First Inaugural Address of Dwight D.docx

First Inaugural Address of Dwight D.docx

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FirstInauguralAddressofDwightD

FirstInauguralAddressofDwightD.Eisenhower

TUESDAY,JANUARY20,1953

Myfriends,beforeIbegintheexpressionofthosethoughtsthatIdeemappropriatetothismoment,wouldyoupermitmetheprivilegeofutteringalittleprivateprayerofmyown.AndIaskthatyoubowyourheads:

AlmightyGod,aswestandhereatthismomentmyfutureassociatesintheexecutivebranchofgovernmentjoinmeinbeseechingthatThouwillmakefullandcompleteourdedicationtotheserviceofthepeopleinthisthrong,andtheirfellowcitizenseverywhere.

Giveus,wepray,thepowertodiscernclearlyrightfromwrong,andallowallourwordsandactionstobegovernedthereby,andbythelawsofthisland.Especiallywepraythatourconcernshallbeforallthepeopleregardlessofstation,race,orcalling.

Maycooperationbepermittedandbethemutualaimofthosewho,undertheconceptsofourConstitution,holdtodifferingpoliticalfaiths;sothatallmayworkforthegoodofourbelovedcountryandThyglory.Amen.

Myfellowcitizens:

Theworldandwehavepassedthemidwaypointofacenturyofcontinuingchallenge.Wesensewithallourfacultiesthatforcesofgoodandevilaremassedandarmedandopposedasrarelybeforeinhistory.

Thisfactdefinesthemeaningofthisday.Wearesummonedbythishonoredandhistoricceremonytowitnessmorethantheactofonecitizenswearinghisoathofservice,inthepresenceofGod.Wearecalledasapeopletogivetestimonyinthesightoftheworldtoourfaiththatthefutureshallbelongtothefree.

Sincethiscentury'sbeginning,atimeoftempesthasseemedtocomeuponthecontinentsoftheearth.MassesofAsiahaveawakenedtostrikeoffshacklesofthepast.GreatnationsofEuropehavefoughttheirbloodiestwars.Throneshavetoppledandtheirvastempireshavedisappeared.Newnationshavebeenborn.

Forourowncountry,ithasbeenatimeofrecurringtrial.Wehavegrowninpowerandinresponsibility.Wehavepassedthroughtheanxietiesofdepressionandofwartoasummitunmatchedinman'shistory.Seekingtosecurepeaceintheworld,wehavehadtofightthroughtheforestsoftheArgonne,totheshoresofIwoJima,andtothecoldmountainsofKorea.

Intheswiftrushofgreatevents,wefindourselvesgropingtoknowthefullsenseandmeaningofthesetimesinwhichwelive.Inourquestofunderstanding,webeseechGod'sguidance.Wesummonallourknowledgeofthepastandwescanallsignsofthefuture.Webringallourwitandallourwilltomeetthequestion:

Howfarhavewecomeinman'slongpilgrimagefromdarknesstowardlight?

Arewenearingthelight--adayoffreedomandofpeaceforallmankind?

Oraretheshadowsofanothernightclosinginuponus?

Greatasarethepreoccupationsabsorbingusathome,concernedaswearewithmattersthatdeeplyaffectourlivelihoodtodayandourvisionofthefuture,eachofthesedomesticproblemsisdwarfedby,andoftenevencreatedby,thisquestionthatinvolvesallhumankind.

Thistrialcomesatamomentwhenman'spowertoachievegoodortoinflictevilsurpassesthebrightesthopesandthesharpestfearsofallages.Wecanturnriversintheircourses,levelmountainstotheplains.Oceansandlandandskyareavenuesforourcolossalcommerce.Diseasediminishesandlifelengthens.

Yetthepromiseofthislifeisimperiledbytheverygeniusthathasmadeitpossible.Nationsamasswealth.Laborsweatstocreate--andturnsoutdevicestolevelnotonlymountainsbutalsocities.Scienceseemsreadytoconferuponus,asitsfinalgift,thepowertoerasehumanlifefromthisplanet.

Atsuchatimeinhistory,wewhoarefreemustproclaimanewourfaith.Thisfaithistheabidingcreedofourfathers.Itisourfaithinthedeathlessdignityofman,governedbyeternalmoralandnaturallaws.

Thisfaithdefinesourfullviewoflife.Itestablishes,beyonddebate,thosegiftsoftheCreatorthatareman'sinalienablerights,andthatmakeallmenequalinHissight.

Inthelightofthisequality,weknowthatthevirtuesmostcherishedbyfreepeople--loveoftruth,prideofwork,devotiontocountry--allaretreasuresequallypreciousinthelivesofthemosthumbleandofthemostexalted.Themenwhominecoalandfirefurnacesandbalanceledgersandturnlathesandpickcottonandhealthesickandplantcorn--allserveasproudly,andasprofitably,forAmericaasthestatesmenwhodrafttreatiesandthelegislatorswhoenactlaws.

Thisfaithrulesourwholewayoflife.Itdecreesthatwe,thepeople,electleadersnottorulebuttoserve.Itassertsthatwehavetherighttochoiceofourownworkandtotherewardofourowntoil.Itinspirestheinitiativethatmakesourproductivitythewonderoftheworld.Anditwarnsthatanymanwhoseekstodenyequalityamongallhisbrothersbetraysthespiritofthefreeandinvitesthemockeryofthetyrant.

Itisbecausewe,allofus,holdtotheseprinciplesthatthepoliticalchangesaccomplishedthisdaydonotimplyturbulence,upheavalordisorder.Ratherthischangeexpressesapurposeofstrengtheningourdedicationanddevotiontothepreceptsofourfoundingdocuments,aconsciousrenewaloffaithinourcountryandinthewatchfulnessofaDivineProvidence.

Theenemiesofthisfaithknownogodbutforce,nodevotionbutitsuse.Theytutormenintreason.Theyfeeduponthehungerofothers.Whateverdefiesthem,theytorture,especiallythetruth.

Here,then,isjoinednoargumentbetweenslightlydifferingphilosophies.Thisconflictstrikesdirectlyatthefaithofourfathersandthelivesofoursons.Noprincipleortreasurethatwehold,fromthespiritualknowledgeofourfreeschoolsandchurchestothecreativemagicoffreelaborandcapital,nothingliessafelybeyondthereachofthisstruggle.

Freedomispittedagainstslavery;lightnessagainstthedark.

Thefaithweholdbelongsnottousalonebuttothefreeofalltheworld.ThiscommonbondbindsthegrowerofriceinBurmaandtheplanterofwheatinIowa,theshepherdinsouthernItalyandthemountaineerintheAndes.ItconfersacommondignityupontheFrenchsoldierwhodiesinIndo-China,theBritishsoldierkilledinMalaya,theAmericanlifegiveninKorea.

Weknow,beyondthis,thatwearelinkedtoallfreepeoplesnotmerelybyanobleideabutbyasimpleneed.Nofreepeoplecanforlongclingtoanyprivilegeorenjoyanysafetyineconomicsolitude.Forallourownmaterialmight,evenweneedmarketsintheworldforthesurplusesofourfarmsandourfactories.Equally,weneedforthesesamefarmsandfactoriesvitalmaterialsandproductsofdistantlands.Thisbasiclawofinterdependence,somanifestinthecommerceofpeace,applieswiththousand-foldintensityintheeventofwar.

Sowearepersuadedbynecessityandbybeliefthatthestrengthofallfreepeoplesliesinunity;theirdanger,indiscord.

Toproducethisunity,tomeetthechallengeofourtime,destinyhaslaiduponourcountrytheresponsibilityofthefreeworld'sleadership.

Soitisproperthatweassureourfriendsonceagainthat,inthedischargeofthisresponsibility,weAmericansknowandweobservethedifferencebetweenworldleadershipandimperialism;betweenfirmnessandtruculence;betweenathoughtfullycalculatedgoalandspasmodicreactiontothestimulusofemergencies.

Wewishourfriendstheworldovertoknowthisaboveall:

wefacethethreat--notwithdreadandconfusion--butwithconfidenceandconviction.

Wefeelthismoralstrengthbecauseweknowthatwearenothelplessprisonersofhistory.Wearefreemen.Weshallremainfree,nevertobeprovenguiltyoftheonecapitaloffenseagainstfreedom,alackofstanchfaith.

Inpleadingourjustcausebeforethebarofhistoryandinpressingourlaborforworldpeace,weshallbeguidedbycertainfixedprinciples.

Theseprinciplesare:

（1）Abhorringwarasachosenwaytobalkthepurposesofthosewhothreatenus,weholdittobethefirsttaskofstatesmanshiptodevelopthestrengththatwilldetertheforcesofaggressionandpromotetheconditionsofpeace.For,asitmustbethesupremepurposeofallfreemen,soitmustbethededicationoftheirleaders,tosavehumanityfrompreyinguponitself.

Inthelightofthisprinciple,westandreadytoengagewithanyandallothersinjointefforttoremovethecausesofmutualfearanddistrustamongnations,soastomakepossibledrasticreductionofarmaments.Thesolerequisitesforundertakingsucheffortarethat--intheirpurpose--theybeaimedlogicallyandhonestlytowardsecurepeaceforall;andthat--intheirresult--theyprovidemethodsbywhicheveryparticipatingnationwillprovegoodfaithincarryingoutitspledge.

（2）Realizingthatcommonsenseandcommondecencyalikedictatethefutilityofappeasement,weshallnevertrytoplacateanaggressorbythefalseandwickedbargainoftradinghonorforsecurity.Americans,indeedallfreemen,rememberthatinthefinalchoiceasoldier'spackisnotsoheavyaburdenasaprisoner'schains.

（3）KnowingthatonlyaUnitedStatesthatisstrongandimmenselyproductivecanhelpdefendfreedominourworld,weviewourNation'sstrengthandsecurityasatrustuponwhichreststhehopeoffreemeneverywhere.Itisthefirmdutyofeachofourfreecitizensandofeveryfreecitizeneverywheretoplacethecauseofhiscountrybeforethecomfort,theconvenienceofhimself.

（4）Honoringtheidentityandthespecialheritageofeachnationintheworld,weshallneveruseourstrengthtotrytoimpressuponanotherpeopleourowncherishedpoliticalandeconomicinsti