The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-08
Ghe Aenrurrt
HAYES'SIyAUGURAL
HE FALLS BACK ON HIS AC-
CEPTANCE LETTER.
Usurper Hayes Takes Possession.
W.AsHINeToN, March 5.

Cessors and now time-honored custom
which makes the commencement of
new term in the presidential Office. Call
ed to the duties of this great trust, pro
ceed in compliance with usage to an
nounce some of the leading principles OF
the subjects that now chiefly engage the
public attention, by which is my desire
to be guided in the discharge of those
duties.
shall not undertake to lay down, ire
vocably, principles or measures OF ad'
ministration, but rather to speak Of the
motives which should animate us, and to
suggest certain important ends to be at
taiued in accordance with our instructions
and essential to the welfare of our coun-
try. At the out set of the decisions
which precede the recent presidential
election it seemed to me fitting that l
should fully make known my sentiments
in regard to several of the important
questions which then appeared to de-
mand the consideration of the country.
Following the example, and in part
adopting the. language Of one of my
predecessors, l wish now, when every
motive for Misrepresentation has passed
away, to repeat what was said before the
election, trusting that my countrymen
will candidly weigh and understand it,
and that they will feel assured that the
sentiments declared in accepting the
nomination for the presidency will be the
standard of my conduct in the path be-
fore me,
Charged is I now am with the grave
and difficult task of carrying them out in
the practical administration of the gov
ernment so far as it depends, under the
constitution and laws, on the chief ex-
ecutive of the nation, the permanent
paCifction of the country upon such
principles and by such measures as will
secure the complete protection of all its
citizens in the free enjoyment of all
their constitutional rights is now the one
subject in our public affairs, which all
thoughtful and patriotic citizens regard
as of supreme Importance.
Many of the calumnies effects of the
tremendous revolution which has passed
over the southern states still remain.
The innumerable benefits which will
surely follow sooner or later, the hearty
and generous acceptance of legitimate
results of that revolution have not yet
been realized. Difficult and embaTrass-
ing questions meet us at the threshold of
this subject. The people of these states
are still impoverished, and the inestim-
able blessing of wise, honest and peace
full local self government is not fully en-
loved whatever difference of opinion
may exist as to the cause of this, Condit-
ion of this, the fact is clear that, in the
progress of events, the time has come
when such government in an imperative
necessity, required by all the varied
interests, public and private, of those
states, but it must not be forgotten that
only q local government, which reCog
nized and maintained inviolate the rights
of all, is true self government.
With resrect to the two distinct races |
whose peculiar relations to each other
having brought upon us deplorable COM
plications and perplexities which exist in
those states, it must be government
which decides the interests of both races |
carefully and equally; it must be GOV
ernment which submits locally and
heartily to the constitution and laws, the
laws of the nation and the laws of the
states themselves, accepting and obeying
faithfully the whole constitution as it is.
Resting upon this sure and substantial
foundation, the superstructure of bene-
ficent local government can be built up,
and not otherwise.
In furtherance of such obedience to
the letter and spirit of the constitution,
and in behalf of all that its attainment
implies, all so-Called party interests lose
their apparent Importance and party
lines may well be permitted to fall into
insignifcance. The question we have to
consider for the immediate welfare of
states of the Union is the question of
government or no government; Of social
order and all the peaceful industries and
the happiness that belong to it, or re-
turn to barbarism. 1t is question which
every citizen of the nation is deeply
interested, and with respect to which we
ought not to be, in bipartisan sense, either
Republicans or Democrats, but fellow cit
izens and fellow-men, to whom the inter-
ests of common country and common
humanity are dear. The sweeping rev.
olution of the entire labor system of
large portion of our country and the ad-
vance of four million people from con.
dition of servitude to that of citizenship
upon an equal footing with their former
masters, could not occur without pre-
senting problems of the gravest moment
to be dealt with by the emancipated
race, by their former masters and by
Gen. Grant, the author of the emancipa-
ton Act. That it it was not a just and
providential act, fraught with good for all
concerned, .is now. generally conceded
throughout the country; that a moral OBJ
legation rests upon the national govern
ment to employ its 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 infringed or assail-
ed. 1t is also generally admitted that
the evils which afflict the southern states
N1h Ohly VI Wy |
united and harmonious efforts of both
races, actuated by motives of mutual
sympathy and regard, and while in duty
bound and fully determined to protect
the rights of all by every constitutional
means at the disposal of my administra-
ton, 1 am sincerely anxious to use every
legitimate influence in favor of an hon.
est and efficient local government as the
true resource of those states for the pro-
motion of the contentment and prosper
ity Of their citizens. In this effort l
shall make to accomplish this purpose
ask the cordial cooperation Of all who
cherish an interest in the welfare of the
country, trusting that party ties and
prejudice of race will be freely surren-
derd in behalf of the great purpose to be
accomplished.
The important work Of restoration
Of the South is not the political situation
alone that merika attanfion. The makar-