Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-03-12
PRESIDENT GARFIELD.
His inaugural Address.


peliis, but crowned with the triumph of lib.
erty and love- Before continuing the onward
march, let Us pause on this height for a mo-
mett to strengthen our faith andronew our
hope by glance at the pathway along witch
our people have trTlveed. I1Ws.s I'H 4
1t Is now three days tiiore than n hundred
years since the adoption of the first written
Constitution of the United States-the Arti-
cles OF Confederation and Perpetual UniOh
The new Republic was then beset with danger
on every hand. IL had not conquered place
in the family of nations. The decisive battle
OF the war for independence, whose centen-
Mai anniversary will soon be gratefully celc-
brated at Yorktown, had not yet been fought
The colonies were struggling not only against
the armies of Great Britain, but against the
settled opinions of mankind, for the world did
not believe that the supreme authority OF the
uoverlimeiit could be safely entrusted to the
guardianship of the people themselves We
can not oyerestimate the fervent love, l1telll.
gent eour g, aid cqInmon sense with which
our fathers made the great experiment. OF
self-g0yernment. When they fotnhs after n
short time, that the confederncy OF the States
was too weak to meet the necessities of n
glorious and expanding republic, they boldly
set it aside and in its stead re -establishedthe
National Union, founded directly upon the
will of the people, endowed with future pow
ers of preservation and with ample au-
thorfty Tor the accomplishment OF its great
objects. Under this Constitution, the{bound-
aries of freedom we're enlarged, the founda-
tions of order and peace baye been strength
ened, and the growth In all the better ele.
ments of national life has vindicated the wis
dom 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 aud flag equality OF rights
on all the seas Under this Constitution
twenty-five State-hUusCs have been add
ed to the Union, with Constitutions ana
laws framed and enforced by their own citi-
zens to secure tnaiiifold blessings of local and
self government. The jurisdiction OF this
Constitution now covers On area fifty TIMES
greater than thdt of the original thirteen
States and the population Is twenty times
greater than that of 1850. The trial of the
Constitution came mt last under the tremen-
dous 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 benehcent purposes OF
good government, and now, at the close OF
this first century of growth, with the inspira-
tions OF its history in their hearts, our people
have lately reviewed the condition OF the Ma
ton, passed judgment upon the acts and
opinions of political parties, and have regis
tered their will concerning the future admin
istration of the 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 with the resolution to employ its best
! energies in developing the great possibilities
| of the future, sacredly reseVing whatever has
been gained to Liberty and Government dur.
| ing the century. Our people are determined
to leave behind them all these bitter eontro;
| Versies concerning things which have been
iTevocably settled, the further discussion of
which can only stir up strife and delay the
onward march. The supremacy of the Nation
and its laws should no longer be the question
OF debate. That discussion which for half a
century threatened the existence 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 pursuance
thereof shall continue TO be the supreme law
of the land, binding alike on the States and on
| the people. This decree does not disturb the
autonomy of the States, nor interfere with any
| of their necessary rules of local self govern
ment but 1t does fix and establish the pertna.
heft stipremaby 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 l77G BY proclaim-
ing liberty throughout the land "to all the in
habitants 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 l776. No
thoughtful man can fail to appreciate its
beheficent results upon our people 1t has
freed us from the perpetual danger of wal
| hnd dissoution 1t has added immensely tO
the moral and industrial forces of our people
1t has liberated the master as well as the
slave from the relations which wronged and
enfecbled both. 1t has surrendered to
their own guardianship the manhood OF
more than five millions of people, and
has opened to each one of them
career of freedom and usefulness
1t has given new inspiration to the power ol
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 the coming
years. No doubt the great change has caused
a serious disturbance to our Southern
| aOt Thio iG IN ha 1nn1nra6 thD11 OH II
was unavoidable, but those who resisted the
change should remember that in our institu
tiOns there was no middle ground for the ne
gro race between slavery and equal citizen
ship. There can be no permanent disfran
chised peasantry in the United States. Free
dom can never yield its fullness of blessings
as long as the law or its administration place!
the smallest obstacle in the pathway of any
Virtuous citizenship. The emancipated race
has already made remarkable progress Will
unquestionable devotion to the Union, with
patience and gentleness not born of fear
They have followed the light as God gave
them to see the light" They are rapidly lay
ing the material foundation of seH-support
widening the circle of intelligence. and begin
ming to enjoy the blessings that gather arount
the homes of the industrious poor They de
serve the generous encouragement of all goo(
men. So far as my authority can lawfully ex
tend they shall enjoy the full and equal pro
lection of the Constitution and laws.
The free enjoyment of equal suffrage is still
in question, and frank statement of th
issue NAV aid its solution. IL is alleged tha
I'm many communities the negro citizens ar
practically denied the freedom OF the ballot
In so far as the truth of this allegation is ad
mitted, it Is answered that in many place,
honest local government is impossible If tn
mass of uneducated negroes are allowed t,
vote. These are grave allegations. So far q
the latter is true 1t is no paliation that can b
offered for opposing the freedom ofthe ballot
Bad local government is certainly great evi
| | tuhfnh OnUht N ha Drayantad bnt N vinlat
the freedom and sanctity of suffrage is NOR
than an evil. 1t is a crime which If persiste
In will destroy the Government itself, am
suicide Is not remedy. If in other lands
be high treason to compass the death of til
: king, it should be counted no less a crime her
r to strangle our sovereign power and stifle ii
voice. 1t has been said that unsettled ques
tions have no pity for the repose OF nations
: 1t should be said with the utmost emphasi
that this question of suffrage willnever give re
pose or safety to the States orto the Nation un
: til each within its own jurisdiction makes an
keeps the ballot free and pure by the ston
: sanctions of the law. But the danger whic
4 arises from ignorance in the voter can not b
: denied. 1t covers field far wider than tha
: of negro suffrage and the present conditio
9 of that race. Ii is DANCE: that turks an
: hides in the sources and fountain of power Il
4 every State. We have no standard by whic
TO measure this disaster that may be brougl
upon us by ignorance and vice in the citizen
when joined to corruption and fraud in til
f suffrage. The voters of the Union, who max
a and unmake Constitutions, and upon who's
:. will hangs the destiny of our Government
can transmit their supreme authority TO n
Q successor save the coming generation {
Z voters, who are the sole heirs of the severeig
power. If that generation comes to its inheI
| itance blinded by ignorance and coIrupte
. by vice, the fall of the Republic will be ceI
d tain and remediless The census has alread
v sounded the alarm in appalling figures, whic
!, mark how dangerously the tide OF Hitter
= acy has arisen among our voters an
: their children. To the South the question
d of supreme importance. The respOnsibilit
/. for the existence of slavery does not rest upo
y the South alone. TheNatonitselfi responS
y BILE for the extension of suffrage and is undo
, special obligations to aid in removing III
D illiteracy which It has addedto the voting POI
ulation. For North and South alike there