The Shasta courier., 1869-03-13
President Grant's Inaugural Address.

SURFACES ndNlDS cltNdleu NE 10 the once |
of President of the United States, l. have,
in conformity with the Constitution Of our
country, now taken the oath of office pre-
sented therein. | have taken this oath
without mental reservation and with the
determination to do, to the best of my abili-
ty, all that it requires ofme The respons-
Utilities of the position feel, but accept
them without fear The Office has come
to me unsought. | commence its duties un-
trammeled | bring to it conscientious
desire and determination to fill 1t to the
best of my ability and to the satisfaction of
the people On all leading questions agi
tating the public mind | will express my
views to Congress and urge them according
to my judgment and when | think 1t ad-
visable, | will always exercise the consti-
tutional privilege of interposing veto to
defeat measures which [ oppose; but all
laws will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not. L shall on
all subjects have policy to recommend,
none to enforce against the will of the peo-
pie. The laws are to govern all alike, those
opposed to them as well as those who favor
them. | know no method to secure the
repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective
as their stringent execution. The country
having just emerged from great rebellion,
many questions will come before it for set
tlement in the next four years which the
preceding Administrations have never had
to deal with In meeting them it is desir-
able that they should be approached calmly,
without prejudice, State or sectional pride,
remembering that the greatest good to the
greatest number is the object to be attained
This requires the security of person,
property and for religious and political
opinion in every part Of our common coun-
try, without regard to locality or prejudice
Laws to secure these will receive my best
efforts tor their enforcement. A great
debt has been contracted in securing for us
and our posterity the Union. The pay
ment of this, principal and interest as well
as the return to specie basis as soon as it
can be accomplished, without material det-
riment to the debtor class or the country
at large, must be provided for. To protect
the national honor every dollar of the Gov
ernment indebtedness should be paid in
gold, unless otherwise expressed or stipu-
lated in the contract. Letit be understood
that no repudiator Of one tarthng of our
public debt will be trusted in public place,
and it viii go far towards Strengthening
credit which ought to be the best in the
world, and will ultimately enable us to re-
place the debt with bonds bearing less in
terest than we now pay. To this should
be added faithful collection of the rev.
enue, strict accountability to the Treasury
for every dollar collected, and the greatest
practicable retrenchment in expenditure in
every department of the Government.
When we compare the paying capacity
of the country now with the States still in
poverty from the effects of the war, but
soon to emerge, thrust, into greater prosper
ity than ever before, with its paying ca
pacity twenty-five years ago, and calculate
what it probably will be twenty-five years
hence, who can doubt the feasibility of
paying every dollar then with more ease
than we now pay for useless luxuries p
Why, it looks as though Providence has
bestowed upon us strong box of the pre-
cious metals, locked up in the sterile noun
tains of the Far West, which we are now
forging the key to unlock to meet the very
contingency that is now upon us. Ulti-
mately it may be necessary that the Gener-
al Government should give its aid to secure
this access %, but that should only be
when dollar of obligation to pay secures
precisely the same sort of dollar to uae.-
Now, and not before, while the question of
specie payment is in allegiance, the prudent
business man is careful about contracting
debts payable in the distant future. The
nation should follow the same rule.
A PROSTATE commerce is to be rebuilt,
and all industries encouraged. The young
men of the country, those who from their
age must be it's rulers twenty-five years
hence, have particular interest in .main-
tanning the national honor. A moments s
reflection as to what will be our command
ing influence among the nations of the
earth in their day, if they are only true to
themselves, should inspire them with ma
tional pride. All divisions, geographical,
political and religious concur in this com
mon sentiment.
How the public debt is to be paid or
specie payment resumed is not so impor-
tant as that plan should be adopted and
acquiesced in. A united determination to
do it is worth more than divided counsels
upon the method of doing it. Legislation
upon this subject may not be necessary
now, or even advisable, but it viii be when
the Civil Law is more fully restored in all
parts of the country and trade resumes its
wonted channel 1t will be my endeavor
to execute all laws in good faith, collect
all revenues assessed, and to have them
properly accounted for and economically
disbursed 1t will be for me, to the best
of my ability, to appoint to office those only
who will carry out this design In regard
to foreign policy, | would deal with sections
nations = as equitable as the law requires
individuals to deal with each other, and [
would protect every law-abiding citizens,
whether of native or of foreign birth,
wherever his rights are jeopardized or the
| flag of our country floats. would respect
the rights of all nations demanding equal
respect for our own. If others depart from
this rule in their dealings with us we may
be compelled to follow their precedents
I