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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.