Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-03-14
President Grants Second Inau-
gural Address.

soNai duufesS.
Fellow citizens: Under Providence
have been called second time to ac
as executive over this great nation. /
has been my endeavor in the past Il
maintain all the laws, and so far as la,
in my power, to act for the best interes
OF the whole people. My best effort
will be given in the same direction in th,
future, aided, trust, by my iour years
experience in the Office. When my first
term of the office of chief executive be
gan, the country had not recovered from
the effects of agreat internal revolution
and three of the former states of the
Union had not been restored to their
federal relations. 1t seemed to me wise
that no new questions should be raised
SO long as that condition of affairs exist.
ed. Therefore, the past four years, SC
far as could control events, have been
consumed in the effort to restore harmo.
ny, public credit, commerce, and all the
arts of peace and progress.
| 1t is my firm conviction that the civ.
illzed world is tending toward republic
anism, or government by the people
through their chosen representatives,
and that our own great republic is des-
tined to be the guiding star to all others.
Under our republic we support an army
less than that of any European power of
any standing, and navy less than that
OF either of at least five of them. There
could be no extension of territory on this
continent which would call for an in.
crease of this force, but rather might
such extension enable US to diminish it.
Ihe theory of government changes with
the general progress Now that the tel.
egraph is made available for communi-
eating thought, together with rapid tran.
sit by steam, all parts of continent are
made contiguous for all purposes of gov
ernment, and communication between
the extreme limits of the country made
easier than it 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 slaveand make him a
citizen, yet he is not possessed of the
civil rights which citizenship should
carry with it. This is wrong, and should
be corrected. To this conviction | stand
committed, SO far as executive influence
can avail. Social equality is not SUBJ
leet to be legislated upon, nor shall /
ask that anything be done to advise the
social status of the colored man, except
to give him a fair chance to develop
whas there is good in him. Give him
access to school, and, when he travels.
let him feel assured that his conduct will
regulate the treatment and fare he will
receive.
The states lately at war with the gen.
eral government are now happily rehab-
ilitated, and no executive control is ex-
ercised in any one of them that would |
not be exercised in any other state, under
like circumstances.
In the first year of the past admins
tration the proposition came up for the
admission of Santo Domingo as a terito-
ry of the Union. 1t was not a question
of my seeking, but was proposition |
from the people of Santo Domingo, and
which | entertained. believe now as | |
did then, that it was for the bes inter-
ests of this country, for the people of
Santo Domingo, and all concerned, that
the proposition should be received favor
ably. 1t was, however rejected const;tu-
tionally, and therefore the subject was
never brought up again by me. In fu-
ture, while | hold my present Office, the
subject of the acquisition of territory
must have the support of the people be-
fore l will recommend any proposition
looking to such acquisition. say here,
however that do not share in the ap-
prehension held by many as to the dan
ger of governments becoming weakened
md destroyed by reason of their extern
ion of territory. Commerce, education /
md the rapid transit of thought and [
natter by telegraph and steam, have |
hanged all this. Rather do | believe /
hat our Great Maker is preparing the I
world in His own good time to become 5
me nation, speaking one lar guage, and J
ghen armies and navies will be no long q
II required. Z
My efforts in the future will be direct. .
d to the restoration of good feeling be- i
ween the different sections of our com.
non country; to the restoration of our 1
urrency to fixed value, as compared 4
18th the worlds standard values-gold, :
-an6, if possible, to par with it; to |
ne construction of cheap routes of tran
t throughout the land to the end that the
roducts of all the sections may find
larket, and leave living remuneration