Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-01-21
SECOND
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
SALMON p. CHASE,
January llth, 1858.

January llth, 1858.
FelloD Citizens of tile Senate and House
of Representatives.:
The will of the people, expressed in the
mode prescribed by the Constitution, has
summoned Inc for the second time, to the
duties and responsibilities of the Chief
Magistracy of Ohio, and 1 have now, in
your presence, and in the presence of the
people here assembled, taxed upon myself
the solemn obligation of an oath to per-
form them faithfully.
During the two years since l was first
honored with this trust, it has been my
constant endeavor to acquit myself of it as
became citizen devoted to the Institu
tons of the State, and bound by every OBJ
legation of honor and gratitude to the
faithful service of the people. l may not
say that have committed no errors
Doubtless some things have been omitted
which might have been done, and some
things done which might have been better
done. But I may say, and it seems not
unfit that I should say, here, in this pres
ence, fearing no contradiction of any truth
full man who knows the truth, that all my
acts have been designed to promote the
highest interests of the State, and that my
faculties and my most earnest endeavors
have been actively and unremittingly de-
voted to her service.
Assuming now, once more, in obedience
to the popular voice, this responsible trust,
my past must stand sole sponsor for the
future. Larger experience and better in
formation will, l trust, enable me to ac-
complish something more for the public
good than has deem hitherto effected; but
my aims, my purposes, and my principles
of action must remain the same.
You will not expect of me, gentlemen,
on this occasion, any discussion Of civil or
political questions. have already within
few days, made fully known to you my
views in relation to public affairs. That
those views will meet your concurrence, in
all respects, it would be presumption in
me to anticipate; but there is one point,
at least, where all our judgments, all our
purposes and all our exertions may well
join. The common good should be, and I
trust will be, our common aim. Under
our fortunate polity, no King-no Aristoc-
racy-no Arbitrary Power-no Privileged
Class-can claim to be the State. The
welfare, the honor, the advancement of all
things good and noble, of the State, is
nothing else than the welfare, the honor,
the advancement of the people and the
whole people. To these great objects, gen.
tlemen, however we may differ as to the
best means of promoting them, we may
well join in addressing the most strenuous
exerations of our highest powers.
1t is not our part, happily, to lay the
foundations of institutions. That work is
done, and well done to our hands. 1t is
our singular felicity to be citizens of the
first State of the Union organized, though
the wise providence of the Founders of the
Republic, upon those Fundamental princi-
pies of civil and religious Liberty" which
they declared to be the basis of all Ameri-
can Law and all American Constitutions
In the organization of other States un-
friendly circumstances had permitted only
the partial application of those principles.
In the organization Of this no such cir
cumstances interposed their evil influence.
The Institutions of Ohio were framed in
precise harmony with the ideal of State
as it existed in the minds of the great
master builders of the Confederacy and of
the Union. This ideal demanded, first of
all the absolute freedom of every individual
guaranteed and secured by impartial law ;
next inviolability of conscience, and just
protection to all forms of worship and all
riligious organizations; then, the promotion
of religion, morality and knowledge by uni
versal education. There was nothing mar
row, nothing illiberal, nothing unjust in this
ideal. 1t welcomed the emigrant to the
freest participation with the home-born in
the inestimable blessings of popular institu-
tions. 1t pledged the States to be form
ed under it, to perpetual union with their
sister States. 1t established to Sovereign
ty of the people upon the indestructible
and the only indestructible- foundation
of the Rights of Man.
Organized under these auspices, and in
accordance with this ideal, Ohio may just
ly be styled the model State of the Ameri-
can Union. 1t is an honorable, a.gratify-
ing distinction. Let it be our care, gentle
men, that its luster be sullied by no act or
omission of ours, Upon the soil thus con-
secrated to Liberty and Union-upon the
foundations thus wisely laid, of Equality
and Justice, let us go on, in humble depen-
dance upon Divine favor, to build, yet
broader and higher, the noble edifce of a
truly Democratic and truly Republican
State, never forgetting that Man is more
than Institutions, and Right the sole vital
principal of law.
We shall repair now, gentlemen. to our
respective duties. In the great work to
which I have referred, you will ever find
me, l trust, a prompt and diligent CO.
worker; and it is my eain nest wish that
you may perform so faithfully your part in
it, that Ohio may long remember with
pride and gratitude the General Assembly
you have the honor to constitute.