Ulysses S. Grant: First Inaugural Address

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

After the Civil War, Grant supervised the federal military forces that oversaw the implementation of federal Reconstruction policy. As committed as he was to reconciliation with former Confederates, he also believed that blacks had to be protected as they made the transition from slavery to freedom. During the next four years, he became more adamant about protecting blacks from terrorism and intimidation; he came to endorse giving blacks the right to vote and making them equal citizens before the law; he supported congressional Reconstruction initiatives; and he opposed President Andrew Johnson's efforts to obstruct the implementation of those measures.

Although at first he was skeptical about entering political life, by 1868 Grant had become convinced that only by running for president on the Republican ticket could he bring a successful end to Reconstruction, thus preserving in peace what had been won in war. He believed that it was time to remove issues of such national importance from the hands of scheming politicians. He was especially disturbed by Johnson's intemperate behavior as president. In the fall election, Grant and the Republicans prevailed, with his popular majority being secured by black votes—the first time African Americans had participated on a large scale in an American presidential contest.

In his First Inaugural Address Grant outlines his conception of the office of the presidency and the approach he favored on a number of issues. In contrast to Johnson, who did what he could to block or thwart laws that he disliked, Grant assures Americans that “all laws will be faithfully executed, whether they meet my approval or not. I shall on all subjects have a policy to recommend, but none to enforce against the will of the people.” His message is one of reassurance and a plea for Americans to set aside their passions and work together to address the outstanding issues facing the nation, including Reconstruction. He urges the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment, which would remove the barrier of race, color, or previous condition of servitude from voting, as a way to resolve that outstanding issue so Americans could move forward. In short, Grant is looking forward to ending Reconstruction, and he believes this can be done if Americans obey the law and respect their fellow citizens.