Year: 1872

PRESIDENT JOHNSON, and number of
his predecessors based the success OF thelr
administrations upon a purely Legisldltc-
basis. They held that the Executive du-
ties were too insignificant to achieve. re-
nown, and therefore staked their success
upon legislative policy. President Grant
in his inaugural address defined the
proper Constitutional sphere of the Ex-
ecutive power; and he did it so concisely
and completely that nothing can be added
or omitted to advantage. The primary
duty of the President is the faithful exc
cution of all laws. Thus the executive
power is within its sphere coordinate
with Congress, and can never be made
too strong, because it represents the arm
of the Government-the will of the ma
ton legally expressed. The power TO
recommend is secondary and incidental.
The Executive enjoys this right in CON-
mon with all other citizens He partici-
pates in the legislation of the country
only through the veto power, which a
President should exercise upon great
questions, only in rare instances, and for
ample cause.


We propose herewith to give the first
two paragraphs of the inaugural address,
which contains more substance to the
same number of words than any similar
document with which we are acquainted:


"Citize,ts ofthe United States: Your suffrages
having elevated me to the Office of President
of the United States, have, in conformity
with the Constitution of our country, taken
the oath of office prescribed therein. have
taken this oath without mental reservation,
with the determination to do to the best of
my ability all that it requires of me. The
Office has come to me unsought. l COM
mence its duties untrammeled. / bring to it
q conscientious desire and determination to
fill it to the best of my ability and to the
satisfaction of the people.


"On all leading questions agitating the
public mind will always express my views
to Congress, and urge them according to my
judgement; and, when think IL advisable,
will exercise the constitutional privilege of
interposing a veto to defeat measures which
oppose. But all laws will be faithfully ex-
ecuted, whether they meet my approval or
not. / shall ON all subjects have policy to
recommend, but none to enforce against the
will of the people. Laws are to govern all
alike, those opposed to as well as those who
favor them. / know no method to secure
the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so ef
fective as their stringent execution.


"In coming before you for the first time
as Chief Magistrate of this great nation il is
with gratitude to the Giver of all ood for
the many benefits we enjoy; we are blessed
with peace at home, and are without entan-





with population of forty millions of free
people, all speaking one language; with ia
cilities for every mortal to acquire an educa-
tion; with institutions closing to none the
avenues to fame or any blessing of fortune
that may be coveted; with freedom of the
pulpit, the press, and the school; with rev.
enue flowing into the national Treasury be-
yond the requirements of the Government.


"These blessings and countless others are
intrusted to your care and mine for safe
keeping, for the brief period of our tenure
of Office. In n short time we must, each of
us, return to the ranks of the people who
have conferred upon us our honors, and ac-
count to them for our stewardship. /
earnestly desire that neither you nor l may
be condemned by a free and enlightened
constituency, nor by our own consciences.
On my part, i promise a rigid adher-
ence to the laws and their strict enforce
ment."


"In addressing my third animal message
to the law making branch of the Government,
it is gratifying to be able to state that during
the past year success has generally attend
ed the effort to execute all laws found upon
the statute books. The policy has been,
not to inquire into the wisdom of laws al