Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-08
TUESDAY, MARCH. 1881.
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Opinions Of the Republican and
Democratic E'sess.
NV York Tribune (Rep.


President Garfeld's inaugural al
dress is short, straight, strong, and
sharp, like Roman sword. There
is little adornment and no flourish
about it, although graces Of express
sion are not wholly sacrificed to
compactness and breyity. The his
torical review with which it opens
forms solid foundation for the rea
sonings and suggestions which fol-
low. Through one hundred years
of progress since the adoption of the
articles of confederation, through
{" the supreme trial Of the Constitu-
tion,' this review brings us to the
declaration that "the nation is res
olutely facing to the front, resolved
to employ its best energies in devel-
oping the great possibilities of the
future, and that the people, while
sacredly preserving whatever has
g6Ternment during the century, are
now determined to leave behind
them the questions irreyocably set
tied by the war. These the Presi-
dent briefly enumerates THE
supremacy of the nation and its
laws should be no longer subject of
debate. The emancipation and en-
reimbursement Of the colored race
the address treats with q mingled
frmness and kindness of spirit
worthy of Abraham Lincoln himself.
The passage which relates to this
subject is brief, but it will be long
remembered and quoted as p powers
full vindicaJion, in the light Of the
broadcast craftsmanship and the
largest experience, OF the policy
which the Republican party las
pursued.
Memphis Avalanche (Dcm)
President Garfield says there can
be no middle ground for the negro
race between slavery and equal Citi-
zenship. He assumes that the free
enjoyment of negro suffrage is still
in question, from the alleged fact
that sin many communities negro
citizens are practically denied the
freedom of the ballot" The plea
that honest local government is i'm
possible if the negroes are permitted
to vote freely, if true, he regards as
no palliation for opposing a free ball
lot. Bad local government is great
evil, but violation of the sanctity of
the ballot is a greater evil. The last
is more than an evil. 1T is a crime,
which if persisted in, will destroy the
government itself" Men not blind
ed by partisanship will agree with
the President in this declaration of
the necessity of maintaining the pue
rity of the ballot as the only safety
for Republican institutions, and they
will further agree with him in his
conclusion that there is but one rem
edy, viz: GAIL the Constitutional
power of the nation and of the
States, and all the volunteer forces
of the people should be summoned
to meet this danger by the saving in
huence of universal education"
These are the words of statesman,
capable of dealing with a great poHt-
cal question beyond the range of q
narrow partisanship.
Cincinnati Gazette (Rep.)
The inaugural address has the
good Judgment which has distin-
guished Gen. Garfeld's utterances
since he was nominated to the Presi-
dency. There is party tradition
that when a man has been nominated
President he should Put paddock on
his mouth lest he spoil his chances.
But all of Gen. Garfeld's utterances
have been creditable to himself and
a help to the party. The inaugural
is equally successful. 1t is philo-
sophical in tone.
Nashville American (Dem.)
The inaugural address of Presi-
dent James A. Garfield, to be found
elsewhere in toaday's American, is a
fair average document, as such quad
rennial messages to the people so.
It contains the usual amount of fer
vid patriotism in the review of the
soaring fight of the American eagle