Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-02
INsTALLAraoN OF GOV. sMITH
HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

The term Of service Of His EIcellency, William
smith, Governor Of the Commonwealth of Virginia,
commenced yesterday. The ceremony of Inauguration
took place few minutes past u o'clock, H. in the Hall
Of the House of Delegates and witnessed by large
attendance of spectators, including may ladies' The
oaths of oSGce prescribed by tho Constitution ad
ministersd By Judge John A. Meredith, after which
Governor Smith delivered the following address:
Seventeen years ago, appeared in ihs Capitol to
take tbs oAtbs of onlce the Governor elect Of the
Commonwealth ofVirsinia. By The permission otGod,
and the election OF the people, sm now here to repeat
them Enhss:ed by my courtrymcD, under tho peril
Qua circumstances which surround us, with the iE-
poriant duties whioh sn sbout To assume think it
altogether fitting occasion, az hereby do, to express
nv most profound acknowledgements for this gratifying
aud Distinguishing mark Of thsir confidence. hope
may deserve it certain it @ If my best efforts to &C
compsh ell thst nay be expected of me, within my
constitutional power, will suihce, shall not be disap
pointed.
On the 18th day Of September 1857, the Constitution
of the United States was adopted by the Convention,
ana transmi.d by the President thereof Gen. Wash
inron to the Congress OF the Confederation. In his
Ietsr he sGys among other things and thus the Con-
sttuou which We now present. is the result OF spirit
Of amiy and Of thA: mutual deerence and concession
which he popularity of political situation rendered
Indispensable" In he concluding part OF his letter. he
also says "ThAt il will meet the full and entire -
probaton of every State Is not perhaps to be expect
ed but each will doubtless recoleot that had her in
terests bean alone oonauted, the consequences might
have been particularly disagresable or Injurious to 9TH
era"
The Constitution, thus constructed was adopted by
tho States at different periods but eleven of them hsv
ing ratified it. the 7th article thereof declaring that
The ratification of the Convention Of nine States shall
be sufficient for the establishment Of this Constitution
batveen the States 80 ratlfyng the same" The Gov
ankbo wa nv
installation Of President Washington, on the S0th Of
Anril 1882 He was elected unanimously, but ten
States only united in bis election. North Carolina
msined.out Of this Union until the 2lst of November
1882 as Rhode Island did until the 29th of May, 1870.
Il ia obvious that they sovereign States oompse
patouaities and nigh have remained sepafste free
aus independent Statea" UndeniAhly, the old Unioa,
order the first Constitution, which took trumphany
Trough the revclu ionaIy war and to which North Gar
DINA and Rhode Island seemed anxious TO adhere,
E.s dissolved BY majority OF the members thereof,
Ar5 another substituted therefor Was this secession
Let the cs stated give the reply. Was it night for
portion of the States to disregEd destroy compact
with thoge Of their associates who withheld or refused
their CONSENT Allow me to give short time to the
consideration Of this inquiry.
Il may be conceded that the Government formed by
the Artcss of Confederation was wholly inadequate for
In essential purposesthat It could neither secure Us
the respect Of foreign Powers, nor ppomon our ps0s-
perity at home. True 1t had talon . through tho
Revolution, but the stern neceadlucB OF OU cOnouQ
fred the hearts of people, and they forboa to Ques
ton power when it NO exercised for the purpose Of
filing our ranks and feeding and clothing gallant
soldiers The Declaration q Independence had enun-
ciated to the world the right q people to dissolve
the political band which connected them with aother,
and alta or 10 abolish" The existing DSm of GovRn-
ment 'aud to lnttitups 0 new Govetnulsat laying its
oundaLim on such principles and organizing lis powers
in such form as 10 them shall seem mos likay b efNCt
their safety and happiness" And, in that day no one
doubted the right to reform the existing Government
and replace 1t with another whenever my of the parties
/ to il should see ct to do 60
Il was confidently concluded by thoss who believe IN
the progressive civilization Of that our
luton had firmly established USs great right II had
been distinctly proclaimed 10 the world = De ground
upon which the thirteen dependent colonies Of GFe&
Britain justified their separation from the moheR
try and toe assumption Of te rights powers and dutiss
of independent States. The great struggle -hsA bssn
successfully fought upon IL The deolsrata contain
il It had passed into every ovilized language Our
ancestors had asted upon Il aftG their independence
had bean recognised. President Buchanan, the plp-
deoessor of the present Ohiaf AAghrate d the United
States had declared that the Federal Government lad
no right to make war upon a seeding S.sto. Nor Wss
this all The celebrated paper, to which have so
often referred not only directly asserted the right OF
separation, but boldly proclaimed it to be the duty OF
the States, whom Il might concern, 10 ex-
erclss It, whenever, In their Judgment Is was