The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-03-07

Senator Ingalls,, the members of the diplo-
matte corps, the heads Of departments, the
general Of the army and the admiral of the
navy, members of the house of representa-
tives, led by ex-Speaker Carlisle and GEN.
john B. Clark, the ex-clerk of the house, and
them, the distinguished guests and
others who had occupied seats in the senate.
The procession proceeded through the ro-
tunda of the capitol, through the main en-
trance on the east front and out upon the
great platform which had been erected on
the central portico. AS the president and
the president-elect appeared, they were
greeted with cheer after cheer from the
dense throng that surrounded the platform.
The steps and the porticos at the north and
south ends Of the capitol were black with
people, while every window of the great
building framed a group of faces.
When all had been settled, the president
elect rose and the chief justice administered
TO him the oath of office The great crowd
on the platform rose and remained standing
with uncovered heads during this ceremony.
As the president bowed mis- head and kissed
the open book, the crowd cheered again and
again. Turning from thethief justice to the !
little rostrum that had been erected in front
of the stand, President Harrison began de-
livery Of his inaugural address.
He said:
"There is no constitutional or legal re-
quirement that the president shall take the |
cath of office in tho presence of the people. |
But there is so manifest an appropriateness |
in the public induction TO office of the chief |
executive officer of the nation that from the |
beginning of the government Of the people, |
to whose service the official oath consecrates |
the officer have teen called to witness the
solemn ceremonial. The oath taken in the
presence of the people becomes mutual
covenant, the officer covenants to serve the
whole body of the people by a faithful execu-
ton of the laws, 50 that thsy may be the un-
failing defense and security of those who re-
spect and serve them, and that neither
wealth, station nor the power of combina-
tions shall be able to evade their just penal
ties or to wrest them from a beneficient pub
lie purpose to serve the ends of cruelty or
sefishness.
''My promise is spoken; yours unspoken-
but not the less real and solemn. The people
of every state have here their representa-
tives. Surely | do not nisinterpret the
spirit of the occasion Yaen assume that the
whole body of tho people covenant with me
and with each other to-day to support and
defend the constitution and the union of
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 covenant 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 fratern-
ity and a love Of righteousness and peace
"This occasion derives peculiar interest
from the fact that the presidential terms
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 sitting,
on the 30.h day of April 1889, having been
deferred by reason of delays attending the
organization of the congress and the canvass
| of the electoral vote Our people have al
| ready worthily observed the centenniads of
| the Declaration of Independence, of the bat
| tie 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 centennial of the
institution of the judicial department, by the
| organization of the supreme court, shall
| have been suitably observed, as | trust it will
| be, our nation will have fully entered its sec
| ond century.
| al 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 exist
| encc under the constitution and that weak
but wisely ordered young nation that looked
| undauntedly 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 in
| stitution of government under the constitu-
| ton or to find Inspiration and guidance in
the teachings and example of Washington
aud his great associates, and hops< and cour-
agc in the contrast which thirty Eht popu-
Il lous and prosperous states oifer To the thir-
teen states weak in everything except cour-
age and the love of liberty, that then fringed
our Atlantic seaboard.
The territory of Dakota has now popu-
lation greater than any OF the original
states, except Virginia, aud greater than the
aggregate of five of the smaller states in
1870 The center ot population, when our
National capital was located, was east OF
Baltimore, aui IL WAS argued by many well
| informed pegans that it world move cast
ward rather thun westward. Yet i'll 1880
. | IL was fsund to be near Cincinnati, and In
the new census about to be taken, VIII show
another stride TO the westward. That when
was the body has come to be only the rlch
fringe of the Nations robe. But cur growth
) has not boon limited TO territory, population
| and aggregate wealth, marvellous as 1t has
been in each of these directions.
I 1.-THE masses of our people are better ied'
clothed and housed than their fathers were.
Tho facilities for popular education have
; been vastly enlarged and more generally
+ diffused. The virtues of courage and patrlot-
I. ism have given receut proof OF their conth
: uod presence and increasing power in tue
| hearts and over the lives our people. lh'
: | influences of religion have been multiplied
| and strengthened The sweet offices o
. | charity have greatly increased. The Vrtu'
of temperance is held in higher estimauon
+ | We have not attained an ideal condition
Il Not all of our people are happy and prosper
d ous. not all of them are virtuous anu la"
= | abiding: but ON the whole, the opportunitle
N | offered 20 the individual TO secure the com
forts of life are better than are found eise
i, where, and largely batter than they wer
= here one hundred years ago.
y ''The surrender of large measure OF SOW
e ereignty TO the general government, etecse'
n by the adoption of the constitution, was no
4 accomplished until the suggestions OF relso
!, were reinforced by the more imperatv
"a voice of experience. The divergent lnteres'
OF peace speedily demanded more perfec
union. Tho merchant, the ship-master an
u the manufacturer discovered and disclose
10 our statesmen and 20 the people that con
81 mercial emancipation must be added 10 u
y, | political freedom which had been 50 bravei
" won. The commercial policy OF the mothe
country had not relaxed any of its hard an
;, oppressive features.
il "To hold in check the development Of ou
y commercial marine, TO prevent or retard Il
establishment aud growth of manufacture
,r the states, and 50 TO secure the Amsrlca
: market for their shops and the carryfn
= = trade for their ships, was the policy Of Eur
Oh pean statesmen and was pursued with I'll
TO most selfish vigor. Petitions poured in upo
nj congress, urging the imposition OF di
Mt eliminating duties that should encourage q
e. production of needed things at home, II
~ | "a Rcpf4St "hAS" Ae sStG
i. found a field of exercise in war, was enc
ne geticaliy directed to ths duty OF equippn
rs the young republic for the defense OF
+. Independents 10y making its people seit-d
pendent -
ng ssocieties for the promotion of home man
81 factares and for encouraging the use OF q
he mestics in the dress of the people were
int ganized in many of the states. The reviN
nj the end OF the century OF the same pat
a. otic interest in the preservation ana deV
Va opnent of domestic industries, and the I
fci,se of our working people against inlnrie
Ia foreign competition, Is an incident worthy
SUI attention. Il is not departu ture, but q
turn that we have Witnessed
snt lie then urges the necessity OF aInena'
our naturalization and immigration laws
US as 10 admit only those who will not be a y
den upon our people.
the In his foreign policy he says that :
should neither fail 10 respect the flag OF =
ors friendly nation or the just rights OF its c
zous nor TO exact tha like treatment OF I
z<s.. Ealnaess.. Justice and eonsiderat