Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-08
ed around toward the southern side OF

| the square.
The Governor. Lieutenant Governor
and Attorney General elect alightin,
from their carriages, proceeded to tn
southern portico of the Capitol. Thi
elevated position was. of course, eagerly
sought after and in addition to the com
mittee and marshals, great many laaie!
and gentlemen crowded around his new
Excellency.
PRAYER.
AS soon as quiet was obtained the in.
augural exercises were opened by pray
er by Rev. II. Melville Jackson.
THE OATH OF OFFICE.
Then Judge Christian. president prt
tenn. of the Court Of Appeals, administer.
ed the oath ofoffice to Col. F w. M
Holiday. Governor-elect, In the pre-
sence of Gov. James L. Kemper, judi
two acres of people.
Following this ex Gov. Kemper came
forward and introduced Gov. Holiday
as follows:
GOV. KEMPER'S SPEECH.
In obedience to the Constitution anG
laws, I now vacate the chief executive
office of the government. and I surren'
der it's powers, its duties, and its re-
sponsibilities to my honored successor
Largely in his custody for the future
is the name of Virginia, now spotless,
unsullied and pure. In common with
every pa riotic citizen, cordially share
the wish and the hope that with honor
to himself and with advantage to the
character ofthe Commonwealth at home
and abroad, he may fulfil the high trust
which generous people commit to his
charge.
Following the introduction Col. Hol-
liday came forward. AS soon as the
crowd caught glimpse of him there
was great and prolonged cheering. He
delivered the following inaugural ad-
dress:
HOLIDAY.
Office ever brings responsibility
Whilst the honor is fully felt, the sense
ofduty done gives far more pleasure than
the praise of men.
/ This is true in every walk, however
humble. But when that duty is mingled
with the memories and hopes of State,
in which we were born, by which we
have been nurtured, and ia whose des-
tiny so many interests are wrapped
the honor makes us feel more keenly
the weight of duty.
If Virginia was about to enter upon
her course with no history. the light
shed from the experience of other states
would alone be our guide. The difficul
ties in such case would be very great,
and like those which beset the path OF
the fathers of the Republic. But ours
are none the less, because they moulded
diverse materials into form, and gave us
a history now the admiration of the
world. Rather the greater, because,
amid many troubles. it falls to our lot to
save and hand down institutions, the
work of their genius and labor.
! These institutions have had many and
sore trials. They have so far triumph
ed. Indeed have with each coming
generation fastened more firmly the
love of the people, and made their suf
| ferings, as well as their successes, their
defeats as we'll as their victories, inure
to their fame. The history which the
founders of the state began, has been
carried on by their descendants, whose
workmanship in many ways will beal
| comparison with the finished forms o.
fthose master builders.
| 1 know that success is not written up.
on all their efforts But success is not
needed to make an effort great. Often
defeat signalizes more than achievement
and elevates the defeated by the very
consciousness of heroic endeavor. Truth
and earnestness have more to do with
greatness than success or victory. Vic
tory may spring from chance, or over.
| whelming odds; but earnestness anC
ruth make that character out of which
great deeds perennially grow.
This is the crown of Virginia's great
ness. Her people were in earnest wher
rhey pledged their lives. their fortunes
and their sacred honor, a hundred years
,go; they were in earnest when they
redeemed that pledge by eight years o
war; they were in earnest when they
favored the adoption of ali instrument
| nv which they agreed to cast 5heir lo
with the sister States in the formation
If the Union they were jim earnest
when for generations they gave Of thei
Jewels to adOrn the councils of the Re
public and of their territory to enlarge
its domain they were in earnest wher
40 sacrifice was too great, save honor, tt
uphold the Union that their genius and
self-devotion had so aided in framing
they were none the less in earnest, wher
in their heart they believed that hono1
was of more worth than the Union, ant
entered upon q long and bloody war tt
vindicate that opinion. In all, they
hattled for the Truth. And when pre-
iudice and passion have passed away
history will find as much to admire in
their last overwhelming defeat, as in the
victories which had hitherto crowned
| their career.
Nor did they forget these virtues in
the trying times that followed defeat -
Their territory had been torn in twain
and one-third Yrested from them; the
rest had been laid waste by the war; but
worse than everything else. their liber
ties had been blighted, and their owr
government we'll nigh wiped out. On
the field of surrender they had given w
their claim. and nothing happened dur
ing the dark time of reconstruction
which even hintcd at breach of theil
parole. They gained name by thei
heroic efforts in arms to sever themselve!
from the Union they have gained fal
greater by the quiet endurance with
which they bore the means chosen sa
its restoration, "a both they We're earn
est and true. : '''' ''''.' N'''''
! T:; t:;s more than ten years this. struggle
of reconstruction was carried on, fern
ing the basis Of national parties, AM
piercing with bitterness through tn,
politics of every State. It ought to b
with joy that we say that this strife is a
last ended, and once more every State i
, represented and has an equal voice il
the councils of the Republic. Virgini
is heard there now through her able re
presentatives, aud if she is true to he
lineage will soon speak with a powe
which belonged to her in the olden time
In the breaking up of the present pal
ties, and the formation of new, gree
: dangers threaten. Parties based upon
or springing cut at the structure of ou
Government, we ever must, and ough
to have. They keep the Government
its mOorings, and prevent its drifting
extreme. But parties founded on cIasse
> is the beginning of the end Of any rt
= public. It's very definition Is equalit
;. of political right. and the mutual cal
of every class. Under the segis of tt
|, Government they work together for tt
advancement Of the individual and tt
common veal but when any one part
o reaches for and gets hold Of the Cover
: ment to promote, through its agency. j
! Town interest, the republic has alread