Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-03-14
PRESIDENT HAYES INAUGURAL

PRESIDENT HAYES INAUGURAL
The following is President Hayes
inaugural address:
FeHo7v Cici:ens: We have as5em-
bled to repeat the public ceremonial be-
Gun by Washington, observed by all my
predecessors, and now the time honored
custom which marks the commencement
of y new term of the presidential office
Called to the duties Of this great trust,
| proceed in compliance with usage to
announce some Of the leading prlncl-
pies on the subjects that now chiefly
engage the public attention, by which
it is my desire to be guided III the dis
charge of those duties.
NO IRREyoCABLE MEASURES OF ADMINS
rRATIoN LAID DOWN.
shall not undertake 10 lay down
irreyocably any princip!es;or measures
OF administration, but rather to speak
of the motives which should animate Us,
and to suggest certain important ends
TO be attained ia accordance with cur
institutions, and essential to the wei
fare Of our country.
THE SENTIMENTS OF HIS LETTER OF AC'
CEpTANCE TO BIZ HIS STANDARD OF
CONDUCT.
At the outset of tile discussions
which proceeded the recent presidential
election. it seemed to me fitting that |
should fully make known my SeAfl-
ruents in regard TO several important
questions which then appeared to de-
,napd the consideration of the country.
Following the example and IN part
adoyCing the language of one OF my
predecessors, wish nov, when every
motive for misrepresentation has passed
away, to repeat what WAS said before
the election, trusting that my ceunlry-
men will cantlidly weigh and under
stand it., and that they will feel assured
that the sentiments declared in accept
inc the nomination for tue Presidency
will be the standard Of my conduct in
the path before me charged as ! BOW
am with the grave and difficult task OF
carving them out in the practical sad-
ministration of the government. so TAR
as depends under the Constitution ana
laws, on the Chief Executive OF the
nation.
THE soUTlI-TuE QUESTION OF EQUAL
RIGHTS.
The permanent DaciHcati0n OF The
country upon such principles,
as will and by such measures,
secure the complete protection OF all
its citizens, in the free enjoyment
of nil their constitutions! rights, is row
the one subject in our public affairs
which all thoughtful and patriotic citi-
zens regard rs Of supreme Importance.
Many of the caamiIous effects of that
tremendous revelation which has passed
over the Southern States still remain,
Tho imncasurable benefits which viii
surely follow, sooner or later, tile
hearty and generous acceptance OF the
legitimate results Of that revolution,
have not vet been re. liked. Difficult
and embarrassing questions meat us at
the Threshold Of this subject.
WISE AND PEACEFUL LOCAL SELF coy
ERNMENT IMPERATIVE.
The people of those States are still
impoverished, and The inestlmahle
blessings of wise, honest and peace
full salf-soyernment is not fully enjoy
ed. Whatever difference Of opinion
NAV ,Aiqt as to the cause Of this condi-
ton of things, the fact is clear that in
the progress Of events, the time has
come when such government is an inn
peraive necessity, required by all the
varied interests, public and private. oi
those States. But 1t must not be for
gotten that only local government
which recognized and maintains invlo-
late 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 per-
plexities which exist in those states, ii
must be a government which guards the
interests of both races carefully and
equally, which submits Loyalty and
and heartily to the Constitution and
laws-the laws of the nation as well
as those of the states themselves-ac-
cepting and obeying faithfully the
whole Constitution as it is. Resting
upon this sure and substantial founda'
ton, the superstructure and bencticenl
local governments can be built up ana
not otherwise. In the furtherance 81
such obedience to the letter and spin,
Of the constitution, and in behalf OF al
that its attainment implies, all se'callef
party interests lose their apparent I'M
portance, and party lines may we'll b'
peruitted to fade into insl@nliicance
The question we have to consider fol
the immediate welfare of those states Il
u question ofgovernment or no govern
ment; of social order and all peaceful
industries and happiness that belong
to- it, or a return to barbarism. 1t Is
question in which every citizen is deep
ly interested, and with respect to whlc
we ought not to be in partisan sens
either republicans or democrats Du
fellow citizens and fellow men, II
whom the interests of a common ceun
40, and n aop,n,nn h,nauity ara dear.