Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-04

aeiear ou' not very loud tone as follows.
President Grant s Inau.
gural Address.
Cf;izens of he Urited States.
Your suffrage having elevated me 70 the ot
4 nee OF President OF the United States I have
IN conformity with the Constitution OF opr
country, taken the oath OF ONCE prescribed
therein. i have taken this oath without n.c :
! tai reserv stioD, and with the determination "a
90, with the best Of my ability, all that n re-
quIres Of me. The responsibilities Of the posi-
! ton feel, but accept them without fear The
oftce has come 10 me unsought 4 commence
itn duties untrammelied. 4 bring 70 Il q cousci-
entious desire and Determination 10 mn it 20
the best OF my ability, to the satisfaction OF tne
people.
On all leadlng questions agitatiue the pun
lic mind L will always express my vews 20
Congress, and urge them according % my
judgment; and when think it advisable. viii
exercise the Constitutional privilege OF inter-
posing veto TO defeat measures which I op-
pose Butall laws will be faithfully executed
whether they meet my appreciation or not.
shall on all subjects have a policy TO ne
commend, but not to enforce against the Vii, of
the people. Laws are TO govern an sl,se.
those Opposed TO as well as those who favor
them. know no me.hod to secure he repeal
OF bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their
stringent execution.
The country having just emerged from a
great rebellion, many questions will come
before II for settlement In the pext four
years which preceding administrations have
never had to deal with. In meeting
these II is desirable that they should Se
approached calmly, without prejudice, hate.
or sectional pride, remembering that the great
est good TO the greatest number is the ob,eet to
be Affirmed. THIS requires security OF persou.
property, and for religions aud politi cai opin.
ION IN every part of our common country with
ont regard to local prejudice All laws 10
secure these ends will receive my best effort.
for their enforcement.
a great debt has been contracted in secursng
to ms and onr posterity the Union. The pay
ment OF THE, principal and Interest as well as
the retu IN to specie bass, soon ss it can pe
accom- iished without material detriment %
the debtor class, or TO the country at large
must be provided for. To protect the ma
tional honor, every dollar OF Governueu.
Indebtedness should be paid in gold. unless
otherwise expressly stipulated In the contract
Let IL be understood that no repudiator Of one
iarthing OF our public debt will he trusted in
public place, and IL will go far toward.
sirengthIng a credit which ought TO be the hest
In the world, snd viii ultimately enable ms 70
replece the deb. with bonds bearing less inter.
est than we row pay. To this should be ads sed
Iaithful collection OF the revenue, a striet
accountability to he Treasury for every dollar
collected and the greatest practicable retrencb.
ment m expenditure IN every Department of
Government
when we compare the paying capacity of ths
country new, with ten States still i'm poyertv
from the effects OF war. bat soon to emerge. \
trust, into greater prosperity tn an ever befor.
Win lts paying capacity twenty. .f1ye years aeo.
and calculate what il probably viii be twenty
hNe years hencc, who can doubt the feasioilrtv
OF paying every dollar then with more ease tnan
we now pay for useless iuxuries. wny, IL iook.
as 'noogn froNldence had bestowed upon ms
a asuohg ook-the precious metals locked up i'm
The sterile mountains Of the far west-vh, On va
are now forging the key to unlock. 20 NEE, tns
very contingency that now before US.
Ultimately il may be necessary IN incraa.a
the facilities to reach these riches ana IL nav
be necessary also that the General Government
should give its aid TO secure this access Rut
that should only be when a dollar Of obligation
% pay secures precisely the same sort OF dollar
70 use now, ana not before. Whilst the oues.
uon OF specie payments rs in Allowance. tha
prudent business msn is careful abou, con-
tracing debts payable in the distant future
The nation should follow the same rule. A
pfoetra'e commerce Us to be rebuilt and all
Industries encouraged.
The young men OF the country. those vno
from their age must be its rulers twepty-fiye
years hence, have peculiar interest nm main.
iaIning the national honor A momeut,s re-
nect,on as 70 what will be our commanding
rnuenee among the nations of the earth i'm
heir day-if they are only true 20 Themselves
mould inspire them with national pride All
ilvlsions, geographical, political and religions
AN Join in this common sentiment
How the puolic debt is TO be paid or specie
payments resumed, is not so important as that
4 plan should be adopted and acc uiesced in. A
1nited determination 70 do is worth more than
liFioeo councils upon the method OF doing
Legislation upon this subject may not be ne
essary now, nor even advisable. but it will
Ne when the civil law is more fully restored an
al parts OF the country, and trade resumes it's
wonted channels.
Ii Will be my endeavor 10 execute All laws
D good faith, 70 collect all revenues assessed
nd TO have then properly accounted for ana
disbarsed. 1 will TO the best of
ny ability, appoint 70 once those only VINO
will carry out this design.
In regard to foreign policy, / would deal
With nations rs equitable law requires ,sdi-
10 oaAs 10 oeai win each other, ana I would
rotect the law-abiding citizen, whether of
alive or OF foreign birth, wherever his rights
re Jeopardized or the nag Of our oountry
oats. L would respect the rights OF sil
afsons, demanding equal respect for our own.
others depart from this rule in their dsalinxs
nm us we viii Be compelled to follow their
recodeut
The proper Treatment Of the original oscu-
ants OF this and, the Indian. 10 one deserving
careful study. I will favor any cosrss To-
ards them which tends 70 their civiiixslsou,
hrtstianization. and ultimate eItissnship.
The question OF suffrage h one which % hks-
, 70 agltats The public 20 long - porsssa OF
" citizens OF the nation are excluded fron it,
rivileees In any St,se.
IL seems 10 me very desirable that this qUss.
on should Be settled now, and entertain ~
cpe and express the desire that is may - nv
10 ratincation Of the fftssnth article OF amend.
lent TO the Constitution.
In conclusion, ask patient forbearancs e.e
wards another throughout the land. ana
ssermineo EFFORT on the part OF every cit,~~o
do his share towards cemenune q hsppv
mon; and ask the prayers OF tae nation ~
lmHhV God In behalf Of this consunna.
Dn.
Upon the consiusion Of the address. the Pres.