The Hickman courier., 1869-03-13
HnaurguraI Address sofPresident
Grant.


/ have, in conformity with the constitu-
ton of our country, taken the oath Of
office presented therein. have taken
this oath without mental Reservation, and
with the determination TO do to the best
of my ability all that it requires of me.
The responsibilities of the position /
feel, but accept them without fear. The
Office has come to me unsought COM
mence its duties untrammeled; [ bring
to it conscientious desire and determi-
nation to fill it to the best of my abili-
ties and to the satisfaction of the people.
On all leading questions agitating the
public mind, will always express my
views to Congress, and urge them accord
ing to my judgment, and when think
it advisable, will exercise the constitu-
tional privilege of interposing a veto to
defeat measures which oppose, but all
laws will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not. | shall
en- all subjects pursue policy of cencil-
iation, and recommend that none be en-
forced against the will of the people.
Laws are to govern all alike, those op-
posed to as we'll as those who favor them;
! -znUw no msfnod 70 ssc1re Tept1i
of bad or obnoxious laws so effective ss
their stringent execution. The country
has just emerged from great rebellion;
many questions will come up before 1t in
the next four years which proceeding
administrations never had to deal with.
In meeting these, it is desirable that
they should be approached calmly and
without prejudice, hate, or sectional
pride, remembering that the greatest
good to the greatest number is the object
to be obtained. This requires security
of person and property, for religious and
political opinion in every part of our
common country, without regard to local
prejudice. Laws to secure these will
secure my best efforts for their enforce
ment. A great debt has been contracted
in securing to us and our posterity the
Union. The payment of this, principal
and interest, as we'll as the return to
specie basis as soon as it can be accom-
plished without material detriment to
the debtor class or to the country at
large, must be provided for. To protect
the national honor, every dollar of gov
erument indebtedness should be paid in
gold unless otherwise expressly shpu-
lated in the contract. Let it be under
stood that no reputation Of one faithing
of our public debt will be considered in
public place, and it will 60 far towards
strengthening credit which ought to be
the best in the world, aud will ultimate
ly enable us to replace the debt with
bonds bearing less interest than we now
pay. To this should be added a faithful
i cF The ctri0f 4Q-
eounta bility to the treasury for every
dollar collected, and the greatest practi-
cable retrenchment in the expenditures
in every department of government.
When we compare the paying capacity
of the country now, with ten States still
in poverty from the effects of the war,
y sss-zan 70 emelge, l trust, into greater
80 ..ee1s- - Tcyer before .-'A- its
. - fND CPS,
sSs es4's1 = VIZ proDaDl. y.
o<eace, who can doub.
.'she 1asF z ,7EsH paying every dollar
then With more ease than we now pav.
for useless luxuries? Why, it looks as
though Providence had bestowed ON NJ.
strong box of the precious metals lock-
ed up III the sterile mountains of the far
West, which we are now forging the kew
to unlock, to meet the very contingency
that is now upon US. Ultimately il NAV
be necessary to increase the facilities To
reach these riches, and it may be neces.
sary also that the general government
should give its aid, aud secure this ac-
cess; but that should only be when .
dollar of obligation to. pay secures pre-
cisely the same sort of dollar tn uss
now as before. Whilst the question of
specie payment is in abeyance the pru-
dent business man is careful about con-
tracing debts payable in the distant fu.
ture 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 its rulers twenty
i've years hence, have peculiar inter
EST In maintaining the national honor.
A moments reflection as to what will be
'ur commanding influence among the
,ations of the earth in their day, if they
ire only true,themselves, should inspire
hem with national pride. All divisions.
political and religious can
ON in this common sentiment. How
he public debt is to be paid, or specis
,aymepts resumed, is not SO important as
hat plan should be adopted and acoui-
seed IN. A united determination TO do
) worth more than divided councils upon
he method of doing Legislation upon
be subject may not be necessary now. or
ven advisable; butt will be when civil
aw is more fully restored in all parts of
be country and trade resumes its wonted
l%s in's in good ann, ,as 10 eo.,ecs
ues assessed, and TO have them proper
2 accounted for and economically dis
ursed. | will, to the best of my ability
ppoint to Office those only who will car
' out this design. ..
In regard to our foreign policy, I
rouid deal with nations as equitably az
aw requires Individuals to deal with each
ther, and I would protect law-abiding
itizens, whether Of native or of foreign
firth, wherever their rights are infriDged
lpon. ....s...tss.,..,l,
of this land--the Indian-is
me deserving careful study. / will fa-
-or any course toward them which tends
o their civilization, Characterization and
Ultimate. citizenship. The question Of.
outrage is one which is likely to agitats4
he public SO long as a portion of the
citizens of the nation are excluded fron9s
Is privileges in any State. 1t seems %
ne very desirable that this question
should be settled now. I entertain. ths
hope and express the desire 1t may be BY
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