The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-08
HAYES INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
WARRINGTON, March 6

w
FELLOW -CITIzENs-We have assem-
bled to repeat the public ceremonial be-
gun by Washington, and observed by all
my predecessors, and now time-honored
custom, which marks the commenc cement
of new term of the Presidential Office.
Called to the duties of this great trust, I
proceed, in compliance with usage, to
announce some of the leading principles
on the subjects that now chiefly engage
the public attention, by which it is my
desire to be guided in the discharge of
these duties. I shall not undertake to lay
down irreyocably principles or measures
of administration, but rather to speak of
the motives which should animate US,
and to suggest certain important ends to
be cttained in accordance with our insti-
tutions and essential to the welfare of our
country.
At the outset of the discussion 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 country. Following the example,
and, in part, adopting the language of
one of my predecessors, 1 wish now, when
every motive for misrepresentation has
passed away, to repeat what was said be-
fore the election-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
before me, charged, as I now am, with
the grave and difficult task of carrying
them out in the practical administration
of the government, 80 far as depends
under the constitution and laws on the
Chief Executive of the nation. The per-
manent pacifcation 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
calamitous effects of the tremendous rev.
olution which has passed over the South.
ern States still remain. The immeas-
urable benefits which will surely follow,
sooner or later, the hearty and generous
acceptance of thelegitimate results Of the
revolution have not yet been realized.
Difficult and embarrassing questions meet
us at the threshold of this subject. The
people of those States are still impover-
ished, and the ihestimable blessings of
wise, honest and peaceful local self-gov-
ernment is not fully enjoyed. Whatever
difference of opinion may exist 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 government is
the imperative necessity required by all
the varied interests, public and private,
of those States. But it must not be for
gotten that only a local government
which recognizes and maintains inyiolate
the rights Of all is true self.government.
With respect to the two distinct races
whose peculiar relations to each other
have brought upon us the deplorable
complications and perplexities which
exist in these States, it must be q govern.
ment which guards the interests Of both
races carefully and equally. 1t must be
a government which submits Loyalty and
heartily to the constitution and the laws,
the laws of the nation and the laws of the
States themselves, accepting and ebeying
faithfully the whole constitution as it is.
Resting upon this sure and substantial
foundation, the superstructure of beneG-
cent local governments 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
fade into insignifcance. The question
we have to consider for the immediate
welfare of the States of the Union is the
question of government or no govern
ment; of social order and all the peace
full industries, and the happiness that be-
long to it, or a return to barbarism. 1t
is question in which every citizen of the
nation is deeply interested, and with re.
spect to which we ought not to be in q
partisan sense either Republicans or
Democrats, but fellow.citizens and fellow
men, to whom the interests of q common
country and common humanity are
dear.
The sweeping revolution of the entire
labor system Of large portion of our
country, and the advance of 1900, 900
people from condition of servitude to
that of citizenship rpon an equal footing