New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-03-05
The Inaugural Address.

Z pdpeIs LAe StCOhu tl GA "N
dress OF gre.iten. Grant yesterday, as
follows:
| Fellow citizens Under Providence.
| have been called a second time 20 act as
executive over this great nation. II has
| been my endeaVOr in the past to nainta Il
all the laws SO far as lay In my power.
| and To act for the interests of the Whole
| people. Ny best efforts will 20 given in
the same direction ia the future, aided !
| trust by my four years experience IN the
| office. When my first term OF the 0ttcs q
| chief executive began. the country had
not recovered from the effects of /. great
| internal revolution, and three OF the former
| States of the Union had not been restored
| to their federal relations. 1t seemed to ne
! wise that no Lew question should te raised,
so long AZ that condition of aftira existed
| Therefore, the past four years, 20 tar
| as | could control events, have been coA-
| suned in the effort 10 restore harmony,
| public credit. commerce and all the arts OF
| peace anG progress. Ii ls my hrm conVic-
| ton that the civilized world Is tending
toward repubicanism or government by
| the people through their chosen representa-
! tives, and that our own great repnbic Is
| destined to be the guiding star to all others.
Undpr our republic we support an army
IS than that of any European power Of any
| standing and navy less than that of tttbt
| Of at lea It five Of them There could be TO
eXJtnoIUD of territory on this continent
| which would call for an increase Ot this
| force. but rather might such extension en-
! able us 20 diminish il. The theory Of gov
ernment changes with general pto
| gress. Now that the telegraph ls made
| available for communicating thoughts. to-
| gether with rapid transit by steam. ali
| parts of a continent are made contiguous
| for all purposes OF government, and com
munication between the extreme limits CT
| the country made easier than Is was
| throughout the old thirteen States at the
| beginning of our national existence. The
| effects Of the late civil strife have been to
| free the slave and make him citizen yet
| he is not possessed of the civil rights W hICh
| citizenship should convey with it. This Is
| wrong. and should be corrected. 70 this
| correction stand committed. so far as ex-
| ecusive influence can avail. Social equality
! is not a subject to be leglslated upon, nor
| shall ask that anything be done TO advance
the social status of the colOred man, rx-
| eept to give him a fair chance TO develop
| what there is OF good in nim Give
hlm access to schoOe, and when he travels
| let hipc feel assured that his conduct sill
regulate the treatment and fare he will re-
celye. The States lately at war with the
| general government, are now happily re-
hablitated, and no executive control ~
exercised in gnv one OF them that would
| not be exercised in any other State under
| like circumstances. In the first yea: OF the
| past administration the proposition cam"
up for the admission OF Sanso Domingo rs a
territory Of the Union. L was not d ques-
ton of nv seeking, but WAS n proposition
from the people OF SantO Domingo and Que
which | entertained. | believe now, az, !
did then, that il was for the best interests
of this country1FfOr the people of Santo
Domingo and all concerned, that the prOpo-
siti0n should be received favOrably. 1t
| waE, however. rejected eOnstifu:iOnaItv,
| and therefore the subjrct vaa never
brought up again by me. In future. while
hold my present Office, the subject -
| acquisition of territory must have the sup
port of the people before | will recommend
| any proposition. ! say here, however, that
I do not share in the apprehension held by
many as 10 the danger of governments be
coming weakened and destroyed by reason
of their extension of territory. Commerce.
education and rapid transit of though: and
matter by telegraph and steam have
| changed all this; rather do believe that
oar great Maker il preparing the world il
his own good time TO become one nation.
| speaking one language, and when 4rmirB
and nsvies will be no longer required. My
| efforts in the future will be directed 70 the
restoration OF good feeling between the
different sections OF our common country.
| to tho restoration of our currency to 81 fixed
value. az compared with the wOrlds
| standard of values gOid-and, if possible.
| to par with it; % the construction OF
| cheap routes OF transit thronghnu. the
| land, 70 the end that the products 0t all
| sections may find a. market and leave II
| livin. remuneration to the producer:
| to the maintenance Of friendly relations
| with all cur neighsors, and with distant
| / 7 Z
| merce and share in the carrying trade upon
! the ocean, to the encouragement Ot such
| manufacturing industries as can be sc0no-
mically pursued in this country, 20 the end
| that the export of home products and 10
| industries which may pay fO, our imports,
/ which is the only sure method of returning
| to and permanently maintaining 81 specie
| basis TO the elevation of labor, and by a
humane course to bring the aborigIBes Of
| che country under the benign influence Ut
| education and civilization.
1t is either this or war Of eJtermina-
| ton. Wars of determination engaged in
Sy people pursuing commerce. ana al in
dusfrlal pursuits are expensive, even
. against the weakest people, and are demor-
alizing and wicked. Our spperior.!.t Of
| strength and advantage OF civilization
should make US lenient toward the Indians;
! the wrongs already inflicted upon him
| sh3o1d be taken into account, and the bal
| anee placed to his credit. The moral view
| Of the quf stiOn should be considered, and
| the question asked Can not the Indian
| be made useful and productive member
| of society by proper teaching and treat
| mentf" If the effort ia made III good
| faith we will stand better before the
ciSilized nations of the earth and in our
our consciences for having mads II. All
theSe thngs are not to be accomplished by
one individual, but they will receive my
support and such recommendations to Con
gress as will in nv Judgment best serve 20
carry them into effect. l beg your support
and encouragement. 1t has been and is
rny earnest desire 10 correct abuses that
have grown up in the civil service Of the
country. To secure this reformation, rules
regulating the method of appointment and
promotion were established and have been
tried. NY efforts for such reformation shalt
ne continued to the best of my Judgment.
The spirit Of the rules adopted will be msiU-
tanned.
acknowledge before this assemble se,
representing as it does every section OF our
country, the obligation ! am under 10 NV
eountrymen for the great honor they have
conferred on me- by returning ,De to the
highest Office within their gift, and the
further obligation resting on me 30 render
TO them the best services within my power
This promise. looking forward with the
greatest anxiety 20 the day when L shall be
released from the responsibilities that at
times are almost overwhelming, and from
which have scarcely had respite since
the eventful firing upon Fort Sumter in
April, 1861 TO the present day. My services
were then rendered and accepted under
the first call tor troops, growing out OF that
event. did not ask for place or position,
and was entirely without influence or the
acquaintance of persons of influence, bus
was resolved to perform my part in strug-
gle threatening the very existence OF the
nation. performed conscientious duty