Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-01-24
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
HON. ANDREW G. CURTIN,

HON. ANDREW G.. CURTIN
FELLOW CITIzENs-Having been entrust.
ed, by the people of Pennsylvania, with the
administration of the Executive department
of the government for the next three years,
and having taken solemn oath of fidelity
to the Constitution of the United States, and
to the Constitution of Pennsylvania, avail
myself of your presence to express to you,
and through you to the people of the State,
my gratitude for the distinguished honor
they have. in their partiality. conferred up.
on me.
Deeply impressed with its responsibilities
and duties, enter upon the Office of Gov.
ernor of Pennsylvania with determination
to fulfil them faithfully, to the utmost of my
ability, Questions of great moment, init.
mately connected with the feelings and in
terests of the people of all parts Of the Ma
ton, now agitate the public mind and some
of them, from their novelty and Importance,
are left for settlement in the uncertainty of
the future. A selfish caution might indicate
silence as the safest course to be pursued as
to these questions, by one just entering up
on the responsibilities of high official posi-
ton; but fidelity to the high trust reposed
in me demand, especially at this juncture,
that yield to an honored custom which re-
quires frank declaration of the principles
to be adopted and the policy to be pursued
during my official term.
We have assumed as the great fundamen-
tai truth of our political theory. that man is
capable of selfgovernment, and that all
power emanates from the people. An expe-
rience of seventy one years, under the Con-
stitution of the United States, has demon
strated to all mankind that the people can
be entrusted with their own political desti-
MES, and the deliberate expression of their
will should furnish the rule of conduct to
their representatives in official station
Thus appreciating their liberal capacity for
self-government, and alive to the Importance
Of preserving, pure and unsullieJ as it came
from the hands of the Apostles of Liberty,
this vital principle, pledge myself to stand
between it and encroaehments, whether in
stigated by hatred or ambition, by fanaticism
or folly.
The policy that should regulate the admin
istration of the government of our State,
was declared by its founders, and is fully
established by experience. 1t is just and
fraternal in its aims, liberal in its spirit,
and patriotic in its progress. The freedom
of speech and of the press, the right Of
conscience and private judgement in civil
and religious faith, are the high prerogatives
to which the American citizen is born. In
our social organization the rich and the poor
the high and the low, enjoy these equally,
and the Constitution and the laws in harmo-
ny Herewith, protect the rights of ALL The
intelligence of the people is one OF the main
pillars of the fabric of our government. and
the highest hopes of the patriot for its safe
ty rest on enlightened public morality and
virtue. Our system of Common schools will
ever enlist my earnest solicitude. For its
growing wants the most ample provision
should be made by the Legislature. feel
that need not urge this duty. The system
has been gaining in strength and usefulness
for a quarter of century. until it has silen-
ced all opposition by its benefcent fruits
1t has at times languished for want of just
appropriations. from changes and amend
ments of the law, and perhaps from ineffi-
cheney in its administration but it has sur
mounted every difficulty and is now regard
ed by the enlightened and patriotic of every
political faith, as the great bulwark of safe.
ty for our free institutions. The manner in
which this subject is presented to the Legis-
lature, by my immediate predecessor, in his
annual message, fully harmonizes with
public sentiment; and his recommendation
for aid to the Farmers High School of
Pennsylvania meets my most cordial appro-
baton, Invited to the rich prairie lands of
the West, where the labor of the husband
man is simple and uniform, when population
has filled our vallies, it passes away from
our highland soils where scientific culture is
necessary to reward labor by bringing fruit
fulness and plenty out of comparative Ster-
ility. While individual liberality has done
much for an institution that is designed to
educate the farmer of the State, the School
languishes for want of public aid. An ex-
perence of ten years has fully demonstrated
that the institution can be made self.spstain-
ing; and it requires no aid from the State,
except for the completion of the buildings,
in accordance with the original design. A
liberal appropriation for that purpose would
be honorable to the Legislature and a just
recognition of system of public instruction
that is Of the highest Importance to the State
in the development of our wealth, the growth
of our population and the prosperity Of our
great agricultural interests.
The State having beer wisely relieved Of
the management Of the public improvements
by their sale, the administration of the gov
ernment is greatly simplifed. its resources
are certain and well understood, and the
amount OF the public debt is definitely as.
certained. A rigid economy in all It's vari-
Gus departments, and strict accountability
from all public officers, are expected by our
people, and they shall not be disappointed.