The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-01-16

JOf1b A0uRrffbfOH " g. III AAt@C0s @4Ae AsGy
. nolds, President pro tenn of the Senate, pre-
siding with Mr.. Speaker Percy
The State officeTs-eleet being in waitins
the SeFgeant-at-Arms of the Senate was dl
rected to notify them that the Conventio
was in readiness TO receive and install sheT
Into Office The Governor and other Stat
| officers then entered, escorted by the join
committee: Messrs. Furlong. MontgomeT
and 4. r. Carter OF the Senate. aud MessT:
Dockery of the House. The Governor elet
was introduced by Senator Fnrlong, i
about the following language:
Senator'S and Representatives., Ladies an
Gentlemen: / have the honor TO introduc
To you His Excelleney. JOHN MARSHAL
STONE, Governor elect of the State of Mis-
sissippi. He is here for the purpose of tax
ing the oath of office prescribed by the Con
stitution, preliminary To entering upon TIA
discharge of the duties of that high office.
1t would be out of place on this occasion
We're | TO detain you by any elaborate
euogy on the Governor-eleet, but may D.
permitted to say that he has in various posi-
lions and relations given abundent evidence
of his scrupulous integrity as q man. hi
dauntless valor as a soldier. aud his ability
efficiency and spotless character as public
officer. In word, he has proved himselftC
be worthy of being the Chief Magistrate o.
the proud State of Mississippi.
The remarks of Senator Furlong ELECTED
| very hearty applause. Governor Stone
then proceeded to read his
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
FELLow-CITIzENs BY a popular vote
| practically unanimous. / have been called
| to discharge, for full Constitutional term,
| the duties OF Chief Executive of your State
Never before, believe, in the history OF
| Mississippi, has such an honor been con-
| ferred on the incumbent of the Gubernato-
rial chair. To me, it is donbly gratifying
as al evidence that | had discharged the
| duties, deVolved upon me nearly two years
ago, in manner not unacceptable to my
/ fel;ow-citiZens. But, mingled with my
| qualification, comes a deeper sense OF the
responsibilities imposed upon me. lt Is
1 ever the duty of him who has been called to
such position, to remember that in put
| ting on the robes of office, he muSt put of
the feelings OF party candidate. Not that
/ he is to be false to the principles of the
party whose standard bearer he was. but
| that, when the battle is over, and the VIC
| tory won he must sink the victorious par
/ tisan in the chosen Chief Magistrate of the
| whole people. How much more strongly
| sh Ould this feeling be imp essed upon lin
| who has been a sole Candidate OF united
Commonwealth But this good fortune,
| this great responsibility, Is not mine alone.
| share it with all my associates on the
| State ticket, and with a well-nigh unani-
nous Legislature.
The late antagonists OF the Democratic
and Conservative party in this State, either
election, or Withdrew, for the time being, all
practical opposition. Whether they did so,
| because of the excellence of the candidates
and principles of our party, or because they
believed that opposition would be futile, can
IN Ike no difference i'll the obligation which
the fact imposes upon us. Every depart
ment is in our hands, and we alone must
bear the blame if we fail to conduct the
Government wisely.
To be only able to say that we have given
=.
which, by OR advent TO po%er,we overthrow,
would be n Insult the just hopes of those
who have called Us To rule over them.
Whatever heated partizlns may have
claimed in the past, il Is not too much to
say that there Is not in the State man, at
once intelligent and honest. who will IN
dertake to defend the reign OF corruption
and ignorance, Whirh in the recent past,
afflicted our State. We must not be con
tent to compare ourselves with our recent
rulers and legislators. We must take the
highest models in the past and present, and
let our every effort be TO prove ourselves
not unworthy of comparison with them.
No problem in politics was ever allotted to
any people more difficult than that which
the State of Mississippi, in common with her
sister States of the South, is now called up
on to solve. Can a Government based upon
unlimited suffrage, be successfully carried
on between two races, the most antagonistic
on earth, which. while according equal
rights to each, shall tend 70 the common
prosperity and happiness of both?
The experience of the past ten years surf
ficiently demonstrate that II cannot be done
bV governments the controlling influence
in which is welded by the inferior race. 1t
remains to be seen whether one controlled
by the superior, viii be more successful.
Upon one point all good men will agree:
there must be absolute and perfect protec-
ton to life, liberty and property. The Gov
eminent that fails to give this is unworthy
of the name. The humblest citizen of the
State. no matter how poor or how ignorant,
must feel that over his hut the law throws
its protecting mantle, and that he who
dares to wrong him, will feel the ven-
geance of the laws ministers. There must
he no liberation OF wrongs and iniu-
ries inflicted upon those who are too weak
to defend themselves. 1t is for the defense
of the weak that Governments were organ
lied, and laws enacted. Ii sufficient pow ers
for this purpose are not already
lodged in the executive officers of
the State and counties, those pow
ers should be enlarged. But, after all,
the surest guarantees of law and order, are
the virtues Of the citizen and a sound pub
lie sentiment. When the wealthy and the
educated of each community feel it their
duty to defend the poor and hum BILE, and to
bring to justice those who wrong them,
there will be little need tor the inter-
yention of the officers of the law and it
is 20 individual influence and example, and
to the teachings of the public press, far
more than to any possible efforts of the
State officers, that we must look for the col
rection of such evils.
Genuemen OF the Legislature, I need
not remind you, who are fresh from the
people, of the financial distress that per-
vades every section of the State. With the
Impotence of poverty and misfortune, the
people turn to you In hope of relief. SO far
as in you lies, / know that you will leave
no endeavor untried to meet these expec-
tatiODS, and assure You of nv earnest CO.
operation in all practical measures that af-
ford a promise of success.
AS great as has been the reduction in
public expenditures and taxation, these bur-
dens yet press heavily upon the people. It
will be for you to devise the M cans of such
further reduction as shall bring them to the
lowest rate commensurate with the re-
quirements of good government, eco
nomieally administered.
Many schemes are afcat in the pub
lie mind for increasing, by legislation. fndi-
vidual or class prosperity. l warn you to
be cautious of EN- barking in them. It Is
rare, indeed, that the people can be made
rich by law. and experience proves that
legislative efforts to that end usually result
In increasing the evils they are intended to
cure. Individual wealth must result from
individual industry and economy. There
is no other road 70 State or individual pros
perity than by the unremitting toll and
frugality of the people. Private welfare
is often paralyzed, and rarely aided, By Leg
islation
That government is best which, striking
off all shackles and burdens, and conform
ing itselfas nearly as possible to the pro-
lection of life, liberty and property, leaves
all else TO be accomplished by individual
efforts.
The present depression In material pros
peritv il not peculiar 70 Mississippi. It ex-
tends throughout the Union, and is the in
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