Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-03-12
THE INAUGURATION.

O'Clock, and President Garfield delivered
his inaugural address to the largest con
course of people ever gathered in Wash
ingtOn. The ceremonies were very im
posing.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD's INAUGURAL AID
DRESS.
FELLOW CITIZENS:-We stand to-da,
upon an eminehce which Oyerlooks
hundred years of national life-a cen
tury crowded with perlls, but crowded
with triumphs of liberty and love. Be-
fore continuing our onward march lei
us pause on this height for moment to
strengthen our faith and renew our
hope, by glance at the pathway along
which our people have travelled. 1t is
now three days more than hundred
years since the adoption of the first writ
ten constitution of the United States, the
articles of confederation and perpetual
union. The new republic was then be-
set with dangers on every hand; it had
not conquered place in the family of
nations. The decisive battle of the war
for independence, of which the centen-
NAL anniversary will soon be gratefully
celebrated at Yorktown, had not yet been
fought. The cOlOnists were struggling
not only against the armies of Great
Britain but against the older opinions of
mankind, for the world did not believe
that supreme authority OF government
could be safely entrusted to the guard
ianship of the people themselves. We
cannot Overestimate the fervent love of
liberty, the intelligent courage. and saw
ing common sense with which our faith
erS made the great experiment of self
xxrhn hax
short time that the cOnfederacy of
states was too weak to meet the necessi-
ties of vigorous and expanding repub-
lie, they boldly set it aside and in its
stead established a national union,
founded directly upon the will of the
people, endowed with future powers of
self-preservation and with ample au-
thOrity for the accomplishment of its
great objects. Under this constitution
the borders of freedom have been enlarg-
ed, the foundations of order and peace
have been strengthened and the growth
i'm all the better elements of national
life, has vindicated the wisdom of its
founders and given new hope to their
descendants. Under this constitution our
people long ago made themselves safe
against danger from without and secur-
ed for their mariners and flag equality
of rights ON all the seas; under this con-
stitutiOn twenty-five states have been
added to the Union with constitutions
and laws framed and enforced by their
own citizens tOsecure the manifold bles-
sings of local and self-gOvernment. The
Jurisdiction of this constitution covers
an area fifty times greater than.that of
the original thirteen states and pOpu-
latiOn twenty times greater than that of
1850. The supreme trial of the cOnsti-
tuition came at last under the tremend-
Gus pressure of civil war. We ourselves
are witnesses that the Union emerged
from the blood and fire of that conflict
purified and made stronger for all the
beneficent purposes of good government,
and now at the close of this first century
of growth, with the inspirations of its
history in their hearts, our people have
lately reviewed the condition of the ma
ton, passed judgement upon the con-
duct and opinions of political parties,
and have registered their will concern
ing the further administration of the
government. To interpret and execute |
that will i'll accordance with the cOnSti- |
tuition is the paramount duty of the exc
cutiye. Even from this brief resume it |
is manifest that the nation is reSOlutely |
springing to the front resolved to en- |
plOy its best energies in developing the |
great prospects of the future, 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 con-
trOversies concerning things which have
been inevitably settled. the further dis
cuSsiOn of which can only stir up strife
and delay our onward march. The SUI
premacy of the nation and its laws
should be no longer subjects of debate;
that discussion which for half century
threatened the existence of the Union
was closed at last in the high court of
war, by decree from which there is no
appeal, that the constitution and laws
made i'm pursuance thereof are and shall
continue to be the supreme law of the
land, binding alike upon the states and
the people. This decree does not disturb
the autonomy of the states nor interfere
with any of their necessary rules of local
self-gOvernment, but it does fix and es-
tablishlthe permanent supremacy IOf the
Union. The will of the nation, speaking
with the voice of battle and, through the
amendment of the constitution, has full
filled the great promise of 1916, bs pro-
claiming liberty throughout the land, to
all the inhabitants thereof. The eleva-
tiOn of the negro race from slavery to
the full rights of citizenship is the most
important political change we have
known since the adoption of the consti-
tuition of 1857. No thoughtful man can
fail to appreciate its benefcent effect
upon Onr institutions and2peOple. 1t has
freed us from the perpetual danger of
war and dissolution. 1t has added i'm
mensely to the moral and industrial
forces of our people. 1t has liberated
the master as well as the slave from
relation which wrOnged and enfeebled
both. 1t has surrendered to their own
guardianship and manhood more than
five millions of people, and has opened
to each one of them career of freedom
and usefulness. 1t has given new in
spiration to the power of self-help i'm
both races by making labor more honor
able to one and more necessary to the
other. The influence of this force will
grow greater and bear richer fruit with
the coming years. No doubt the great
change has caused serious disturbance
to our southern communities. This is
to be deplOred, though it was InavOid-
able; but those who resisted the change
should remember that under our insti-
buttons there was no middle ground for
the negro race between slavery and
equal citizenship. There can be no
permanent disfranchised peasantry in
the United States. Freedom can never
yield its fullness of blessing as long as
law or administration places the small
est obstacle in tine pathway of any yirtu-
Gus citizen. The emancipated race has
already made remarkable progress. |
With an unquestiOnable devotion to the |
Union, with patience and gentleness
nor born of fear, they have followed the |