Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-12
PRESIDENT GRANTS INAUGURAL

- -, 80, =,
ms AnSus"ia AuuIcss' WHICH ~ 0s loi
lows
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Citizens Of the United states;
Your sutfraVes having elevated me to
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 reserva.
tion, and with the determination to do, TO
the best of my ability, all that is required
of me. The RESPONSIBILITIES of the pos.
ton feel, but accept them without FEAR
The office has come TO me unsoupht, |
commence it's duties untrammeled. l
bring to IL conscientious desire and de-
termination to al 1t to the best of rny
ability, and to the satisfaction of the
people.
On all leading questions agitatiug 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 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 sub
iects have policy to recommend, none to
| enforce against the will of the people
laws are to govern all alike, 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 execution.
The country having Just emerged from
great rebellion, many questions will
! come before 1t for settlement in the next
four years which the preceding Admins.
trations have never had to deal with. In
meeting these it is desirable that they
should be approached calmly, without
prejudice, hate or sectional pride, rcmem-
bering that the greatest good to the greatest
number is the object to be attained This
requires security of person and property,
and toleartion for religious and political
| opinion in every part of our common coun-
try, without regard to local prejudice
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 in
| terest, as well as the return to specie
basis, as soon as II can be accomplished
| without material detriment to the debtor
| class or 10 the country at large, must be
provided for.
We must protect the national honor
Every dollar of the Government indebted
ness should be paid in gold, unless other
wise expressly stipulated in the contract
Let it be understood that no repudiator o
one farthing of our public debt will bC
trusted in public place, and 1t will go fal
toward strengthening credit which
ought to be the best in the world, and will
ultimately, enable US to replace the deb
with bonds bearing less interest than w
now pay. To this should be added n faith
full collection of the revenue, strict &C
countability to the Treasury for every
dollar collected, and the greatest practica
BILE retrenchment in expenditure in ever,
Department of the Government. Whel
we compare the paying capacity of tn
country now, with ten States still in pov
erty, from the effects of war, but soon I
: emerge, l trust, into greater prosperit
than ever before, with It's paying capacit
twenty five years ago, and calculate wha
il will be twenty-five years hence, VIII
! can doubt the feasibility of paying ever
r dollar then with more case than we NC
Y pay for useless luxuriesS
Why, 1t looks as though Providence ha
bestowed upon us the strong box-th
precious Meals locked up III the steril
mountains OF the lar west, Wnlch we al
, now forging tne Key 10 unlock-to He'
the very contingency mat Is now upo
US. Ultlmeteiy ~ may DC hecessary 70 II
crease the lacllltles 10 reach these rlcne
: ana IL may De necessary, also' that tn
, General Government should give lts ava
secure this access, but that should only Q
when dollar of obhgation 10 pay secure
! precisely the same sort OF dollar 10 us
I now, ana NOT before.
While the question OF specie paymel
is in allegiance, the prudent business ma
\ is careful about contracting debts payao
In the distant future; The nation shonl
lolloW tne same RUE. a pIostrate COL
merce Is 10 9S renus anoSii ~ , on1t, -
!. 0'ui E o.n -, 'nH r,,,,St Sj 10 = (;
-Snoso Mno, iaou snoI aso' Iiu1S L 70 -
lu,eis y, !Wehsy,ivo ~ y;in yosIs neh All npo ,;p =
Sulal interest," IN ma'n1ahiS aa 'ne na'loh t ,Il
nGnTI, non ~ "a on nd;m in0j ~ euo~o ~S " 49, mM
WIN pe oul ooelluahuInk ma iILu .io;. "liu dn''
.ne naslons VI .no eSi.h tSinoa ~ inoh shS, wy,
- sney arc oniy ~ ntue W SnVo0' s;H' I,IT All
INSPIRE tneh MlIu na,ion@i pilIe' al
! VISIONS geograph.cai, PollticaI anu
= hglous, cah JUN III 'his oolliion DC"
= ment'
70 How the public debt IS TO be paid.
l. specie payment resumed, ls not so II
portant as that plan should be ADOPT
and acquiesced IN A united determln
ton TO do, Is worth more tnan olVlo
counsel upon the method OF doing. Le
u islation upon the subject may not
Is necessary now, or even advisable, bnt
d will be when the civil law Is more Iul
AZ restored in all parts OF the country al
u trade resumes It's Wonted channel
1, 1t will be my endeaVor TO execute
o. laws in good iaith, collect all revenues
sesseo, ana 10 nave then PfoPoiy
y GouhIea ioI anu ecoeonicaliy uisuutst o;
- l snail, 70 the Desi oi ny aplr,'y, ii apPol
~ 70 once those only VINO VIII caSSy U
- ~ TINS design.
y ss In regard to foreign policy, | would dc
20 20 with nations equitably, as the law !
~ quires individuals to deal with each oth'
y whether of native or foreign birth, wht
W of our country fOats i WOuld resDeCt n