The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-10
President daraeld's inaugural.

| an eminence which OverlOOkS q hundre
years of national life-a century crowded wit
perils, but crowned with the triumphs of liber
erty and law. Before continuing the onwar
march let us pause on this height for momen
to strengthen our faith and renew our hope b.
a glance at the pathway along which our pee
pie have travelled. 1t is now three days NOR
than hundred years since the adoption of tn
first written constitution of the United State
the articles of confederation and perpetua
union The new republic was then beset witt
danger on every hand. 1t had not conquered
place in the family of nations The decisiv
battle of the war for independence, whose cen
tennial anniversary will soon be grateful.
celebrated at Yorktown, had not yet beef
fought. The colonists were struggling not on
" against the armies of a great nation, bu
against the settled opinions of mankind; TO-
the world did not then believe that the su
preme authority of government could be safe
| " entrusted to the guardianship of the people
| themselves.
We cannot overestimate the fervent love 0
liberty, the intelligent courage and the saving
common sense with which our fathers made
the great experiment of self-goyernment.
| When they found, after short trial, that the
confederacy of States was too weak to NEE
the necessities of vigorous and expanding
republic, they boldly set it aside and in its
directly upon the whole of the people, endowed
with full power of self preservation, and witt
ample authority 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
and the growth of our people in all the better
elements of national life has 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 mariners and
flag equally of rights on all seas.
Under this constitution twenty-five States
have been added to the Union, with constitu-
| tions and laws framed and enforced by theil
own citizens to secure the manifold blessings
| of local sef.government. The jurisdiction OF
this constitution now covers an area fifty times
| greater than that of the original thirteen
| States, and population twenty times greater
| than that OF 1850.
| The supreme trial of the constitution came
in at last under the tremendous pressure oil
civil war We ourselves arc witnesses that the
Union emerged from the blood and fire Of
that conflict purified and made stronger
for all the benefcent purposes ofgood govern.
| ment.
And now, at the close of this first century Of
growth, with the inspirations of Its history in
their hearts, our people haYe lately reviewed
the condition of the nation, passed judgment
upon the conduct and opinions of political par
ties, and have registered their will concerning
| the future administration of the government
To interpret and to execute that will in accor-
dance 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 devel-
oping the possibilities OF the future. Sacredly
preserving whatever has been gained to liberty
and good government during the century, our
people are determined to leave behind them
all those bitter controversies concerning things
which have been irrevocably settled, and the
further discussion of which can only stir up
strife and delay the onward march. The SUI
| premacy of the nation and its laws should no
longer be subject of debate. That discussion,
which for half century threatened the exist
ence of the Union, was closed at last in the
high court Of this war by decree from which
there is no appeal. that the constitution and
the laws made in pursuance 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 rights of local self-government, but it
does fix and establish the permanent supreme
cy of the Union. The will of the nation,
speaking with a voice of battle and through
the amended constitution, has fulfilled the
great promise of1776 by proclaiming 'liberty
throughout the land to all the inhabitants
| thereof"
| The elevation of the negro race from slavery
to the full rights of citizenship is the most i'm
portant political change we have known since
the adoption of the constitution of 1887. No
thoughtful man can fail to appreciate its bene-
| ficent effect upon our institutions and people
1t has freed US from the perpetual danger of
war and dissolution 1t has added immensely
| to the moral and Industrial forces of our peo-
| pie. 1t has liberated the master as well as the
| slave from a relation which wronged and en-
| feebled both. 1t has surrendered to their own
| guardianship the manhood of more than five
! million of people, and has opened to each one
| of them career of freedom and usefulness. 1t
has given new inspiration to the power ofself-
help in both races by making labor more hon
orable to the one and more necessary to the
other. The influence of this course will
grow greater and bear richer fruit with the
coming years.
No doubt this great change has caused serious
disturbance to our southern communities.
This is to be deplored, though it was, perhaps
unavoidable. But those who resisted the
change should remember that under our insti-
buttons there was no middle ground for the
negro race between slavery and equal citizen
ship. There can be no permanently disfran-
ed peasantry in the United States. Freedom
can never yield it's fullness of blessings so long
as the law or its administration places the
smallest obstacle in the pathway of any vir-
tuous citizen.
The emancipated race has already made re-
markable progress With unquestioning de-
votion to the Union, with patience and gen.
tleness not born of fear, they have followed
the light as God gave them to see the light"
They are rapidly laying the material founda-
tions of selfsupport widening the circle of
intelligence, and beginning to enjoy the bless
ings that gather around the homes of our in
dustrious poor. They deserve the generous en-
couragement of all good men. So far as my
authority can lawfully extend they shall enjoy
the full and equal protection ofthe constitution
and the laws.
The free enjoyment of equal suffrage is still
| in question: and q frank statement of the issue
may aid its solution 1t is alleged that in many
communities negro citizens are practically de-
MED the freedom of the ballot. In so far as the
truth of this allegation is admitted, it is an
swered that in many places honest local gov
eminent is impossible if the mass of uneduca-
ted negroes are allowed to vote. These are
grave allegations. So far as the latter is true,
it is the only palliation that can be offered for
| opposing the freedom of the ballot. Bad local
government is certainly great evil which
ought to be prevented, but to violate the free
dom and sanctity of the suffrage is more than
an evil it is a crime which, if persisted in,
will destroy the government itself. Suicide is
not remedy. If in other lands it be high
treason to compass the death of the king, it
should be counted no less crime here to stran-
gle our sovereign power and stifle its voice.
| 1t had been said that unsettled questions
| have no pity for the repose of nations. It
should be said with the utmost emphasis that
this question of the suffrage will never give
repose or safety to the States or to the nation
until each within its own jurisdiction makes
and keeps the ballot free and pure by the
strong sanctions of the law but the danger
which arises from ignorance in the voter can
not be denied. 1t covers field far wider
than that of negro suffrage and the present
condition of that race. 1t is a danger that
Turks and hides in the sources and fountains OF
power. In every State we have no standard
| by which to measure the disaster that may be
brought upon us by ignorance and vice in the
citizens when joined to corruption and fraud
| in the suffrage.
The voters of the Union, who make and I'M
make constitutions, and upon whose will hangs
the destinies four governments, can transmit
| their supreme authority to no successor save
the coming generation of voters, who are the
cole heire of a0varaipp mower IF fhot ooparo