Second Inaugural Address of James Madison

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Abouttoaddthesolemnityofanoathtotheobligationsimposedbyasecondcalltothestationinwhichmycountryheretoforeplacedme，Ifindinthepresenceofthisrespectableassemblyanopportunityofpubliclyrepeatingmyprofoundsenseofsodistinguishedaconfidenceandoftheresponsibilityunitedwithit.Theimpressionsonmearestrengthenedbysuchanevidencethatmyfaithfulendeavorstodischargemyarduousdutieshavebeenfavorablyestimated，andbyaconsiderationofthemomentousperiodatwhichthetrusthasbeenrenewed.FromtheweightandmagnitudenowbelongingtoitIshouldbecompelledtoshrinkifIhadlessrelianceonthesupportofanenlightenedandgenerouspeople，andfeltlessdeeplyaconvictionthatthewarwithapowerfulnation，whichformssoprominentafeatureinoursituation，isstampedwiththatjusticewhichinvitesthesmilesofHeavenonthemeansofconductingittoasuccessfultermination.

Maywenotcherishthissentimentwithoutpresumptionwhenwereflectonthecharactersbywhichthiswarisdistinguished？

ItwasnotdeclaredonthepartoftheUnitedStatesuntilithadbeenlongmadeonthem，inrealitythoughnotinname；untilargumentsandpostulationshadbeenexhausted；untilapositivedeclarationhadbeenreceivedthatthewrongsprovokingitwouldnotbediscontinued；noruntilthislastappealcouldnolongerbedelayedwithoutbreakingdownthespiritofthenation，destroyingallconfidenceinitselfandinitspoliticalinstitutions，andeitherperpetuatingastateofdisgracefulsufferingorregainingbymorecostlysacrificesandmoreseverestrugglesourlostrankandrespectamongindependentpowers.

Ontheissueofthewararestakedournationalsovereigntyonthehighseasandthesecurityofanimportantclassofcitizenswhoseoccupationsgivethepropervaluetothoseofeveryotherclass.Nottocontendforsuchastakeistosurrenderourequalitywithotherpowersontheelementcommontoallandtoviolatethesacredtitlewhicheverymemberofthesocietyhastoitsprotection.Ineednotcallintoviewtheunlawfulnessofthepracticebywhichourmarinersareforcedatthewillofeverycruisingofficerfromtheirownvesselsintoforeignones，norpainttheoutragesinseparablefromit.TheproofsareintherecordsofeachsuccessiveAdministrationofourGovernment，andthecruelsufferingsofthatportionoftheAmericanpeoplehavefoundtheirwaytoeverybosomnotdeadtothesympathiesofhumannature.

Asthewarwasjustinitsoriginandnecessaryandnobleinitsobjects，wecanreflectwithaproudsatisfactionthatincarryingitonnoprincipleofjusticeorhonor，nousageofcivilizednations，nopreceptofcourtesyorhumanity，havebeeninfringed.Thewarhasbeenwagedonourpartwithscrupulousregardtoalltheseobligations，andinaspiritofliberalitywhichwasneversurpassed.

Howlittlehasbeentheeffectofthisexampleontheconductoftheenemy！

TheyhaveretainedasprisonersofwarcitizensoftheUnitedStatesnotliabletobesoconsideredundertheusagesofwar.

Theyhaverefusedtoconsiderasprisonersofwar，andthreatenedtopunishastraitorsanddeserters，personsemigratingwithoutrestrainttotheUnitedStates，incorporatedbynaturalizationintoourpoliticalfamily，andfightingundertheauthorityoftheiradoptedcountryinopenandhonorablewarforthemaintenanceofitsrightsandsafety.SuchistheavowedpurposeofaGovernmentwhichisinthepracticeofnaturalizingbythousandscitizensofothercountries，andnotonlyofpermittingbutcompellingthemtofightitsbattlesagainsttheirnativecountry.

Theyhavenot，itistrue，takenintotheirownhandsthehatchetandtheknife，devotedtoindiscriminatemassacre，buttheyhaveletloosethesavagesarmedwiththesecruelinstruments；havealluredthemintotheirservice，andcarriedthemtobattlebytheirsides，eagertogluttheirsavagethirstwiththebloodofthevanquishedandtofinishtheworkoftortureanddeathonmaimedanddefenselesscaptives.And，whatwasneverbeforeseen，Britishcommandershaveextortedvictoryovertheunconquerablevalorofourtroopsbypresentingtothesympathyoftheirchiefcaptivesawaitingmassacrefromtheirsavageassociates.Andnowwefindthem，infurthercontemptofthemodesofhonorablewarfare，supplyingtheplaceofaconqueringforcebyattemptstodisorganizeourpoliticalsociety，todismemberourconfederatedRepublic.Happily，likeothers，thesewillrecoilontheauthors；buttheymarkthedegeneratecounselsfromwhichtheyemanate，andiftheydidnotbelongtoasenseofunexampledinconsistenciesmightexcitethegreaterwonderasproceedingfromaGovernmentwhichfoundedtheverywarinwhichithasbeensolongengagedonachargeagainstthedisorganizingandinsurrectionalpolicyofitsadversary.

Torenderthejusticeofthewaronourpartthemoreconspicuous，thereluctancetocommenceitwasfollowedbytheearliestandstrongestmanifestationsofadispositiontoarrestitsprogress.Theswordwasscarcelyoutofthescabbardbeforetheenemywasapprisedofthereasonabletermsonwhichitwouldberesheathed.Stillmorepreciseadvanceswererepeated，andhavebeenreceivedinaspiritforbiddingeveryreliancenotplacedonthemilitaryresourcesofthenation.

Theseresourcesareamplysufficienttobringthewartoanhonorableissue.OurnationisinnumbermorethanhalfthatoftheBritishIsles.Itiscomposedofabrave，afree，avirtuous，andanintelligentpeople.Ourcountryaboundsinthenecessaries，thearts，andthecomfortsoflife.Ageneralprosperityisvisibleinthepubliccountenance.ThemeansemployedbytheBritishcabinettoundermineithaverecoiledonthemselves；havegiventoournationalfacultiesamorerapiddevelopment，and，drainingordivertingthepreciousmetalsfromBritishcirculationandBritishvaults，havepouredthemintothoseoftheUnitedStates.Itisapropitiousconsiderationthatanunavoidablewarshouldhavefoundthisseasonablefacilityforthecontributionsrequiredtosupportit.Whenthepublicvoicecalledforwar，allknew，andstillknow，thatwithoutthemitcouldnotbecarriedonthroughtheperiodwhichitmightlast，andthepatriotism，thegoodsense，andthemanlyspiritofourfellow-citizensarepledgesforthecheerfulnesswithwhichtheywillbeareachhisshareofthecommonburden.

Torenderthewarshortanditssuccesssure，animatedandsystematicexertionsalonearenecessary，andthesuccessofourarmsnowmaylongpreserveourcountryfromthenecessityofanotherresorttothem.Alreadyhavethegallantexploitsofournavalheroesprovedtotheworldourinherentcapacitytomaintainourrightsononeelement.Ifthereputationofourarmshasbeenthrownundercloudsontheother，presagingflashesofheroicenterpriseassureusthatnothingiswantingtocorrespondenttriumphstherealsobutthedisciplineandhabitswhichareindailyprogress.