Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-05-03

mentS, no separate NloWS. no party
animOsities, will mlsdirect the com
prehenslye and equal eye which
ought to watch over this greet as,
semblage Of communities and in
terests, so, on another, that Tue
foundations of our national policy
will be laid in the pure and i'm.
mutable principles of private NOR
ality, and, the pre-eminence OF free
government he exempliied by all
the attributes which can win the
affections of its citizens ana com
mand the respect OF The world. |
dwell on ibis prospect with every
satisfaction which an ardent love
for my country can Inspire, since
there is no truth more thoroughly
established than that there exists
in the economy and course OF nature
an indissOluble union between
virtue and happiness, between duty
and advantage, between the gen.
uine maXims of an honest and
magnanimOus policy and the solid
rewards of public prosperity and
felicity since we ought to be no
less persuaded that the propltious
smiles of Heaven can never he ex
pected on nation that disTegards
the eternal rules Of order and right
which Heaven itself has ordained,
and, since the preservation OF the
sacred fire Of liberty aud the des-
tiny of the republican model of
government are justly considered
as deeply, perhaps as finally, stalk
ed on the experiment intrusted to
the bands of the American people.
THE ELECTIONS.
Besides the ordinary objects
submitted to your care, it will re-
main with your judgment to decide
how far an exercise of the occa.
sional power delegated by the fifth
article of the constitution is rem
dered eXpedient at the present
juncture by the nature of the objec.
tons which have been urged
against the system, or by the
degree of luquietude which has
given birth to them. Instead of
undertaking particular recOmmen-
datiOns on this suject, in which it
could be guided by no lights de-
rived from official opportunities, |
shall again give way to my entire
confidence in your discernment and
pursuit Of the public good, for /
assure myself that wnile you care.
fully avoid every alteration which
might endanger the benefits Of
united and effective government,
or which ought to await the future
lessons of experience. reverence
for the characteristic rights OF
freemen and regard for the public
harmony will sufficiently influence
your deliberations on the question
how far the former can be more
impregnably fortified or the latter,
be safely and advantageOusly pro
noted.
SALARY DECLINED.
To the preceding observations
have one to add which will be most |
properly addressed to the House |
of Representatives. 1t concerns !
myself, and will, therefore, be as
brief as possible. When | was
first honored with q call into the |
service of my country, then on the |
eve of an arduOus struggle for its
liberties, the light in which ! con
templated my duty required that !
should renOunce every pecuniary |
compensation. From this resOlu-
ton | have in no instance departed,
and being still under the impress
sions which produced 1t, | must de-
cline as inapplicable to myself any
share in the personal emOluments
which may he indlspensably IN
cluded in a permanent provision
for the executive department, and
must accordingly pray that the
pecuniary estimates tor the station
IN which | am placed may, during !
my ontinuance IN ii, be limited to
such actual expenditures as the
public good may be thought TO re-
quire.
BASIS OF SUCCESS.
Having thus impaired to you my
sentiments az they have been
awakened by the occasion which
brings us together, shall take my
present leave, but not without re-
sorting once more to the benign
Parent OF the human race IN hum
ble suppllcation that, since He has
been pleased to favor the Amer
lean people with opportunities for
celebrating IN perfect tranquility,
and dispositions for deciding with
unanimlty on form
of government for the security OF
their union and the advancement
of their happiness, so His divine
may be equally consplc-
uous in the enlarged views, the
consultations, and the
wise measures on which the sue
cess Of this government must de-
mend.