Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-01-23
INAUGURATION OF GOV. PORTER.
NASHVILLE. January IS. 1S75.

NASHVILLE. january 10. 1919.
Rev. w. A. Nelson opened the cere-
monies with feeling and earnest
prayer, in which he asked divine d.
rection for him who was about to as
sumo the highest Office in the State.
GOVERNOR BROWN
then concluded his official career as
Governor in the following language:
Fellow-citizens of the General As
sembly: La obedience to the organic |
laws, am here to surrender the trust
with which [ was invested by the pop
uIar voice. Having for two consecu-
tive terms been complimented with
the highest office in the gift of the
people, | most cheerfully yield both
its ho1ors and responsibilities 10 a
successor whe is worthy of the former,
and equal TO the latter. He has been
chosen our Chief Magistrate by an
overwhelming popular majority, and
enters upon his official duties under
the most favorable auspices. he
brings with him large experience from
the other coordinate branches OF the
government, and sincerely hope and
believe his administration will be
crowned with honor to himself, and
| the highest satisfaction to a hopeful
aud admiring constituency. But, gen.
tlemen, without your cordial co-opera-
ton. and support any Executive officer
would be powerless to meet those
reasonable hopes and expectations.
Harmony between the Executive
and Legislative departments being SO
essential to the prosperity and we'll
being Of the State, | most earnestly
invoke your deliberate and friendly
consideration of such wise and whole
some measures of State policy as he
may recommend.
In dissolving this official relation, |
tender to the people, through you, an
expression of gratitude for their con-
fdence and generous support, with the
assurance that, although | may not at
all times have met public expectation,
| have earnestly and faithfully desired,
above all other considerations, to pro-
mote the general welfare.
Sustained by this conviction, con-
fidently submit the record of my official
acts to the scrutiny of an impartial
public, and to you, the peoples repre-
sentatiyes, without apprehension for
the result.
Bound, as | am, and ever have been,
by every sentiment of devotion to the
interests of Tennessee, | shall never
fail. in all my future relations to her,
to contribute, by every means in my
power, to the promotion of her great
ness, the maintenance of her honor,
and the perpetuation unimpaired OF
her constitutional integrity.
GOV. JAMES d. PORTER
vas next introduced, and spoke as fol-
lows: t.r- ,.
Senators and Representatives =
Called to administer the Executive
Department of the Government of the
State of Tennessee for the next two
years, enter upon the performance of
this high duty with full sense of my
responsibility to the people of the
State. At no period in the history of
Tennessee was there ever so much
need for the practice of wisdom and
prudence. The poverty of the people,
the great financial disorder, the peril
to the liberty of the citizen, the alarm
ing Entertainments that are being made
on the ghts and powers of the States,
combine to make the times perilous
and call for the exercise of frmness
aud intelligence on the part of those
charged with the administration of
public affairs. A great political revo-
| 80, ~, hlio hoe hau,,p nd
is in progress in Tennessee and in the
other States of the Union. What in
fuence for good or for evil it is to
have on the country remains to be
seen; but our duty is plain one-to
avoid the errors that have brought
disaster to the best interests of the
country Foremost among them is
that spirit of party which has gained
such an ascendency over the minds of
men as has caused them to substitute
party for country, and make them seek
party appreciation rather than the ap-
prevail and prosperity OF the country.
The people Of Tennessee will count
him public beneiactor who will direct
the popular energies to useful pursuits
to diversifcation of labor-to the
encouragement of immigration, the
opening of mines, the improvement of
agriculture, the erection of school
houses, and especially is the great
body of our people anxious for an
utter abolition of all local jealousies
and aDimosities, and for the encour-
agement and perpetuation of spirit
of brotherhood among the people of
all the States of the Union.
Thanking the people of Tennessee
for the distinction they have conferred
upon me, | will labor to repay this
generous confidence by taking care
that the laws are faithfully executed"
and by maintaining the jurisdiction
!, and rights of the State, and this is
the point to which the vigilance of the
people should be chiefly directed.
Their highest interest is at home /;
their palladium is their own State
government. They ought to know
that they can look nowhere else with
perfect assurance of safety and pro-
lection; let them maintain their local
government, not only in its rights, but
in its dignity and influence. 1t is vain
to hope that the principles of our gov
eminent can be preserved, or that any
thing can prevent it from running into
the absolutism Of consolidation, if we
suffer the rights of the States to be
filched away, and their dignity and in
fiuence lost through our carelessness
or neglect" .... ...... ......
| count myself fortunate in being the
successor of a gentleman who "has
been so clear in his great Office" and
now announce my readiness to take
the oath prescribed by law.
The 10th Infantry Band furnished
excellent music from their position in
the southwest corner of the galleries,
playing between each leading part of
the programme.
The oath of Office was next solemn
ly administered by the Hon. A. o. p.
Nicholson, Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court, and the ceremonies
concluded with brief but eloquent
prayer by Rev. DR.. Dewitt.
BUREAU OF AGRICULTURE,
1t Makes Report to the Governor as