Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1869 — GRANTS'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS. [ARTICLE]

GRANTS'S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

Citizens of the United States'. —Your suffrage having elevated me to the office of President of the United States, I have, in conformity with the constitution Of our country, taken the oatii of -office provided therein. I have taken this oath without mental reservation, ami with the determination to do, to the best of my ability, all that is required ot me. The responsibilities di the position 1 feel, but I accept them with, out fear. The office has come to me unsought. I commence its duties untrauimeled., I bring to it a conscientious desire and deteiinination to the satisfaction-of the peoTfit??*'— Qn all leading questions agitating I the public mind, I will always express my views to Congress, and urge tbeni according to my judgment, and when I think it advisable 1 will exercise the constitutional privilege of interposing a veto to defeat measures which I oppose; but all laws will be faithfullyvcxeeuted. whether tliey meeLmy -approval or not. I shall on all subjects have 3 policy to .recommend, but none to enforep against tbe will o 4 f the people. Laws-are-to govern all alike—those opposed to, as well as those who favor them. I,know no method-to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution. The country having just emerged from a great rebellion, many questions will come before it for settlement in the next four years, which the preceding administrations have never had to deal with. In meeting these, it is desirable that they should be approached calmly, without prej-, "udwe, bate, or secponal pride; remembering that the greatest good to the greatest npinber is the object to be attained. This requires security of persons and property, and toleration for religious and political opinion in every part of our common country, without regard to local prejudice. Laws to secure thpsc will receive jny best efforts for their enforcenmSu ~ A.’great debt has been contracted in securing to us and our posterity thd’tluion. The payment of this, principal and interest, as well as tho return to a specie, basis, as soon as it can bo accomplished without material dc|ruu«nt.to the debtor hlass, or to the country at large, must be provided for. W c mini protect the national honor. dolla&gftfie government indebtedness shouJcCbe paid unl«M '.otherwisepressly stipulated in the contract. < ■ *

Let it be understood that no repudiator of one farthing of our public debt will be trusted In public place, and it will go far toward jng a credit which ought to be the best in the world, and will, ultimately, enable us to replace tho debt with bonds bearing less interest than wc now pay. To thia should be added a faithful collection ot the revenue, a strict accountability to the treasury for every dollar collected, and the greatest practicable retrenchment in expenditure in every department of tiie government. When we compare the paying capacity of the country now, with ten States still in poverty from the effects of war, but soon to emerge, I trust, into greater prosperity than ever before, with its paying capacity 25 years ago, and calculate what, it will be 25 years hence, who can doubt, the feasibility of paying every dollar then with more ease than we now pay for useless luxuries? Why, it looks as though Providence had bestowed upon us thestrong box—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 is now upon us. Ultimately, it n'my 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 bo when a dollar, of obligation to pay secures precisely the same sort of dollar to use now, and not be t'ore.Whi 1 e the question of specie pay - inent is in abeyance, the prudent business man is careful about contracting debts payable in the distant future. The nation should follow the same rule. A prostrate commerce is to be rebuilt and all industries should be encouraged. The young men of the country —those who from their age must be its rulers 25 years hence—have a peculiar interest in maintaining the national honor. A moment’s reflection as to what will be our commanding influence among the-nations of the earth in.their day, if they are only true to themselves, should inspire them with national pride. All divisions, geographical, political, and religious, can joinin this common sentiment. How the public debt is to be paid, or specie payment resumed, is not so important as that a plan should be adopted and acquiesced in. A united determination to do, is worth more than divided counsel upon the methwy* Legislation upon the "subject may not be necessary now, 21 jh |t-iyjirbl**/liiit it will be when the civil law is ritore fully restored in all parts of the country, and trade resumes its wonted channels. It will be tny endeavor to execute all laws in good faith, collect all revr enues assessed, and to have them properly accounted for, and economically disbursed. I shall, to the best of my ability, appoint lo office those only who will carry out this design. In regard to a foreign policy,-I would deal with nations equitably, as the law reqiiirds individuals to deal with each other, and I would citizen, whether of native or of foreign birth, whereever his rights are jeopardized or the flag of our country floats. I would respect the rights of all nations, demanding equal .respect for our own. If others depart from this rule in their dealings with us, we may be compelled to follow their precedent. The proper treatment of the original ofccupants of the land—the Inone ’deserving of careful study, and I will favor any course toward* them which tends to their civilization, Christianization aud ultimate citizenship. The question of suffrage is one which is likely to agitate the public so long as a portion of the citizens of the nation are excluded from its privileges in any State, It seems to me very desirable that this question should be settled now. 1 entertain tho hope, and express the desire that it may be by the ratification of the 15th article of amendment to the constitution. In conclusion, I ask patient forbearance; one toward another, throughout the land, and a determined effort on the part of every citizep to do his share toward cementing a happy union, aud -.l ask the prayers nation to Almighty God in behalf oilhis consummation-

COMPLIMENT TO MR. COI.F.\Xj. The following is a resolution unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives on* the 3d inst: • Resolved, That the retirement of the Hon. Schuyler Cplfax from the 1 Speaker's chair, after a long and faithful discharge of its duties, is an event in our current history which would cause general regret, were it not that the country is to have the benefit of his matured talents npd 'experience i J n t!ie higher sphere of duty to which he has been called by a majority of his countrymen. In parting from our distinguished Speaker, the House records, with becoming sensibility, its high appreciation of his skill in parliamentary law, of his promptness in administering rules and facilitating the business of the body, of his urbane manners, and of the dignity and impartiality with which he has presided over the deliberations of the House. He will carry with him into his neiy field of duty, and throughout life, the kind regards of every member of this Congress.

MIC COI.FAX'p FAREWELL.. Mr. Colfax spoke as.follows: “Gentlemen-t-Tlic opening of the legislative day nt the close of which I must enter upon another sphere of duty, requires me to tender to you this resignation of the office which, by your kindness and confidence, I have held; to take effect ou the election of a Speaker for the brief remainder of the session. “The parting, -word, amongst friends about to-separate, is always a regretful one; but the farewell which takes me from this hall, in which so many, years have beep spent, excites in me emotions which it w'ould be useless to attempt to conceal.- The fourteen years during which I have been associated with the Representatives of the people here have been full of eventful legislation, of exciting issues and of grave decisions, vitally affecting the entire Republic. All these, with the accompanying Scenes which so often reproduced in this arena of debate the warmth of feeling of our antagonizing constituencies, have passed into the domain of history, and I but refer to them to express the joy which apparently is shared by the mass of otir countrymen, that the storm-cloud of war which has do long darkened our horizon has at last passed away, leaving our imperiled Union saved, and that by the decree of our people, more powerful than Presidents, Congresses or armies, liberty was proclaimed throughout all the land to all the inhabitants" thereof.

one word of rejoicing over the present condition ot our Republic among the nations of the earth; with our military power and almost illimitable resources, exemplified by the war that developed them ; with onr rapidly augmenting population and the welcome at Our gates of ihe oppressed of all other Climes; with our vast and increasing agricultural, mcchan-: ical, manufacturing and mining capacities ; with dur vantage on the two great oceans of the globe, and our almost completed Pacific Railroad uniting these' opposite shores and becoming the highway of the United States of America; that respect among the Powers of the world which insures the maintenance of all its citizens from oppression or injustice abroad.

“Nor is this all. The triumphal progress of free institutions here has had its potential influence beyond the sea. The right of the people to govern* based on the sacred principle of our Revolution that all governments derive their just powers from the consent of the go+erned, is everywhere advancing, not with slow and measured steps, but with a rapidity that, in a tew yeatft, has been so signally illustrated in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Prhssia, Hungary and other-lands. M%y fve not hope that by the moral but powerfttftroc of our may everywhere be taken, and some of us may live to see that happy era, when slavery and tyranny shall no' more be known throughout tl>e whole, world, from tie rivers.to the ensls of the earth ? ' “I can hot claim that, in thebh»re 1 have had in th* deliberations and legislations Of thi# House, as fimember and Whtt oifiSer, J have always done what was wisest in, acting,and <|r» f ioiallible; but that I have atriven to perforin

faithfully every duty, and devoted myself to the principle*, that I hive deemed correct, and that the honor and glory of onr country have always been paramount above mere ijprty ties, I can coustnenliously assert; and that I have sought to niitigaie, rather than to intensify, thp asperities which the collision of opposing parties so often invoked, most be left to my fellow-members to verify“ln the responsible duties of the last six years I have nqdeavqred to administer the rules you have enact-' ed for your guidance, both in letter and spirit, with an impartiality uninfluenced by political antagonism;and I may be pardoned for the expression of gratification that while m» decision has been revtrsed, there has been no appeal, sometimes taken as they are by- n minbrity as a protest against the power under 1 the yules of a majority, has ever been decided by a strictly party VOfp. If, in the quickness with whiuh a presiding officer hero is often bonopelled to rule hour after hour on parliamentary points, and in the performance of his duty, to protect all members in their rights, to advance the progress of business and to preserve order, any word has fallen from my lips that lias justly wounded any one, I desire to Withdraw it, unreservedly. I leave this room with no feeling of unkindness to any mem-, ber with whom I have been associated in ail the years crt'thc past, having earnestly tried to 'practice that lesson of life which, commands ns to write onr enmities nW the sand, but

to engrave our friendship* en th% granite. “But the last word can not longer be delayed. I bid farewell to the faithful and confiding constituency whose affectionate regard Jias sustained and encompassed »ne through all the years of my public life. Fare-, well to the Hall which, in its excitements and restless activities, sb often seemed to represent the throbblngs jpf the intense feelings of the national heart; and finally,, fellow members and friends, with sincere gratitudo for the generous support you have always given me, in the difficult and complex duties of the chair, and with the warmest wishes for your health, happiness and prosperity, one .and all, I bid you farewell.” VICE PRESIDENT ADDRESS, TO THE SENATE. “Senators : In entering upon theduties in thia chamber,to the performance of .which I have been called by the people of the United States, I realize fully the delicacy as well as the responsibility of the position of presiding over a body whose members are in so large a degree my seniors in age, not qhosen by the body itself. I shall certainly heed the assistance of your support, your generous forbearance and confidence, bnt pledging to you all faithfbl and inflexible impartiality in administration of yqur rules, and earnestly desiring to co-oper-ate with you in making the deliberonly of its historic renown, but also of these States whose.commissions you hold, I am now ready to take, the oath of office required by law.” VOTE OF THANKS TO BEN. WADE. The following resolution, offered by Mr. Ijavis in the Senate, wao. unanimously adopted: Replied, That the thanks of tho Senate ape due, and are hereby tendered, to Ron. B. F. Wade, for the ability, impartiality and justice with which he has discharged the duties of Presiding Officer of the Senate, during the time he has occupied the chair.