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Background: General Grant was the first of many Civil
War officers to become President of the United States.
He refused to ride in the carriage to the Capitol
with President Johnson, who then decided not to attend
the ceremony. The oath of office was administered
by Chief Justice Salmon Chase on the East Portico.
The inaugural parade boasted eight full divisions
of the Armythe largest contingent yet to march
on such an occasion. That evening, a ball was held
in the Treasury Building. |
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Citizens of the United States:
YOUR suffrages
having elected me to the office of President
of the United States, I have, in conformity
to the Constitution of our country, taken the
oath of office prescribed therein. I have taken
this oath without mental reservation and with
the determination to do to the best of my ability
all that is required of me. The responsibilities
of the position I feel, but accept them without
fear. The office has come to me unsought; I
commence its duties untrammeled. I bring to
it a conscious desire and determination to fill
it to the best of my ability to the satisfaction
of the people.
On all leading questions agitating
the public mind I will always express my views
to Congress and urge them according to my judgment,
and when I think it advisable will exercise
the constitutional privilege of interposing
a veto to defeat measures which I oppose; but
all laws will be faithfully executed, whether
they meet my approval or not.
I shall on all subjects have
a policy to recommend, but none to enforce against
the will of the people. Laws are to govern all
alikethose opposed 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 preceding Administrations have never
had to deal with. In meeting these it is desirable
that they should be approached calmly, without
prejudice, hate, or sectional pride, remembering
that the greatest good to the greatest number
is the object to be attained.
This requires security of person,
property, and free religious and political opinion
in every part of our common country, without
regard to local prejudice. All laws to secure
these ends 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, principal and interest,
as well as the return to a specie basis as soon
as it can be accomplished without material detriment
to the debtor class or to the country at large,
must be provided for. To protect the national
honor, every dollar of Government indebtedness
should be paid in gold, unless otherwise expressly
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 strengthening a credit which
ought to be the best in the world, and will
ultimately enable us to replace the debt with
bonds bearing less interest than we now pay.
To this should be added a faithful collection
of the revenue, a strict accountability to the
Treasury for every dollar collected, and the
greatest practicable retrenchment in expenditure
in every department of Government.
When we compare the paying capacity
of the country now, with the ten States in poverty
from the effects of war, but soon to emerge,
I trust, into greater prosperity than ever before,
with its paying capacity twenty-five years ago,
and calculate what it probably will be twenty-five
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 a
strong box in the precious metals locked up
in the sterile mountains of the far West, and
which we are now forging the key to unlock,
to meet the very contingency that is now upon
us.
Ultimately it may be necessary
to insure 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
of obligation to pay secures precisely the same
sort of dollar to use now, and not before. Whilst
the question of specie payments 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 encouraged.
The young men of the countrythose
who from their age must be its rulers twenty-five
years hencehave 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 divisionsgeographical,
political, and religiouscan join in this
common sentiment. How the public debt is to
be paid or specie payments 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 counsels upon the
method of doing. Legislation upon this subject
may not be necessary now, or even advisable,
but it will be when the civil law is more fully
restored in all parts of the country and trade
resumes its wonted channels.
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. I will to the
best of my ability appoint to office those only
who will carry out this design.
In regard to foreign policy,
I would deal with nations as equitable law requires
individuals to deal with each other, and I would
protect the law-abiding citizen, whether of
native or foreign birth, wherever 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
occupants of this landthe Indians one
deserving of careful study. I will favor any
course toward them which tends to their civilization
and 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, and I entertain the hope
and express the desire that it may be by the
ratification of the fifteenth 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 citizen
to do his share toward cementing a happy union;
and I ask the prayers of the nation to Almighty
God in behalf of this consummation. |
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