The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-03-13
IPRHsIDENT gRANTs INAUGURAI.


GENERAL GRAxT took the oath Of ofic,
as President Of the United States at noon
on the 4th,,and soon afterward delivered
his Inaugural Address which Is as fol
lows;
NAUaURAI ADDRESS.
Citizens Of the United States:
Your sufrageg having elevated me tc
the office Of President of the United
States, ! have, in conformity with the
Constitution OF our country, taken the
oath of office provided therein. have
taken this oath without mental reserya-
tion, and with the determination to do, to
the best Of my ability, all that is required
of me. The responsibilities Of the posi-
tion | feel, but accept them without fear.
The Office has come TO me unsOught
commence its duties untrammeled.
bring to IL a conscientious desire and de-
termination to FIJI it to the best Of my
ability, 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,
ingto my Judgment, and when / think il
advisableI i will exercise the constitutional
privilege Of interposing a veto to defeat
measures which IoppoBe; but all laws will
be faithfully executed, whether they meet
myapproval or not. shall on all sub
jects have policy to recommend, none To
enforce against the viii of the people
laws are togoYern all alike, those opposed
to, as well as those who favor them.
know homethod to secure the repeal oi
bad obnoxious laws SO effective as their
stringent execution.
The country having just emerged from
q great rebellion, many questions viii
come before it for settlement in the next
-four years which the preceding Admins.
trati0ns have never had to deal with. In
meeting these 1t is desirable that they
should be approached calmly, without
prejudice hate or sectional pride, remem,
bering that the greatest goodtothe greatest
number ID the object To be attained, This
requires security Of persoR and property
and toleartion for religious and political
opinion In every part of our common coun.
try without regard to local prejudice
Laws 20 secure these will receive my best
efforts for their enforcement.
A great debt has been contracted In
securing to us and ourposterity the Union,
The payment Of this, principal and in.
terest, as web as the return to 2 specie
basis, as soon as it can be accomplished
without material detriment TO the debtor
class or 70 the county at large, must be
provided for. na
We must protect the national honor
Every dollar Of the Government indebted.
ness should be paid in gold, unless other
wise expressly stipulated inthe contract
Let it be beundefstood that no repudiator oi
one farthing Of our public debt will be
trusted IN public place, and it viii go far
toward strengthening O credit which
ought to be the best in the world, and will,
ultimately, enable us 10 replace the debt
with bonds bearing less interest than we
now pay. TO this should be added faith.
full collection Of the revenue, strict ac-
countability to the Treasury for every
dollar collected, and the greatest practlca-
BILE retrenchment In expenditure in every
Department Of the Government When
we compare the paying capacity of the
country now, with ten States still in poY.
erty, from the effects Of war, but soon ia
emerge, l trust, into greater prosperity
than ever before, with rs paying capacity
twenty-five years ago, and calculate what
II viii 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 as though Providence had
bestowed upon us the strong box-thG
precious metals locked up the sterile
mountains Of the far West which we are
now forging the key to unlook-to meet
the very contingency that is now upon
us Ultimately it may benecessary to in.
crease the facilities to reach these riches
and it may be necessary, also, that The
General Government should give its aid &c
secure this access, but that should only b
| when a dollar Of obligation to pay secures
tprecisely the same Sert Of dollar to ust
NOW, and not before
r w hile the question Of specie paymen
is in allegiance, the prudent business mar
ID careful about contracting debts payable
in the distant future, The nation shoul(
follow the same rule. A PROSTATE com
merceis to be rebuilt andIali industries en-
couraged. Theyoung men Of the countrl
those who nom their age, must be 1t
rulerstwenty-fve years hence --haYe q pc
Culiar interest in maintaining the nationa
honor, a. moments reflection as to wha
Twin be our commanding influence anon
the nations Of the earth in their day, j
4 they are only trueto themselyes, shoulI
inspire them with national pride, All d
Visions geographical, political and re
i ligious, can join In this common senti
nent
4 How the public debt ia 10 be- paid, o
Il specie payment resumed, Is not so i'm
Iportantas that Q plan should be adopte
and acquiesCeds in "a united determine
ton todo, Is worth more than divide
counsel upon the method Of doing. Leg
Station upon the subject may not B
necessary now, or even advisable, but
bwill be when the civil law ismore full
restored in all parts of the country, an
trade resumes its wonted channel. I
.l twill be my endeavor to execute b
laws In good faith, collect all revenues 81
tsesssd, and to have them properly &C
counted for and economically disbufset
shall, to the best of my ability, appoin
To office those only who will carry 5ou
! this design.
In nlegard to foreign policy, IWould des
with nationa equitably, as the law n
quires individuals to deal with each otbei
I, and I would protect q laW-abiding citizeI
lwhether Of nativeor foreign birth, whei
n ever his rights are jeopardized or the fla
of our country floats. Iwouldrespect th
rights0f allnations, demanding equal II
lspect for our own. II others depart ffor
|. this rule in their dealings with US we ma
he compelled TO follow their precedent
The proper treatment Of the original o.
cupants Of this land--the Indians4-is on
|; deserving care and equal study, and IeWi
! favor any course towards them whic
tends to their civilization, Christianizi
tion and ultimate citizenship.
The question of suffrage Is one which
likely TO agitate the public 90 long as
! portion ofthe citizens Of the nation al
excluded from its privileges In any Stat
! It seems to me very desirable that Ii
question should be settled now ] ente
i i tain the hope, and express the desir
7 that Il may be by the ratification Of u
y 10Th article Of amendment 10 the Cons
Y tuition.
Y III conclusion, Task patient forbearane
enc towards another, throughout q
land; and determined effort on the pa
Of every citizen 70 Do pts share towaT