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Vice President Johnson mr. speaker mr.
chief justice
President Eisenhower Vice President
Nixon President Truman Reverend clergy
fellow citizens we observed today not a
victory of party but a celebration of
freedom symbolizing an end as well as a
beginning signifying renewal as well as
change for I have sworn before you and
Almighty God the same solemn oath our
forebears prescribed nearly a century
and three quarters ago the world is very
different now for men holds in his
mortal hands the power to abolish all
forms of human poverty and all forms of
human life and yet the same
revolutionary beliefs for which our
forebears fought are still at issue
around the globe the beliefs that the
rights of man come not from the
generosity of the state but from the
hand of God we dare not forget today
that we are the heirs of that first
revolution let the word go forth from
this time and place to friend and foe
alike that the torch has been passed to
a new generation of Americans born in
this century tempered by war disciplined
by a hard and bitter peace proud of our
ancient heritage and unwilling to
witness or permit
the slow undoing of those human rights
though which this nation has always been
committed and to which we are committed
today at home and around the world
[Applause]
let every nation know whether it wishes
us well or I'll that we shall pay any
price bear any burden meet any hardship
support any friend oppose any foe to
assure the survival and the success of
Liberty
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this much we play and more to those old
allies whose cultural and spiritual
origins we share we pledge the loyalty
of faithful friends United there is
little we cannot do in a host of
cooperative ventures divided there is
little we can do or we do not meet a
powerful challenge at odds and split
asunder to those new States whom we
welcome to the ranks of the free we
pledge our word that one form of
colonial control shall not have passed
away merely to be replaced by a far more
I&T ranee we shall not always expect to
find them supporting our view but we
shall always hope to find them strongly
supporting their own freedom and to
remember that in the past those who
foolishly sought power by riding the
back of the tiger ended up inside
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to those people in the huts and villages
of half the globe struggling to break
the bonds of mass misery we pledged our
best efforts to help them help
themselves for whatever period is
required not because the Communists may
be enjoying it not because we seek their
folks but because it is right if a free
society cannot help the many who are
poor it cannot save the few were rich
[Applause]
to our sister Republic's south of our
border we offer a special pledge to
convert our good words into good deeds
in a new alliance for progress to assist
free men and free governments in casting
off the chains of poverty but this
peaceful revolution of hope cannot
become the prey of hostile powers let
all our neighbors know that we shall
join with them to oppose aggression or
subversion anywhere in the Americas and
let every other power know that this
hemisphere intends to remain the master
of its own house
to that world assembly of sovereign
states the United Nations our last best
hope in an age where the instruments of
war have far outpaced the instruments of
peace we renew our pledge of support to
prevent it from becoming merely a forum
for invective to strengthen its yield of
the new and the weak and to enlarge the
area in which it's written they run
finally to those nations who would make
themselves our adversary we offer not a
pledge but a request that both sides
begin anew the quest for peace before
the dark powers of destruction unleashed
by science engulf all humanity in
planned or accidental self-destruction
we dare not tempt them with weakness for
only when our arms are sufficient beyond
our can we be certain beyond doubt that
they will never be employed but neither
can to great and powerful groups of
nations take comfort from our present
course both sides overburdened by the
cost of modern weapons both rightly
alarmed by the steady spread of the
deadly atom yet both racing to order
that uncertain balance of terror that
stays the hand of mankind's final war so
let us begin anew remembering on both
sides that civility is not a sign of
weakness and sincerity is always subject
to proof let us never negotiate out of
fear but let us never fear to negotiate
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that both sides explore what problems
unite us instead of belaboring those
problems which divide us let both sides
for the first time formulate serious and
precise proposals for the inspection and
control of arms and bring the absolute
power to destroy other nations under the
absolute control of all nations
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let both sides seek to invoke the
wonders of science instead of its
terrorism together let us explore the
Stars conquer the deserts eradicate
disease tap the ocean depth and
encourage the arts and commerce let both
sides unite to heed in all corners of
the earth the command of Isaiah to undo
the heavy burdens and let the oppressed
go free and if a be chaired of
cooperation may push back the jungle of
suspicion let both sides join in
creating a new endeavor not a new
balance of power but a new world of law
where the strong adjust and the weak
secure and the peace preserved all this
will not be finished in the first 100
days nor will it be finished in the
first 1000 days nor in the life of this
administration nor even perhaps in our
lifetime on this planet but let us begin
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in your hands my fellow citizens more
than mine will rest the final success of
Faria of our course since this country
was founded each generation of Americans
has been summoned to give testimony to
its national loyalty the graves of young
Americans who answered the call to
service surround the globe now the
trumpet summons us again not as they
called to bear arms though arms we need
not as a call to battle though in battle
we are but a call to bear the burden of
a long Twilight Struggle year in and
year out rejoicing in Hope patient in
tribulation a struggle against the
common enemies of man tyranny poverty
disease and war itself can we forge
against these enemies a grand and global
alliance north and south east and west
that can assure a more fruitful life for
all mankind will you join in that
historic evidence
in the long history of the world only a
few generations have been granted the
role of defending freedom in its hour of
maximum danger
I do not shrink from this responsibility
I welcome it
I do not believe that any of us would
exchange places with any other people or
any other generation the energy the
faith the devotion which we bring to
this endeavor will light our country and
all who serve it and the glow from that
fire can truly light the world and so my
fellow Americans ask not what your
country can do for you ask what you can
do for your country
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my fellow citizens of the world ask not
what America will do for you but what
together we can do for the freedom of
man finally whether you are citizens of
America or citizens of the world ask of
us here the same high standards of
strength and sacrifice which we ask of
you with a good conscience are only sure
reward with history the final judge of
our deeds let us go forth to lead the
land we love asking his blessing and his
help but knowing that here on earth
God's work must truly be our own
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you