Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-03-13
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
CITIZENS OF THE UxrTrp sr,rrs.

Your suffrage having elevated me 70 the
office Of President Of the United states, have,
in conformity with the Constitution of the
| country, taken this oath without mental rescr-
vaiion, and with the determination to do to
the best of my ability all that is required of
me. The responsibilities of the position feel
Dut accept them without fear. The office has
come 10 me unsougbt I commence its duties
untrammeed. ! bring 10 it q conscientious
| desire and determination to fill ID 10 the best of
my ability and to the satisfaction of the peo-
| pie. On all leading questions agitating the
! public mind j will always express my views
| TO Congress and urge them according to INV
| Judgment, and when think it advisable will
! exercise the constitutional privilege of inter-
| posing veto to defeat a measure which on
| pose but all laws will be faithfully executed
whether they meet my appreciation or not. 1
| shall on ell subjects have a policy 10 recon-
| mend, none to enforce against the will of the
people. Laws are TO govern all alike those
! opposed 10 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 a
great rebellion many questions will come be-
lore 1t for settlement in the next four years
! which preceding administrations have never
had to deal with. In meeting these it is desir-
able that they should be approached calmly
| without prejudice, hate or sectional pride re-
menbering that the greatest good to the great
est number is the object to be obtained This
requires security Of person and property, and
| for religious and political opinion in every part
| OF our common country, without regard Ia
! local prejudice. Laws to secure these will
receive my best efforts for their enforcement.
y great debt has been contracted in securing
| TO us and posterity the Union. The payment
of this principal and interest, as well as the
return to specie basis, as soon as il can be
accomplished without material detriment to
the debtor cass, or 10 the country at larCe.
must be provided for. To protect the national
| honor every dollar of Government indebted
ncss should be paid in gold unless otherwise
expressly stipulated in the contract. Let it be
understood that no rcpudiator of one farthing
OF our bebt will be trusted in public places,
! and Il will go far toward strengthening 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 col
lection of the revenue, strict accountability
to the Treasury for every dollar collected, and
the greatest practicable rercnchment in ex-
pendlturcs in every department of the Govern
ment. When we compare the paying capacity
OF the country now, with ten States still in
poverty from the effects of the war, but soon
to emerge, trust, into greater prosperity than
ever before, with its paying capacity twenty
five years ago, and calculate what it pro bably
will be twenty five years hence, who can doubt
the feasibility ofpaying every dollar then yith
more ease than we now pay for useless II Su-
ries Why il looks as though Providence had
bestowed upon us strong boX-the precious
metals locked up in the sterile mountain, of the
tar Wcst-which we are now forging the kew
| to unlock, to meet the very contingency tn at
is now upon US. Ultimately it may be neces-
sary to increase the facilities to reach these
| riches, and 1t may be necessary also that the
| General Government should give its aid to
secure this access, but that should only he
when dollar of obligation 10 pay secures nre-
cistly the same sort of dollar 10 use roa
and not before. While the question Of specie
payment is in abeyance the prudent business
man is careful about contracting debts pavahlc
in the distant future The nation should fol
low the same rule. y PROSTATE commerce il
to be rebuilt and all Industries encouraged
The young men of the country-those who
| from their age, must be its rulers twenty FIVE
! years hence--have peculiar interest in main
| tanning the national honor. A moments re
! Election as 10 what will be our commanding
| influence among the nations of the earth IN
their day, if they are true to themselves, should
inspire them with national pride. All divisions,
! geographical and religious can join in this
sentiment. How the public debt is TO be paid,
or specie payments resumed is not so impor-
tant as that plan should be adopted and ac-
| qniesccd in. A united determination to do is
worth more than divided councils upon the
method of doing. Legislation upon this sub
! icet NAV not he necessary now, or even desir.
/
| fully restored in all parts of the country and
| trade resumes its wonted channels
1t will be my endeavor 10 execute all laws
| in good fnith, TO collect all revenues assessed,
and 10 have il properly accounted for and
cconominally disbursed WILL TO the best of
my ability, appoint 10 Office those only who
will carry out this design.
In regard TO foreign policy, would deal
with nations rs eGutatly rs the law requires
individuals TO deal with each other; and
Al. III, H.. "a Il
of native or foreign birth, wherever his rights
are icoparized or the flag of our country floats.
| would respect the rights of all nations, de-
manding equal respect for our own. If others
depart from this rule in their dealings with us,
we may be compelled to follow their prece~
| dent
! The proper treatment of the original occu-
| pants of this land, the Indians is deserving
of careful study. l will favor any course
| toward them which tends to their civilization,
| Christianization, and ultimate citizenship.
The question of suffrage is one which is
| likely to agitate the public so long as portion
of the citizens of the nation are excluded fronu
! its privileges in any of the States, II seems u
me very desirable tbst this question should be
settled now. entertain the hope and express
the desire Il may be- by the ratification OF the
fifteenth article Of the amendment to the Con-
stitution, r
in conclusion, ask patient forhearance, one
toward another. throughout the land, and
determined effart on tAa part of every citizen
to do his share toward eementing a happy
Union, and ask the prayers of the nation to
Almighty God in behalf of this consumation.
U. s. GRANT,
The new Senate met at twelve o'clock, Mr.
Colfax was sworn in as Vice President and
delivered the following
ADDRESS.
Senators; In entering upon the duties in
this chamber, 10 the performance of which 4
have been called by the people of the United
States, / realize fully the delicacy as we'll as
the responsibility OF the position. Presiding
over body whoses members are in so large a
degree my seniors in age, and bet chos-
en- by the body itself, shall eertainly need
the assistance Of your support, aud your gen
erous forbearance and copndeRce. But, pledg-
ing to you all a faithful and inhexible Impair
tiality in the admlnisua'isn of your rules, aud
earnestly desiring TO cooperate with you IN
making the deliberations Of tho Senate wdrihv
not oniy Of its historic renown, but also 81 tho
States whose commissions you bold, am eQ,Y
ready to take the oath ef oaics,