The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-03-09
GARELELD 1NAuqHRATED.

lLDm61l56 CIOWu VI fASlIOAo " WV
city. The weather was unpropitious
but the decorations, procession and
ceremonies were in regal keeping
with the progress of the Nation. At
1890 o'clock, President Garfield
reached his place in the front Of the
platform, erected at the east entrance
to the Capitol. He took seat with
Chief Justice Waite on his right and
ex- President Hayes upon his left,
with Senators PendletOn, Anthony
and Bayard, while Immediately be-
hind him sat his mother, Mrs. Gar
field, Mrs. Hayes and Vice President
Arthur. At 1885 Senator Pendle-
ton arose and introduced General
Garfield, who then read the fol-
lowing
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
FELLOW CITIZENS: We stand
to-day upon an emience which over
looks a hundred years of national
life, a century crowded with perils,
but crowded with triumphs of liber
ty and law. Before continuing the
onward 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. 1t is now
three days more than a hundred
years since the adoption Of the first
written Constitution Of the United
| States, the articles of confederation
and perpetual union. The new re
public was them beset with danger
on every hand. 1t had not conquer
ed place in the family of nations.
The decisive battle of the war for
independence, whose centennial an
niversary will soon be gratefully
! celebrated at Yorktown, had not
vet 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 the
supreme authority of the govern
ment could be safely entrusted to
the guardianship ofthe people them
| selves. We cannot over estimate
the fervent love of liberty, intelli-
gent courage and saving common
sense with which our fathers made
the great experiment Of self-gOvern-
ment when they found, after 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
national union, founded directly up
on the people, endowed with. full
powers of selfpreservation and with
ample authority for the accomplish
ment of its great objects. Under
this Constitution, the boundaries Of
freedom have been enlarged, the
foundations of order and peace have
been strengthened and the growth
of our people in all the better ele
ments of national life have indicated
the wisdom of the founders and
given new hope to their descendants.
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 juris-
diction Of this Constitution now
covers an area fty times greater
than that of the original thirteen
States, and a population twenty
times greater than that Of 1850.
The supreme trial of the COnstitu-
ton came at last under the tremend-
GUS pressure of civil war. We our
| selves are witnesses that the Union
| emerged from blood and fire of that
conflict purified and made stronger
for all the benefcent 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
" 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 admins
tration of the government. To in
terpret and execute that will in ac-
/ cOrdance with the Constitution, is
the paramount duty of the Execu-
| tive, Even from this briefreview it
is manifest that the nation is reso-
lutely facing to the front, resolved
to employ its best energies in de-
veloping the great possibilities of
the future, sacredly preserving
whatever has been gained to liberty
and good government during the
century. Our people are determin-
ed to leave behind them all those
| bitter controversies concerning
things which have been irrevocably
settled, and further discussion Of
which can only stir up strife and de-
Law the onward march.
The supremacy of the nation and
its laws should be no longer the
object of debate. That discussion
which for half century threatened
the existance of the Union was closed
at last III the high court of war by a
decree from which there is no ap-
peal. that the Constitution and the
laws made in pursuance Thereof 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 harmony
of the States nor interfere with any
of their necessary rights of local
selfgovernment But it does fix
and establish the permanent SUI
premacy Of the Union. The will of
the nation speaking with the voice
of battle and through the amended
Consultation, has fulfilled the great
promise of 1875 by proclaiming