Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-03-10
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
ur
PRESIDENT HAYES

lngtou7 observed ny Hil my predecessors ana
now time honored custom, which marks
the commencement Uf new term to the
! presidential Office, Called TO the duties Of
I this great trust, proceed, in compliance
| with the usage, 10 announce some Of the
leading prinCipl on the subject that nov
| chiefly engages public attention, by which
| it is my desire 70 be guided in the discharge
| Of these lutes. shall not undertake to lay
down irreyocsbly principles or measures Of
/ administration, bur rather TO speak Of mat,
/ tsrs which should animate us to suggest Ger.
tain important ends to be attained in accord.
! ance to our institutions and essential to the
welfare o! our country. A; the outset Of the
! discussions which proceeded the recent pres
/ idential election it seemed to me fitting that
| l should fully make kuO%n my sentiments in
regard to several Of the most important
! questions which then appeared to demand.
the consideration Of the country. Following
the the example, aud in some part, adopting the
Language Of one ~ lay predecessors, wish
now, when every motive OF misrcpresenta.
ton has passed awaYto repeat what was said
before the election, trusting that my COuG.
trymen will candidly weigh and understand
il, and that they will feel assured that the
sentiments declared in accepting the nomi.
nation for the presidency will be the stand
ard OF my conduct in the path before me,
charged, as am now, with the difficult task
Of carrying them out in the practical admin
istraton Of the government, so far rs depends
under the constitution and laws On the chiei
executive Of the nation. The permanent
peciticaton Of the country upon such prinC.
pies and by such measures as will secure the
complete protection of all its citizens in the
free enjoyment OF their constitutional rights
If the one subject in our public affairs which
all thoughtful and patiotc citizens regard as
OF supreme importance. Many OF the calan.
itous effects Of the tremendous revolution
which has passed over the southern states
still remain, The immesSurable benefits
which will follow, sooner or later the hearty
aud generous Acceptance Of the legitimate re.
sultf OF that revolution have not yet Ocel re.
allied. Dihicutand embarrassing questions
meet us at the threshold Of this subject. The
people Of these states are still impoverished,
and the incstimable blessing OF wise honest
and peaceful local selfgOyernment isl not iOl.
ly enjoyed. Whatever difference Of opinion
may exist rs to the cause OF this condition ut
things, the fecti- clear tnar IN the progress
/ OT events the time has come when such gov
rrnmeut is an imperative necessity required
by all the varied interests, public and private,
OF these states, but il is not ne forgotten that
only local government which recognized
aud maintained invOste the rights nj all, :
4 true self government with respect to tn"
t|b tistInc. races, whose peculiar relations
10 each other, having brought upon us de-.
plsrahlc complications Hud perpeyitics
which exist iu these states: it must he o gov.
eminent who decides the interest Of hoth
races carefully ard equally; It must be q
government which submits Loyalty and heart.
3r -" the constitution and the laws Of
the nation ah3 = laws the state sthems lives
oecePung and oDeJ " the whole con, tin.
! ton %" e vs.. Resting l~au this sure snd
Z subsHHtlaI foundation, the 81 -yr. truct',re oi
1 bcnctcent local governments, can be oH..l
{ | up and not otherwise in iurtheuAeeoi uch
/ obedience 10 The letter and spirit Of the con.
. -l!iution, and in behalf Of ali that IT. attain.
r Heat implies. All so.calied party interest,
e Iose their apparent importance. and party
. lines may Vel be permitted to iaII into in.
q Significance, The question We have to CON
i slider for the immediate welfare OF these
:. ,,ates Of The union is the question 0t gov
&, eminent or no government, OF social order
/, Bud all the peaceful industries that lifelong to
l. it, or n return to barbarism. II is aqueStlon
r. 10 which eFervciti2eu Of the nation is deep
!, ly interested, and with respect to which we
/ ought not to be, in a partisan sense, either
, r.,rIIiropu or da,,,or,+, -, ill., ;y,,,s
> AZ f.IIa,ra, ,a ,.L, ~, !,.,.. t ,i,e
cnnmnn corrtry n,,J co,o,,,,,, Ir,',,itr ''rS
:. deIr Tho sIrscrin roynir,,i"n oi,Gn cn,ir,
j. labor system of a large portion OF cur couu
!. try and the advance OF four millions OF peo
:. ule from condition Of seryitude TO that o
- citizenship upou nm edual footing with theil
e former masters, could not occur wth0utpre
;. sentiug problems Of the .ravest moment, tt
n be dealt with by an e1sucipated race, b,
/. their former masters and by the act of pman
n cipation. That il was +, yi.e. inst and prov
3. iden,ial act, fraught with good for all cou
4 cerned, is nov generally conceded through
=. Out the whole country. and that . moral Oh
~ legation stsupon the national government Z,
e eslpoy its constitutional mower and inHu
Al ence TO establish the rights OF the people Il
r. has emopcipated; to rrotect them in the en
d ioyment of those rigbts when tbey are fa
Al fringsd or assqIJed ia also gnnprglyaduitt,L 4
a. Fhe evils which lnI,rt III. southern Nat.
q. IN ouly be removed or rsmediei bv N,
uHitcd and n4.rror.ous ra,,r,s If hath r.ae,
,a gcluattd by Motive. .f mutno! ,ymrath,
49,. enB r,yord. a,d ,gh,'s +, lnty bound nnj
!, ly,,tcruIin,I lo ,,-o.4,rt rbr rirhi, oi al
:, nv, ivory ron.ti.,.f,,,ol ,,.o,s at he disno
y,I nj, ,.,,. ,t.t,ati., an, sincgreh, an
:. ,,,,. Il, ayr,. ,,,i,t,..., ;r9neno, in 4,
80 y,y ~ Lnns.f,,ul sf;ci,,t I,,,,I r,yernmen
\ ,.,,re ,rro ys.o,,rnn ',i fI,ss staIcs fnr m,
20 ,,.nn,tion + Ic,nirntm.ntsnd nrosperity a