The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-03-05

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her children. Jennie and Nellie, anC
Masters Fred. and U. S., Jr. at
The shouts and bursts of Eusi
from a dozen bands subsidized as the
! President elect and Chief Justice o
the United Statesrose simultaneously ly
and the latter commenced in clear ant
solemn tones to recite the formula o
the Presidential oath of Office, which
General Grant took. .t1
The boom of cannon and shouts o.
/ the vast multitude then burst forth
| Partial quiet having bees restored
the President rose, aud proceeded to
read from manuscript his InaagSra
address. as follows; s<sr
Citizens Of the United States:
Your suffrage having elected me te
the Office of President of the United
States, have, in conformity with the
| Constitution of our country, taken the
oath of Office presented therein.
have taken this oath without mental
reservation, and with the determina-
tion to do, to the best of my ability,
all that it requires of me. The re-
sponsibilities of the position / feel,
but accept them without fear. The
Office has come to me unsought. l
commence its duties untrammeled. [
bring to it a conscientious desire and
determination to fill it to the best of
my ability to the satisfaction of the
people. On all the leading questions
agitating the public mind, [ will
always express my views to Congress,
and urge them according to my jGdg-
ment. When4 think it advisable,
[ will exercise the Constitutional privi-
lege Of interposing a veto to defeat
measures which | oppose, but all laws
will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not. l
shall, on all subjects, have policy
to recommend but none to enforce
against the will Of the people. Laws
are to govern all alike, those who OPP
pose, as we'll as those who favor,
them. [ know no method 10 secure
the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws
so effective as their stringent execu-
ton.
The country having just emerged
from a great rebellion many questions
will come before it for settlement, in
the next four years, which the pre-
ceediug Administrations have never
had to deal with. In meeting these
it is desirable that they be approached
calmly, without prejudice, hate, or
sectional pride, remembering that the
greatest good TO the greatest nun Der
is the object TO be obtained This
and for religious ard political opinion
In every part ofsoUr common country,
without regard to local prejudice.
Laws to secure these will receive my
best efforts for their enforcement. s
A great debt has been contracted
in securing to us and our pCsterity tie
Union. The payment of this, princi-
pal and interest, as well as the return
to a specie basis as soon as it can be
accomplished without material detri-
nlent to the debt class, or to the e0un-
try at large, must be provided for.
To protect the national honor, every
dollar of Government Indebtedness
should be paid in gold, unless other
wise expressly stipulated In the con-
tract. Let it be understood that no
repudiator of one farthing of our pub
lie debt will be entrusted in public
place, and it will 60 far toward
strengthening 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 faithful collection Of the
revenue, strict accountability to the
Treasury for every dollar collected,
and the greatest practicable retrench-
mept in expenditure in every depart
ment of government. When we COM
pare the paying capacity of the cOun-
try noW-With5 ten States sill In
poverty from the effects of the war,
but soon to emerge, L trust, into
greater prosperity than ever before
with its paying capacity twenty-five
years ago, and calculate what 1t prob
ably will be twenty five years hence,
who can doubt the feasibility of pay
ing every dollar then with more ease
than we now pay for useless luxuries :?
Why, it looks as though Providence
had bestowed upon us a strong
box the precious metals locked up
In the sterile mountains of the Far
West-and we are now forging the
key to unlock it, to meet the very
contingency that is now upon Us. Ulti-
mately, it may be necessary to in
crease 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 be when dollar of
obligation TO pay secures precisely the
same sort OF dollar TO use now and not
before. While the question of specie
payments is In allegiance, the pru-
dent business man is careful about
contracting debts payable in the dis
tant future. The nation should
follow the same rule. 4 COM
merce to be rebuilt and all
industries encouraged, the young
men of the country, those who
1 from their age must be Its rulers
| twenty-five years hence, have a pecu-
| liar interest IN maintaining the ma
| tional honor. A moments reflection
as to what will be our commanding
/ influence among the nations of the
earth in their day, if they are only
true to themselves, should inspire
! them with national pride. All divi-
sions-geographical, political, and re-
[ ligious = can join in this common
sentiment. How the public debt
is to be paid, or specie payments
resumed, is not so important as that
it should be adopted and acquiesced
/ in. A united determination to do, Is
worth more than divided councils
upon the method of doing. Legislation
upon this subject, may not be nee
essary now, or even advisable, but ii
will be when civil law is more fully
restored In all parts of the country
| and trade resumed its wonted
! channels, It will be my end aavor
TO execute all laws In good faith
I RI coliaet all reveOuna aSSaSSad ond
to have them properly accounted for,
aud economically disbursed. I will,
to the best of my ability, appoint to