The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-03-09
Inaugural Address.
CITIZENS OF rlir UNrrEp STATES:

Office prescribed therein. ! have taken
this oath without mental reservation, and
with the determination to do 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 commence
its duties unrammeled, | bring to it
conscientious desire and determination to
fill it to the best of my ability, and 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 judgement;
and when | think it advisable, will exer-
else the constitutional privilege which
oppose but all laws will be faithfully
executed, whether they meet my approval
or not, shall, on all subjects, have a
policy to recommend, none TO enforce
against the will of the people. Laws are
to govern all alike; those opposed TO, we'll
as those in favor of them. | know no
method to secure the repeal of bad or OBJ
noxious laws, so effective as their stringent
execution. The country having just en-
erged from great rebellion, many ques.
tions will come before it for settlement,
in the next four years, which preceding
administration have never bad to deal
with. In meeting these, it is desirable
that they should be appreciated calmly
without prejudice, hate or sectional pride,
remembering that the greatest good to the
greatest number is the object to be at
tanned. This requires security ofperson,
property, and for religi Gus and political
opinion in every part of our common
country without regard to local prejudice.
All laws to secure this end will receive
my best efforts for their enforcement. A
great debt has been contracted in securing
to usand our posterity the Union. Pay.l
ment of this, principal and interest, as wei
as the return to a specie basis as soon as it
can be aecompli he'd, 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 Government Indebtedness should be
paid in gold, unless otherwise expressly
stipulated in the contract. Let 1t be un-
derstood that no repudiator of one farth.
ing Of our public debt will be trusted in
public places, and it will 90 far toward
strengthening a credit which ought to lie
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 faithful collec-
ton OF the revenue, n strict accountability
to the treasury for every dollar collected,
and the greatest practicable retrenchment
in expenditure in every department of
government When we compare the
paying capacity Of the country now with
ten States still in poverty from the effects
of war, but soon to emerge, ! trust, iuio
creator prosperity than ever before, with
its paying capacity twenty-five 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 uxuries Why, it looks AS
though Providence had bestowed upon us
strong box-the precious metals looked
up in the sterile mountains of the far
west-which we are now forging the key
to unlock, 10 meet the very contingency
that i. now upon us. Ultimately, it may
be necessary to increase the facilities to
reach these riches, and il may be necessary
also that the general government should
give its aid 10 secnre this access, but that
should only be when n dollar of obliga-
| "A al N
same sort Of dollar in use now and
not before While the question Of
specie payment is in obeyance, the prud-
dent business man is careful about cor
tracing debts payable in the distant fu-
ture. The nation should folio the same
rule. a PROSTATE commerce is to be re.
built and all industries encouraged. The
young men of the country, those who
form this age and must be its rulers tw-
enty'five years hence, have peculiar in.
terest in maintaining the national homer,
A moments reflection as to what will be
our commanding influence among the ma
tons Of the earth in their day, if they are
only true 10 themselves, should inspire them
with national pride.
All divisions; geographical, political and
religious, can join in this common senii-
ment, How the public debt is to be paid,
or specie payments resumed, is not so i'm
portant as that policy should be adopted
and acquesced in. A united determinati-
on 10 do, is worth more than divided
councils upon the method Of doing
Legislation upon this subject may not be
necessary now, nor even advisable, but il
will be when the civil law is more fully
restored in all parts of the country and
trade resumes its wonted channels.
II viii be my endeavor to execute all
laws IN good fai h, collect all revenues as.
sessed, and TO have them properly &C
counted Tor, end economically disbursed,
| will, to the best Of my ability, appoint
to Office only those who will carry out
this design, In regard to foreign policy
| would deal with nations as equitable
law requires individuals to deal will
each other, and would protect the law
abiding citizen, whether of native Oh
foreign birth, wheresoever his rights arr
, jeopardized, or the flag of our country
floats. | would respect the rights of al
b | 4 r.