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Inauguration Of Gov, Seymour

Inauguration Of Gov, Seymour image Inauguration Of Gov, Seymour image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
January
Year
1863
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The inaugaration ceremonies paesed off with usual eclat. Thursday. Th i Utica Gitizen's Corps, with their fincï band, and a large nuraber of Governor Seymour's personal and political friends from others parts of the State were present. The Assembly Chamber was thronged, and about 12 o'eiock the Governnr and Lieutonant Governor elect, with tlioso whom they wore lo supersede, took their places in tha Speaker's desk, wheru the oath of office was admtnistered by Secretury Baiïartf. Whereupnn Gov. Morgan addressed Gov. Seymour as follow: GovEKxon Setmoüb - The oath you have just taken fulfills the requireraents oí tha coBstitütion and laws, and again formally invosts you wiih the high office of Governor of the State ol New York, As sueh I now greet you, and tender to your administration all the support which a private citizen can give. Conliding in your ability and patriotten), the people of this, your native State, have callad you to the discharge of duties secohd on!y in importance to hose of tho Chief Mugistracy of the Jnited States. A change of adrninistration here bas never taken place at a period socrowded with vitul events as now. For,unat:ly, the duties are aot new to you, and, th'ough of the gravest eharaeter, and often of the most porplexing na.ure, yetin their concientious discharge you wil! have tho approbation of all good meo. Hereiu will be your reward. In cloaing an adrninistration of four ycars duration in the midst of a civil war, ia vvhien I have found it necessary to assume more than ordinary responsibiüties, I should have feit asatiaaction in speaking iu detail, especially a respect to military aftairs ; but as usage has not sanctione.d this, the chiefri of the several staff departments live been directed to raake full reporta 'or your uao. To these I refer for epocific information as to the part New York has borne in the war. As, however, you will te scrupulousy careful in relation to whatever concBrns the honor or the interest of tho State, I know it will bo gratifying for you to be assuröd that its credit never atood bigher; that the funded debt ia rapidly diminishing; that its principal and interest have been promptly paid in coin ; that the public funds are adequate for every proper demaod upoa them ; that the surplus revenues of the „j anals háve increaaed from nine hundrod thousand dollars in 1858 tu four millions in 1862; and that taxation may ba largely reduced the present year, and this wlien soarcely less than a quarler of a million of our people aro voluntai'rily engaged in the military service of the country. Of such a State, and with snch a record, we may well be proud. Would that 1 could speak thus encouragingly of national affairs ; but we may not anticípate immediate peace. Millions oí people aroused by imaginary wrooga to èerco passion, cannot at once rolurn to reason. Thtir resentments must have time to cool, and the dalusioa under which they act to be dissipated; but a day must surely come when the. people of the South will again own tha same sovereignty, honor the same lawK and fight under the samo flag. At present we must use the eword. It cannot ut) siieatheu until thosein reüeJK ioa shal! lay down their arras, and ihe constitution and the laws havo uoiiorm. svyay. Gov. Seymour repMed as followa. Governor Morgan - I thank you, sir, for yourgood wishes hnd your kind expression of a generous desire fur uiy sucoessful discharge of the duties upon which I am now to enier. I congratu-. late you that you are ahle to close your admiuistration with a caltn satisfactie, in the contemplation of the good oondition of our State. It gives nie great plcasui-o to .testify to the aeal, fidelity, and ability with which you have dischargod the duties of Governor of New York, during a time when the country has been involved in the embarrassments and cala-niities of war. Whatever position, of public or private lfe,'you may hereaftet occupy, you have my sincere wishes for your t-uceesa aud happioess. , [Applause- oheers for Gov. Morgan.] Fjsllow CiTizKXS-In ycmr presonce I hiivo solemnly sworu to support the constitution of the United States - with all, its grauts, restrictiona and guáranteos- -r. and I shall support it. f Cheers j I have also sworn to support another constitution - the eonstitution of the State aL New York, with all }U powers.apd.i rights. I shall uphold it. fGreatap-. plauso.] I have sworn failhfully to perform the duties of the office of Gov,ernpi;r of this State - and with your aid.tkpy., shall bo faithfully performei Tbeaa. oonstitutions and laws ave mean t: for, tha, guidancü of utticial conduct and fjr yp.ur proteclion and welfare. The first law I find recorded fór my observante ia that which declares '( it shall ba the dn ty of the Governor tq maintain and defond the sovercignty and jurisdictiou of this State," [applaiVjUO and the inost marked inju'vfir,"vüat h.e. constitution to the Exe iawa re faitl]r ''shall take caro 'tCheers.] fully cxccutcíitutions do not conflict; So. 1'hc.paration between tha responsie i:.-;nioK and obligations whieU each iuiposos, is wcll detined. ' They dü niA embarrass 14S in the performance of oui duties as citizeus or as offica]íj. [Applause.] '. I shall not on this occasioa dweil upon the cor.diiion of our country. Tho I powo.r at;d lbo pübition of our own State j lias been happily alluded to by my jïre deccsfför. My views upon this subject WÍU iw lajj befoi'd you in a few Uays in niy Message tu üiu. L . gihluture. This uíieásion, fellöw citizené, vhen official power isso oourteously transferfed fruin tlio haiid of one pólitieal orgiinization tj ihose of nnother, holding opposite suntimc.its upon public a&irrs-, is aot onl-y a 8tiikíig exBuipliñcatíou of tho spirit of our insütutions, but lijghly honorable to the niiiiority pavty. Had our misguided fellow citizeos of the South aoted a the juinority of tho eitizens of oui1 owd State (:i minority but littla inferior in numbers to t'.ie niajority) aro now aotitig in tlii.s urrender of power, tho nüfeiou would not now be invylved ia civil war. [Ap phmse.J Wlnlo fally aware that I sliali bflvc lmt little -.ont-i;l of public afiitirs, in the poaition to wfeée I have beeu called, and Oaiinot do. much to shape events, I yel venture to trust that, before the end of niy term of service, the country wil' again be great, gloriou and united as it' ouco was; and', in conclusión, I now offer to Almighty G-od my fervent prayer that the clouds wliich overhang us may bc scattered, and that the close of my official term may fiad our peopíe united in peace and fraternal affection, nnd the Uniou restored to vrhat it was wiiile we listcned to the advice of our futhers, - fGHeei-s.] Fellow-citizens, I thank yoa for this l;ind recepiion. I thank those who differ with me politically fqr their presenoe here and participation in this scène, for it affords empliatic testimony fo the regard for constitutional obligations yet feit by the people of tliis great State. [Immense applanse, amidst whiohthe Governor wididrcw.]

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus