Inaugural Address of John Adams.docx

Inaugural Address of John Adams.docx

《Inaugural Address of John Adams.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Inaugural Address of John Adams.docx（6页珍藏版）》请在冰点文库上搜索。

InauguralAddressofJohnAdams

InauguralAddressofJohnAdams

INAUGURALADDRESSINTHECITYOFPHILADELPHIA

SATURDAY,MARCH4,1797

Whenitwasfirstperceived,inearlytimes,thatnomiddlecourseforAmericaremainedbetweenunlimitedsubmissiontoaforeignlegislatureandatotalindependenceofitsclaims,menofreflectionwerelessapprehensiveofdangerfromtheformidablepoweroffleetsandarmiestheymustdeterminetoresistthanfromthosecontestsanddissensionswhichwouldcertainlyariseconcerningtheformsofgovernmenttobeinstitutedoverthewholeandoverthepartsofthisextensivecountry.Relying,however,onthepurityoftheirintentions,thejusticeoftheircause,andtheintegrityandintelligenceofthepeople,underanoverrulingProvidencewhichhadsosignallyprotectedthiscountryfromthefirst,therepresentativesofthisnation,thenconsistingoflittlemorethanhalfitspresentnumber,notonlybroketopiecesthechainswhichwereforgingandtherodofironthatwasliftedup,butfranklycutasunderthetieswhichhadboundthem,andlaunchedintoanoceanofuncertainty.

ThezealandardorofthepeopleduringtheRevolutionarywar,supplyingtheplaceofgovernment,commandedadegreeofordersufficientatleastforthetemporarypreservationofsociety.TheConfederationwhichwasearlyfelttobenecessarywaspreparedfromthemodelsoftheBatavianandHelveticconfederacies,theonlyexampleswhichremainwithanydetailandprecisioninhistory,andcertainlytheonlyoneswhichthepeopleatlargehadeverconsidered.Butreflectingonthestrikingdifferenceinsomanyparticularsbetweenthiscountryandthosewhereacouriermaygofromtheseatofgovernmenttothefrontierinasingleday,itwasthencertainlyforeseenbysomewhoassistedinCongressattheformationofitthatitcouldnotbedurable.

Negligenceofitsregulations,inattentiontoitsrecommendations,ifnotdisobediencetoitsauthority,notonlyinindividualsbutinStates,soonappearedwiththeirmelancholyconsequences--universallanguor,jealousiesandrivalriesofStates,declineofnavigationandcommerce,discouragementofnecessarymanufactures,universalfallinthevalueoflandsandtheirproduce,contemptofpublicandprivatefaith,lossofconsiderationandcreditwithforeignnations,andatlengthindiscontents,animosities,combinations,partialconventions,andinsurrection,threateningsomegreatnationalcalamity.

InthisdangerouscrisisthepeopleofAmericawerenotabandonedbytheirusualgoodsense,presenceofmind,resolution,orintegrity.Measureswerepursuedtoconcertaplantoformamoreperfectunion,establishjustice,insuredomestictranquillity,provideforthecommondefense,promotethegeneralwelfare,andsecuretheblessingsofliberty.Thepublicdisquisitions,discussions,anddeliberationsissuedinthepresenthappyConstitutionofGovernment.

Employedintheserviceofmycountryabroadduringthewholecourseofthesetransactions,IfirstsawtheConstitutionoftheUnitedStatesinaforeigncountry.Irritatedbynoliteraryaltercation,animatedbynopublicdebate,heatedbynopartyanimosity,Ireaditwithgreatsatisfaction,astheresultofgoodheadspromptedbygoodhearts,asanexperimentbetteradaptedtothegenius,character,situation,andrelationsofthisnationandcountrythananywhichhadeverbeenproposedorsuggested.InitsgeneralprinciplesandgreatoutlinesitwasconformabletosuchasystemofgovernmentasIhadevermostesteemed,andinsomeStates,myownnativeStateinparticular,hadcontributedtoestablish.Claimingarightofsuffrage,incommonwithmyfellow-citizens,intheadoptionorrejectionofaconstitutionwhichwastorulemeandmyposterity,aswellasthemandtheirs,Ididnothesitatetoexpressmyapprobationofitonalloccasions,inpublicandinprivate.Itwasnotthen,norhasbeensince,anyobjectiontoitinmymindthattheExecutiveandSenatewerenotmorepermanent.NorhaveIeverentertainedathoughtofpromotinganyalterationinitbutsuchasthepeoplethemselves,inthecourseoftheirexperience,shouldseeandfeeltobenecessaryorexpedient,andbytheirrepresentativesinCongressandtheStatelegislatures,accordingtotheConstitutionitself,adoptandordain.

Returningtothebosomofmycountryafterapainfulseparationfromitfortenyears,Ihadthehonortobeelectedtoastationundertheneworderofthings,andIhaverepeatedlylaidmyselfunderthemostseriousobligationstosupporttheConstitution.Theoperationofithasequaledthemostsanguineexpectationsofitsfriends,andfromanhabitualattentiontoit,satisfactioninitsadministration,anddelightinitseffectsuponthepeace,order,prosperity,andhappinessofthenationIhaveacquiredanhabitualattachmenttoitandvenerationforit.

Whatotherformofgovernment,indeed,cansowelldeserveouresteemandlove?

Theremaybelittlesolidityinanancientideathatcongregationsofmenintocitiesandnationsarethemostpleasingobjectsinthesightofsuperiorintelligences,butthisisverycertain,thattoabenevolenthumanmindtherecanbenospectaclepresentedbyanynationmorepleasing,morenoble,majestic,oraugust,thananassemblylikethatwhichhassooftenbeenseeninthisandtheotherChamberofCongress,ofaGovernmentinwhichtheExecutiveauthority,aswellasthatofallthebranchesoftheLegislature,areexercisedbycitizensselectedatregularperiodsbytheirneighborstomakeandexecutelawsforthegeneralgood.Cananythingessential,anythingmorethanmereornamentanddecoration,beaddedtothisbyrobesanddiamonds?

Canauthoritybemoreamiableandrespectablewhenitdescendsfromaccidentsorinstitutionsestablishedinremoteantiquitythanwhenitspringsfreshfromtheheartsandjudgmentsofanhonestandenlightenedpeople?

Foritisthepeopleonlythatarerepresented.Itistheirpowerandmajestythatisreflected,andonlyfortheirgood,ineverylegitimategovernment,underwhateverformitmayappear.Theexistenceofsuchagovernmentasoursforanylengthoftimeisafullproofofageneraldisseminationofknowledgeandvirtuethroughoutthewholebodyofthepeople.Andwhatobjectorconsiderationmorepleasingthanthiscanbepresentedtothehumanmind?

Ifnationalprideiseverjustifiableorexcusableitiswhenitsprings,notfrompowerorriches,grandeurorglory,butfromconvictionofnationalinnocence,information,andbenevolence.

Inthemidstofthesepleasingideasweshouldbeunfaithfultoourselvesifweshouldeverlosesightofthedangertoourlibertiesifanythingpartialorextraneousshouldinfectthepurityofourfree,fair,virtuous,andindependentelections.Ifanelectionistobedeterminedbyamajorityofasinglevote,andthatcanbeprocuredbyapartythroughartificeorcorruption,theGovernmentmaybethechoiceofapartyforitsownends,notofthenationforthenationalgood.Ifthatsolitarysuffragecanbeobtainedbyforeignnationsbyflatteryormenaces,byfraudorviolence,byterror,intrigue,orvenality,theGovernmentmaynotbethechoiceoftheAmericanpeople,butofforeignnations.Itmaybeforeignnationswhogovernus,andnotwe,thepeople,whogovernourselves;andcandidmenwillacknowledgethatinsuchcaseschoicewouldhavelittleadvantagetoboastofoverlotorchance.

Suchistheamiableandinterestingsystemofgovernment（andsucharesomeoftheabusestowhichitmaybeexposed）whichthepeopleofAmericahaveexhibitedtotheadmirationandanxietyofthewiseandvirtuousofallnationsforeightyearsundertheadministrationofacitizenwho,byalongcourseofgreatactions,regulatedbyprudence,justice,temperance,andfortitude,conductingapeopleinspiredwiththesamevirtuesandanimatedwiththesameardentpatriotismandloveoflibertytoindependenceandpeace,toincreasingwealthandunexampledprosperity,hasmeritedthegratitudeofhisfellow-citizens,commandedthehighestpraisesofforeignnations,andsecuredimmortalglorywithposterity.

Inthatretirementwhichishisvoluntarychoicemayhelonglivetoenjoythedeliciousrecollectionofhisservices,thegratitudeofmankind,thehappyfruitsofthemtohimselfandtheworld,whicharedailyincreasing,andthatsplendidprospectofthefuturefortunesofthiscountrywhichisopeningfromyeartoyear.Hisnamemaybestillarampart,andtheknowledgethathelivesabulwark,againstallopenorsecretenemiesofhiscountry'speace.ThisexamplehasbeenrecommendedtotheimitationofhissuccessorsbybothHousesofCongressandbythevoiceofthelegislaturesandthepeoplethroughoutthenation.

Onthissubjectitmightbecomemebettertobesilentortospeakwithdiffidence;butassomethingmaybeexpected,theoccasion,Ihope,willbeadmittedasanapologyifIventuretosaythatifapreference,uponprinciple,ofafreerepublicangovernment,formeduponlongandseriousreflection,afteradiligentandimpartialinquiryaftertruth;ifanattachmenttotheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,andaconscientiousdeterminationtosupportituntilitshallbealteredbythejudgmentsandwishesofthepeople,expressedinthemodeprescribedinit;ifarespectfulattentiontotheconstitutionsoftheindividualStatesandaconstantcautionanddelicacytowardtheStategovernments;ifanequalandimpartialregardtotherights,interest,honor,andhappinessofalltheStatesintheUnion,withoutpreferenceorregardtoanorthernorsouthern,aneasternorwestern,position,theirvariouspoliticalopinionsonunessentialpointsortheirpersonal