American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-03-06
PRESIDENT GRANTS INAUGU-
RAJ ADDRESS,

our suffrage having elevated me
D the office of President of the Unit
d States, | have, in conformity with
he Constitution OF our country, tax
II the oath of office provided therein.
have taken this oath without men
al reservation, and with the deter
nination to do. with the best of my
Utility, all that it requires of me.
The responsibilities of the position |
eel, but accept them without fear.
The Office has come 10 me unSought /
[ commence its duties untrammeled. ,
| bring to it a conscientious desire |
and determination to fill il, to the
best of my ability to the satisfaction
of the people.
On all leading questions agitating
the public mind, | will always ex-
press my views to Congress and urge
them a.,cording to my judgment, and
when | think it advisable will exer-
else the constitutional privilege Of
veto to defeat measures which | OPP
pose; but all laws will be faithfully
executed, whether they meet my APP
proval or not.
| shall on all subjects have poll
cy to recommend, but none to en-
force against the will of the people;
laws are to govern all alike, those
opposed to as we'll as those who IA
vor them. l know no method to Sc
cure the repeal Of bad, obnoxious
laws, SO effective as their stringent
execution. The country having just
emerged from great rebellion, many
questions will come before it for set
Element, in the next four years, which
the preceding administration have
never had to deal with. In meeting
these, it is desirable that they should
he approached calmly. without pre-
judice, hate or sectional pride, re-
membering that the greatest good to
the greatest number is the Object to
be attained. This requires security
Of person and pro. ,erty and for reli'
gious and political opinion, in every
part of our common country, without
regard to local prejudice. All laws
to secure these ends 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 interest, as well as the
return to a specie basis, as soon us il
can be accomplished without mate
rial detriment to the debtor class OF
to the country at large, must be pro
vided for. To protect the natiOna
honor, every dollar of government
Indebtedness should be paid in gold
unless otherwise stipulated in thu
contract. Let it be understood tina
no repudiatOr of one tarthing of thu
public deht will be trusted in pubic
place, and it will go far toward
strengthening a credit which ough
to be the best in the world, and viii
ultimately enable us to replace tn
debt with bonds bearing less intereS
than we now pay. To this SHOULD
be faithful collection of the reve
nue., strict accountability to tn
treasury for every dollar collected
and the greatest practical retrench
ment in expenditure in every depart
ment of the government. When w
compare the paying capacity of til
, country now with ten States sti
in poverty from the effects of wal
but soon to emerge, | trust, int
greater prosperity than ever befor
with its paying capacity twenty
> five years ago, and calculate what
probably will be twenty five year
hence, who can doubt the feasi'ilit
u of paying every dollar then wit
e more ease than we do now for usPles
t luxuries2 Why, it looks as thong
d Providence had bestowed upon us
! strong box, the precious metals loci
. ed up in the sterile mountains of til
r tar West, which we are now torgin
e a key to unlock, to meet the yer
k contingency that is now upon IL
, Ultimately it may be necessary
II increase the facilities to reach the
riches; and it may be necessary ais
That the General Government shOul
:, give its aid to secure this acces
:, but that should only be when do
: lar of obligation to pay secures pr
= cisely the same sort of dollar to us
now and not before.
Whilst the question of specie ia.
a ment is in allegiance, the prudel
business man is careful about CO..
u tracing debts payable in the distal
: ture The natiOl should follow ii
'r same rule. A PROSTATE commerce
to be rebuilt. and all industries e.
couraged. The yonng men of Il
country-those who from their ag
must be its rulers twenty five yea
:, hence-have peculiar interest
, maintaining the national honor.
IS moments reflection as to what vi
} be our commanding influence amor
l. the nations OF the earth, i'll the
:. day, if they arel only true to thel
: selves, should inspire them with n
If tiOnal pride. All divisions, geograpI
d ical, political and religious, can jO
- IN the common sentiment. How Il
'e public debt is to be paid or spec
). resumed. is not so important as tn;
y plan should be adopted and acqu
g esced III. A noted determination
st do so, is worth more than divide
n COullStIS upoII lHt HictnOu VI uoli
o it. Legislation upon this suhje
N may not be necessary or even advi
If able, but it will be when the civ
'e law is more fully restored in a
!, parts of the country, and trade r
j. rumes its wonted channels. 1t vi
% be my endeavor to execute all Law
in good faith; to collect all revenue
assessed and to have them proper
t. accounted for, and economically di
i, burSed.
y l will, to the best of my abilit
lie appoint to office those only who W
r. carry out this design. In regard
foreign policy, l would deal vii
lie nations as equitable law requires i
al dividualS to deal with each Othe
1t and would protect the lawahidir
id citizen, whether of native or foriee
e. birth. wherever his rights are ,jeo
l. ardized or the flag of our COUNT
d floats. would respect the rights
lie all nations. demanding equal respe
e, tor our own. If others depart fro
IS this rule in their dealings with u
L. we may be compelled to follow the