.h mat great confi1r
was "''' ""''eI the ""ilahce oi
anu " '''''' io' .''eh't' me uh
'"'nl''''n',t ei'iurah'e' WIN winch 1t wa
i'''tCA'I'i 10 us ''ns'''''''a,'oh' We're Only
':'i'"s's'i ~ me VISION, anu patriotic sp'n
u eo'TeS,'""' "i',ch 'h'rac'erized all The
e0",'>r'S r =. INC carr. fathers: :,
'"c '" '''' n"',' Impressive evidences OF
.''" ',: 10 ~ oe NUM-, III me 'ac''iat 'h
n''."' "r' Ai"5 VI oun >,en' mas u'>peIicd
,,'t,I Lna",I., IT, at ;'.e '!'' >',, us
~, ,n,,ha,,; w. 'il "a, '','S i''o'i''',
-! y, ''"''Se'> from eNtch''