National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-03-05
The Inaugural.

| Certainly our new President has in hi
inaugural address made the world to un
derstand the national purposes. Hii
statements are clear and his promise:
noble. The prominence he gives to thu
supremacy of the Nation and its laws i.
eminently patriotic, and his discussion Of
what is generally called the Southern
question is Enthusiastically Stalwart. Ht
gives both sides of this question. One
side says that in "many communities
negro citizens are practically denied the
freedom of the ballot" The other side
replies " that in many places honest loca
government is impossible if the mass Of
uneducated negroes are allowed to vote.
The President deals with these allega-
tons as follows:
So far as the latter is true lis the only paiatior
that can be offered for opposing the freedom of the
ballot. Bad local government is certainly grea
evil which ought to be prevented; but TO violate
| the freedom and sanctty of the suffrage is more
than an evil; 1t is crime which, If persisted in
will destroy the Government itself. Suicide is not
remedy. If in other lands it be high treason to
compass the death of the king it should be counted
no less crime here to strangle our sovereign
power and stife its voice.
This is the whole question in a nut
shell. This is what the negro-killers and
their sympathizers have been wont to
call the bloody shirt" 1t cannot be
doubted that by a President thus earnest
on the vital question for which our party
contends an earnest endeayor will be
made to stay the prevailing crime at the
South SO eloquently and truly defined.
In this he will have the aid and support
of all Southern citizens who are not hope
lessly given. over to Bourbonism. To
those ex-confederates who desire to
strengthen the hands of the Nation he
gives the following invitation and assur-
ance:
Sacredly preserving whatever has been gained to
liberty and good government during the century,
our people are determined to leave behind them
all those bitter controversies concerning things
which have been irrevocably settled, and the fur
Their discussion of which can only stir up strife
and delay the onward march.
The address has astrong plea for popu-
lar education to overcome the appalling
census statistics of illiteracy, and thereby
to abate the excuse made against the free
ballot for the negro.
The President favors the use of both
silver and gold for coin, and expresses
great confidence in the practicability of
an international agreement as to the re-
lations between the two. He takes
strong ground against any interference
with the monetary system of the country,
and adheres to the opinions which his
congressional record shows him as hav-
ing entertained. So we shall be treated
to no surprises on that score.
He has a good word for the farmers,
and thinks they should have the Govern
ment's aid in applying science and ex-
perience to their calling. He has broad
views as to the improvement of water
routes of interior communication, and
indorses the views of his predecessors as
to American control of any interoceanic
communication on the Isthmus.
On the Mormon question the address
will stir some breeze; but we think
vigorous measures will be retarded by
the fear generally entertained that the
hated dogma will gain a new impetus
from any unusually harsh measures.
The civil service, the President thinks,
requires legislation which shall fix the
tenure of Office of the minor officers in
the Executive Departments. We hope
his administration will see removed from
the statute-book the unjust provision, so
hostile to the people of this District,
which excludes residents from appoint
ment to places in the Treasury Depart
ment Never has there been more
palpable declaration that public places
are Of the nature of booty, to be divided
between the several States in equal pro-
portions.
The inaugural is sound in it's views,
strong and earnest in their presentation,
and splendid in its rhetoric. tits grand
for the new administration,
and we are willing that it shall go out to
the nations of the world as the tone and
temper of the American people.