Love Society

By: Azadeh Ghahghaei

Introduction

The concept of presidency in America started by George Washington’s election after wars of Independency and American Revolution. Since then US presidents were the ones depicting major policies of the country. Some believe that America’s policies are concentrating on some unique issues with different shapes and forms displayed with every president coming to power. Every American president has its own perspective through which he sees the world, America and its relation with other nations. Their viewpoints and strategies are mainly reflected in their inaugural speeches before the public, thus one of the best sources that can help understand US presidents’ policies before and after their election are their inaugural speeches.

Here, the inaugural speeches of seven American presidents from Benjamin Harrison to Warren G. Harding (1889-1923), namely Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson and Warren G. Harding, are to be discussed. These seven presidents’ doctrines have a great importance as they are the successors of America’s founding fathers, in whose time America’s main goals were constructed, and the predecessors of the contemporary presidents of the US that are in a way ruling, in some cases with tyranny, the whole world claiming that US is following its main unchanged objectives inherited from the early days of its existence as an independent country.

Different aspects are examined in the inaugural speeches by the repetition of some key words, each related to an important theme like Divinity, slavery and Indians, liberty, democracy and religion( table -1). But the very close attention has been focused on the resonation of divinity in these seven presidents’ inaugural speeches, how they expressed their godly feelings in their oath in front of people. To do this some related words have been chosen such as God, godly, divine, divinity, Providence, destiny, Almighty being, mighty, Supreme Being, He and Lord. Number on these words and the content relating to them signifies in a way that how these presidents feel about god being elected by people.

Word Repetition Word Repetition
God 2 Christ 0
People 92 Christianity 0
Peace 47 Men 16
War 50 Man 10
Liberty 21 Woman 1
Freedom 13 Duty 19
Prosperity 10 Indian 5
Equality 3 Slave 2
Power 31 Government 121
fellow-citizens 51 citizens 17

Table-1, each key words repetition in inaugural addresses by seven presidents of the US since 1889-1923..

Inaugural Speeches analysis

Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president of the United States, is the first president to be discussed. He mainly discussed the importance of mutual covenant in such speeches and patriotism among Americans. In his second paragraph of the long talk on March 4th, 1889, he stated:

My promise is spoken; yours unspoken, but not the less real and solemn. The people of every State have here their representatives. Surely I do not misinterpret the spirit of the occasion when I assume that the whole body of the people covenant with me and with each other to-day to support and defend the Constitution and the Union of the States, to yield willing obedience to all the laws and each to every other citizen his equal civil and political rights. Entering thus solemnly into covenant with each other, we may reverently invoke and confidently expect the favor and help of Almighty God—that He will give to me wisdom, strength, and fidelity, and to our people a spirit of fraternity and a love of righteousness and peace.

In this paragraph, he says that in this occasion there is a covenant between himself and the people and among people themselves to be right to each other and look for peace and God will help theses people, the god that gave him strength and wisdom. He believes God helped and will help him through this earnest responsibility.
In one of the final paragraphs, once again maintains that he has benefited a lot of God’s merci and luxuries:

God has placed upon our head a diadem and has laid at our feet power and wealth beyond definition or calculation. But we must not forget that we take these gifts upon the condition that justice and mercy shall hold the reins of power and that the upward avenues of hope shall be free to all the people.

The next president, Grover Cleveland, a democrat whose popularity was a result of not being a member of Washington political establishment, took oath in 1885. He did not trust to human power and efforts only, he strongly expresses his trust in God, the god that decides for American nation and it is nothing but a sacred destiny for them.

Our duties are practical and call for industrious application, an intelligent perception of the claims of public office, and, above all, a firm determination, by united action, to secure to all the people of the land the full benefits of the best form of government ever vouchsafed to man. And let us not trust to human effort alone, but humbly acknowledging the power and goodness of Almighty God, who presides over the destiny of nations, and who has at all times been revealed in our country’s history, let us invoke His aid and His blessings upon our labors.

In his second speech he goes in first and last paragraph to his God, in the first paragraph he is hopeful that God returns his gratitude and he understands his devotion.

IN obedience of the mandate of my countrymen I am about to dedicate myself to their service under the sanction of a solemn oath. Deeply moved by the expression of confidence and personal attachment which has called me to this service, I am sure my gratitude can make no better return than the pledge I now give before God and these witnesses of unreserved and complete devotion to the interests and welfare of those who have honored me.

He finished his rather long speech with a claim that God loves American and will support them while they are obedient to him; “Above all, I know there is a Supreme Being who rules the affairs of men and whose goodness and mercy have always followed the American people, and I know He will not turn from us now if we humbly and reverently seek His powerful aid.” Moreover, he mentioned different sentences revealing his heartily devotion to service for a great nation and his patrol for American constitution.

William McKinley, in his first inaugural speech that is 18 paragraphs long, starts talking to his fellow- citizens with a proper remembrance of God, he is in need of his countrymen and God, who is the most reliable one, who has always favored Americans.

IN obedience to the will of the people, and in their presence, by the authority vested in me by this oath, I assume the arduous and responsible duties of President of the United States, relying upon the support of my countrymen and invoking the guidance of Almighty God. Our faith teaches that there is no safer reliance than upon the God of our fathers, who has so singularly favored the American people in every national trial, and who will not forsake us so long as we obey His commandments and walk humbly in His footsteps.

He indicates his belief in Providence in a statement about illiteracy;” Illiteracy must be banished from the land if we shall attain that high destiny as the foremost of the enlightened nations of the world which, under Providence, we ought to achieve.” He finishes with a promise to protect and preserve the Constitution and he took the oath before the God:

“I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” This is the obligation I have reverently taken before the Lord Most High. To keep it will be my single purpose, my constant prayer; and I shall confidently rely upon the forbearance and assistance of all the people in the discharge of my solemn responsibilities.

McKinley in the six paragraph of his second address (all were 12), beyond his faith to Constitution and the promise of further relations with Cuba after the Spanish war, he asks for Almighty’s guidance and helps:

Intrusted by the people for a second time with the office of President, I enter upon its administration appreciating the great responsibilities which attach to this renewed honor and commission, promising unreserved devotion on my part to their faithful discharge and reverently invoking for my guidance the direction and favor of Almighty God.

In the next paragraph, he states:

“As heretofore, so hereafter will the nation demonstrate its fitness to administer any new estate which events devolve upon it, and in the fear of God will “take occasion by the hand and make the bounds of freedom wider yet.”

Theodore Roosevelt, the energetic Republican president had a very large and diverse inaugural celebration- cowboys, Indians, coal miners, soldiers and students were some groups represented. He has made four paragraphs of talk, mainly issuing the exaltation of American unity, beside foreign relations, and the practice of intelligence, courage and endurance which made the great men like Washington and Lincoln.

His first paragraph was devoted to a long praise of God; he is thankful for the well-being and happiness they enjoy.

MY fellow-citizens, no people on earth have more cause to be thankful than ours, and this is said reverently, in no spirit of boastfulness in our own strength, but with gratitude to the Giver of Good who has blessed us with the conditions which have enabled us to achieve so large a measure of well-being and of happiness. To us as a people it has been granted to lay the foundations of our national life in a new continent.

William Howard Taft, elected in 1090, took his oath on the Supreme Court Bible. He made a very long speech, 43 paragraphs, but just one paragraph which was the last one dealt with his divine concerns and other paragraphs dealt with his views of tariffs, monetary and banking laws and the emergence of an officered army. He believed tariffs should be revised and banking laws need to be changed greatly. In his last paragraph, he insisted on God’s support of him in doing his duties.

He stated:

Having thus reviewed the questions likely to recur during my administration, and having expressed in a summary way the position which I expect to take in recommendations to Congress and in my conduct as an Executive, I invoke the considerate sympathy and support of my fellow-citizens and the aid of the Almighty God in the discharge of my responsible duties.

Now we come to Woodrow Wilson, who could defeat the Republican Taft and the Roosevelt Progressive party. He came into power in 1913 and in his first speech mentioned his godly belief in two paragraphs out of the total 11 paragraphs.

In paragraph 10, his call of God is a way to express the mercy and justice of God, who would have mercy on people. He mentions:

And yet it will be no cool process of mere science. The Nation has been deeply stirred, stirred by a solemn passion, stirred by the knowledge of wrong, of ideals lost, of government too often debauched and made an instrument of evil. The feelings with which we face this new age of right and opportunity sweep across our heartstrings like some air out of God’s own presence, where justice and mercy are reconciled and the judge and the brother are one.

In the other occasion, which is the last line, he concludes:” God helping me, I will not fail them, if they will but counsel and sustain me!” In his second speech, he discusses the economic and industrial life and progresses. He greatly stresses on American unity. In paragraphs 12 and 14 he talks of Almighty Being as follows:

Upon this as a platform of purpose and of action we can stand together. And it is imperative that we should stand together. We are being forged into a new unity amidst the fires that now blaze throughout the world. In their ardent heat we shall, in God’s Providence, let us hope, be purged of faction and division, purified of the errant humors of party and of private interest, and shall stand forth in the days to come with a new dignity of national pride and spirit.

He indicates that Americans should keep their unity and tries to finish faction s and party and private interests and God Providence will help us forget and ignore differences and interests. In the other paragraph, he again prays God as follows:

I know now what the task means. I realize to the full the responsibility which it involves. I pray God I may be given the wisdom and the prudence to do my duty in the true spirit of this great people. I am their servant and can succeed only as they sustain and guide me by their confidence and their counsel. The thing I shall count upon, the thing without which neither counsel nor action will avail, is the unity of America—an America united in feeling, in purpose and in its vision of duty, of opportunity and of service.

The last president we are going to discuss is Warren G. Harding. The oath of president was administered by Chief Justice Edward White, using the Bible from George Washington’s first inauguration. In his 33 paragraph speech, he advocates the spread of liberty and civilization in America and other countries. He expresses on the US unselfishness and that America desires peace universally, the very same claim by US current president. In the second paragraph he noted that God helped in the foundation of America as a new world by saying that:

Standing in this presence, mindful of the solemnity of this occasion, feeling the emotions which no one may know until he senses the great weight of responsibility for himself, I must utter my belief in the divine inspiration of the founding fathers. Surely there must have been God’s intent in the making of this new-world Republic. Ours is an organic law which had but one ambiguity, and we saw that effaced in a baptism of sacrifice and blood, with union maintained, the Nation supreme, and its concord inspiring.

In paragraph 9, he informs United States willingness to lesson wars and promote friendship among nations that will not be realized unless Almighty God decides for US.

America is ready to encourage, eager to initiate, anxious to participate in any seemly program likely to lessen the probability of war, and promote that brotherhood of mankind which must be God’s highest conception of human relationship.

Harding excellently concludes his speech. He believed it is not him solely to decide for America, there is a destiny for US, he also asked for God’s guidance. He knows that he is expected by God to treat justly and humbly with his people. Here are the paragraphs dealing these issues.

One cannot stand in this presence and be unmindful of the tremendous responsibility. The world upheaval has added heavily to our tasks. But with the realization comes the surge of high resolve, and there is reassurance in belief in the God-given destiny of our Republic. If I felt that there is to be sole responsibility in the Executive for the America of tomorrow I should shrink from the burden. But here are a hundred millions, with common concern and shared responsibility, answerable to God and country. The Republic summons them to their duty, and I invite co-operation.

I accept my part with single-mindedness of purpose and humility of spirit, and implore the favor and guidance of God in His Heaven. With these I am unafraid, and confidently face the future.

I have taken the solemn oath of office on that passage of Holy Writ wherein it is asked: “What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” This I plight to God and country.

Conclusion

As it is discussed in this study, all inaugural speeches have benefited a roughly proportianate resonation of divinity. They all stressed upon God’s willing for America’s foundation, God loves Americans and America and finally God has predicted a glorious destiny for America. They also indicated on the unity of American people that seems essential for the continuation of the Republic. Constitution and the promise to protect and defend, it was a major issue in all speeches.

It is interesting to know that although, there was a great attention to God in their talks, there was not any major stress and indication dealing their religion, Christianity.

References:
- http://www.bartleby.com/124/index.html

She did her BA in English language and literature at the University of Tehran. She is currently doing her MA in American Studies at the University of Tehran, Institute for North American and European Studies. She is mostly interested in international relations, US foreign policy and US cinema.
Email: Americanstudiesghahghaei@yahoo.com

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