The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-03-12
GRANTS Ia1uaupAL ADDRESS.

lIdSt HNNlbS GitGlcu Dlt ~ llit ulllCf VI
President ol the U niGed States, | have
in conformity with the constitution of
our couHtrS taken the oath of Office pre-
scribed t erein. | have taken this oath
without mental reservation and with
the determination 10 do TO the best of
my ability all that 1t requires of me-
The responsibilities OF the position l
feel, but accept them without fear. The
office has come 10 me unsought. ! COM
n ence its duties untrammeled. j bring
to il a conscientious desire and deter
| nlihatioa to fill it t. the best of my abil
ity 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 juds ment. and when l
| think il advisable will exercise the con-
stituLionai privilege OF interpreting
veto to def at measures " hich oppose.
But al laws will he faithfully executed
whether they meet my approval or not.
sllSll on all subjects have a policy TO
recommend, but none to enforce against
the sill OF the people. Laws are 20
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 eAtCutiOH.
The country having just enlarged rom
a great rebellion, many questions Viii
come before it for settlement in the
next four years, which preceding adj
administrations have never had to deal
with. In meeting these it is desirable
that they should be approached calmly,
without prejudice, hate, or sectional
pride, remembering that the greatest
good to the greatest number Is the 0O-
iect to ,e obtained. This requires Sc
curty OF personal property and for re-
ligious and political opinion in every
part of our common country without
regard to local prejudice. ALI laws to
secure these ends will receive my best
| efforts tor their enforcement.
A great debt has been contracted IN
securing to Us and our rosterity Tue
Union. The payment OF this, prlhci-
pal and interest, as we'll rs the let"rh
| to a specie basis as soon rs Ii can be ac-
conlpliShed without material detrimeht
to the debtor class or to the county AZ
large must be provided for. 10 pro-
tecJ the national honor every dollar OF
Government Indebtedness should be
| paid in gold unless otherwise expressly
stipulated IN the contract. Let It be
understood that no repudiator OF one
iartiing OF oar public debt Will be trust
ed IN public place and it will go Tar to
wards strengthening eiedit when
| ought 10 be the best III the world, anu
| viii ultimately enable It's to replace the
debt " ith bonds bearing less interest
than We now pay. 10 tins should De
added faithful collection OF the rcve-
ME, "A striet accountability to the Treas
ury ior every dollar collected. and tie
greatest practicable retLenchnent in
expenditure ii every department OF the
government.
When we compare the paying carsc-
ity Of the country now, with ten states
sill! in poverty from the effect of war,
but soon to emerge, trust into great
er prosperity than ever before, with its
paying capacity twenty tive years ago,
aud caicuiate What 1t probably VIII be
twenty five years hence, who can doubt
the Feasibility of paying every dollar
then with more ease than We pay for
useless luxuries. Why, it looks as
though Prov idence had bestowed upon
us 4 strong box. The precious metals
locked up in tie sterling mountains of
the iar West, which we are now forging
the key to unlock to meet the very con-
tingency that is now upon us. Ulti-
mately it may be necessary to the fac-
tories to reach these riches, and it may
be necessary also that the general gov
ernment should give its a.d 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 nov and not before. Whilst the
question OF specie pay ments is IN 0bey-
ance the prudent business man is care
full about contracting debts pay able in
| the distant future. The Nation should
| follow the same rule.
A PROSTATE commerce is to be rebuilt
and all industries encouraged. The
youi Il men of the country, those who
| from their age must be its rulers TWEEN
| ty-iive years hence, have peculiar in
tere st in maintaining the national hon
or. A moments reflection TO what will
be our commanding influence among
| the Nations Of the earth III their day If
they are only true to themselves should
inspire them with National pride. A II
divisions, geographical, political aud re-
| lgious, can Join III the common senti-
ment.
How the public debt is TO be paid or
specie payments resumed is not so I'M
pOrtant as that a plan should be adopt
| ed and aeQuie seed i'll. A united deter
mipation to do is worth more than di-
yided councils upon the method OF do
ing.
Legislation upon this subject may
| not he necessary now. nor even advlsa-
BILE, but it will be whenever the civil
| law is more fully restored III all parts
Of the country, and trade resumes its
wouted channels. Il will be my en-
deavor to execute all laws in good faith,
| to collect all revenues assessed and to
have them properly accounted for and
economically disbnrsed. ! Will, to the
best of my ability. appoint to office
those only who will carry out this de-
| sign.
In regard to foreign policy, would
deal with nations as equitable law re-
quires individuals to deal with each
other, and would protect the law abid-
| ing citizen whether OF native OF of for
Elm birth, wherever his rights are
leopardized or the flag of our country
floats. | would respect the rights of all
nations, demanding equal respect for
our own; if Others depart from this rule
in their dealings with us, we may be
compelled to follow their precedent. -
The proper treatment of the original
inhabitants of this Mnd, the Indian, is
one deserving OF careful study. l will
| favor any course towards them which
| tends to their civiliz itiOn. Chrlstianiz-
lug, and ultimate citizenship. The
question Of suffrage is one which is liz G.
| ly TO agitate the public so long DIS por-
| ton of the citizens OF the nation are eX-
cluled from its privileges in any State.
| II seems to me very desirable that this
question should be settled now, and |
entertain the hope and express the de-
sire that 1t may be by the ratification OF
the Fifteenth Article of the Amendment
to the Constitution.
In conclusion, | ask patient forbear-
ance one owards another, throughout
the land, and determined effort on