The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1961-01-26
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Full Text GvenvN~M
President Kennedy's Inaugural Address

Following is the text of Presi-
cent John f. Kennedy's inaugu-
al address:
My fellow citizens:
We observe today not a victory
Of party but a celebration OF
freedom - symbolizsng an end
IS well as a beginning signl-
flying renewal as well as change.
Fer / have worn before you
and Almight God at the same
solemn oath our forebearers
prescribed nearly a century and
three quarters ago.
The world is very different
now. For man holds in his NOR
al hands the power to abolish
all form Of human poverty and
10 abolish all form Of human
life. And yet the same revolu-
tionary beliefs for which oul
forebearers fought are still at
ISSUE around the globe = the
belief that the rights of man
come not from the generosity
Of the state but from the hand
of God.
We did not forget today that
we are the heirs of that first
revolution. Let the word go forth
from this time and place, to
friend and foe alike, that the
torch hes been passed to a new
generation of Americans - born
in this century, tempered by
war, disciplined by a cold and
bitter peace, proud of our ancient
heritage - and unwilling to wit
ness or permit the slow undoing
of those human rights to which
this nation has always been
committed. and to which we are
committed today.
Let every nation know, whe-
Their it wish us we'll or i'll, that
we shall pay any price, bear
any burden, meet any hardship,
support any friend or oppose
any foe in order to assure the
survival and success of liberty.
This much we pledge - and
more.
To those old allies whose Gull
tural and spiritual origins we
share. we pledge the loyalty of
feithful friends. United, there is
little we cannot do in a host of
new cooperative ventures. Divid-
ed, there is little we can do =
for we dare not meet a power
full challenge at odds and split
asunder.
To those new states whom we
now welcome to the ranks Of
the free, we pledge our word
that one form of colonial control
shall not have passed merely to
be replaced by a far more iron
tyranny. We shall not always
expect to find them supporting
our every view. But we shall
always hope to find them strong
ly supporting their own freedom
= and to remember that. in the
past, those who foolishly sought
to find power by riding on the
TIERS back inevitably ended up
inside.
To those peoples in the huts
and villages of half the globe
struggling to break the bonds
of mass misery, we pledge our
best efforts to help them help
themselves, for whatever period
is required = not because the
Communists are doing it, not be-
cause we seek their votes, but
because it is right. If the free
society cannot help the many
who are poor, it can never save
the few who are rich.
To our sister republics south
of our boder, we offer a special
pledge = to convert our good
words into good deeds = in a
new alliance for progress = to
assist free men and free govern
ments in casting off the chains
of poverty. But this peaceful
revolution Of hope cannot be-
come the prey of hostile powers.
Let all our neighbors know that
we shall join with them to oppose
aggression or subversion any
where in the Americas. And let
every other power know that
this hemisphere intends to re-
main the master of its own
house.
To that world assembly of
sovereign states, the United Ma
tons, our last best hope in an
age where the Instruments of
u1or have far on n 2 r. RI