Year: 1861

INAUGURATION OF GOV. PETTUS


The Inauguration OF Gov. Pettus occurred o
Monday last The two Houses having met il
JOINT convention, at u o'clock, the Governo
entered, accompanied by the Justices of tn
high court, and the joint committee of arrange
sments. The Rev Robert Mclean Sena
tor-ofered an impressive and appropriate
prayer, after which Governor Pettus delivered
the following


INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


Gentlemen the Senate and House Of Representatives


Called by the suffrage of my fellow-eitizens
to the administration Of public affairs, for sec
ond term, l appear before you to renew my
pledge of fidelity to the Constitution, in the ex-
ercise of the power and trust conferred upon me.


While grateful to my countTymen for this
renewed expression of their confidence, it is with
no feigned difidenoe that ] assume the position
they have assigned me, and enter upon the dis
charge of the duties of an Office, rendered dOubly
important, by the circumstances which now sur
rOund the State.


If peace and prosperity blessed our country.
as formerly, and the blunders Of those who adj
minister in official positions, could only result
in temporary dimunition of that prosperity ligh,
would be their responsibilities compared with
those Of the present, when all the fruits of our
first revolutionary struggles are put to the hazard
of the terrible game of war; aud if won for us,
ii must be by the combination which won them
for our fathers the wisdom Of statesmen, the
valor Of soldiers and the patient foTtitude Of the
whole people


When defeat brings death TO the best and bra
vest in our land, and worse than death to those
who merely survive, reckless must be the man
who assumes to play any prominent part in this
desperate game without more than ordinary so
licitude; that sohcitude is deepened by the re-
hection that our enemies entered upon this war
OF invasion, favored by many advantages hav-
ing much the largest share Of the arms and ammu-
uitions of war. which were the common proper
~ of all the States, and almost the entire navy
Of the old confederacy, with their ports open
to the commerce Of the world, enabling them
TO supply any deficiency in arms or smmunitions;
with superior numbers Of men capable Of bear
ing arms.


These advantages, if wisely used, win make
this war bloody and protracted, and enable them
TO inhict much suffering on the Confederate
States


As yet, they seem only to have inflated the
pride, which is said to 90 before destruction,
and excited the naughty spirit which precedes
fall


If our enemies shall be taught wisdom by the
defeats they have suffered, and learn 10 bring
wisely to bear the advantages they possess
while they may protract the struggle and intiiet
much injury the ultimate conquest Of the Con
federate States must still be beyond their power.


Their superiority of arms is overreached by
our superiority in skill in the of them, their
superiority in numbers is more than equaled by
the higher courage Of our troops their desire for
conquest must give way before the stern resolve
of patriots to defend their homes, and above all,
that sentiment of victory or death which burns
iE the hearts and blszes in the eyes Of southern
troops, which has and viii continue TO overcome
greater odds than can be brought against in the
conflict, cannot be inspired in the hearts OF the
selfish and soTdid race with which we now con-
tend. Il was OF this Napoleon spoke when he
said " the moral of the army IS thTee-fourths Of
the war, the material the other fourth" This is
the principle in human action which has made
earth's most memorable battle field, and against
it superior numbers as vain now as when Them
istocles struck for the liberties Of Greece as vain
AT Manassas and LeesbuTg as at Platea and Ma
rathon, and upon this l have relied and sill rely
with unshaken confidence for the. triumph and
freedom of our country.


The low, sordid selhshness which induced them
to disregard their obligations under the old Con-
federaey and impelled tHem recently to flock to
the standard under which they were promised
easy victory and rich booty, will not permit
them to patiently bear the boOtless hardships Of
a barren campaign or give their lives to make





that banner victorious, under which they mus
tered for plundeT


Weighing fairly the motives which actuate
Iei II is not unreasonable 70 expect that, instead
of easy triumph and rich spois, they meet with
stern resistance, they viii continue in the future
AS they have in the past battles to illustrate by
their actions the words Of one Of the statesmen
which their race has produced; i" This is not the
entertainment to which we'weTe invited


If by the light of history we compare the p-in-
ciples which impel to action the belligerents in
this conflict the result indicates clearly the uti-
mate triumph of our arms, though the war should
be more prOtracted and bloody than any which
the continent has known. That this hoped for
result may be realized, shall be my ceaseless
care. bringing to It's accomplishments all the
powers which have been or may be conferred
upon me.


Nor need make any solemn protestation in
this regard, for ! speak in the presence Of those
who know that they have the same guarantees
of fidelity which the owners Of the ship have for
the Watchful care OF the captain when thousand
miles from land.


If the ship is lost the captain goes with it., if
our cause is lost all who hold big places in the
Southern States, must perish first in It's tall.


Nor is this peril impending only over those IA
high places. One common destiny awaits us a'lr
and IN view of that common danger, let private
yriefs and political aspirations be awed into ST.
lenee until the united action of all her citizens
shall have saved the State from the blackest des-
potism which ever crushed the spirit Of a free
people That united action, prompt vigorous
and bold, is demanded this hour, and l VIII not
waste It In words, for even now, while l speak
10 YOU here in al human probability, the war
Gland is casting its shadow over cOntending ar
mics in Western Kentucky, the guns of our kim
dred flashing defiance in the faces Of invading
thousands. and the red rain Of battle once more
watering the dark and bloody ground. Let MS
not be idle spectators; the times demand Of the
men of this day to do, to dare and to suffer
HELPLESS posterity calls on them TO protect their
birthright of liberty. Let US show ourselves
equal 70 the requirements, and when called TO
take our place in the pale caravan for the tomb,
we may turn and wave adeu to the generation
which comes after rs with proud consciousness
that we have done our duty 20 God, cur coun-
Try and to them.


Chief Justice Smith then administered the oath
Of Office after which the joint convention was
dissolved.