Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-03-06
THE INAUGURATION ADDRESS.

President Harrison on the Important
Questions of the Hour.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 4.-Gen.
Harrison, after taking the oath of office,
read his inaugural from the east portico
of the capitol. It was as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: There no constitutional
or legal reQuir ement that the president shalltake
the oath of office in the presence OF the people.
But there is so manifest an appropriateness in
the public Induction to office of the Chief execu
tive officer of the nat on that from the beginning
OF the government, the people, to whose service
the official oath cOnsecrates the officer, have been
called to witness the solemn ceremonial. The
oath taken in the presence OF the people becomes
mutuaa covenant. The of5cer covenants TO
serve the hhole body OF the people by faithful
execution OF the laws. 20 that they may be the
unfailng defense and security Of those who
respect and observe them, and that neither
wealth, station nor the power of combination
shall be able to evade their just penalties or to
wTest them from beneticent public purpose to
serve the ends of cruelty or selhshness. NY
promise is spoken; yours unspoken-but not the
less real solemn. The people of every stats
have here their representatives surely do not
misinterpret the spirit of the occasion. when
nant with me and with each other to-day
to support and defend the constitution
willing obedience % all the laws aud each to ev
cry other citizen his equal civil and political
rights. Entering thus soemnly into covenant
with each other, we may reverently invoke and
confidently expect the favor and help of AL
mighty God-that He will give to me wisdom.
strength and fidelity, and to our people spirit
peace.
This occasion derives peculiar interest from
the fact that the presidential term, which begins
this day, is the Goth under nstitution. The
first Inauguration of President Washington took
place in New York where Congress was then
sitting, on the S0th day of April, 1889, having
organization of the Congress and the
canvass OF the electoral vote. Our peo-
pie have already worthiy observed the centen-
mails of the declaration of independence, OF
the battle of Yorktown, and OF the adoption of
the constitution; and will shortly celebrate in
New York the institution OF the second great de-
partment of our constitutional scheme of gov
eminent. When the centennial of the inslitu-
ton of the Judicial Department by the organ
izatiOn of the supreme court shall have been
suitably observed, as trust it will be, our ma
ton will have fully entered its econd century.
will not attempt to note the marvellous, and,
try as it steps over the threshold into its second
century Of organized existence under the consti-
tuition, and that weak but wisely order cd ?onng
nation that looked undauntedly down the first
century, when all Its years stretched out before
1t.
Our people will not fail at this time to recall
the incidents which accompanied the institution
of government under the constitution, or to find
inspiration and guidance III the teachings and
example OF Washington and his great associates,
and hope and courage in the contrast which
thirty EIGHT popu0us and prosperous states offer
to the thirteen states, weak In everything except
courage and the love of liberty, that then fringed
our Atlantic seaboard
The territory of Dakota has now population
greater than any OF the original states [exceDt
Virginia), and greater than the aggregate OF five
OF the smaller states in 1890 The center of pop
uation, when our national ca ptal was located.
was east OF Baltimore. and 1t was argued by
many well-in formed persons that il would move
eastward .uther than westward. Yet in 1880 it
was folnd 10 be near Cincinnati, and the new
census, about TO be taken, will show another
stride to the westward. That which the
come
nations robe.
But our growth has not been limited to terri
tory, population and aggTega @ wealth, marvellous
as 1t has been in each OF those directions. The
masses of our people better led, clothed and
housed than their fathers were The facilities
for popular education have been vastly enlarged,
and more generally dltiused. The virtues of
courage and patriotism have given recent proof
of their continued presence and increasing pow
in the hearts and over the lives OF our people.
The Influences of religion have been multiplied
and stIengthed The sweet offices Of charity
have greatly increased. The virtue of temper
ance is held in mig her estimation. We have not
attained al ideal condition: not all of our peo
pie are happy and prosperous-not all of them
are viftuous anG law-abiding. But on the whole,
the opportunities off red To the individual to Sc
cure the comforts OF lie are better than found
elsewhere and largely better than they were 100
years ago.
The surrender OF large measure OF sovereign
| ty TO the general government, effected by the
adoption of the constitution, not accom-
plished until the suggestions OF reason were
strongly reinforced by the more imperative voice
of ex perience.
The divergent interests of peace speedily de-
manded a more perfect union. The merchant,
| the shpmaster ana the manufacturer discovered
| and disclosed to our statesmen, and 10 the peo-
| pie, that commercial emancipation must be add
! ed to the political freedom which had been so
| brayely won. The commercial policy of the
| mother country had not relaxed any Ct its hard
| and oppressive features. To.hold in check the
to, prevent or retard the estab-
| lishmenr and growth of manutac-
lures in the states, and 80 TO secure
| the American market tor their shops, and the
| carrying trade tor their ships was the policy OF
| European statesmen, and was pursued with the
| most selfish yigor. Petitions poured in upon
Congress, urging the imposition of discriminate
/ ing duties that should encourage the production
| of needed things at home. The patriotism of
| the people, which no longer found field of ex-
| ercise in war. was energetically directed 10 the
| duty OF eGulpplDg the young republic for the
defense of Its independence by making its people
| self dependent. Societies for the promotion of
| home manufactures and for encouraging the use
| of dOmestcs in the dress of the people were Or
| gained in many OF the states.
The revival at the end OF the century of the
| same patriotic interest in the preservation and
| development of domestic industries, and the de-
| tense OF our working people against INJURIOUS
| foreign competition, is an incident worthy of
attention It is not departure, but a return,
| that we have witnessed. the protective policy
| had then its opponents. The argument was made
classes or sections. If the question became in
| any sense or at any time sectional, it was only
because slavery existed in some OF
| the states. But for this, there was no
reason why the cotton producing states
should not have led or walked abreast with the
| New England states in the production of cotton
| fabrics. There was this reason only why the
E.ates that divide with Pennsylvania the mineral
| treasures of the great Southeastern and central
mountain ranges, should have been so tardy in
bringing to the smelling furnace and 60 the mill,
the coal and iron from their near opposing hill
sides. Mill fires were lighted at the funeral pile
of slavery. The emancipation proclamation vas
heard in the depths OF the Garth, well as in the
| sky-men were made free and material things
became our better servants.
The sectional element has happily been elm
mated from the tariff discussion. We have no
longer states that are necessarily only planting
states. None are excluded from achieving that
Investigation of pursuit among the people
which brings wealth and contentment. The cot
| ton plantation will not be less valuable when the
| product is spun in the country town by opera
tives whose necessities call for diversified crops,
| and create a home demand for garden and agri-
| cultural products. Every new mine, furnace and
factory is an extension of the productive capac-
ity of the state real and valuable than added
territory. Shall the prejudices and paralysis of
| slavery continue TO hang upon the skirts of
progress? How long will those, who reoice that
slavery longer exists. cherish and tolerate Ihe
| incapacities 1t put upon their communities?
l look hopefully to the continuance of our
| protective system and to the consequent devel-
| opment of manufacturing and mining enter