The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-03-11
The Inaugural Address.
Citizens of the United States.

Your suffrage having elevated me to
the office of Presidt nj Of the United
States [ have in conformity with the
Constitution of our country, taken the
oath of Office presented therein. [ have
taken this oath without mental reserva-
tion, and with the determination to do
to the best Of my ability all that that
oath requires of me. The responsible
ties of the position L feel but accept
them without fear. TIE Office has come
to me unsought / commence its
duties untrammelled. I bring to it a
conscientious desire and determination to
fill it to the best Of my ability, to the
satisfaction Of the people on all leading
questions agitating the public mind
| will always express my views to Con-
gress and urge them according to my
judgement and when | think it advis-
able [ will exercise the constitutional
privilege of interposing veto to
defeat measures which [ oppose but all
laws will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not. [ shall
on all subjects have policy to recon-
mend but not to enforce against the will
of the people. Laws are to govern all
allke-those opposed to as well as those
who favor them. | know no method to
secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious
laws so effective as their stringent execu-
ton.
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 haye never had to deal with. In
meeting these it is desirable that they
should be approached calmly, without
prejudice, hate or sectional pride, remem-
bering that the greatest good to the
greatest number is the object to be attain
ed. This requires security of person and
property, and Ifree religious and political
opinion in every part of our common
country, without regard to local preju-
dice. Laws to secure these will receive
my best efforts for their enforcement.
A great debt has been contracted in
securing to us and our posterity the Union.
The payment of this, principal and inter
est, as well as the return to a specie
basis as soon as it can be accomplished
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 government Indebtedness
shonld be paid in gold. unless otherwise
expressly stipulated in the contract
Let it be understood that no repudiator
of one farthing of cur public debt will
be trusted in public place, and it will
go far toward strengthening a credit
which ought to be the best in the world
and viii ultimately enable US to replace
the debt with bonds bearing less interest
than We now pay. To this should be
added faithful collection of the revenue
a strict accountability to the Treasury
for every dollar collected, and the great
est practicable retrenchmsnt on ezpendi-
ture in every department of the Govern
ment. When we compare the paying
capacity twenty-five years ago and calcu-
late 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 luxur-
les. Why. it looks as though Providence
had bestowed upon US in 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 contif gency that is now
upon US. Ultimately it may be necessary
to increase the facilities to reach these
riches. and it may be necessary, also.
that the General Government should
give its aid to secure this access, but that
should only be when dollar of obliga-
ton to pay secures precisely the same
sort of dollar to use, and not before. =
Whilst the question of specie pay
ment is in allegiance. the prudent
man is. careful about contracting debts
payable in the distant future
The nation should follow some 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-five years hence, have q
peculiar interest in maintaining the ma
tional honor. A moments reflection as
to what will be our commanding influence
among the nations of the earth in their
day, if they are only true to them
selves, should inspire them with national
pride. All divisions geographical, polit-
lcal and religlous-can join irthis COM
mon sentiment. How the public debt is
to be paid or specie payments resumed
is not so important as that plan should
be adopted and acquiesced in. A united
determination to do is worth more than
divided council upon the method Of dong
Legislation upon this subject, may not
be necessary now, or even advisable
but-it will be when the civil law is fully
restored in all parts of the country and
trade resumes its wonted channels. 1t
will be my endeavor TO execute all laws
in good faith, collect aIlrevenues assessed
and to have them properly accounted for
and economically disbursed. | will, to
the best of my ability, appoint to office