Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-03-05

| tIttzenS OF We OHlteQ States
Your suffrage having el: cted Ma to tbs cfice o.
| President Of the United States, have, in con
fOimlty with the constitution of our country
taken tie oath Of Office prescr bed therein. /
have takan this oath without nlental reservation
and with the determ Ia ion to do TO the best Of
MY ability oil that it requires of me. The re-
sponslbuIes of the position I feel, but accept
them without fear. The Office has come to no
unsoughS comm ence lis duties uatrainme lled
bring to it conscientious desire and determina-
ton to fill it, to the best of my ability to the sat
Iisfaction OF the people
| On all leading questions agitating the public
mind, viii always express my views to Congress
and urge them according to my iudgment and
when think it advisable, will exercise the consti-
tutlonal privilege OF interpos sing veto to defeat
| measures which oppose. But all laws will ba
faithfully executed, whether they meet NV ap-
prevail or not. I shall. on sl subjects have a
policy 20 recommend but none to enforce against
| the will Of tbs people The laws ara to govern
| ali alike, those opposed to well as those who
favor them. know OF no method to secure the
repeal OF pad or Obnoxious laws SO effective as
their stringent execution. The country having
Just emerged from great rebellion. many
questions Will come before it T sgttlenent 10
the next foue years, which precediog adlninistra-
| tons have never had to deal with Ia meeting
| tilese It Is desirable that they sh I'D be ap-
proached calmly, without prejudice, hate or sec
tlonal pride, remembering that the greatest good
| to the greatest number Is the object to be at
| tanned. This requires security of personal prop
! orty and for religious ana political opinion in
very part OF our common country, without re-
|
ends VIII receive my best Efforts for their enforce
| ment.
| great debt has been contracted in securing
| to Us and OUR pGstc!ity the Tn on The DayrenT
of this, principal and interest," as we'll IS the re-
! turn to q specie basis soon as it can can be
accomplished, without material detriment to the
debtor class, Or t. the country at large must be
provided for. 10 protect the national honor
every dollar of Government indebtedness should
De paid in SoiI unless otherwise expressly stipu-
lated in the contract. Let it be understood that
no repudiator Of enc farthing of our pubic debt
will be trusted Ia public place and it
VII! go far towards strengthening a credit,
which ought to be the best in the world,
and viii Ultimately enable Us to replece
the debt With b3nds bearing less interest than
We now pay. To this should be aided faithful
colleeflon OF the revenue, strict accountability
TO tbs treasury for every dollar collected and
TIE greatest practicable retreuchment in exper-
GltuTe 10 every department Ct the government.
wien We compare the paying capacity of tho
country now, with ten States still in povs rty from
the effects OF war, but soon to emerge | rust
into greater prosperity than before, with its
paying capacity twenty-five FEARS ago, and calcu-
late what it probably will be twenty-five Years
hence, who can doubt the feasibi ity IF psyinc
every dollar then " tn more ease han we paw for
useless Injuries Why, it looks as though Prov
ldelce had bestowed upon Us q strong box The
precious metals locked up in the sterile noun
| tains Of the far West, which We are now forging
the key to unlock to meet the very contingency
that is now upon u.s. Ultimately it may be neces-
sary for the factories to reach these riches and
1t may be necessary also that the General Gov
ernment should give it's aid to secure this access
But that should only be when dollar C obliga-
sort Of SosT to- nse n5w '0s and same n
before. Whilst the question of specie payments
Is in abeyance the prudent business man Is care
tul about contracting debts payable in the distant
future. Inc nation should follow the Same rule
z PROSTATE commerce is to be rebuilt and all in
dustlles encouraged The young men Of the
country those nho FROM their age must be its
rulers, lWeni y-h7e years hence. have peculiar
ntert ct IN maintaining the national honor. 4
moments reflection W bat will be our command
Ing influence among the nations OF the earth in
their day, il they are only to them.e elves
should inspire them With national pride. All di-
visions, geographical, political and religious can
JOIN IN the common sentiment.
How the public debt IL to be paid or specie nav.
ments resumed, Is not go important as that q plan
should DO adopted and acquiesced in united
determination to do, ia wO til more than the di-
vlded councils upon the method of doing Legis-
ton upon this su ject may not be u cessary now
nor even advisable, but it will be when the civil
law Is more FUZZY restored in al parts OF the conn.
try, and trade resumes lis wO4ted chsnnels Tt
VIII be my endeavor to ecu e all laws in good
faith, to collect revenue assessed, and to have
hem properly accounted for and economicaliv
dlsbursed I will, to the best of nv ability ar
point TO office those only who will carry ou5 this
design.
In regard to foreign policy, would deal with
nations as equitable law requires Individuals to
deal with each other, and would protect ths law
abiding Citizens whether Of ma i've or of foreign
6lrth where evar his rights are jeopardizsd the
tag OF our country floats. I would respect tho
rights of all nations demanding equal respect for
our own-if others depart from this rule in their
deahngs with US, we may be compelled to follow
their precedent.
The proper treatment of the original occupants
OF this land tbs Indian, is one deserving of care
fui study. vii! favor any course towards them
which tends to their civilization, christianity and
ultimate citizenship.
The question OF suffrage ia one which ia likely
to agitate the public so long as portion of the
ctiz OF the nation excluded from its uriyi-
leges in any State. 1t seems to me very desirable
that this question should be settled now and en-
terrain the hope and express the desire that it
may be by the ratification of the fifteenth arti-
ole of the amendment to the constitution.
In conclusion, I ask patient forbearance one to-
wards another throughout the land. and deter
mined effort on the part of cry citizen to do his
share towards cementing happy Union, and |
ask the prayers OF the nation to Almighty God in
behalf of this consumm alton.