Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-05
President CART eld'S Ina.
auGura1 Address.

=
life, a century crowded with perils,
but crowded with triumphs of liberty
and law. Before continuing the on
ward march let us pause on this height
for a moment to strengthen our faith
and renew our hope by glance at
the pathway along which our people
have travelled. It is now three days
more than a hundred years since the
adoption of the first written Consti
tuition Of the United States, the
articles of confederation and per-
petull union. The new republic was
then beset with danger on every
hand. It had not conquered place
in the family of nations. The deci-
sive battle of the war for independ'
ence, whose centennial anniversary
will soon be gratefully celebrated at
Yorktown, had not yet been fought.
The cOlonists were struggling not
only against the armies of a great
nation but against the settled opin
ions Of mankind, for the world did not
then believe the supreme authority Of
the government could be safely en-
trusted to the guardianship of the
people themselves. We cannot over
estimate the fervent love of liberty,
intelligent courage and saving COM
mon sense with which our fathers
made the great experiment of self
government when they found, after a
short trial, that the confederation of
States was too weak to meet the ne
cessities of a vigorous and expand
ing republic. They boldly set it
aside, and in it's stead established a
national union, founded directly upon
the people, endowed with full
powers of selfpreservation and
with ample authority for the
accomplishment of its great
objects. Under this Contitution, the
boundaries Of freedom have been en-
larged, the foundations of order and
peace have been strengthened and
the growth Of our people in all the
better elements of national life have
indicated the wisdom of the founders
and given new hope to their descend
ents. Under this Constitution our
people long ago made themselves
safe against danger from without
and secured for their marines and
flag equality of rights on all the seas.
Under this Constitution twenty-five
States have been added to the Union,
with constitutions and laws framed
and enforced by their citizens to
secure the manifold blessings of
local self-goVernment. The iuris-
diction of this Constitution now
covers an area fifty times greater
than that of the original thirteen
States, and "a population twenty
times greater than that of 1880.
The supreme trial of the Constitution
came at last under the tremendous
pressure of civil war. We ourselves
are witnesses that the Union emerg~
ed from the blood and fire of that
conflict purified and made stronger
for all the benifcent purposes of
good government; and now, at the
close of this first century of growth,
with the Inspirations of our history
IN their hearts, our people have late
Iy reviewed the condition of the ma
ton, passed Judgment upon the con-
duct and opinions of the political
parties and have registered their will
concerning the future administration
of the government. To interpret
and to execute that will in accord
ance with the Constitution, is the
paramount duty of the Executive.
Even from this brief review it is
manifest that the nation is resolutely
facing to the front, resolved
to employ its best energies
IN developing the great possibilities
OF the future, sacredly preserving
whatever has been gained tC
liberty and good government
during the century. Our people are
determined to leave behind them al
those bitter controversies concerning
things which have been irrevocably
settled, and further discussion O.
which can only stir up strife and de-
lay the onward march.
The supremacy of the ma
ton and its laws should bt
no longer the subject of debate
That discussion which for half 6
century threatened the existance 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 the laws made in
pursuance thereof, and shall con
tinue to be the supreme law of the
land, binding alike upon the States
and the people. This decree does
not disturb the harmony of the
States nor interfere with any of theil
necessary rights of local self-govern
ment. But it does fix and establish
the permanent supremacy of the
Union. The will of the nation,
speaking with the voice of battle and
through the amended Constitution,
has fulfilled the great promise OF
ITO by proclaiming liberty through
out the land to all the in
habitants thereof. The eleva
ton of the negro race