These principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us,
and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation: the
wisdom of our sages and the blood of our heroes have been devoted to
their attainment; they should be the creed of our political faith, the
text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services
of those we trust; and should we wander from them in error or alarm, let
us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads
to peace, liberty, and safety.
I repair then, fellow-citizens, to the post which you have assigned me.
With experience enough in subordinate stations to know the difficulties
of this, the greatest of all, I have learnt to expect that it will
rarely fall to the lot of imperfect man to retire from this station
with the reputation and the favor which bring him into it. Without
pretensions to that high confidence you reposed in our first and
greatest revolutionary character, whose preeminent services had entitled
him to the first place in his country's love, and had destined for
him the fairest page in the volume of faithful history, I ask so
much confidence only as may give firmness and effect to the legal
administration of your affairs.
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