The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-10-18

The people Of the State OF Mississippi,
at the recent election, called nae 10 abe
Grief Executive Office Of the StAtAs Ia
obedience 70 that call / appear before
you to-day for the purpoee OF taking the
oath prescribed by the Constitution for
the incumbent of that Office. BODY b.
In entering upon its duties. and respop1
sibilities, with no experience in the adj
minisiration Of civil Affairs. I am pro.
Ifoundly oppressed by the ihumiliAting
sense of my uu6tness for the position:
But, relying upon the charity and for
bearance of my, fellow citizens, and IN
voking the supporting grace of Almighty
God for wisdom and strength, + shall en-
deavor to discharge those duties honestly
and impartially, and With such abilities
as possess, taking as guide the Con-
stitution and the laws as the only sure
Eand certain means Of attaining the great
end to which the aims of every patriot
should be dPrected--she peace. the'orden
the protection and the advancement OF
society.
! / should bs wanting in duty and graft!
tude to my fellowscitizens who have go
confidingly entrusted me with the exec,
utive powers of the State, were. ! not to
make known my views Of the Constitu-
ton, the structure of our complex form
of government, and the principles upon
which it is,fOunded. and should be- Ad-
ministered. / rr-d; sysa Jcg blyoys gtsJ %
o The founders Of our Republic having
achieved their national Independence,
and finding their first experimental of gov.
, eminent, under 'tAfticles OF Confedera
ttion. :" fast falling into decay and con
tempt, ut home and abroad, from defects
: common to all leagues, determined 10
change that federal organizations and.in
: its stead ''ordained and established" the
The, trainers Of that instrument were wise
land practical Statesmen. They knew
from Experiences thefweak ness Of leagtfes
the naturegof government. and felt thu
necessity, of =, federal government, Its
: stability and its perpetuity. They. In
tended it as o. "protector" of al the for
i eign affairs and some Of the odomestic
concerns Of the people and to- enable il
| to achieve these ends, certain enumerated
powers and rights were "gfanted" to it by
4 Constitution, which, for the assurance
j. Of these rights and powers, was declared
TO be "ths supreme law OF the land - and
? to guard the people against iits, ausnr-
pations, AL the rights and powers mo-
II delegated to il, o3were expressly ere
served to the States, Tor to the people
/ -
: not by State Constitutions excepted from
Z the General powers Of government wer,
III reserved 20 the States Such as were ex
> pected were reserved to the people, Ii
the exercise Of the powers, and right
Fgrafted to the Federal Government. ane
$ IN those only, il is the sovereign power o
= the lind In sthe exercise Of the power
and rights reserved 70 she States, and no
,fexeeFted, by the people, and in thOs'
J only, II il, the sovereign power, within
its territorial limits. In the exercise o
the powers and rights excepted from th'
general powers Ct ,goyeEnmen + and thos'
n only, the people, are sovereign. Whil
x the, people7 SILL retain b residue Of SOY
tereignty to themselves, neither Of thes'
I governments can r;ghtfully exercise An,
Upon this three-fold division Of power i
h. based the sovereignty Of the State anc
70 Federal Governments, and both were de
u signed to protect the people in their pub
.. lie aud private, and in their foreign lAn'
n domestic rights. ...4...5 49, a-..t
T In view Of the supremacy Of the. Con
. fstitdtion of the United States, and tb
% laws made by Congress in pursuapc
? Thereof, and ia view of the duty impose'
~ on the President to see that the laws ar
faithfully executed. I have always ebs
- Elieycd that no one:or more State, coul
q constiLutionslly sever the ties that, unit
. the people Of the several States into on
= people. Yet am not unmindful tina
different doctrine was taught in til
\ early stages Of our Government, and wa
g. .maintai q ed by some Of the brightest II
4 tellects and mort iilustrious patriots iths
!. adorn our political history: It is TO b
., regretted. that this school Of politician
, could not have found q better mode fc
I solving the question than The aEbttr
:, ment of war" But the question was thu
referred, and has been decided againi
= Us by tribunal from which there ia. 2
j lappeal. 80. 80, Ia e
acknowledging the decision, desire to +
b. turn to the Union, snd renew their feali
Ito the Constitution, OF the u nited State
q, 1t has been officially reported from t.sou
quarters that our people are insincer
a. land that the spirit of revolt, is rampaT
/. among, us. But n unfihc6ipg fidelity
49, war gives evidence or reliable fidelity
b Ipeace---if the unyafyfng professions tn
%; spring from private and public source
- furnish any evidences OF truth, it is sat
h tcienlly demonstrated that the people
M the Sontb, who, 50 siong, and against su,
terrible odds, maintained the Iuightie
= y eoss~
Is. trusted, when They profess more than
wiiIing.iessf To return 70 their alleeians
The South having ventured all on q
On On srhitrament of the sword, has lost
ns save her honor; and now accepts
,ee- eesult in good faith. 1t 10 our duty 70 Z
tAs dress ourselves 70 the promotions Of pea
ia and ortier-to the restoration of law. I
:. faith Of the constitutions, and the stsbili
r. 4 andiprosperity Of the Union 10 cultivs
, q Amicable relations with our ghrer Stat
= md establish orr agricultural AaDdsco
~ mefcial pFosperits upon yanofe 'dufa'
foundations -Ttrrssine shat the 3 lease
81 :anght by the rebellion will not be1h
- Ieitber TO the bNerth nr tire South--ai
e fseemers OHee cenliel4,nedt kilhsst1 -
nit 10 ropg injussice+-tfEstiIs.s tloI
i,st aeefessioaai Will meeEwith seUti6ual
li;eAanee. aud that the peices bb poi5ti
perfdy Iis blood and carnage. suss 100 b
ID The State Of Mississippi has. saltea
~ under the npressure Of the result OF I
V 81 var, by her own solemn act, abolish
ts e slavery. Il would be hypOcriticaf 9
eyeI anpro6table To- attempttOr persuade
Ehe ! world that she. has done - willingly.
~ 10 due however. "a. her honor. to show
~ her rfnthres eenrse, that sbesAas done %