The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-06

not by our own purpose or desire 70 II
moro. active assertion Of our rights as
We see them and a more I'm m edinto
association with the great struggle
itself Eut nothing viii after our
thought or our purpose They ara
too clear IN he obsrured They ar" too
Hnou1v roDtel w he principles Of our
national life TO he altered We desire
neither conquest nor ADVANTAGE We
wish nothing that can no had oriv at
TIE cost az another pcon,e We have
always aro'eSsod rnsn1feh purpose
aud We cnvot 'he opportunity tn prove
|ha' orr notifications nro SirC"r"
There are many thlnns stir 20 40
AZ Norpe to clarity our own politics
a,d give new vitality 70 tho 1n'ustr' 7
nro"o~s~s 81 our own Nc and we
shall DO them as time and onpor-
+unt'v sorve, hut we rea'iyA that the
greatest th'nes that rer7afr - b" done
r0us' he done with the whota worlG
for s'7re and in co-or"ra'ion with
, the ridn and univerea' forcos ~ man
ti01 md we are making our sr'rts
ready for those things They will
, How in the immediate wake ~ the
war i'self and Will cot civilyot ton up
soain. We are provinc'als no LONGER
tn" trsp7cs' events ~ the thirty
months OF VITAL turn ofi through which
We have inst passed, hnva made us
citizens Of the world. There can he
no turning hack. Our own fortunes
as nation Bre involved, whether VIC
would have Il so or not. ...e
Ana yet s-e are not the less Arneri
cans on that account We shall
Tho more American II We but romai ;
true to the principles in which W.
have been bred. They are VT, the
principles Of a province or a single
continent. We have known an
| boosted all along that they we'c t',~
principles of a liberated mankind.
These, therefore, are the things we
stand for. whether in war or IN peace.
What America Stands For.
That all nations are equally inter
ested In the peace OF the world n r.
in the political stability Of free peo-
pies and equally responsible for Their
maintenance.
That the essential principle Of .teace
is the actual equality OF nations III
ali matters OF right or privilege
That peace cannot securely or Just
ly rest upon an armed balance ~
power
That governments derive ali their
Just powers from the consent % the
SpNtt HIA anu thhL NO OiHeI IlpWFFH
should be supported by the common
thought purpose or power OF tho
family Of nations.
That the seas should ne equally
free and safe for the use OF all peo-
pies. under rules set up by common
agreement and consent, and that. 50
FAR as practicable. they should be ac-
cessible to all upon equal terms.
That national ornaments shoL'd be
limited to the necessities of naronh
order and domestic safety.
That the community of interest sn6
OF power upon which peace must
henceforth depend imposes upol each
nation the duty of seeing to Il that
all Influences proceeding from IT. OWE
citizens meant to encourage or assist
revolution in other states should be
sternly and efTectually, suppre>scA and
prevented
! need not argue these principles
70 you, my fellow -countrymen, the,
are your own. part and parcel OF your
own thinking and your own n ot,v
IN affairs They spring up rnttvn
amongst us. Upon this Us a piA form
Of purpose and of action we stand
together.
And 1t Is imperative that we should
stand together We are being forged
into new unity amidst the fires that
now blaze throughout the world IL
their ardent heat I'VE. shall in God +
providence, let us hope, be purRu5 Of
faction and division, purified o. tn,
errors and humors OF party and of
private interest, and shall stand forth
in the days to come with new dlg
nifty Of national pride and spirit Let
each man see TO IL that the delica-
ton Is In his own heart the high
purpose Of the nation in his own
mind, ruler OF his own Will and desire
l stand here and have taker the
high and solemn oath to which you
have been audience because the peu
pie OF the United States have chosen
me for this august delegation of pow
er and have by their gracious tude-
mont named me their leader In at
fairs, ! know. now what the task
means. | realize to the fun the re-
sponsibllity which II involves ] pray
God l may be given the wisdom and
the prudence 10 do my duty in tn.
true spirit OF this great people.
am their servant and can succee3 only
as they sustain and guide me by their
confidence and their counsel The
thing I shall count upon. the thine
! without which neither counse. nor &C
ton will avail, Is the unity of America
AN America united In feeling, In
purpose and In Its vision of duty, OF
opportunity and of service.
| We are to beware OF all men who
would turn the tasks and the necesst.
| ties of the nation to their own pri
| vats PROFIT or use them for the build,
Ing up az private power; beware tina,
no faction or 6isloyal intrigue treal
the harmony or EN- barrass tho spirit
of our people; beware that our gov.
eminent be kept pure and incorrupt
In all lis parts. United alike In the
] conception OF our duty and IN the
high resolve TO perform ii in the fac.
:. ct. all meR. let. .iAs dedleate. ourselves
TO the great task to which We must
now set our hand For myself | bee
your tolerance. your countenance. and
your united aid The shadows that
now lie dark upon our path will soon
be dispelled and VIC shall walk with
the light all about us If we but be
true to ourselves--to ourselves ms wa
have wished To be known In the coun-
sells OF the world and In the through
OF all those who love. liberty and ius-
tice and the right exalted.