The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-05
GARFIELDS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
Able, elaborate and statesmanlike
He Touches the Popular Chord ON all
Important Questions.
An Appeal to Deity for support and
Blessing.


zens:-We stand to-day upon an en-
inence which oyerlooks hundreds of
years of national life; acountry crowd
ed with perils, but crowded with tri-
umphs of liberty and love. Before con-
tinuing the onward march, let us pause
on this height 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 written constitution of the United
and perpetual union. The new repub-
lie was then beset with danger on every
hand; had not conquered a place in the
family of nations. The decisive battle
OF war for independence, whose centen-
NAL anniversary will be gratefully eel
ebrated at Yorktown, had not been
fought. The colonists were strug-
Cling, not only against the armies of
Great Britain, but against the settled
opinions Of mankind, for the world
did not believe the supreme authority
OF the government could be safely ln-
trusted to the guardianship of the peo-
pie themselves. We cannot overesti-
mate the fervent love of liberty, the in
telligent courage and common sense
with which our fathers made the great
experiment of self government, when
they found in short time that the
confederacy of states was too weak to
meet the necessity of vigorous and
expanding republic, they boldly set it
aside, and in its stead established
national union, founded directly upon
the will of the people, endowed with
future powers of self preservation and
with ample authority for the accom-
plishment of its great objects. Under
this constitution the boundaries Of free
dom have been enlarged, the founda-
tions of order and peace have been
strengthened, and the growth in all
the better elements of national life have
vindicated the wisdom of the founders
and given new hope to their descend
ants. Under this constitution, our
people, long ago, made themselves safe
against danger from without and se-
cured for their mariners and flag equal
ity of rights on all seas. Under this
constitution, twenty-five states have
been added to the union, with consti-
tuition and laws framed and enforced
by their own citizens, to secure mani
fold blessings, local and self govern
ment. The jurisdiction of this cOnsti-
tuition now covers an area fifty times
greater than that of the thirteen orig
inal states, and population twenty
times greater than that of 1850. The
supreme trial of the constitution came
at last under the tremendous pressure
of civil war. We ourselves are wit
nesses that the union emerged from the
blood and fire of that conflict, purified
and made stronger for all the benefi-
cent purposes of good government, and
now at the close of this first century
of its growth, with the inspiration of
its history in their hearts, our people
have lately reviewed the condition of
the nation, passed jugdment upon the
conduct and opinions Of the political
parties, and have registered their will
concerning the future administration
of the government To interpret and
execute this 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 ener-
gies in developing the great possibili-
ties OF the future, sacredly preserving
whatever has been gained to the liber-
ty and good of the government during
q 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 onward march.
The supremacy of the. e.nation and its
laws should be no longer subject of de-
bate; that discussion which for half a
century threatened the existence of the
union was closed at last in high.court
of war, by decree from which there is
no appeal, that the constitution and
laws made in pursuance thereof and
continue TO be tfe supreme law of the
land, binding alike upon the states and
the people. This decree does not disturb
the autonomy of the states nor interfere
with any of their necessary rules of
local self government; but it does fix
and establish permanent supremacy
OF the union. The will of the nation,
speaking with the voice of the ballot,
and through the amended. constitution,
has fulfilled the great promise of 1776,
by proclaiming Liberty throughout
the land to all inhabitants thereof" :"
The elevation of the negeo 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 1857. No thought
full man can fail to appreciate its bene-
ficial effect upon our institutions and
people. 1t has freed us from perpetual
danger of war and dissolution. 1t has
added immensely to the moral and in
dustrial force of our people. 1t has lib
Grated the master as well as the slave
from relation which wronged and en-
feebled both; it has surrendered to their
own guardianship, the manhood of more
than FIVE millions 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 one and more necessary
to the other. The influence Of this
force will grow greater and bear richer
fruit with coming years. No doubt
the great change has caused serious
disturbance to our southern community.
This Is to be deplored, though it was
unavoidable; but those who resisted the
change should remember that under
our institutions there was no middle
ground for the negro race between
slavery and equal citizenship; there can
be no permanent disfranchised peasant
ry in the United States Freedom can
never yield its fullness of blessings as
long as law or its administration places
the smallest obstacle in the pathway of
amy virtuous citizen. The emancipated
race has already made remarkable pro-
gress, with unquestioning devotion to
the union; with patience and gentle
ness not born of fear. They have fol-