Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1861-01-18
GON'R A. CT. CURTIN >
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
EarrI,burg, Tuesday. Jan. Is, 1s5l.

Fellow CITIZENS. Having been entrusted
bv The people OF Pennsylvania with the admI-
nIsrraton of the Executive department OF The
government for the mex; three years, and hav-
ing taken solemn oath OF fidelity to The Con-
,,lturion of the United STATES and 10 the Cons
intuition OF PENNSYLVANIA 1 ayall myself oi your
pressnce To express 10 you, and through you
10 the people Of the State, my gratiiude ior
The distinguished honor They have III tAef par
taliry bestowed upon me-
Deeply impressed with It's respons!oiiiues
and dulles | enter upon the Office oil HoVefhol
of PENNSYLVANIA, with determinatIon 10 laihl
Them all faithfully to the utmost OF my abllty'
Questions of great moment, intimately con-
nected with the feelings and interests o! ihe
people Of all parts Of The nation, now asita'e
the public mind, and some Of them, from Their
novelty and importance, are left for settlement
IN the uncertainty OF the future. seinsh
caution nigh, indicate silence as the safest
coarse 70 be pursued as 10 these questions, by
one Just entering upon the responsibilities ol
high official posliun; but Edeiity to the hlsh
lrust reposed In me demand, especially al TINS
iuncture, that yield 10 an honored custom
which requires frank declaration OF the prin-
cIples 10 be adopted, and the policy TO be Pur-
sued. during my official Term.
We have assumed, as the great fundamental
ruth ofour political theory, that man is capa-
bic of ssl-gcvernmenr, and that all power M
anaies from the people. An experience OF
seyenty-one years. under the Constitution OF
the United States, has demonstrated 10 ali
mankind that the people can be entrusted WIN
their own political desllnleS; and the deIlDer-
ate expression OF their will should furnish the
rule of conduct 10 their representatives IN ON.
cal station. Thus approaching their hoeral
capacity tor self-government, and alive 10 the
Importance OF preserving, pure and uhsulilfu,
as II came from the hands OF The aposues O!
liberty, this vital principle. pledge mySeii 10
stand between it and encroachments, whe'her
inSusaied by hatred or ambition, by iaha'iciS"
folly.
The policy that should regulate the admin
istration OF The government of our State, was
declared by lis founders, and Is fully estao.
Hshed by experience. Ii is Just and iraiernai
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
Of private Judgment in civil aud religious
faiih, are The high prerogauves 10 which an
American citizen is born. 10 cur social or.
yanizaton. the rich aud the poor, the high ana
the low, enjoy these equally, and the Inns'i'
,uiiun and the laws in harmony therewlih pro-
iect the rights of all. The intelligence oil Inc
people is one Of the main pillars oil Inc iabfc
Of our government, and The highest hopes oi
the patriot for its safety rest on enlightened
public morality and virtue. Our system ol
Common Schools viii ever enlist my earnest
solcitude. For its growing wants the most
ample provision should be made by the LesiS'
lature. feel that need no, urge this duty
The system has been gaming IN strens'h ana
usefulness for quarter oil century, un'ii IL
has silenced opposition BY lis oenehcent trui's
1t has al times lansuished for want oil lis lus'
appropriat,Ons, from changes and amendments
OF the law, and perhaps from ineiiicIency IN
lis Administration but II has surmounted
every difficulty, and is now regarded by The
enlightened and patriotic OF every Poliilcai
faith as the great nulwark of safety Tor our
free institutions. The manner IN which ms
subject is presented 10 the Legislature. by my
immediate predecessors his annual message,
fully harmonzes with public sentiment; and
his recomne adarlon for aid 10 the Farmer 5
High School OF Pennsylvania meets my most
cordial appreciation. Invited 10 the rich pra-
Irie LANDS of the West. where the labor OF The
husbandman is simple and uniform, when
population has filled our valleys, 1t passes
xay from our highland soils where scientific
i
ing fruiIfulness and plenty out Of comparative
s,erlity. While individual iIbeTaliiy has done
much for an institution that is designed TO ed.
ucale the farmer of the State, the school Ian.
sulshes for want Of public aid. An expert
ence Of ten years has fully demonstrated tina,
the institution can be made selt-sustaining
and II requires no aid from the State except
Tor the completion OF The buildings in accord.
ance with the original des gn. liberal ap
preparation for that purpose. would be honor
aole TO the Legislature, aud a Just recognition
o. system of public instruction tha, is of The
n'snes' Importance 10 the State in the devel
h' o' our wealth, the growth OF our popuIa
mn ,nr,, ana The prosperity of our great agricu:
ine s'a'e having been wisely r.l;.v.d =,
,he N ihasement of the public ;nn,a W
oy ihelr sale, The administrator nf ~. ''
eminent is greatly simphfied, its r.sorre W.. gov
Certain and well understood. and N. .rss rs ar
OF the public debt is definitely ascerta,nss
rigid economy In all lis various depar,m.r .
and strict accountability from all public Of
GERS, are expected by our people, and the
shall no: be disappointed. Now that the del
OF the State Is IN The course of steady LIQUID;
tion. by the ordinary means of the treasur,
all unnecessary expenditures of the publ
money must be firmly resisted, so that III
.raiIsl din.aulioa of The Inaeb,sia.s .ha