The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

00A SdhO1l liz
oash Of ofig presented therein.
have taken this, oath without mental
reservation, and withsthe determine
tion TO do tothe best ofmy ability all
THAT it requires of me.ss e ,Es
The responsibilities of the position
IfeeLs but except without fear. The
Office has come % me Insought5I
Leommenoe it's duties untrammeled; II
bring to it a CONSCIENTIOUS desire and
determination to fiji it to the best of
my ability and the satisfaction of the
people, ON all the leading questions
agitating the public mind '12yillal-
ways express my views to Congress,
and urge them according to my judg-
ment, and when I thing it advisable,
Will exercise the constitutional privi-
lege'of interposing a veto to defeat
measures which 1 oppose, but all laws
will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not.
l shall on all subjects pursue the
policy of eAforceing laws that are en-
acted, but viii recommend the passage
of none the enforcing of which will be
against they'll of the people. Laws
are to govern all alike-those opposed
Ito, as well as those who favor them.
L know no method to secure the repeal
| of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as
their stringent execution. els
The country having just emerged
from a great rebellion, many questions
will come before it for settlement in
the next four years which preceding
Administrations have never had to
deal with. In meeting these, tits
desirable that they should be APP
preached calmly, without prejudice,
hate or sectional pride, remembering
that the greatest good to the
greatest number is the object to be
attained. This requires security of
fperson and property, and for religious
and political opinion, in every part of
our common country, without regard
to- local prejudice. Laws to secure
these will receive my best efforts for
their enforcement. TRIAD aJAa4
A great debt has been contracted
in securing us and our posterity to the
Union; the payment OF this, principal
and interest, as well as the return to 4
specie basis as soon as it can be ac-
complished 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 Government Indebtedness should
be paid in gold unless otherwise ex-
pressly stipulatedin the contract.
Let it be understood that no repu-
diator of one farthing of our public
debt will be trusted in public place,
and it will 90 far toward strergthing
a credit which ought to be the best in
the world, and will ultimately enable
us to replace the debt, with bonds
bearing less interest than we now pay.
To this should be added a faithful
collection of the revenue, a strict &C
countability to the Treasury for every
dollar collected, and the gre1test prac-
teal retrentchment in expenditure in
every department of the Government.
When we compare the paying capaci-
ty of the country now with the ten
States still in poverty from the effects
of the war, but soon to emerge, ]
trust into greater prosperity than cyeT
before, with its paying capacity TWEEN
ty-fye years ago, and calculate 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 lux
uries. Why, it looks as though Prov
idence had bestowed upon us a strong
box, the precious metels locked up in
sterile mountains of the far West,
which we are 10Y forging the key to
unlock to meet the very contingency
that is now upon US 4; ultimately it may
be necessary to increase the facilities
to reach these riches, audit may be
necessary also that the general gov
eminent should give its aid to secure
this access; but that should only be
when a dollar of obligation to pay Sc.
cures precisely the same sort of dollar
to use now, and not before. While
the question of specie payments is In
abeyence, the prudent business mar
is careful about contracting debts pay.
able in the the distant future. The
nation should follow the same rule.
A PROSTATE. commerce to be rebuilt,
and all the Industries encouraged; the
young men of the country-those who:
from their age, must be its rulers
twenty. five years hence-have a pc
cuiiar 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
themselves, should inspire them with
National pride. All divisions-geo.
graphical, political and religious-cau
tjoin in this common sentiment. How
the public debt is to be paid, OF specie
payments resumed, is not so important
as that a plan should be adopted and
acquiesced in a united determination
to do is worth more than divided
councils upon the method of doing
Legislation upon this subject may not
be necessary now, or even advisable
but it will be when the civil law il
more fully restored in all partsso of the
country, and trade resumes its wontee
channels.
1t will be my. endeavor to execute
all laws in good faith, to collect al
revenues assessed, and to have then
properly accounted for and economic
ally disbursed.. I will, to the best o
my ability, appoint to office those only
who will carry out this design.
In regard to our foreign policy.
would deal with nations as equitably
= a.. Io,, roo,yrras would profaof 1ou,