The policy announced in Jefferson's first Inaugural was in all important respects merely a policy of conservatism.

The American people were possessed of a set of political institutions, which deprived them of any legitimate grievances and supplied them with every reasonable opportunity; and their political duty was confined to the administration of these institutions in a faithful spirit and their preservation from harm.

The future contained only one serious danger.

Such liberties were always open to attack, and there would always be designing men whose interest it was to attack them.

The great political responsibility of the American democracy was to guard itself against such assaults; and should they succeed in this task they need have no further concern about their future.