Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-03-12
President Grants Inaugural Adj
dress.

| llOn OF our county, 'N0h Wv ~
Office prescribed therein. have taken
this oath without mental reservation, and
with the determination to do, to the best
of my ability, all that it requires of me.
The responsibilities of the position |
feel, but accept them without fear. The
office has come to me unsought; l COM
nence its duties untrammeled. / bring
to it conscientious desire and determin-
alton 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
Congress, and urge them according to
my Judgment, and when think it adj
yisable will execute 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
recommend, none to enforce, against the
will of the people. Laws are to govern
all alike those opposed to as we'll as
those in favor of them. / know no
method to secure the repeal of bad or
obnoxious laws so effective as their strin-
gent execution.
The country having just emerged from
great rebellion many questions will
come before it for settlement in the next
four years, which preceding administra-
tions have never had to deal with. In
meeting these it is desirable that they
should be appreciated calmly, without
prejudice, hate, or sectional pride, re-
membering that the greatest good to the
greatest number is the object to be at
tanned. This requires security of person
and property, and for religious and po-
litical opinion in every part of our COM
mon country, without regard to local
prejudice. All laws to secure this end
will receive my best efforts for their en-
! forcement.
A great debt has been contracted in
securing to us and our posterity the I'm
ion. The payment of this principal and
interest, as we'll as the return to spe
Gle basis as soon as it can be accomplish
ed without material detriment to thu
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
expressly stipulated in the contract
Let it be understood that no repudiatol
of one farthing of our public debt will
be trusted in public places, and it will
go far toward Strengthening 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 shall be ad-
ded faithful collection of the revenue !;
a strict accountability to the treasury for
every dollar collected, and the greatest
practicable retrenchment in expenditures
in every department of Government.
When we compare the paying capaci
ty Of the country now, with ten States
still in poverty from the effects Of thu
war, but soon to emerge, | trust, int
greater prosperity than ever before, witt
its paying capacity twenty-five years ago
and calculate what it probably will b
twenty-five years hence, who can douh
the feasibility of paying every dolla
then with more ease than we now pay fc
useless luxuries? Why,it looks as thong
Providence had bestowed upon us
strong box, the precious metals locke
up in the sterile mountains of the f;
West, which we are now forging the Ike
to unlock, to meet the very contingent
that is now upon us.
Ultimately it may be necessary to il
crease the facilities to reach these richie
, and it may be necessary also that Il
General Government should give its a
to secure this access. But that shou
, only be when dollar of obligation
! pay secures precisely the same sort
dollar in use now, and not before.
!, While the question of specie paymen
, is in allegiance, the prudent business m;
/ is careful about contracting debts pay
5 BILE in the distant future; the natl,
| should follow the same rule. A pre-
{ trate commerce is to be rebuilt, and a
) industries encouraged. The young m,
: of the country-those who form this a,
7 and must be rulers twenty-five yea
, hence-have peculiar interest in mai
tanning the national honor. A momen
e reflection upon what will be our col
4 handing influence among the nations
c the earth in their day, if they are on
true to themselves, should inspire the
!, with national pride. All divisions, q
f graphical, political, and religious, c;
q join in the common sentiment.
Al \ III.