Daily national Democrat., 1861-03-26
Extracts from Jefferson's inaugural.

We this week, says the Shasta Courier,
give few extracts from the Inaugural Mes
sage OF Tn, mas Jefferson, delivered from the
steps Of the Federal Capitol sixty years ago
OH the 4th inst. In reading this splendid
production, one cannot fail to perceive the
reuarkabe fact that almost everything there
in seems peculiarly pertinent to the present
exigeneies Of the nation. Indeed, Abraham
Lincoln might with propriety nave incorpo
rated in his Inaugural the greater portion
thereof. without the change Of a word or sem
tence or punctuation mark
During the contest of opinion through
which we have passed the animation Of dis
cussons and OF exerlions have sometimes
worn an aspect Ahich might impose ON
strangers unused to think freely. and to speak
and to write what they think; Lut this being
now decided ly The voice of the nation, an
n0unced according to the rules of the Consli
tuition, ull will, OF course, arrange ihen-
selves under the will of the law, and unite in
common efforts for the common good All
too will bear III mind this sacred principle,
that though the will of the majority is in all
cases to prevail that will to he rightfu must
be reasonable; that the minority possess their
equal rights, which equal laws must protect
und to violate would be oppression Let us
then fellow -citizens, unite with one heart
and one mind, let us restore to social inter
course that harmony and affection, without
which liberty. and even life itself, are but
dreary things, We have called b,
different names brethren of the same prinri-
pie We are ALL Repu6Iicans-we are ALL
FedcrdliSts. If there he any among Us who
would dissolve this Union, or change its re-
publican form, let them stand undisturbed as
monuments of the safety with which error OF
opinion may he tolerated, where reason is
! left free To combat it. | know indeed that
some honest men fear that republican gov
ernment cannot be strong; that this govern
ment cannot be strong enough But would
the honest patriot, in the full tide of success
ful experiment, abandon government which
has So far kept free aud firm, ON the theo>
ratio and visionary fear, that this government
the worlds best hope, may, by possibility
want energy to preserve ITSELF | trust not
believe this, on the contrary. the stronge-t
government on earth. | believe it the only
one, where every man, at the call of the law
would fly TO the standard of the law, and
would meet invasions of the public order AS
his own personal concern. omeiimes it is
lid that man cannot be trusted with the
government of himself Can he then he trust
ed with the government of Others? Or have
we found angels, in the form of kings. to gov
ern him? Let history answer this question
Let US then. with courage and confidence,
pursue our own federal and republican prn
cipIes; our attachment to union aud repre-
sentative government. Still one
thing more. fellow citizens, a wise and frugal
nny IL .l,. ,.,n
injurng one another, shall leave them other
wise free TO regulate their own pursuits of
industry and improvement and shall not taxi
from the mouth of labor the Tread it has
earned. This is the sum of go ID government;
and this is necessary to close the circle of
our felicities.
He thus compresses the essential princil les
of government within the narrowest compass
they will bear;
Equal and exact Justice to all men, of
whatever state or persuasion, religious or po-
| lltleal: Peace, commerce and honest friend
ship with all nations, entangling alliances
with none;-the support of the state goveI n
ments in all their rights, as the most compe-
| tent administration for our domestic concerns,
and the surest bulwarks against anti.republi
can tendencies; the preservation ofth- genrr-
al government in its whole constitutional
vigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace at
home, and safety abroad; Il jealous care of
! the right of election by the people, mild
and safe corrective of abuses which are lopp-
ed hy the sword of revolution, where peace
able remedies are unprovided; absolute ac-
quiescence in the decisions of the majority,
the vital principle of republics, from which
Is no appeal but to force, the vital principle
and immediate parent of despntism a well
disciplined militia, our best reliance in peace.
and for the first moments of war, till regu
lars may relieve them; the supremacy of the
civil over the military authority; economy in
the public expense, that labor may be- lightly
burthened;- honest payment of our d-bts
and sacred preservation of the public faith
encouragement of agriculture. and of COM
merce as its hand-mnid; the diffusion OF infor
nation, and arrangement Of all abuses al
the bar of public reason; freedom of religion;
freedom of the press and freedom OF the per-
son, under the protection of the -fIaheas Cor
puS;-and trial by juries impartialIy selected
These principles form the bright cunstella-
tion, which has gone before US and guided
our steps through an age of revolution and
reformation The wisdom of our sages, and
blood of our heroes, have been devoted to
their att 'inment. They should be the creed
of our political faith; the text of civil instruc
tiOn; the touch stone by which to try the
services of those we trust; and should we
wander from them in moments of error or of
| alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps, and
to regain the road which alone leads to peace
liberty and safety.