The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-15
CLEvELAND'S INAUGURAL.
A Manly, Honest and Straightforward De-
liverance-Let Every body Read It.

My FELLOW CITIZENS In obedience
to the mandate Of my countrymen, l
am about to dedicate myself to their
service under the sanction of a solemn
oath. Deeply moved by the expression
of confidence and personal attachment
which has called me to this service, l
am sure my gratitude can make no
better return than the pledge I now
give, before God and these witnesses,
of unreserved and complete devotion
to the interests and the welfare of
those who have honored me.
I deem it fitting on this occasion,
while indicating opinions I hold con-
cerning public questions of present
importance, to also refer to the exis-
tence of certain conditions and ten
dencies among our people which seem
to menace the integrity and usefulness
of their government.
While every American citizen must
contemplate with the utmost pride
and enthusiasm the growth and ex-
pansion of our country, the sufficiency
of our institutions to stand against the
rudest shocks of violence, the wonder
full thrift and enterprise of our free
government, it behooves us to con-
stantly watch for every symptom of
insidious ipfirmity that threatens our
national vigor. The strong. man, who
in the confidence Of sturdy health,
courts the sternest activities of life and
rejoices in the hardihood of constant
labor, may still have lurking near his
vitais, unheeded, the disease that dooms
him to sudden collapse.
It cannot be doubted that our stu
pendous achievements as people and
our country's robust strength, have
given rise to heedlessness of those laws
governing our national health, which
we can no more evade than human
life can escape the laws of God and
nature. Manifestly nothing is more
vital to our supremacy as a nation and
to the bene6cent purposes of our gov
ernment than a sound and stable cur
rency. Its exposure to degradation
should at once arouse to activity the
most enlightened craftsmanship; and
the danger of depreciation in the pur-
chasing power of wages paid to the
toilers, should furnish the strongest in
centive to prompt and conservative
PERCEPTION. In dealing with our pres
ent embarrassing situation as related
to this subject, we will be wise if we
temper our confidence and faith in our
national strength and resources with
the frank concession that even these
will not permit US to defy with i'm
punity inexorable laws Of finance and
trade. At the same time in our efforts
to adjust differences of opinion we
should be free from intolerance or pas
sion, and our judgment should be un-
moved by alluring phrases and un-
vexed by selfish interests.
I am confident that such approach
to the subject will result in prudent
and effective remedial legislation. In
the meantime, so far as the executive
branch of the government can inter-
yene, none of the powers with which it
is invested will be withheld when their
exercise is deemed necessary to sustain
our national credit or avert national
financial disaster.
Closely related to the exaggerated
confidence in our country's greatness,
which tends to the disregard Of the
rules of national safety, another danger
confronts US not less serious. refer to
the prevalence of a popular disposition
to expect from the operation of the
government especial and direct indi-
vidual advantages.
The verdict of our voters, which con-
demned the injustice of maintaining
protection for protection's sake, en-
Joins upon the peoples servants the
duty of exposing and destroying the
brood of kindred vevils which are the
unwholesone progeny of paternalism.
This is the bane of republican institu-
tions and the constant peril of our
government by the people. It de-
grades to the purpose Of willy craft the
plan Of rule our fathers established and
beoueathed to US as an object of our
love and .veneration. It perverts the
patriotic sentiment Of our countrymen
and tempts them to the pitiful calcula-
ton of sordid gain to.be derived from
their governments maintenance. 1t
undermines the self-reliance of our
people and substitutes in its place a
dependence upon governmental fav-
oritism. It stiles the spirit of true
Americanism and supplies every en-
poblirg trait of American citizenship.
The lessons OF paternalism ought to be
unlearned and better lesson taught,
that while the people should patrioti-
cally and cheefully support their gov
ernment, its functions do not include
the support Of the people.
The acceptance of this principle leads
+o tho refnsal of bounties and subsidies,
which burden the labor and thrift Of a
portion of our citizens, to aid iil-ad-
vised or ianguishing enterprises in
which they have no concern. 1t leads
also to challenge Of the wild and reck-
less pension expenditure, which over
leaps the bounds Of grateful recogni-
ton of patriotic service.and prostitutes
to vicious uses the peoples prompt and
generous impulse to aid those disabled
in their country's defense. Every
thoughtful American must realize the
importance of checking atits beginning
any tendency in public or private