The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-03-11
GarfeId,s Inaugural Address.

Commencing with flattering historical
overture, President Garfield drlfted 70 the
civil war and talked of the conflict and Its
results. The diSfranchsemento OF the negroes
suggested universal education as curative
of their unfitness voters and officials.
He believes that all The constitutional power
of the nation and States and all the volun-
teer forces of the people should be summon
ed to meet this danger by the saving intlu-
ence of universal education He says it IS a
high privilege and the sacred duty of those
now living to educate their successors ana III
them by intelligence and virtue for the IN
heritance which awaits them. In this bene-
ficent work, section and races should be for
gotten, and partisanship should be unknown.
He winds up this part OF the inaugural as
follows Let our people find new mean
ing in the divine oracle which declares that
"a little child shall lead them, for little
children will soon control the destinies of the
nation
! Nv countrvmen, we do not now differ in
our judgment concerning the controversies
I OF the past generations and fifty years nence
our children will not be divided in their op-
: iniOns concerning our controversies. Ihey
will only bless their fathers and their fathers
! God that the union was preserved, that slaY-
erv was OyerthTOwn and that both races
/ were made equal before the law. We may
hasten or we may retaTd but we cannot pre-
vent the final reconciliation. 1t Is not posi-
bic for us now to make truce with time 5S
. anticipatinn and accepting its inevitable YER
I to our moral and material well-being invite
E us and offer ample scope. for the employment
of our best powers. Let our people, leaving
behind them the battle-fields and dead issues,
move forward, and in the strength OF liberty
and a restored union, win the grandest VIC
4 tories of peace.
The unparalleled prosperity of thecountry
at the present time is referred TO. for thlS
some credit Is given to the fruitful seasons,
but the preservation of the public credit and
the resumption of specie payments 50 sue
cessfullv obtained by yformeradminlstratlon
has enabled the people to secure the Dicss-
/ jDpS which the reasons brought Evidently
referring to the funding bill, he says OF the
refunding of the national debt at low Tale
of inteaeSt should be accomplished without
compelling the withdrawal of the national
bank notes and thus disturb the business OF
the country. Time and experience nave
strengthened the opinions he has SO often
qyprpSsed on the subject OF finance, and says
the finances of the government shalt SuIer
no detriment which 1t may be possible LOT
his administration to prevent Interests uI
agriculture and.cOmmerCe get good send-Ou.
The settled policy of the country as to IN
teroceanic canals Is re-afhrmed that Is we
must boss the job. lie says we VIII
urne no narrow policy nor seek peculiar OF
exclusive privileges in any commercial route,
but in the language of my predecessors, be-
lieve il to be the right ana duty of the United
States TO assert and maintain Such suptfNis-
ion and authOTity,OveT any nterUceanIc canal
across thn IStIrnUS that connects North and
South America as viii protect our natlondl
interests - Polygamy in Utah comes III
for vigorous denuuciation, and IN the judg-
ment of our new President, it Is the duty OF
congress while respecting, to the uttermOst,
E the conscientious convictions and the relg-
iuus scrupes of every citizen, to promOii
within its Jurisdictions all criminal practices,
especially of that class which destroy family
relations, and endanger social order. MOI
. can anV ecclesiastical organization be safely
permitted to usurp, in the smallest degree,
the functions and powers of the national
government Referring to civil service re-
form. he says the civil iservice can never be
baseu on q satisfactory basis, until 1t is regu
lated hv law for the good of the service itself
for the protecting of those who are entrust
ed with the appointing power against the
waste Of time and obstruction to the public
business, caused by the inordinate pressure
for place, and Tor the protection of the in
cumbents against intrigue and wrong. lie
shall at proper time asks congress to fix the
tenure Of minor Offices of the several eXecu
tive departments, and prescribe grounds up
OnSw hich removals shall be made during tht
terms for which the incumbentS .haye beer
appointed.