St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-03-14

tive men. In front, stretching Irolu JIG
extreme northern to the extreme southern
limits of the Capitol building and east
ward from the portico to Fifth or olx69
streets, southwest, the crowd was packed
closely together. A least hundreo tnou-
sand people were there. IL was s!gnI
the magnitude of which was never before
witnessed in Washington.
| At half-past twelve the President-elect,
| ACCOMPANIED by President Arthur was es-
| corted to the platform by the Committee
| of Arrangements. When the immense
throng caught sight of him the air Tor
several minutes was filled with the Wild
est shouts.
The President-elect at sign from
! Senator Sherman, arose and with uncoV-
cred head, began the inaugural address:
| FELLOW CITIZENSHIP the presence of this
| vast assemblage of my countrymen, l am
! about to supplement and seal by the oabn a
which shall take, the men aoe IN the ex
| ercise of the power and right of self govern
| ment, they have committed to one OF Ineir
| fellow citizens a supreme and sacred tru5G,
! and he here consecratas himself to their
| service. The impressive ceremony adas
little to the solemntty. OF the respQnslpaltty
with which contemplate the duty owe 70
| all the people of this land. Moth z can re-
lieve me from anxiety about ther
interests, lest by my neglec' Is 'h gn.d i ad
to Strengthen my resolution to
engage every faculty and effort in the, pro,
| motion of their welfare. Amid the DIN or
party strife the peoples choice was made,
| but It's attendant circumstances nave Gem
onstrated a new strength and safety OF gov
! eminent by the people In each succeeding
wear it more clearly appears that. our
Democratic principles need no apo!qgyI
and that in it's fearless anu Ialt I1d.
anplication is to be found the surest guar
anty OF good government. But the pest re-
suits in the operation of q government IS
where every citizen has snare, largely uS-
pend upon the proper lhaitatlon OF purely
partisan zeal and effort anu corfect appre-
citation of the time when the heat OF the par,
tisan should be merged in the PATRIOTISM Oh
1 To-day the Executive branch of the Gov
eminent is transferred to new keeping, out
| this is still the Government OF the people,
and should be none the less the object OF az
| fectionate sollcitude. At this hour, animosl-
ties political strife, bitterness OF partisan
should be supplanted by acquiesence in the
popular will and sober, consclenTlous
concern for the. general veal, ; MORE
over if from this hour we cneetIu4Iy,
and honestly abandon all sectional
prejudice and distrust, and determine with
manly confidence in one another TO WORK
harmoniously for the achievement OF our Na;
tionaI destiny, we shall deserve to feailze all
the benefits which our happy form OF gov
eminent can bestoW. n
renew the pledge of our devotion to the Con:
stitution, which, launched by the Iounuers OF
the republic, and consecratga oy LneIr
century borne the hopes and aspirations OF
| a great people through prosperity ana peace,
and through the shock T1icissites
| By the father of his country our ConsIlIutlon
was commended for adoption as the 'resutG
| of a shirt of anitY and equal concessions.
! TnIthat samelspirit it should be administered,
in order to promote the lasting welfare OF the
country and insure the full measure OF ITS
priceless benefits to us and to those
who will succeed to the blessings of our ma
tionaI life. The large variety OF DIVERSE
and competing interests, subject TO fedefat
control persistently seeking recognition OF
their claims, need give US no fear that the
stgreatest good to the greatest number WIN
| fail to be accomplished, II in the nails OF Ma,
! tional legislation that spirit or aInlGy anu
! mutual concession shall prevail, in which the
Constitu ton had its birth. Ii this involves
the surrender or postponement o. prlVate
interests, and the abandonment of local al :
yantages, compensation will be found IN the
assurance that thus the common in,
terest is subseryed and I'd me genera sTn al
nv oficiaI duty I shall endeavor to be
| guided by Just and unstratned constfuc-
Jion of the Constitution, care t}1a ooserTs
| granted to the Federal government ana
those reserved to the States or to the people,
f1nctions which BY the Constitution and
laws have been especially assigned TO the
Executive Government. But he VINO taxes
fend the Constitution of the United States
onIv assumes a solemn obligation which
every patriotic citizen on farm IN W0TKsho p
in busy marts OF trace anu everywhere
should share with him -.
The Constitution, which prescrlbes his
oath, my countrymen, 1s yours; the Govern.
ment you have chosen him to administer for
! a time is yours; the suffrage which executes
: the will OF free men is yours, the laws ano
entire scheme of our civil rule, from the
town meeting to the State captols, and Ma
} as surely rely as your Chief Magistrate
under a6S tbo the sam de 1gh sphoFs
: exercises public trust. Nor is this all
Every citizen owes to the country Vigllani
: watch and close scrutiny of its pubic ser
, wants and fair and reasonable estimate O.
his fidelity and usefulness. Thus IS the PEG
1 pies will Impressed upon the whole frame
work in civil poltty1municipa state ihe a4G
| and the inspiration of our faith in the Re
: public 1t is the duty of those serving thu
) people in public places to closely li I'M
: nal needs Of the Goyernm es.1
bounds the right OF the Goyer9m leh TO ex t
= prosperity of the citizens, and because pub
Il lie extravaganza begets extravaganza amon
e the people. We should never be ashamed o
a simplicity and prudential economies, whicl
are best suited to the operations OF a repub
lican form of government, ana most com
II patible with the mission Oh Gne American
u =, Those who are selected for a limited tim
: to manage public affairs are, still of the PEG
n pie, and may do much by their example t.
It encourage, consistently with the dignity Q
y their Official functions, that plain way of life
u which among fellow citizens aids .integrit
- and promotes thrift and prosperity Tn
d genius of our institutions ana the needs
/ the people in the home life, and th
! attention demanded for the settlement an
e | development of the resources of GU
J. vast territory dictate a scrupulous avoid
4 ance OF any departure from that smpl
- policy commended by the history and trad
~ i oT1AA iAn TNr0a
is the policy of independence favored by OF
:. position, and defended by our known love {
: Justice, and by our power; it is thespoltcy
V peace. suitable toourinterests ;ftlisithe polio