Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-03-11

no iliing effect upon the general en-
thusiasm. The grounds opposite and tn
street adjoining were packed with hu
man beings. Near Gen Grant and q lit
tie behi, him, sat Mrs. Grant, accom-
PANIED by her sisters, Mrs. Sharp ant
Mrs. Casey, her sister-in-law Mrs. Gen
Dent, and her children, Jennie ant
Nellie and Master Fred, and q. s. Jr
The shouts and bursts of music from /;
dozen bands subsidized as the Presiden
elect and the Chief Justice of the Unitet
States rose simultaneously and the lat
ter commenced in clear and solemn
tones to recite the formula of the Presi
Dental oath of Office which Gen. Gran
reverentially took.
The boom of cannon and shouts of tn,
vast multitude burst forth, and partia
quiet having been restored, the Presi
dent rose and proceeded to read from
manuscript his inaugural address as fol
lows:
Citizens of the United States:
Your suffrage having elevated me Il
the Office of President of the United
States, have, in conformity with the
Constitution of our country, taken the
oath of Office prescribed therein. have
taken this oath without mental reserva
ton, and with the determination to do
to the best of my ability, all that it re.
9uires of me. The responsibilities ol
the position 1 feel, but accept them
without fear. The Office has come to
me unsought. 1 commence its duties
untrammeled. bring to 1t a oonscien-
tious desire and determination to Eli ii
to the best of my ability to the satisfac-
tion of the people on all leading ques-
! ;fot ha 1,1I,I,n ind 7 xx,tu
| always express my views to Congress
and urge them according to my judg-
ment, and when 1 think it advisable
will exercise the constitutional privilege
of interposing q veto to defeat measures
which I oppose, but all laws will be
| faithfully executed whether they meet
/ my approval or not. / shall on all sub
| jects have . policy to recommend, none
! to enforce against the will of the people,
Laws are to govern all alike-those op-
| posed to as well as those who favor
them. | know no method to secure the
repeal of bad or obnoxious laws SO effec-
tive 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 administra-
tions have never had TO deal with. In
meeting these it is desirable that they
should be approached calmly and with
out prejudice, hate or sectional pride,
remembering that the greatest good to
the greatest number is the object to be
attained. This requires security of per
political opinion in every part of our
common country, without regard to 10
cal prejudice. Laws to secure these will
receive my best efforts for their enforce
ment.
A great debt has been contracted in
securing US anu our posterity the Union.
The payment of this. principal and in
terest, as we'll rs the return to specie
basis as soon as it can be accomplished d
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 the Govern
ment's Indebtedness should be paid in
gold, unless otherwise expressly stipu-
lated 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
strengthening credit which ought to
be the best in the world, and will ulti-
mately enable us to replace the debt
with bonds bearing less interest than
y III" pay w chOuio OC 0udCu
faithful collection of the revenue, q
strict accountability to the treasury for
every dollar collected, and the greatest
practicable retrenchment in expendi-
ture in every department Ofthe Govern
ment. When we compare the paying
capacity of the country now, with ten
States still in poverty from the effects
of war, but soon to emerge, trust, in
greater prosperity than before, with its
paying capacity five years ago, and cal |
cula.e 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? Why, it looks rs though |
Providence has bestowed upon me q |
strong box, the precious metals locked |
up in the sterile mountains of the far |
west, which we are forging the key to
unlock to meet the very contingency |
that is now upon US. Ultimately it may |
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 to secure this access,
but that shouli only be when q dollar |
of obligation to pay secures precisely |
the same sort of dollar to use now and |
not before. Whilst the question of specie |
payments is in allegiance the prudent |
business man is careful about contract
ing debts payable in the distant future. |
The nation should follow some rule by |
which PROSTATE commerce may be re-
built and all industries encouraged
The young men of the country. those
who from their age must be its rulers
years hence, have peculiar
interest in maintaining the national
honor. A moments reflection as to
what will be our commanding influence
among the nations of the earth in their
lay, if they are only true to themselves,
should inspire them with national
litical and religious, can join in this
sentiment. AS to how the
public debt is to be paid or specie pay
nents resumed, it is not so important as
hat plan should be undoubted and
scquiesced in. A united determination
% do is worth more than divided coun-
ills upon the method of doing. Legisla-
ion upon this subject may not be neces.
AIRY now or even advisable, but it will
De when the civil law is more fully re-
tored in all parts of the country, and
rade resumes its wonted channels. 1t
will be my endeavor to execute all laws
n good faith, to collect all revenues as
essed, and to have them properly ac-
counted for, and economically disbursed.
will to the best of my ability appoint
o office those only who will carry out
his design.
In regard to foreign policy, would
leal with nations rs equitably as law
equires individuals to deal with each
'ther, and l would protect law-abiding
itizens, whether of native or of foreign
'irth wherever his rights are jeopardiz-
d. or the flag of our country f1oats
would respect the rights of all nations,
equal respect fer our own |
{ others depart from this rule in their ,
ealings with. us we may be compelled
o follow their precedent. {
Tho proper treatment of the original ,