The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-03-12
A GRAND ADDRESS:
President Garfield's Inaugural Speech
Sounding the keynote Of National
Unity and National Progress.

The UNION has rarely if ever been able to re-
linquish so much of its space as was necessary to
publish Presidents inaugural address, but the
address of President Garfield is so able and SO
manly that every person who has any interest in
his country should read it carefully and for this
reason we give it in full. The President said:
Fedo,o- citizens-We stand to-day upon an emf
nence which overooks hundred years of national
life-a century crowded with perils, but crowned
with the triumphs ofliberty and law. Before con-
tinuing the onward march let 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 written Constitution
of the United States-the articles of cOnfederation
and perpetual union. The new republic was then
beset with danger on every hand. 1t had not con-
quered a place in the family of nations. The de-
cisive battle of the war for ndependence-whose
centennial anniversary will soon be gratefully
celebrated at Yerktown-had not yet been fought
The colonists were struggling not only against the
armies of great nation, but against the settled
opinions of mankind for the world did not then
believe that the supreme authority of government
could be safely entrusted to the guardianship of
the people themselves.
erty, the intelligent courage and the saving COM
mon sense with which our fathers made the great
experiment of self government. When they found
after short trial, that the cOnfederacy of states
was too weak to meet the necessities of vigorous
and expanding republic, they boldly set it aside,
and instead established national union, founded
directly upon the whole of the people, endowed
with full powers of self-preservation, and with
ample authority for the accomplishment of its
great obiects Under this Constitution the boun-
daries Of freedom have been enlarged, the founda-
tions of order and peace have been strengthened,
and the growth of the people in all the better ee
ments of national life has vindcated the wisdom
of the founders and given new hope to their de-
scendants.
Under this Constitution our people long ago
made themselves safe against danger from with
out, and secured for their mariners and flag
equality of rights on all seas Under this Constl-
tuition twenty five states have been added to the
Union, with constitutions and laws formed and
enforced by their own citizens, to secure the mani
fold blessings of local self government.
The jurisdiction of the Constitution now covers
an area fifty times greater than that of the orgi
nal thirteen states, and Il population twenty times
greater than that of 1880. The supreme trial of
the Constitution came in at last under the tremen-
dOus pressure of civil war We ourselves are wit
nesses tina. the Union emerged from the blood and
fire of that conflict purified and made stronger
for all the benefcent purposes of good govern
ment 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 nation, passed judgment upon the
conduct and opinions of political parties, and have
registered their will concerning the future admin
istrati0n of the government To interpret and to
execute that will in accordance with the Constitu-
ton is the paramount duty of the executive.