The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-03-08
HARRlSON'S INAUGURAL.
Tile Presidents Views Upon I'm.
portant Public Questions.
Discussing the Tariff, Civil Ser.
vice, the Surplus, Etc.
The following is the inaugural address d

There is no constitutional or legal require
ment that tho President shall take the oath
OF office in the presencs of the people. But
there is SO manifest an appropriateness in
the public induction to office of tho chief
executive officer of the nation that from the
beginning Of the Government the people, to
whose service the Official oath consecratas tina
officer, havo been called to witness the sol.
emn ceremonial. The oath taken in
the pressncs of the people become:
covenants to s5rve the whole body of
tho people by a faithful execution of Che
laws, SO that they may be the unfaiiing de-
fence and security OF those who respect and
observe them, and that neither wealth and
station nor the power of combinations shall
be able to evade their just penalties or to
wrest them from benaficent public purpose
to serve the ends of cruelty or sefishness.
MY promise is spoken; yours uuspoken.
but not the less real and solemn. The
people of every State have their repre-
sentatives Surely I do not misin.
when l assume that the whole body of ths
psop.e covenant with me and with each other
to-day to support and defend the Constitu-
ton and the Union of the States, 20 yield
willing obedience to all the laws, and each to
every other citizen his equa! civil and po.iti-
cal rights. Entering thus so!emnly in COW
enant with each other, we may reverently
invoke and confdentially expect the favo:
and help of Almighty God-that He will
give to me wisdom, strength and fidelity, and
to cur people spirit of fraternity and love
OF righteousness AMI peace.
This occasion derives peculiar interest from
the fact that the Presidential term which be-
gins this day is the twenty-sixth under our
Constitution. The first Inauguration of
PRESIDENT Washington tooS pace in New
York, where Congress was then sitting, on
the Both day Of April, 1859, having been de-
ferred by reason of delays attending the or
ganization of the Congress and tho
canvass OF the electoral vote. Our
people have already worthily observed
the centennials of the Declaration of
Independence of the battle of Yorktown,
and of the adoption of thu Constitution; AMI
will shortly celebrate in Nov York the in
stltution OF thu second great spartms OF
our Constitutions scheme of Government
When the centennial of the institution of this
judicial Departm ant, by the Organization OF
the Supreme Court, shall have heen suitably
observed, as I trust it will be, our nation
will have fully entered its second century I
Will not attempt to note the marvellous AMI,
in great part, happy contrasts between our
country as 1t steps over the threshold into its
second century Of organized existence under
the Constitution, and that weak but wisely
ordered young nation that looked undaunt-
eddy down the first century. when all its
| years stretched out before it. Our people will
not fail at this time to recall tbs incidents
which accompanied tho institution of gov
eminent under the Constitution. or tie
teachings and example OF Wash
ington AMI his great associates,
and hope and courage in Che contrast which
thirty eight popalous and prosperous States
offer to the thirteen States, weak in every
| thing except courage and the love of liberty
that then frlnged our Atlantic seaboard.
The Territory of Dakota has now popu-
lation greater than any of the original
States except Virginia.. and greater
than the aggregate of five of the smaller
States IN 1850. The centre OF popula-
ton, when our National Capital was
located was east of Baltimore and it was
argued by many wellinformed persons that it
would move eastward rather than westward
Yet in 1880 it was found to be near Gin
ciEaati, and the new censds about to be
taken will show another stride to tine West.
ward. That which was the body has come
to be only the rich fringe of the nations
robe. But our growth has been limited to ter
ritory,. population, and aggregate wealth,
marvellous as it has been IN each of those
directions. The masses of our people are better
fed, clothed and housed than their fathers
were. The facilities for popular education
have been vastly enlarged aud more general
ly diffused. The virtues of courage and pa
triotism have given recent proof of their con-
tinued presence and increasing power in tbs
hearts and over lives OF our people. The in
\
strengthened. The sweet Offices or charity
have greatly increased. The virtue of tsm-
perence is held in higher estimation.
We have not attained an ideal condi-
ticn. Not all of our people are happy and
prosperous; not all OF them are virtuous AMI
law. abiding But, on the whole. ths oppor
tunitiss offered to the individual to secure
the comforts of life are batter than ara found
elsewhere, and largely better than they were
here one hundred years ago.
THE TARIFF POLICY.
The surrender of large measure Of sovs-
regnty to the general Governments, effected
by the adoption of the Constitution, was not
accomplished until the suggestions of reason
were strongly reinforced by thu more inn
perative voice of experience. The diver GENT
interests OF peace spec lily deman led
more perfect union" The merchant,
the ship.masSer, AMI tho manufacturer
discovered and disclosed to our states
men and to the people that COM
merciat emancipation must be addel to the
political free 1om which hal been so bravely
won. The commercial policy OF the mother
country had nos relaxed any of its hard and
oppressive features. 10 hold in caecS the de-
velopnent OF our comm ,rcial marine, to pre-
vent or retard the establishment and growth
OF manufactures in the States. AMI 50 to Sc
cure the American mirne for thar shops
and the carrying trade for Their ships, was the
policy OF European statesmen, all was DUR
sued with the most selfish vigor Petitions
poured i'll upon Congress, urging the imposi-
zion of discriminating duties that should
encourage the roiucGlon of nee led things at
home The patriotism of the people, which
no longer found q field OF exercise in war,
was energeticaily directed to the duty OF
equipping thu young republic for the defense
OF its Independence by making its people
self dependent. Societies for ths promotion
of home Tanufacs ures and for encouraging
the use of domestics in the dress of the peo-
pie were organized in many OF the States.
The revival at the enl of tho century of
the same patriotic interest in the preservation
and development of domestic industries, AMI
the defence of our working people against
injurious foreign competition is an incident
worthy of attention. 1t is not a departure.
but n return that we have witnessed. ThS
protective policy had then its opponents
The argument was male. as now, that its
benefits Injured to particular classes or sec
lions. If the question became in any ssnse,or
at any time sectional, it was only because
slavery existed in soaie OF this States. But
for this there was no reason why the cotton
producing States should not have led or
walked abreast with the Nsw England States
in tho production of cotton fabrics. There
was this reason only why the States that di-
vide with Pennsylvania the mineral treas
ures of the great southeastern and central
mountain ranges should have been so tariv
in bringing to the smelling furnaces and
the mill, the coal and iron from. their near