Consider this:\u00a0 on Martin Luther King Day, an African-American will be sworn in for a second term as President of the United States.\u00a0 Pretty impressive.\u00a0 But, in a larger sense, it is just one moment in a tradition of presidential precedent stretching back 224 years. So before the next chapter begins, herewith a short history of the United States, via the inaugural addresses of 44 Presidents\u2026<\/p>\n
By the article establishing the executive department \u2026 I shall endeavor to express the high sense I entertain of this distinguished honor, and of the confidence which has been reposed in me\u2026 the people of America were not abandoned by their usual good sense, presence of mind, resolution, or integrity\u2026 let us hasten to take the road which alone leads to peace, liberty, and safety\u2026 the acquisition of Louisiana had been disapproved by some that the enlargement of our territory would endanger its union, but who can limit the extent to which the federative principle may operate effectively?… the maintenance of peace with all nations whilst so many of them were engaged in bloody and wasteful wars created our unrivaled growth\u2026our resources are amply sufficient to bring the War of 1812 to an honorable issue\u2026we have attained a strength and maturity which are the best proofs of wholesome laws well administered\u2026 in our whole system, national and state, we have shunned all the defects which destroyed the ancient Republics\u2026 a population of four millions has multiplied to twelve; extended from sea to sea; new States have been admitted; treaties of peace, amity, and commerce have been concluded \u2026 the great interests of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures should be equally favored\u2026 preservation of the rights of the States and the integrity of the Union\u2026 half a century, teeming with extraordinary events, and elsewhere producing astonishing results, has passed along\u2026 it is union that we want, not of a party, but a union of the whole country\u2026the Republic of Texas desires to come into our Union\u2026 extend the blessings of civil and political liberty\u2026 sectional prejudices find no place in the public deliberations\u2026a difference of opinion has arisen in regard to the point of time when the people of a Territory shall decide the slavery question for themselves\u2026 I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery\u2026 fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of Civil War may speedily pass away\u2026 the country having just emerged from a great rebellion\u2026 yet a slave is not yet possessed of the civil rights which citizenship should carry with it; this is wrong\u2026 the calamitous effects of the tremendous revolution which has passed over the Southern States\u2026 this Constitution now covers an area fifty times greater than that of the original thirteen States and a population twenty times greater \u2026 the Indians within our boundaries shall be fairly and honestly treated\u2026 maintain a policy of avoiding all interference with European affairs\u2026 nothing is more vital than a sound and stable currency\u2026 depression in business and distress among the people\u2026the Spanish American war was signally favorable to American arms and in the highest degree honorable to the Government\u2026 power invariably means both responsibility and danger\u2026 make the burden of taxation as light as possible\u2026 we have squandered a great part of what we might have used\u2026 we are provincials no longer; World War I has made us citizens of the world\u2026 no permanent military alliance\u2026 we have enlarged our freedom, we have strengthened our independence\u2026 respected among the peoples of the world\u2026 the life savings of thousands of families are gone\u2026 we must find practical controls over blind economic forces and blindly selfish men\u2026democracy is not dying\u2026 we work and fight for total victory in World War II\u2026people look to us as never before\u2026 the future shall belong to the free\u2026this is no time of ease or rest\u2026ask what you can do for your country\u2026 we are believers in justice and liberty and union\u2026throwing wide the horizons of space\u2026there are those who find everything wrong with America and little that is right\u2026 let our recent mistakes bring a resurgent commitment\u2026 government is not the solution to our problems\u2026 is there either logic or morality if one side threatens to kill tens of millions of our people, we threaten killing tens of millions of theirs?…the exercise of free will unhampered by the state\u2026 give this capital back to the people to whom it belongs\u2026 government is not the problem, and government is not the solution; we\u2014the American people\u2014we are the solution\u2026 when we see that wounded traveler on the road to Jericho, we will not pass to the other side.\u2026 and then there came a day of fire\u2026<\/p>\n
With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations\u2026<\/p>\n
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