Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-08
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
TO the Senate and House Of Represen
tatipes of the United States

Sembled TO repeat the ceremonal be-
gun by Washington, observed by all
my predecessors. and now a time
honored custom which marks the COM
mencement of a new term of the
Presidential Office. Called to the du-
ties of this great trust, | proceed in
compliance with usage to announce
some of the leading principles on the
subjects that now chiefly agitate the
public attention, and by which it is
my desire to be guided in the dis
charge of those duties. | shall not un-
dertake to lay down irrevocable prin-
ciples on measures of administration,
but rather to speak of the motives
which shall animate us, and suggest
certain important ends to be attained
in accordance with our institutions,
essential to the welfare of our coun
try.
AT THE OUTSET
of the discussions which preceded the
recent Presidential election. it seemed
to me fitting that | should make
known my sentiments in regard to
several of the important questions
which then appeared to demand the
consideration OF the county. Follow
ing the example, and in part adopting
the language of one of my predeces-
sors. / wish now, when every motive
of Misrepresentation has passed away,
to repeat what was said before the
election, trusting that my countrymen
will candidly weigh and consider it,
and that they will feel assured that
the sentiments uttered in accept
ing the nomination for the Presiden
cy will be the standard Of my conduct
in the path before me. Charged, as
/ now ain, with the grave and difficult
task of carrying them out in the prac.
teal administration of the govern
ment, so far as depends, under the
constitution and laws Of the chief ex-
ecutiye of the nation,
THE PERMANENT PACIFICATIoN
of the country, upon strict principles
and by such measures as will secure
the complete protection of all its citi-
zens in the free enjoyment of all their
constitutional rights, is now the one
subject in our political affairs which
thoughtful and patriotic citizens re-
gard as Of supreme Importance. Many
of the calamitous effects of the siren
uous revolution which passed over
the Southern States still remain. The
unreasonable benefits which will sure.
ly follow, sooner or later. the hearty
and generous acceptance of the legitl-
mate results of that revolution have
not yet been realized. Difficult and
embarrassing questions met us at the
threshold on this subject The PEG
pie of those states are still impover
ished and the inestimable blessings of
wise, honest and peaceful
LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT
are not fully enjoyed. Whatever dit
ference of opinion may exsist as to the
cause of this condition of things, the
fact is clear that in the progress of
events the time has come when such
a government is an imperative neces-
sity, required by all the varied inter-
ests, pnblic and private, of those
States
BIT it must not be forgotten that
only local self-government which
recognizesIan maintains inviolate the
rights of all is true self-government
with respect to the two distinst races
whose peculiar relations to each other
brought upon us the deplorable COM
plications and perplexities which ex-
sst in those States. 1t must be a
government which guards the inter-
ests Of both races carefully and equal
ly. 1t must be government which
submits Loyalty and heartily to the
constitution and laws, the laws of the
nation, and
TUE LAWS OF THE STATES
themselves, accepting and obeying
faithfully the whole constitution as it
is, Resting upon this sure and SUBJ
stantIal foundation, the uperstructure
of benefcent local government can
be built up, and not otherwise. In
furtherence to such obedience to the
letter and spirit Of the constitution,
and in behalf that its attainment i'm.
plies, all so.called party interests lose
their apparent Importance, and party
ism may well be permitted to fade in
to Significance. The question we
have to consider for the immediate
welfare of those states of the Union,is
the question of government or no gov
eminent of social order and all the
peaceful industries and the happiness
that belongs to it, or to return to bar
barism 1t is question in which
every citizen of the nation is deeply
interested, and with respect to which
we ought not to be, in partisan
sense, either Republicans or Demo
Gratis, but fellow citizens and fellow
men, to whom the interests of our
common country and common human
ity are dear. The
SWEEPING REVOLUTION
of the entire labor system of large
portion of our country, and the ad
vance OF four million people from a
condition of servitude to that Of oiti-
zenship upon an equal footing with
their former masters, could not oc-
cur without presenting problems of
the greatest moment to be dealt with
by the emancipated race, by their
former masters, and by the general
Government. That the act of eman-
cipation was wise, just and provi-
Dental, fraught with good to all con-
cerned, is now generally conceded.
A moral obligation rests upon the
National Government to employ it's
constitutional power and influence
to establish the rights of the people
it has emancipated, and to protect
them in the enjoyment of those
rights when they are infripged or as
sailed; this Is also conceded. The
evils which sfflict I'll e Southern
States can only be removed or RENE
died by the united and harmunious
efforts Of both races, actuated by
motives of mutual sympathy and re-
gard, and while in duty bound and
fully determined to protect til g
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