The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-03-10
President GarfeId's Inaugural address

Fr14aw CtrrzENs-We stand to-day upon
! the eminence which overlooks a hundred
wears Of national liie a century crowded
/ with perils. but crowned with the iriumphs Of
liberty and love. Before continuing the
onward march let US pause on TINS helght lot
i a moment and strengthen our falih ana renew
Ionr hopes by glance at the pathway along
which our people have Travelled. tits now three
,davs more than hundred years since the
adoption Of the first written Constitution OF
| the United States-the articles OF cohIedeIa-
ton and perpetual union. The new Republic
| was then beset with danger on every hand; II
had not conquered place in the family OF
| nations the decisive battle OF the war TOT
lindependence, whose centennial anniversary
/ will soon be gratefully celebrated at York
town had not vet been fought; the colonlsts
were struggling not only against the armies
| of Great Britain, but against the setted
opinions of mankind, for the world dlu not
/ believe that the supreme authority OF gov
eminent could be safely entrusted TO tue
| guardianship of the people themselves e
can not over estimate the fervent love OF the
| Intelligent courage and common sense with
i which our fathers made the great experiment
/ of self government. When they found atter
! a short time that a COnfederaey OF states was
too weak 10 meet the necessities of glorious
and expanding Republic, they boldly set II
aside and in its stead established a National
/ Union, founded directly upon the will of the
| people endowed with future powers OF self
] preservation and with ample authority for the
| Accomplishment of its great objects. nder
| this Constitution the boundaries of freedom
| enlarged, the foundations of order and peace
have been strengthened, and the growth In al
| the better elements of national life has vim
| dictated the wisdom of its founders and given
new hope to their descendants. Under this
/ Constitution people long ago made them
selves safe against danger from without, and
/ secured for their mariners and flag on equal
/ ity of rights on all the seas. Under this
Constitution twenty-five States have been
added to the Union, with constitutions and
laws framed and enforced by their own cti-
| zens TO secure the manifold blessings of local
and self-government. The jurisdiction of
! this Cons tuition now covers an area fifty
times greater than that of the original thir-
| teen States and population twenty times
greater than that of 1850.
THE 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 strong
or for all benehcent purposes of good govern
ment and now at the close of the first cen
fury of growth, with the inspirations of his
tory in their hearts, our people have lately
reviewed the condition of the nation, passed
judgment upon the conduct and opinions of
political parties, and have registered their
will concerning the future administration of
the Government. To interpret and TO exc
cute that will in accordance with the Con.
stitution is the paramount duty of the Exec
utive. Even from this brief review il is
manifest that the nation is resolutely facing
to the front with resolution to employ its
best energies in the development of the great
possibilities of the future, sacredly preserv-
ing whatever has been gained to liberty and |
government during the century. Our people !
are determined to leave behind them all those
bitter controversies, concerning things which /
can only stir up strife and delay the onward !
march. The supremacy of the nation and its /
laws should be no longer subject Of debate |
that dlscuSSlo which for half n century /
threatened the existence of the Union was |
closed at last in the high court of war hy /
decree from which there is no appeal--that
tbs Constitution and laws made in pursuance /
thereof, shall continue to be the supreme law /
of the land, binding alike on 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-govern-
ment but it does tx and establish the perma-
nent supremacy of the Union. The will of he /
nation, speaking with the voice of battle, and /
through the amended Constitution, has full
filled the great promise of 1776 by proclaim
ing Liberty throughout all the land, unto all /
the inhabitants thereof"
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 Con- /
stitution of l775. No thoughtful man can
fail to appreciate its benefcent effects upon
our people; ii has freed us from the perpetual !
danger of war and dissolution; it has added
immensely to the moral and industrial forces
of our peoples it has liberated the master, as
well as the slave from a relation which
wronged and enfeebled both it has surren-
dered to their guardianship the manhood of
more than Eve million people, and has opened
to each one of them career of freedom and
usefulness; it has gwen new inspiration to
the power of self-help in both races by max
ing 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 this great
change has caused serious disturbance 10 our
Southern community; this is to be deplored
Though 1t was unavoidable; but those who
,ka1A h. al,.,,,l IL
der our institutions there was no middle
ground for the negro between slavery and
equal citizenship. There can be no permanent
disfranchised peasantry in the United States
freedom can never yield its fullness of bless
ings as long as the law or its administratio ton
places'the smallest obstacles IN the pathway
of any virtuOus citizenship. The emaneipa.
ted has already made remarkab
progress; with unquestionable devotion 10 :
the Union, with patience and gentleness not !
born of fear, they have followed the light !
as God gave them 10 see the light" they are !
radidly laying the material foundations of
widening the circle of intelli- :
gence, and beginning to enjoy the blessings :
that gather around the homes of the industri- =
Gus poor. They deserve the generous en- :
of all good men. SO far as nv =
authority can lawfully extend, they shall en- :
Joy the full and equal protection of the Con- :
stitution and laws.
The free enioymnt of equal suffrage is still / !.
IN question, and frank statement of the issue !
may aid its solution. 1t is alleged that in many
communities negro Citizens are practically | =
ienled the freedom of the ballot n SO far a.
he truth of this allegation is admitted tits an
'wered that in many places honest local gov
,rnment is impossible if the mass of uneduca- "
ed negroes are allowed to vote. These are v
grave allegations. So far the latter is true y
t is no palliation that can be offered for op- a
posing the freedom of the ballot. Bad local o
government is certainly great evil, which q
ught to be prevented, but to violate the free q
lom of suffrage is more than an evil; it is a Z
rhine, which if persisted IN will destroy the .
Government itself, and suicide Is not a RENE Z
Iy. If In other lands it be high treason ito "
compass the death of the King it should be a
counted no less crime here to stranple our b
overeign power and stife its voice II has e
'een said that unsettled questions have no el
,ity for the repose Of nations" It should ba.I
aid with the utmost emphasis that this oues- 81
ion Of suffrage will never give repose or safe r.
y to the States or to the nation until each "
Vithin its own jurisdiction, makes and keeps Il
he ballot free and pure by the strong sane dl
ions of law. But the danger which arises a.
rom ignorance in the voter can not be denied. h
covers field far wider than that of negro
ufrage and the present condition of that race a
is a danger that turks and hides in tbe
ources and the fountain of power in every
tate. We have no standard ny which to meas
re the disaster that may be brought upon us
y Ignorance and vice in citizens, when Joined Ia
D corruption and fraud in suffrage The va
Frs OF the Union, who make and unmake Con- II
tItutions, and upon whose will bang the des Il
my of our Governments, can transmit their n
HPtouo auIHoFlty 10 no successor, save the L
omlng generation ofvoters, who are sole heiro r
sovereign power. If that generation comes :
} its inheritance, blinded by ignorance and N
orrupted by vice, the fall of the Republic will I
e certain and remediless. The census has al u
eady sounded the alarm in appalling figures oi
hleh mark how dangerously high the tide ofI i
llteraey has arisen among our voters and L
leir children,
10 The South the question is of supreme i'm n
ortance, but the responsibility for the exist
nee OF slavery does not rest upon the South
one. The nation itself is responsible for the
Ltension OF suffrage, and is under special OBJ Of
cations to aid in removing the iliiteraov
hich it has added to the voting population,
orth and South alike. There is but one reme-
!; all the constitutional power of the nation c,
States and all the volunteer forces of the p
sople, should be summoned to meet this dan