The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-12-27
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

of North Carolina for the next two years. before tn
Legislature on Thursday last. He delivered tn
following short but patriotic Address:
FELLOW CITIZENS Two years ago was inau
gurated Chief Magistrate Of our honored State il
the midst of war and all its attending confusion.
was called from the army, untried, and untram
melled BY pledges or promises, to this responsible
and embarrassing position. The generous conf
dence of my countrymen took for granted my abil
tiles and my patriotism For my elected term
have gone in and out before them, in the jealous
and faithful performance of my imposed dutie:
during such circumstances of trial. as none OF my
predecessors have been called on to endure. The
most unanimous verdict ever rendered in favor OF
a public servant by the people of North Carolina
has testified alike to their appreciation and their
forbearance, and placed me here to renew My
stewardship. Surely l have been fortunate aud
my countrymen have been generous.
Again, make no new promises, lay down nc
new principles The thing that has been is the
thing that shall be, God helping AS have
labored so will labor, for the renown and the
substantial good of the people who have trusted
Inc. The principles involved by my public acts 10
the past, shall continue to guide Inc III the future.
Elected withoat regard to party, shall endeavor
20 know no man after the manner of partyism, K
cept in SO far as it may become necessary to dis
tinguish between those who would forward and
| My friends shall be the friends of my country; my
foes shall be my couutry's enemies. But as the
difficulties of my position still greater than
when first assumed its duties, as the darkness
which obscures the Statesman path is even blacker
than before, | can but sincerely hope that your
charity may increase accordingly. No living man
could hope to avoid censure in times like these,
with issues Of life and death resting upon his hands
from which he may not, dare not shrink. I trust,
in ratio off hncox rbo
placed me under these heavy burdens. So long as
they will believe that | patriotic, that am
sincerely and with snglenes of heart devoted to
the land of my birth and of my interchangeable love,
so long shall my path be smoothed and my labors
lightened by that spirit which hopeh all things
endureth all things.
Should L live to meet, at the close of this tenn
pestuous and troubled period of Office upon which
L am now entering, the same need of appreciation
as that with which the passing one has been hon
ored, them indeed, shall be satisfied that God
has been with me and aided me to be useful to my
country in the darkest hour of her history Events
are With him. Let US, let all men, exert our ut
most strength for the honor and independence Of
our country
There is one great danger against which I earn
estly pray people to be warned. Dsunion,
distraction, division of sentiment and aim, leading
to civil feuds domestic violence and political
death. If crushed by overwhelming plumbers On
the field of battle, we are guitless Of the unavod-
able result But surely avoid, if We will,
internal violence and self destruction. There is
no greater enemy of his country and Of his race
than him who would foment passions to this
end. Let all of our movements; whether of peace
or war, be in solid column; standing in line of
battle, fuci"g aony and toye:her! Then vic
tory is not only douby assured but thrice glorious,
and defeat will be robbed of half its calamities..
r. To friend, Col. T. II. Erem, duty with
the Home Guard at Knston indebted for
copy Of the New York Herald.
NEW MAG1sTRATEs.--Over five hundred new
Magistrates have been appointed by the Legslnture
There already several thousand too many
Magistrates in the State, and why intelligent legis-
lators will insist adding to the number every year
cannot understand. unless it is from selfish
tives. New Magistrates have been made for counties
in possession of the enemy, where those already
in office cannot exercise their functions. Many of
these appointments made merely for the purpose
of shielding men from military service.
STRANGE CoNsrsTENcY.--We know there are
men in our Legislature who profess to belong
to the conservative party, who were very virulent
in their opposition to Mr. Holden and his schemes
last summer, and at the same time made great pro-
LESSONS of friendship for Gov. Vance, but who,
since the assembling of the Legislature, have gone
over body and soul to the Holden wing of the ICON
servatives." and showing their luminosity to
the Governor. 1t seems to that such men
trimming their sails to what THEY consider the popu
lar breeze without the least regard to the positions
they occupied during the summer-they are unde-
serving the confidence of any one, and are nuis
auce to legislative bodies and disgrace to the State.
For our own part took no active part
public journalist, in the last Gubernatorial contest
but we cannot see why any man who supported Gov.
Vance then, and who is really anxious for the indie
pendence of the Confederacy. should desert him
now. Surely he has been conservative" enough
to satisfy the greatest worshipper of the ICON
sentative party" But, Independent of that, he has
been true to the Confederate and the interests
of his State and the welfare of her people. What
has he done, as public officer. to forfeit the sup
port Of any in the Legislature out of it! Can
it be possible that there is any respectable man in
the State who wants him to desert the Confederate
cause and adopt violative of the Constitu
ton he has sworn to support and thus plunge us
into bloody among ourselves If not, why
is it that those men who warm in his sup
port last summer not equally Jealous friends
now May be they think Mr. Holden is the "strong-
est man new. and therefore have deserted the Gov
ernor from the same motives that made them desert
Mr. Holden in the late canvass. Shame upon such