The Portland daily press., 1885-03-05
TAKING THE OATH.
AN Impressive Ceremony President
CIeveIand's Address.

swathed in bunting for week, and flags were
flying in all directions. The morning wal
iair. 1t was estimated that hundred thous
and strangers were in town.
At about 10 O'Clock Senators Sherman snd
hanson called upon Mr.. Cleveland at the
arlington. and soon afterward escorted him tt
the White House. Senator Hawley presently
arrived with Mr.. Hendricks, and at II O'Clock
President Arthur and the President and Vice
President-elect were escorted to the capitol by
the United States troops the marine CORPS
| and the district volunteers
/ President Arthur and his Cabinet occupiad
5ne residents room at the capitol, where the
legislation of the closing hours OF the admin.
lstration was considered and completed. Mr.
| cleveland and Mr.. Hendricks were taken to
the Vice Presidents room.
i When all was ready Mr.. Hendricks was
summoned to the Senate chamber, where the
| oath OF office was administered to him BY the
acting president of the Senate, in the presence
| Oh the Senators and Representatives, the Sn-
preme Court, the diplomatic corps, heads
Oh departments and other distinguished visit
ors The august assembly then proceeded
shfousn the rotnnda to the platform, which
oad been erected before the central portico of
| the east front of the capital
Inc scene on the east front Of the capitol
was an animated one. Before the time fixed
~ WIG nA1ifaA VI tn0 procession from the SEN
ate few privileged guests had been allowed
| admission to the platform. Large flags were
spread along the front of the railings where
the new President was to speak. The columns
OF the portico were also draped with flags. In
the area IN front of the Inauguration stand
from an early hour thousands of people had
Deen present, who were pressing toward the
| stand to catch some word from the lips of the
Fresident-elect. They formed solid mass Of
| races Beyond them was the military and the
4 riding n q nd 4nIr
open Tor the uniformed procession that was 90
| pass. On the outside of this little channel in
| the vast mass OF people, there was a fringe of
people stretching almost to the confines of the
capitol reservation, none of whom could hear a
WORD from the main stand and all of whom
| with difficulty could see. 1t was estimated
that over 10000 people occupied that large
| area. The statue of Gen. Washington stood
directly opposite the place where Cleveland
spoke, snd some street urchins seated them
| selves upon the statue.
On reaching the portico the President and
| Presldent-elect took the seats reserved for
bhem, Inc Chlef Justice on their right and the
| sergeant-at-arms OF the Senate on their left,
ana oIher distinguished witnesses of the inaug-
uratlon occupied the seats assigned to them.
When summoned to take the oath of ofina
| Mr.. Cleveland said:
The Address.
Fellow Citizens,-In the presence of this
| vast assemblsge of my countrymen am about
| to supplement and seal by the oath which I
| snail take, the manifestation .of the will of a
| great and free people. In the exercises OF
| their power and right of self-government. thev
have committed to one of their fellow-citizsns
supreme and sacred trust, and he here con-
socrates himself to their service. This impress
slVe ceremony adds little to the solemn sense
of responsl bility with which I contemDlata
the duty owe to all the people OF the land.
Nothing can relieve me from anxiety lest bv
any act Of mine their interests may suffer, and
nothing is needed to strengthen my resolution
to engage every faculty and effort in the nro,
motion of their welfare
Amid the din of party strife the peoples
choice was made, but its attendant circum-
stances have demonstrated anew the strength
and safety OF government by the people In
eacn succeeding year 1t more clearly appears
tRat our democratic principle nee Is no apoloev
and that in its fearless and faithful application
IS to be found the surest guarantee of good
government. But the best results in the oper-
atlon OF government where every citizen has
snare, largely depend upon the proper linn
ltation OF purely partisan zeal and effort, and
correct appreciation of the time when the
neat OF tue partisan should be merged into the
patriotism OF the citizen. Today the executive
branch of the government is transferred to
new keeping, but this is still the government
OF all the people, and it should be none the
less an object Of affectionate solicitude at this
nour. The animOsities of political strife the
DltterHess OF partisan defeat and the exultation
OF partisan triumph should be supplanted by
an ungrudging acqniescence in the ponuIar
Will ana sober, conscientious concern for the
general veal Moreover, If from this hour we
cheertuly and honestly abandon all. sectional
prejudice and distFust and determine, with
manly confidence in one another, to work cut
harmonioosly the achievement of our national
destiny, we shall deserve to realiZe ali the
benefits which our happy form of government
can bestow.
On this auspicious occasion we all may well
renew the pledge OF our devotion to the Consti-
tuition which, launched BY the founders of the
republic and consecrated by their PRAYERS and
patriotic devotion, has for almost century
borne the hopes and the aspirations of a great
people, through prosperity and peace, and
througn the shock OF foreign conflicts and the
perlls OF domestic strife and vicissitudes By
the Father of his Country our Constitution
was commended for adoption as the result of
spirit OF amity and mutual Concession, In
that same spirst it should be administered, in
order 10 promote the lasting welfare of the
country and 10 secure the full measure of its
priceless benefits to us and to those who will
succeed to the blessings of our national life
Inc large variety of diverse and competing
interests subject to federal control and per-
slstently seeking the recognition of their
claims, need give us no fear that the greatest
good to the greatest number will fail to be ac-
complished if in the halls of national legisla-
ton that spirit OF unity shall prevail in which
the Constitution had its birth. If this involves
oA0 ouAA0AuoI VI FOSIpOH0moQG OF private n
terests and the abandonment OF local advan
tsges, compensation will be found in the assur-
ance that thus the common interest ia
subseEved and the general welfare advanced.
In the discharge OF my official duty, shall
endeavor to be guided by just and unstrained
construction of the Constitution, careful OBJ
servance OF the distinction between the powers
granted to the federal government and those
reserved to the States, or to the people, and bv
a cautious appreciation of those functions
which DV the COnSf!EutiOp nd 10
especially assigned to the executive branch of
the government. Bat he who takes the oath
to-day to preserve, protect and defend the Com
stitntlon OF the United States only assumes
the solemn obligation which every Datriotic
citizen on the farm, in the workshop. in the
busy malts of trade and everywhere should
share with him. The Constitution
which prescribes his oath, my country
men, IS yours The government you have
chosen him to administer for a time is
yours. The suffrage which executes the will
OF freemen is yours. The laws and the entire
scheme OF our civil rule, from the town meet
ing to the State capitols and the national capi-
tol, IS yours Your every voter, as surely as
your cnlet magistrates, under the same high
sanction though in different sphere, exercis-
es public trust. Nor is this ALL Every citi-
zen owes to the country vigilant watch and
close scrutiny of its public servants and fair
ana reasonable estimate OF their fidelity and
usefulness. Thus is the peoples will impress-
ed upon the whole framework of our civil noli.
cy, municipal, State and federal, and this ia
the price OF our liberty and the inspiration of
our faith in the republic
1t Is the duty of those serving the people in
public places to closely limit public expendi-
lures to the actual needs of government, eco
nomically administered, because this bounds
the right OF the government to exact tribute
from the earnings of labor or from the proper
" OF the citizen, and because public extrava-
gance begets extravaganza among the people,
we should never be ashamed of the simplicity
and the prudent economies which are best
suited to the operation of a Republican form
oil government and most compatible with the
mission OF the American people. Those who
are selected for limited time to manage the
AFFAIRS are still of the people, and may do
mucn py their example to encourage, consist
emily with the dignity of their official func-
lions, that plain way of life which among their
Fellow citizens aids integrity and promotes
thrift and prosperity.
The genius of our institutions, the needs of
our people in their home life and the attention
which is demanded for the settlement and de-
velopment of the resources of our vast terri
Tory, dictate the scrupulous avoidance OF any
departure from that foreign policy commended
Dy the history, the traditions and the prosper
lty OF our republic. 1t is policy of ndepend-
ence favored by our position and defended by
our Known love of justice and by our power.
IL IS policy of peace suitable to our interests,
a War.fs -