The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-03-12
PRESIDENT GARFIELD's INAUGURAL.

Amid the most brilliant pageant ever witness
inaugurated on the 4th inst. His native common
sense, his thoroughly informed mind, his long and
valuable experience in the public service, makes
him the best qualified Chief Magistrate the Re-
public has known since John Quincy Adams and
Thomas Jefferson. His inaugural is at once
masterpiece of good English, good sense, sound
Repubieanism and digniied craftsmanship. We
commend its reading and re reading to every man
in the land who desires to be considered patriot.
1t has the merit of going straight to the mark
of stalwart Republicanism and at the same time
being inoffensiye to its opponents. With the
sweep of one senteEee it encompasses the history
and growth of the progressive force that has die
tated the National policy for twenty years, from
the Confederation i'm l77S to the present, and
shows that our enlarged and enlightened freedom,
National and individual, is the rich fruit that now
BLOSSOMS the thorny stem of time" 1t erys-
talizes the vast achievements of Republican thought
and courage into maxims, no longer to be disputed
or debated, but to be recognized as living, vital
realities to be executed in good faith, that all
classes of citizens and all sections of our be-
loved land may rejoice together in present and
future prosperity. 1t is firm and afFeetionate in-
vtation to all to turn from the fruitless brooding
the dead Issues of the past and set our faces
our thoughts and our untold energies to the de-
velopment of the mighty possibilities that are in
store for the American people. Let hope this
invitation will be embraced, that the unrevealed
resources of the Republic may be awakened from
their slumbers and direct the onward march of
events that shall make it the marvel of future
generations. 1t is without flourish or glitter yet
graceful, sharp and manly. "The supremacy of
the Nation and its laws should be no longer sub
ject of debate" is complete crystalization of
everything for which we have sacrificed so much
precious blood so many millions of treasure, for
which we have eontended so long with sword and
gun, and thought and speech, and pen and press.
The cost Of "the supremacy of the Nation and
its laws" can never he told-yet it is worth all it
cost. 1t has the courage to call the violation of
the freedom and sanctity of the suffrage crime
that will destroy the Government if persisted in,
and suggests with emphasis that suicide is not a
remedy for faneied grievances. 1t then says if it
is treason to compass the death of king it should
be equally so to strangle the suffrage and stihe its
voice. And with craftsmanship worthy of its
distinguished author it asserts that there can be
no repose or safety to States Nation until each
and all join hands ITO make and keep the ballot
free and pure By the strong sanctions Of the lar"
This sentiment should be hearalded from every
rostrum, placarded at every roads and
taught to the rising generation in every school in
the broad land.
This admirable production will take its place in
history among the first state papers that fill the
archieves of the Republic and teach the future
reader what refined and scholarly craftsmanship
graced cur age and generation.