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Inaugural Address of Andrew Jackson

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Fellow-Citizens:

AbouttoundertakethearduousdutiesthatIhavebeenappointedtoperformbythechoiceofafreepeople,Iavailmyselfofthiscustomaryandsolemnoccasiontoexpressthegratitudewhichtheirconfidenceinspiresandtoacknowledgetheaccountabilitywhichmysituationenjoins.Whilethemagnitudeoftheirinterestsconvincesmethatnothankscanbeadequatetothehonortheyhaveconferred,itadmonishesmethatthebestreturnIcanmakeisthezealousdedicationofmyhumbleabilitiestotheirserviceandtheirgood.

AstheinstrumentoftheFederalConstitutionitwilldevolveonmeforastatedperiodtoexecutethelawsoftheUnitedStates,tosuperintendtheirforeignandtheirconfederaterelations,tomanagetheirrevenue,tocommandtheirforces,and,bycommunicationstotheLegislature,towatchoverandtopromotetheirinterestsgenerally.AndtheprinciplesofactionbywhichIshallendeavortoaccomplishthiscircleofdutiesitisnowproperformebrieflytoexplain.

InadministeringthelawsofCongressIshallkeepsteadilyinviewthelimitationsaswellastheextentoftheExecutivepowertrustingtherebytodischargethefunctionsofmyofficewithouttranscendingitsauthority.Withforeignnationsitwillbemystudytopreservepeaceandtocultivatefriendshiponfairandhonorableterms,andintheadjustmentofanydifferencesthatmayexistorarisetoexhibittheforbearancebecomingapowerfulnationratherthanthesensibilitybelongingtoagallantpeople.

InsuchmeasuresasImaybecalledontopursueinregardtotherightsoftheseparateStatesIhopetobeanimatedbyaproperrespectforthosesovereignmembersofourUnion,takingcarenottoconfoundthepowerstheyhavereservedtothemselveswiththosetheyhavegrantedtotheConfederacy.

Themanagementofthepublicrevenue——thatsearchingoperationinallgovernments——isamongthemostdelicateandimportanttrustsinours,anditwill,ofcourse,demandnoinconsiderableshareofmyofficialsolicitude.Undereveryaspectinwhichitcanbeconsidereditwouldappearthatadvantagemustresultfromtheobservanceofastrictandfaithfuleconomy.ThisIshallaimatthemoreanxiouslybothbecauseitwillfacilitatetheextinguishmentofthenationaldebt,theunnecessarydurationofwhichisincompatiblewithrealindependence,andbecauseitwillcounteractthattendencytopublicandprivateprofligacywhichaprofuseexpenditureofmoneybytheGovernmentisbuttooapttoengender.PowerfulauxiliariestotheattainmentofthisdesirableendaretobefoundintheregulationsprovidedbythewisdomofCongressforthespecificappropriationofpublicmoneyandthepromptaccountabilityofpublicofficers.

Withregardtoaproperselectionofthesubjectsofimpostwithaviewtorevenue,itwouldseemtomethatthespiritofequity,cautionandcompromiseinwhichtheConstitutionwasformedrequiresthatthegreatinterestsofagriculture,commerce,andmanufacturesshouldbeequallyfavored,andthatperhapstheonlyexceptiontothisruleshouldconsistinthepeculiarencouragementofanyproductsofeitherofthemthatmaybefoundessentialtoournationalindependence.

Internalimprovementandthediffusionofknowledge,sofarastheycanbepromotedbytheconstitutionalactsoftheFederalGovernment,areofhighimportance.

Consideringstandingarmiesasdangeroustofreegovernmentsintimeofpeace,Ishallnotseektoenlargeourpresentestablishment,nordisregardthatsalutarylessonofpoliticalexperiencewhichteachesthatthemilitaryshouldbeheldsubordinatetothecivilpower.ThegradualincreaseofourNavy,whoseflaghasdisplayedindistantclimesourskillinnavigationandourfameinarms;thepreservationofourforts,arsenals,anddockyards,andtheintroductionofprogressiveimprovementsinthedisciplineandscienceofbothbranchesofourmilitaryservicearesoplainlyprescribedbyprudencethatIshouldbeexcusedforomittingtheirmentionsoonerthanforenlargingontheirimportance.Butthebulwarkofourdefenseisthenationalmilitia,whichinthepresentstateofourintelligenceandpopulationmustrenderusinvincible.AslongasourGovernmentisadministeredforthegoodofthepeople,andisregulatedbytheirwill;aslongasitsecurestoustherightsofpersonandofproperty,libertyofconscienceandofthepress,itwillbeworthdefending;andsolongasitisworthdefendingapatrioticmilitiawillcoveritwithanimpenetrableaegis.Partialinjuriesandoccasionalmortificationswemaybesubjectedto,butamillionofarmedfreemen,possessedofthemeansofwar,canneverbeconqueredbyaforeignfoe.Toanyjustsystem,therefore,calculatedtostrengthenthisnaturalsafeguardofthecountryIshallcheerfullylendalltheaidinmypower.

ItwillbemysincereandconstantdesiretoobservetowardtheIndiantribeswithinourlimitsajustandliberalpolicy,andtogivethathumaneandconsiderateattentiontotheirrightsandtheirwantswhichisconsistentwiththehabitsofourGovernmentandthefeelingsofourpeople.

TherecentdemonstrationofpublicsentimentinscribesonthelistofExecutiveduties,incharacterstoolegibletobeoverlooked,thetaskofreform,whichwillrequireparticularlythecorrectionofthoseabusesthathavebroughtthepatronageoftheFederalGovernmentintoconflictwiththefreedomofelections,andthecounteractionofthosecauseswhichhavedisturbedtherightfulcourseofappointmentandhaveplacedorcontinuedpowerinunfaithfulorincompetenthands.

IntheperformanceofataskthusgenerallydelineatedIshallendeavortoselectmenwhosediligenceandtalentswillinsureintheirrespectivestationsableandfaithfulcooperation,dependingfortheadvancementofthepublicservicemoreontheintegrityandzealofthepublicofficersthanontheirnumbers.

Adiffidence,perhapstoojust,inmyownqualificationswillteachmetolookwithreverencetotheexamplesofpublicvirtueleftbymyillustriouspredecessors,andwithvenerationtothelightsthatflowfromthemindthatfoundedandthemindthatreformedoursystem.ThesamediffidenceinducesmetohopeforinstructionandaidfromthecoordinatebranchesoftheGovernment,andfortheindulgenceandsupportofmyfellow-citizensgenerally.AndafirmrelianceonthegoodnessofthatPowerwhoseprovidencemercifullyprotectedournationalinfancy,andhassinceupheldourlibertiesinvariousvicissitudes,encouragesmetoofferupmyardentsupplicationsthatHewillcontinuetomakeourbelovedcountrytheobjectofHisdivinecareandgraciousbenediction.

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