The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-03-09
DEMOCRACY REICNs!
Cleveland and Stevenson lnaug-
urated President and Vice
President of the United
States.
THE CEREMONIES OF AN IMPOS-
ING CHARACTER DESPITE A
BLINDINC SNOW-STORM.
Witnessed by 10000 of Their Fellow
countrymen-a Eaesslorabss

by 10000 OF Their Fellow
countrymen-a Faealorab!s
occasic.s.
We are indebted to tie enterprising
Roanoke Eoening u of Saturday
last. for the followi1, interesting ac-
count of the Inaugural ceremonies,
which took place in Washington on that
dav, during the prevalence of binding
snow storm, accompanied by high wind.
Capitol Hill, as far as the eye could
reach. from the eastern front OF the Cap
itol. was an undulating sea OF humanity,
assembled to witness the administering
of office to the new President by the
Chief Justice of the United States, and
to hear, as many of them as could get
within ear shot, the inaugural address,
When Mr. Cleveland arose he said:
My FELLOW CITIZENs:-In obedience
to the mandate of my countrymen, l am
about to dedicate myself to their service
under the sanction of the solemn oath.
Deeply moved by the expression of con-
fidence and personal attachment which
has called me to this service, l am sure
that my gratitude can make no better
return than the pledge now give before
God and these witnesses of my unre-
served and complete devotion to the in>
terests and welfare of those who have
hOnored me.
81 deem it fitting on this occasion
while indicating the opinions hold con-
corning the public questions of pres
ent Importance to also briefly refer to
the existence of certain conditions and
tendencies among our people which seem
to menace the integrity and usefulness
of their government. While every Amer
can citizen must contemplate with the
utmost pride and enthusiasm the growth
and expansion of our country, the suffi-
cheney of our institutions to stand against
the rudest shocks of violence, the won-
derful thrift and enterprise of our people
and the demonstrated superiority of our
free government, it behooves us to con-
stantly watch for every symptom of in
sduous infrmity that threatens our
national vigor.
1.-The strong man who, in the conf
dence of sturdy health courts the stern
est activities of life and rejoices in the
hardihood of constant labor, may still
have lurking near his vitals UNDECIDED
disease that dooms him to sudden col
lapse.
cit can not be doubted that our stu
pendous achievements as a people, and
our country's robust strength have given
rise to heedlessness of those laws govern
ing our national health, which we can
no more evade than human life can es-
cape the laws of God and nature.
"Manifestly nothing is more vital to
our supremacy as a nation and to the
beneficent purposes of our government
than a sound and stable currency. Its
exposure to degradation should at once
arouse to activity the most enlightened
craftsmanship; and the danger of de-
probation in the purchasing power of
the wages paid to toll should furnish
conservative perception.
''In dealing with our present. embar
RAISING situation as related to this sub
ject we will be wise if we temper our
confidence and faith in our national
strength and resources with frank con-
cession that even these will not permit
us to defy with impunity inexorable
laws of finance and trade.
''At the same time, in our efforts to
adjust the differences of opinion We
sion, and our judgments should be I'M
moved by alluring phrases and unvexed
by selfish interests.
81 am confident that such an 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 intervene, none
of the powers with which it is invested
will be withheld when their exercise is
deemed necessary to maintain our ma
tional credit or avert financial disaster.
"Closely related to the exaggerated
confidence in our country's greatness,
which tends to a disregard of the rules
of national safety, another danger con-
fronts us, not less serious. | refer to the
prevalence of the popular disposition to
expect from the operation of the govern
ment especial and individual advantages.
"The verdict of our voters, which con-
demned the injustice of maintaining
protection for projections sake. enjoins
upon the peoples servants the duty of
exposing and destroying the brood of
kindred evils which are the unwhole-
some PROGENY of paternalism. This is
the bane of Republican institutions and
the constant peril of our government by
the people. It degrades to purposes of
willy craft, the plan of rule our fathers
established and bequeathed to us as the
object of our love and generation.
cit perverts the patriotic sentiment of
our countrymen and tempts them to a
derived from their government mainte-
nance. 1t undermines the self-reliance
of our people, and substitutes in it's
place a dependence upon governmental
favoritism. 1t stiles the spirit of true
Americanism and Supplies every ena>
bling trait of American citizenship"
When the address was finished, amid
cheers that seemed only to grow more
excited each time, Mr.. Cleveland turned
to the Chief Justice of HE own creation
and said to him: II am now prepared to