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.