The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-03-07
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS,
benjamin Harrison Makes His Initial Adj
dress rs President.

dress rs President.
There is no constitutional or legal re-
quirement that the president shall take the
oath of Office in the presence of tho peope
But there is so manifest an appropriateness
in the public induction to office of the chiet
executive officer Of the nation that from
the beginning of tho 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 be-
comes a mutual covenant-the officer GOV.
enants to serve the whole body of the
people by faithful execution
OF the laws, so that they may be
neither wealth, station, nor the power OF
combinations shall be able to evade their
just penalties or to wrest them from a ben.
efcent public purpose to serve the ends OF
cruelty or selfshness. My promise is
spoken; yours unspoken-but not the less
have here their representatives. Surely ]
do not misinterpret the spirit of the occa.
sion when assume that the whole body OF
the people covenant with me and with each
other to-day to support and
DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION
and the union OF the states, to yield willing
obedience to all the laws and each, to every
other citizen his equal civil and political
rights. Entering thus solemnly into cove
nant with each other, we may reverently
invoke and confidently expect the favor
and help Of Almighty God-that He will
give to me wisdom, strength and fidelity,
and to our people spirit of fraternity and
love OF Righteousness and peace.
This occasion derives peculiar interest
from the fact that the presidential term,
which begins this day, is the twenty-sixth
under our constitution: The first Inaugural
ton Of President Washington took place in
New York, where congress was then sit.
having been deferred by reason Of
delays attending the organization OF
the congress and the canvass of the
electoral vote. Our people have already
worthlly observed the centennials 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 department Of our constitutional
scheme of government. When the centen.
NAL Of the institution Of the judicial de.
partment by the organization of the su-
preme court shall have been suitably OBJ
s'orvod, as l trust it will be, our natiou will
have fully entered it's second century.
will not attempt to note the marvellous and
in great part happy contrasts between our
country as it steps over the threshold into
its second century of organized existence
under the constitution and that weak but
wisely ordered young nation that locked
rndauntedly down the first century, when
all its years stretched out before it.
Our people will not fail at this time to re
call the incidents which accompanied the
institution of government under the con-
stitution, or to find inspiration and guild
ance In the teachings and example Of
Washington and his great associates, and
nope and courage in the contrast which
thirty-eight populous and prosperous states
offer to the thirteen states, weak in every
thing except courage ard the love Of lib
erty that then fringed our Atlantic sea-
board.
THE TERRITORY OF DAKOTA
has now population greater than any Of
;he original states Except Virginia), and
=reater-than the aggregate of five Of the
smaller states in 1890. The center of popl,-
tatlon, when our national capitol was To-
Gated, was east of Baltimore, and it was
argued by many well-informed persons
that it would move eastward, rather than
westward. Yet in 1880 it was found to be
near Cincinnati, and the new census about
to be taken will show another
STRIDE TO THE WESTWARD.
That which was the body has come to be
only the rich fringe Of the nations ribs.
But our growth has not been limited to ter
marvellous Us It has been In each Of those
directions. The masses of our people are
better fed, clothed aid housed than their
fathers were. The facilities for popular
education have been vastly enlarged and
more generally diffused. The virtues of
courage and patriotism have given recent
proof OF their continued presence and in
creasing power, in the hearts and over the
lives Of our people. The influences of re-
ligiOn have been multiplied and strength
ened. The sweet Offices of charity have
greatly increased. The virtue of temper
ance is held in higher estimation. We
have not attained an ideal condition. Not
all OF our people are happy and prosperous:
not all OF them are virtuous and law-abid-
ing. But, on the whole, the opportunities
offered to the individual to secure the COM
forts of life are better than are found else
where, and largely better than they were
here one hundred years ago.
The surrender of large measure of
sovereignty to tho general government ei-
fected by the adoption of the constitution
was not accomplished until the suggestions
OF reason were strongly reinforced by the
more imperative voice of experience.
The divergent interests of peace speedily
demanded Q "more perfect union" The
merchant, the ship master and the manu-
facturer discovered and disclosed to our
statesmen and to the people that CONNER
cial emancipation must be added to
THE POLITICAL FREEDOM ~. .
which had been so bravely won. The COM
mercixl policy of the mother country had
not relaxed any Of its hard and oppressive
features. To hold in check the develop
ment of our commercial marirl,, to prevent
or retard tho establishment and growth Of