Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-03-13
Grants Inaugural Address.


conformity with the Constitution of our
country, taken the oath of office presented
therein ! have taken this oath without
mental reservation, and with the dcterlni-
nation to do, to the best Of my ability, all
that it requires of me. The responsible
ties of the position feel, but accept them
without fear. The Office has come to me
unsought: commence its duties untram-
meled. Ibring to it q conscientious desire
aud deterlninaton to ii it, to the best Of my
ability, to the satisfaction Of the people
On all the leading questions agitating the
public mind, will express my views to
Congress. and urge them according to my
Judgment /; and when think it advisable.
/ will always exercise the constitutional
privilege of intcrposing a 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, but
more to force against the will of the people.
The laws are to govern all alike those OPP
posed to them 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 immcrged from
a great rebellion, many questions will come
before it for settlement, in the next four
years, with which the preceding admins
trations have never had to deal. In meet
ing them it is desirable that they should be
approached calmly, without prejudice, State
or sectional pride. remembering that the
greatest good to the greatest number is the
object to be attained. This requires the
security ofpcrson, property and religious
and political opinions in every part Of our
common country, without regard TO locality
or prejudice. Laws to secure these will re-
ceive my best efforts for enforcement.
A great debt has been contracted in Sc
curing for US and our postcrity the Union.
The payment of this, principal and inter-
est, as well as the return to specie basis,
as soon as it can be accomplished without
material dclrment to the debt or any class,
or the country at large, must be provided
for. To protect the nation honor, every
dollar of the Government Indebtedness
should be paid in gold, unless otherwise
expressed or stipulated in the contracts.
Let it be understood that no repudiator
of iarthing of our debt will be trusted in
Il public place, and it will 20 far towards
strengthening credit which ought to be
the best in the world, and will ultimately
enable us to replace the debt with bends
bearing less interest than We now pay. To
this should be added faithful collection of
the revenue. IL strict accountability to the
Treasury for every dollar collected, and
the greatest practicable rctrenchment in
expenditure in every department of the
Government.
When we compare the paying capacity
of the country now, with the States still in
poverty from the effects Of the war, but
soon to emerge trust into greater prosper
ity than ever before, with its paying capac-
ity twenty five years ago, and to 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 luxurcs. Why
it looks as thou Oh providence has bestowed
upon US strong box of the precious metal,
locked up in the sterile mountains of the
far west, which we are now forging the
key to unlock, to meet the very contingent
cy that is now upon us. Ultimately it
may be necessary that the General Gov
ernment should give its aid to secure this
access, but that should only be when dol
lar Of obligation to pay secures precisely
the same dollar to us now, and not before
While the question of specie payment
is in allegiance, the prudent business
man is careful about contracting debts
payable in the distant future. The
nation should follow the same rule Pros
trate commerce is to be rebuilt and indus
try encouraged. The young men of the
country, who, from their age, must be it's
rulers twenty-five years hence, have par.
ticular interest in maintaining the national
honor. A moments reflection as to what
will be our commanding influence among
the nations Of the earth in their day, if
they are to be true to themselves, should
inspire them with national pride All di-
visions, geographical, political, and relig-
ions, concur in this common sentiment
How the public debt is to be paid, or spe-
cic payment is to be resumed, is not so
important as that plan should be adopted
"Hu CvuicoCcu III. "A uHltcu ucCoTihtna-
ton to do it is worth more than divided
conuscls upon the method Of doing. Log
islation upon this subject may not be ne
cessary now, or even advisable; but it will
be done when the civil law is more fully
restored in all parts Of the country, and
trade resumes its wonted channels. .5e'
1t will be my endeavor to execute all
laws in good faith, collect all revenues as.
sesscd and to have them properly account.
ed for and economically disburscd. 1t will
be for me, to the best of my ability. to ap-
point to Office those only who will carry
out this design. s.'efh atelai
In regard to foreign policy, would
deal with nations as equitably as the law
requires individuals to deal with each
other; and would protect every law.abid-
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