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

Amid the din Of party strife the
peoples choice was made; but its at
tendant circumstances have demon
strated anew the strength and safety
Of a government by the people. In
each succeeding year it more clearly
appears that our democratic princi-
pie needs no apology, and that in its
fearless and faithful application is to
be found the surest guaranty OF good
government.
But the best results in the opera
ton of a government, wherein every
citizen has a share, largely depend
upon a proper limitation of purely
partisan zeal and effort, and correct
appreciation of the time when the
heat Of the partisan should be merged
in the patriotism of the citizen.
To-day the executive branch Of the
government is transferred to new keep.
ing. But this is still the government
of all the people, and it should be
none the less an object of their affec.
tionate solicitude. At this hour the
animosities of political strife, the bit.
terness of partisan defeat and the ex.
ultation Of partisan triumph should
be supplanted by an ungrudging &C.
quiescence in the popular will and @
sober, conscientious concern for tht
general veal. Moreover, if, from THU
hour, we cheerfully and honestly
abandon all sectional prejudice an6
distrust, and determine, with manly
confidence in one another, to work
out harmonionsly the achievements O
our national destiny, we shall deserve
to realize all the benefits which oul
happy form of government can be-
stow.
On this suspicious occasion we may
well renew the pledge of our devotion
to the Constitution, which, launched
by the founders of the Republic, and
consecrated by their prayers and pa
triotic devotion, has for almost a CEN
fury borne the hopes and the aspira.
tions Of a great people through pros.
perity and peace, and through the
shock of foreign conflicts and the per-
lis Of domestic strife and vicissitudes.
BY the Father of his Country our
Constitution was commended for adop-
ton as "the result Of spirit of ami
ty and mutual concession" In that
same spirit it should be administered,
in order to promote the lasting well
fare Of the country, and to secure the
full measure Of its priceless benefits
to us and to those who will succeed
to the blessings of our national life.
The large variety of diverse and com
peting interests subject to federal con-
troll, persistently seeking the recogni-
ton Of their claims, need give us no
fear that "the greatest good to the
greatest number will fail to be ac-
complished IT, in the halls of national
legislation, that spirit of amity and
mutual concession shall prevail in
which the Constitution had its birth.
II this involves the surrender or
postponement of private interests
and the abandon:n Int of local advan-
taees, compensation will be found in
the assurance that thus the common
interest is subserved 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 a care
full observance of the distinction be-
tween the powers granted to the fed
eral government and those reserved
to the state or to the people, and by a
cautious appreciation Of those func-
tions which, by the constitution and
laws, have been especially assigned to
the executive branch of the govern
ment.
But he who takes his oath to-day
to perserve, protect and defend the
Constitution of the United States, only
assumes the solemn obligation which
every patriotic citizen, on the farm,
in the workshop, in the busy marts OF
trade and everywhere, should share
with him. The Constitution which
prescribes his oath, my countrymen,
is yours; the government you have
chosen him to administer for a time
is yours; the suffrage which executes
the will Of freeman is yours; the laws
and the entire scheme of our civil rule
from the town meeting to the State
capitols and the National capitol, il
yours. Your every voter, as surely
as your chief magistrate, under the
same high sanction, though in diff.
ferent sphere, exercises public trust
Nor is this all. Every citizen owes tc
the country a vigilant watch and
close scrutiny of its public servants
and fair and reasonable estimate o.
their fidelity and usefulness. Thus il
the peoples will impressed upon tn,
whole framework of our civil policy
municipal, State and federal-and THU
is the price of our liberty and inspira
ton of our faith in the Republic.
1t is the duty Of those serving tn,
people in public place to closely limi
public expenditure to the actual need
Of the Government economically adj
ministered because this bounds tn,
right Of the Government to exact tri
butte from the earnings or labor, or the
property of the citizen, and because
public extravaganza begets extrava.