Year: 1866




INAUGURAL ADDRESS.


We are entering upon new epoch in
our history. The period of struggle for
pational existence is ended, and we have
celebrated our thanksgiving to God fol
delive;ance. The wal administrations OF
both Nation and State have gone by, and
we have begun an era of peace with 'ts
new duties and new responsibilities We
have proven that our Government is
strong enough to resist the most formid-
able efforts to DESTROY it by force, and we
are now to show whether It has such
vitality that it can assimllate the different
elements comprised under It's rule. and
hermonize the antsgoulsms necessarily
remaining after so fierce strlf"


For years all our energies aud our re
sources have been devoted to the pie
duty Of subduing great rebellion and
what was demanded of us was undaunted
courage and obstinate determination :
concentrating our will and our power
upon the single purpose before us, and
refusing to be turned aside for any other
bject till that was thoroughly accom-
plished. Flow we have pit of the hat-
ness Of war; the grand army which saved
the republic is disbsnded; its veterans
have been absorbed into the mass of their
fellow citizens, and all are now inteEtly
studying the problem Of changing a
Union restored by force, into one whose
permanence shall be guaranteed by mu'
tual good will aud common interests. and
be based upon universal freedom and
genuine rephblicanism. To do this will
demand qualities of head and heart quite
as high as any that have been called into
exercise hitherto, and if we succeed in
finding the solution we seek, we shall
| prove that the victories of peace are far
greater than those of war. On the one
hand are the dangers Of receiving into
full participation in the Government those
who have been stalking everything upon its
overthrow, and ugsn the other, the obi
CATIONS we are under to the whole world
to adhere to those docttines of democratic
'libertyG and equality which lie at the
foundation Of ur.system; while our rela
lions to the unfortunate African race,
whose slavery we have abolished, and
whose freedom we are sacredly bound to-
protect, come in 10 compllcate both
lclasses Of difficulties.


! Congress and the President are now





lat work upon the details, of complete
restoration of civil government in the
States lately rebellious, and watching
theft progress with the most earnest hope
that they may speedily agree upon al
national policy which shall thoroughly ac'
cord with the highest interests of the
whole land. I do not regard this al
proper time to discuss specific measures
which are before our Fedora Legislature
and authorities, but all our public acts in
our State organizations. as well as in onr
National capacity, must be more or less
modified by circumstances shaped by the
great war in which we have been engaged,
and it seems necessary, therefore, as,
preparation for every species Of public
duty, that Ne should look with special
care at any dangerous tendencies the war
may have developed, and recall the gen.
eral principles which should guide our
action as servants of the people.


1t is IN the excitement of great
struggle that The instlt"tions Of a country
are in the most danger Of change, and
perhaps no nation has ever passed through
such convulsipn as ours and then re-
turned to the principle OF government
and exact from of constitution which ltI
had before The maxim that revolutions
do not go backward, has seemed tohave
even wider and deeper siguihcance than
has been popularity given to it. The
same law Of progression which has made
the convul>ions of monarchical governi
ments tend towsrd the development OF
popular liberty, has in republics too often
led to a despotism Of classes or of fac
licns, and thehce by easy stages to ansr-
chv and utter disruption. A victorious
majority, flushed with lis triumph, finds
it easy to forget the rights of minorities
and it remains for us to prove whether,
in our day the old cry Of "Wos to the
conquered may be silenced by truly |
republican determination to administer
the Government for the real advantage Of
all-of the defeated rebels as well rs 81
the loyal victors.


The war was not waged by us. who
remained faithful TO the Government, to
subvert any Of the principles Of human