The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-03-11
President Grants inaugural.

Citizens of the Uniten States Your suf-
frage having elsvaten to the Office of Presi-
dent of the United States, have, in con-
formity with the Constitution of our coun-
try, taken the cath of Office prescribed
therein. / have taken the oath without
mental preservation, and with the determin
alton to do, to the best of my ability, all
that it requires of me. The responsible
ties of the position I feel, butyaccept them
without fear. The Office has come to me
unsought; / commence its duties untram-
meled. l bring to it concientious 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 l will always express my views
to Congress, and urge them according to
my Judgment, and when l think it advisa-
BILE, l will exercise the constitutional privi-
lege Of intsrposing veto to defeat measures
which I compose. But all laws shall be
faithfully executed, whether they meet my
approval or not. I shall on all subjects
have q policy to recommend, but none TO
enforce against the will of the people
Laws are to govern all alike-those oppos.
ed to, as we'll as those who favor them. |
know no method TO secure the repeal of bad
or obnoxious laws so effective as their gtrin-
gent execution.
The country having just emerged from a
great rebellion, many questions will come
before it for settlement in the next four
years which preceding Administrations have
never had to deal with. In meeting these
it is desirable that they shonld be approach
ed calmly, without predjudice, hate, or sec
tional pride, remembering that the greatest
good to the greatest number is the object to
be obtained. This requires security of per-
son and property. and for religious and po-
litical opinion, in every part of our common
country, without regard to prjudice. and all
laws to secure these ends will receive my
best effort for enforcement.
A great debt has been contracted in Sc
curing to Us and our posterity the Union.-
The payment of this, principal ana interest,
as well as the return to specie basis, as
soon as it can be accomplished without ma
terial detriment to the debtor class or the
country at large, must he provided for. To
drotect 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 the farthing of our public
debt viii be trusted in public place. and it
will go far towards strengthening a 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 would be added faithful collec-
tion of the revenue strict accountability
to the Treasury for every dollar collected.
and the greatest practicable retrenehment
in the expenditure in every department of
the government When we compare the
paying capacity of the country now, with
the ten States still in poverty from the eff
fects of war (but soon to emerge, / trust,
into greater prosperity than ever before).
with its paying capacity twenty-five years
ago, and calculate what it probably will be
in twenty-five years hence, who can the
feasibility Of paying every dollar then with
more ease than we now pay our useless lux
uries Why. it looks as though Providence
had bestowed upon us a strong box, 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 contingency that is now upon US. VI
timatsly. it may be necessary to increase
the facilities to reach these riches. and it
may be necessary also that the General
Government should give its aid to secnre
this access, but that should only be when a
dollar of obligation to pay secures precisely
the same sort of dollar to use now, and not
before.
Whilst 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 fol
low the same rule. A PROSTATE commerce
is to be rebuilt and all industries encouraged.
The young men of the country, those who
from their age must be its rulers twenty
five years hence, have a peculiar interest in
maintaining the national honor. mo-
ment's 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 divisions, geo.
graphical, political and religious, can join
in this common sentiment How the pub
lie debt is to be paid, or specie payment re-
sumed. is not so important as that plan
should be adopted and adhered to. A uni
ted determination to 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 it
will be whom the civil laws are more fully
restored in all parts of the country, and
trade resumes its wonted channels 1t will
be my endeaver to execute the laws in good
faith, to collect the revenues assessed, and
to have them properly accounted for and
economically dispensed. l will, to the best
of my ability, appoint to Office those only
who will carry out this design.
In regard to foreign policy, would deal
with nations as equitable law requires indi-
viduals to deal with each other, and 1 would
protect the law abiding citizen, whether of
native or foreign birth, wherever his rights
are joepardized or the flag of our country
floats. l would respect the rights of all ma
tions, demanding equal respect for our own.
1t others depart from this rule in their deal
ings with us. we may be compelled to fol-
low their precedent.
The proper treatment of the original oc-
cupaut of this land, the Indian, is one de-
serving of careful study. l will favor any
course towards them which tends to their
civilization, Christianization and ultimate
citizenship.
The question of suffrage is one which is
likely to agitate, the public so long as a
portion of the citizens of the nation are ex-
cluded from its privileges in any State