| Show RESIDENT DENT GRANTS INAUGURAL L ADDRESS CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES your suf frages having elected me to the office of president of the united states state I 1 have in conformity with the 1 const aution of our country taken the oath of office presented therein I 1 have taken this oath without mental reservation and with the tha determination to do to the best of my ability all thab that it requires I 1 u res of me the responsibilities of t the h e position I 1 feel but accept them i without fear the office has come to me unsought I 1 commence its duties untrammeled I 1 bring to it a bious desire and determination to f ill fill to thebert the best beat of my ability to the satis batis satisfaction fact of the people on an ah all leading questions quest S agitating 10 the public mind I 1 will express my nay views to congress and urge them according dording ac to my judgment and when I 1 think it advisable will always ever everelle eise else the constitutional privilege of interposing a veto to defeat measures which I 1 oppose but all laws will be faithfully executed whether they meet my approval or not I 1 shall on all ail subjects have a policy to recommend but none to enforce against the will of the i people laws are to govern all alike those opposed to them as well as those who favor davor them I 1 know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution cution the country having just emerged from a great rebellion many questions will come before it for settlement in the next four years which preceding adminis administrations tr actions hav have e never had to deal with in meeting these it is desirable that they should be approached pro ached calmly without prejudice or state or sectional pride remembering that the greater good to the greatest number is the object to be attained this requires the security of person and property and for religious and political opinion in every part of our common country without regard to local prejudice laws to secure these will receive my best efforts for their enforcement A great debt has been contracted in securing to us and our posterity the union the payment of this principle and interest ad ag well as thew return to a specie basis as soon net ant ta alt ait can I 1 be e accomplished without ma detriment to the debtor class orthe country at larg emust be provided foi for to protect the national honor every doll dollar arof of government in should be bg paid in gold unless otherwise expressed and stipulated in the contract con tr act set let it be understood that no repudiator of otono one barthin farthing olour of our public debt wui be ousted in any an public pla pia place ae and irwill go far fai towards ads strengthening a credit ought to be the best beet in the world worldon mid if will ultimately enable u ua to the debt with bonds bearing less jess amerest iiA lla erest than mertow we now pay to this added a faithful collect collection loll of the r revenue icye iCie nue a strict accountability to the Tita treasury sury for every dollar collected and ni d th the treatment cat practicable retrenchment on ou ei expenditure pend iture in every department orth e government when we compare tug tue paying capacity of the country now wl with h tey ten ten states sti still I 1 in poverty from me fhe effects of the w war ar but beoo goo yf emerge I 1 trust fiust into greater prosperity than ever before with its paying car eni capacity acety twenty five year sago and caleu caleau calculate ate what it probably will be twenty five years hence who can doubt the feasibility of paying every dollar then with more ease than we no now IV p pay ay for xon honour our oun useless luxuries why it looks as lis though providence had bestowed upon us a strong box bok of the precious metals locked up in the sterile mountains of the far west which we are now forging the key to unlock to meet the very contingency that id 19 now upon us ultimately it may be necessary to increase the facilities to reach these riches and it may be necessary also that the general government should give its aid to secure this access but that should only be when a dollar doll arof of obligation to pay secures precisely the same bort sort of dollar to use now and not before while the question of specie payment is in abeyance the prudent busi busl business ness nebs man ia Is care ful contracting debts payable in the distant future the nation should follow the same rule ruie A prostrate commerce is to be rebuilt and all industries encouraged encourage de the young men of the country those who from their age must belts belits rulers awen ty Y nive five years hence have a peculiar interest in maintaining the national honor A moments reflection as Us to what will be our commanding corm corn man ding influence among the nations of the earth in their day if they are only true to themselves should inspire them with national pride pride all divisions geographical political and religious lotis iotis can join in this common sentiment how the public debt is to be paid aid ald or whether specie payments sh shall bhail up be resumed is not so important as that a plan should be adopted and acquiesced in A united determination to do is worth more than a divided council upon the method of doing legislation upon this subject may not be necessary no now w or even ad but it will be when the civil law is ismore more fully restored in all parts of the country and trade resumes its wonted channel it will be my endeavor to execute all laws in good faith to collect all revenues assessed and to have them properly accounted for and economically disbursed it will be my duty to the best of my ability to appoint to office those only who will carry out this design in regard to our foreign policy I 1 would deal with its various sections as equitably as the law requires individuals to deal with each other ot herand and I 1 would protect law abiding citizens whether of this nation or of foreign birth wherever their rights are jeopardized or the flag of our country floats I 1 would respect the rights of all nations at the same time demanding equal respect for our own if others depart from this rule in their dealings with us we maybe may be compelled to follow their precedents the proper treatment ot of the original occupants of this land the indians is one deserving of care and equal study I 1 will favor any course towards them which tends to their civilization and ultimate citizenship the question oR of the suffrage is one which is likely to agitate the public so long as US a portion of the citizens of the nation are excluded from its privilege legein in any state it seems to me very desir able that this question should be beet het tied now I 1 entertain entert aln the hope and express the desire debute that it may be by the ratification of the article of the amendments to the constitution in conclusion I 1 ask patience and forbearance one towards another fo throughout b tholand theland tho the land laud and a determined ort on the part of every citizen to do his bis Is share towards cementing a happy union and I 1 ask the prayers of the nation to almighty god in behalf of this consummation cop summation V lono 1 |
