St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-03-11
The Inaugural Address.
REVIEW OF THE PAST CENTURY.

upon an eminence which Overlooks a
hundred years of national life, a centu-
nv crowded with perils, but crowned
with the triumphs of liberty and law,
Before continuing the onward march,
let us pause on the hight for a moment.
to strengthen our faith and renew our
hope by a 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 write &eOnstitutiOn 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 conquered a place
i'll the family of nations. The decisive
battle of the war for independence,
whose centennial anniversary will soon
be gratefully celebrated at Yorktown,
had not yet been fought. The colo
nists were struggling not only against
the armies of a great nation, but against
the settled opinions of mankind, for
the world did not believe that the su-
preme authority of government could
be safely trusted i'll the guardianship of
the people themselves. We cannot
overestimate the fervent love of liberty,
the intelligent courage and the saving
common sense with which our fathers
made the great experiment of self-gov-
eminent. When they found, after a
short trial, that the confederacy of
states was too weak TO meet the neces-
sites of a vigorous and expanding re-
public, they boldly set it aside, and in
its stead established a national union,
founded directly upon the will of the
people, endowed with full power of
MISREPRESENTATION, and with ample au-
thOrity for the accomplishment of its
great objects. Under this constitution
the boundaries of freedom have been
enlarged, the foundations of order and
peace have been strengthened, aad the
growth in all the better elements of the
national life has indicated the wisdom
of the founders and given new hope to
their descendants. Under this consti-
tuition, our people long ago made them
selves safe against danger from without,
and secured for their mariners and flag
equality of rights upon all the seas.
Under this constitution % states have
been added to the Union, with cOnsti-
tutions and laws framed aud enforced
by their own citizens to secure the
manifold blessings of local self-gOvern-
ment. The jurisdiction of this cOnsti-
tuition now covers an area so times
greater than that of the original 10
states, and a population 20 times great
er 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 emerged
from the blood and fire of that conflict
purified and made stronger for all the
benificent purposes of good govern
ment. And now, at the close of this
first century of growth, with the inspi-
rations of its history in their hearts,
our people have lately reviewed the
condition of their nation, passed judg-
ment upon the conduct and opinions of
political parties, and have registered
their will concerning the future admin
istration of government. To interpret
and to execute that will in accordance
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
SIthI pOSSIDlllll6S vi tue lutuIc,
ly preserving whatever has been gained
to liberty and good government during
the century. Our people are deter
mined to leave behind them all those
bitter controversies concerning things
that have been irrevocably settled, and
the further discussion of which can on
ly stir up strife and delay the onward
march. The supremacy of the nation
and its laws should be no longer a sub
ject of debate. That discussion which,
for half century, threatened the ex-
istence of the Union, was closed at last
in the high court of war, by a decree
from which there is no appeal, that the
constitution and laws made in pursu-
ance thereof are 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 au-
tonomy of the states, nor interfere with
any of their necessary rules of local
self government, 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 1776 by
proclaiming elderly throughout all the
land to all the inhabitants thereof.
THE sUFFRAGE-POPULAR EDUCATION.
The elevation of the negro race from
slavery to the full rights of citizenship
is the most important political change
we have known since the adoption OF
| the constitution of 1887. No thought
full man can fail to appreciate its benef-
cent effects upon our institutions and
people. 1t has freed us from the per-
petual dangers of war and dissolution.
/ 1t has added Immensely to the moral
and industrial forces of our people. 1t
has liberated the master as well as the
slaves from relation which wrOnged
aud enfeebled both. 1t has surrender
ed TO their own guardianship the man
hood of more than 100000 of people,
and has opened to each one of them a
career of freedom and usefulness. 1t
has given new inspiration to the power
of self-help in both races, by making
labor more honorable to the one and
more necessary to the other The in
fluence of this force will grow greater
and bear richer fruit with the coming
years. No doubt the great change has
caused serious disturbance to our south
ern community. This is to be de-
plored, though it was unavoidable
But those who resisted the change
should remember that, under our in
situations, there was no middle ground
for the negro race between slavery and
equal citizenship. There can be ne
permanent DISTINGUISHED peasantTy il
the United States. Freedom can nevel
yield its fulluess of blessings so long al
the law or its administration places the
smallest obstacle in the pathway of any
/ rirtnous eitizen The emaDciDatef