Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-03-12

Jefferson-"Peace, commerce and hon
est friendship with all nations; en-
tangling alliance with none"
A due regard for the interests and
prosperity Of all the people demand
that our finances shall be established
upon such sound and sensible basis
as shall secure the safety and conf
dence of business interests and make
the wage of labor sure and steady;
and that our system of revenue shall
be so adjusted as to relieve the peo-
pie from unnecessary taxation, having
a due regard to the interests of capt.
tai invested and workingmen employ
ed in'lAmerican industries, and pre-
venting the accumulation Of surplus
in the treasury to tempt extravaganza
and waste. Care for the property of
the nation, and for the needs of fu-
ture settlers, require that the public
domain should be protected from pur-
Joining schemes and unlawful occupa-
ton. =.
The conscience Of the people de-
mands that the Indians, within our
boundaries, shall be fairly and hon.
estly treated as wards of the govern
ment, and their education and civili-
cation promoted, with view to their
ultimate citizenship; and that polyg-
amy in the territories, destructive of
the family relation and offensive to
the moral sense OF the civilized world,
shall be suppressed. The laws should
be rigidly enforced which prohibit
the immigration Of q servile class to
compete with American labor, with
no intention of acquiring citizenship
and bring with them and retaining
habits and customs repugnant to our
civilization.
The people demand reform in the
administration Of the government and
the application Of business principles
to public affairs. AS means to this
end Civil Service Reform should be
in good faith enforced. Our citizens
have the right to protection from the
incompetency of public employees who
hold their places solely as the reward of
partisan service and from the corrupt
ing influence of those who promise,
and the vicious methods of those who
expect such rewards. And those who
worthily seek public employment have
the right to insist that merit and com
potency shall be recognized instead of
party subservience or the surrender
Of honest political belief.
In the administration Of a govern
ment pledged to do equal and exact
justice to all men, there should be no
pretext for anxiety touching the pro-
lection of the freedmen in their rights,
or their security in the enjoyment of
their privileges under the Constitu-
ton and its amendments. All dis
cussion as to their fitness for the
place accorded them as American cit
liens is idle and improbable, except
as it suggests the necessity for their
The fact that they are
citizens entities them to all the rights
due to that relation and charges them
with all its duties, obligations and
responsibilities.
These topics, and the constant and
ever varying wants of an active and
enterprising population, may we'll re-
ceive the attention and patriotic en-
deavor of all who make and execute
the federal law. Our duties are prac-
tical. and call for industrious appli-
cation, an intelligent perception Of
the claims of public office, and above
all, firm determination, by united
action, to secure to all the people of
the land the full benefits of the best
form of government ever vouchsafed
to man. And let us not trust to hui
man effort alone; but humbly ac-
knowledging the power and goodness
of Almighty God, who presides over
the destiny of nations, and who has
at all times been revealed in our
country's history, let us invoke His
aid and His blessing upon our labors.
Just as Cleveland finished, Chief
Justice Waite stood up. A young
man handed him a small morocco
covered, gilt-edged Bible. 1t was a
well-worn volume, the gift of the
mother of Grover Cleveland to her son
before he left home as a young man.
The Chief-Justice repeated the oath
of Office. Mr.. Cleveland raised the
book to his lips, kissed it, and was
President.
After taking the oath of office, Pres
ident Cleveland reviewed the process
sion, which Was the largest even seen
in Washington. 1t took three hours
for it to pass given point, and the
number Of men in line is estimated at
from $4,000 to 10000. The Mary
land and Virginia troops met with an
enthusiastic reception.