Title:  Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 8, Section 2 (of 2):  Grover Cleveland

Author:  Grover Cleveland

Release Date:  November 24, 2004 [EBook #14137]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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GROVER CLEVELAND

March 4, 1893, to March 4, 1897

Grover Cleveland

[For portrait and biographical sketch see Vol.  VIII, pp. 296-299.]

INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

My fellow-citizens:  In obedience to the mandate of my countrymen I am about to dedicate myself to their service under the sanction of a solemn oath.  Deeply moved by the expression of confidence and personal attachment which has called me to this service, I am sure my gratitude can make no better return than the pledge I now give before God and these witnesses of unreserved and complete devotion to the interests and welfare of those who have honored me.

I deem it fitting on this occasion, while indicating the opinions I hold concerning public questions of present importance, to also briefly refer to the existence of certain conditions and tendencies among our people which seem to menace the integrity and usefulness of their Government.

While every American citizen must contemplate with the utmost pride and enthusiasm the growth and expansion of our country, the sufficiency of our institutions to stand against the rudest shocks of violence, the wonderful thrift and enterprise of our people, and the demonstrated superiority of our free government, it behooves us to constantly watch for every symptom of insidious infirmity that threatens our national vigor.

The strong man who in the confidence of sturdy health courts the sternest activities of life and rejoices in the hardihood of constant labor may still have lurking near his vitals the unheeded disease that dooms him to sudden collapse.

It can not be doubted that our stupendous achievements as a people and our country’s robust strength have given rise to heedlessness of those laws governing our national health which we can no more evade than human life can escape the laws of God and nature.

Manifestly nothing is more vital to our supremacy as a nation and to the beneficent purposes of our Government than a sound and stable currency.  Its exposure to degradation should at once arouse to activity the most enlightened statesmanship, and the danger of depreciation in the purchasing power of the wages paid to toil should furnish the strongest incentive to prompt and conservative precaution.