Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-03-10
The Inauguration.

indeed a gala day for Washington city. Th,
concourse of people is admitted to have beer
the largest ever assembled to witness an in
auguration. The streets, and every availa
ble position, were one mass of living beings
At 10 O'Clock the procession formed, ant
reached the Capitol about l2 NJ. The scent
from the capitol, as the brilliant procession
came up the avenue, is described as beauti
full beyond conception But we have moi
space TO give more extended account of the
procession-sufhce it to say that it was the
most grand and imposing demonstration evel
witnessed in the country
At precisely II, M. the XLth Congress
adjourned sine die All present then wen,
to the Senate Chamber Vice President
Colfax at once appeared at the President
desk and read in loud and distinct voice the
following brief inaugural, after which the
oath of Office was administered to him by
Mr.. Wade:
SENATORS: In entering upon the duties
of this chamber, to the performance Of
which | have been called by the people of
the United States, realize fully the deicacy
as well as the responsibility of the position
Presiding over body whose members are in
SO large a degree my seniors in age, not cho-
sen by the body itself, shall certainly need
the assistance of your support and your gen
erOus tOrbearance and confidence. But
pledging to you all faithful and iDHexible
lmpartiallty in the administration Of your
rules, and earnestly desiring to CO operate
with you in making the deliberations of the
Senate worthy, not only of its historic re
nown, but also of those States whose CON-
missions you hold, | am now ready to take
the oath of office required by law
The inaugural procession then proceeded
from the Senate Chamber to the eastern
portico, where the oath of Office was admin
istered to the future Chief Magistrate of the
nation by ChiefJustice Chase after which
he read the following
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Citizens Of the United States: Your suf-
frages having elected me to the office of
President of the United States, have in
conformity with the Constitution of our
country, taken this oath without mental res
ervation, and with the determination to do,
to the best of my ability, all that it requires
ofme.
The responsibilities of the position l feel,
but accept them without fear The office
has come to me unsought; | commence its
duties untrammeled. l bring to it consci
entious desire and determination to fill it to
the best ofmy ability and to the satisfaction of
the people. On all leading questions agita-
ting the public mind will always express
my views to Congress, and urge them ac
cording to my judgement, and when think
it advisable will exercise the constitutional
privilege of interposing veto to defeat
measures which l oppose. But all laws
will be faithfully executed, whether they
meet my approval or not
L shall on ali subjects have policy to rec
onlmend, none to enforce against the will of
the people. Laws are to govern all alike
those opposed to, as we'll as those in favor
of them. L know no method to secure the
repeal of bad or obnoxious laws SO effective
as their stringent execution.
The country having just emerged from a
great Rebellion many questions will come
before it for settlement in the next four
years, which preceding Administrations
have never had to deal with. In meeting
these it is desirable that they should be ap-
preached calmly, without prejudice, hate.
or sectional pride, remembering that the
greatest good to the greatest number
is the object to be attained. This re-
quires security of person and property, and
for religious and political opinion in every
part of our common country, without regard
to local prejudice. All laws to secure this
end will receive my best efforts for their en-
forcement.
A great debt has been contracted in secu-
ring to us and our posterity the Union The
payment of this. principal and interest, as
well as the return TO specie basis, as soon
as it can be accomplished without material
detriment to the debtor class or to the coun-
try at large, must be provided for.
To protect the national honor every dol.
lar of the Governments Indebtedness should
be paid in gold, unless otherwise expressly
in the contract Let it be under
stood that no repudiator of one farthing of
our public debt will be trusted in public
place, and it will go far towards strengthen
ing a credit which ought to. be the best in the
world, and will ultimately enable US to re-
place the debt with bonds bearing less inter
est than we now pay To this shall be ad-
ded faithful collection of the revenue a
strict accountability to the Treasury for ey-
cry dollar collected, and the greatest prac-
ticable retrenchment in expend itures in ev-
cry department of Government.
When We compare the paying capacity of
the country now with ten States still in pow
erty from the effects of the war; but soon to
emerge, trust, into greater prosperity than
ever before, with its paying capacity twen-
ty-hve years ago, and calculate what it prob
ably will be twenty FIVE years hence, who
can doubt the feasibility of paying every dol
lar then with more ease than We now pay for
useless luxuries ? Why, it looks As though
Providence had bestowed upon US a strong
box, the precious metals locked up in the
sterile mountains of the far West, which we
are now forging the key to unlock, to meet
the very contingency that is now upon US.
Ultimately II NAV ha necessary TO increase