si nos apartamos de ellos, en momentos de error o alarma, apresurémonos a desandar nuestros pasos y a recuperar el camino que es el único que conduce a la paz, la libertad y la seguridad.
[ 55 :\
I repair^ then, fellow citizens, to the post you hwoe assigned me. With experience enough in subordinate offices^ to hai^e seen the difficulties of this, the greatest of all^ I hanje learned to expect, that it will rarely fall to the lot of imperfect man, to retire from this station, with the reputation^ and the favor ^ which bring him into it.
fVithout pretensions to that high confidence you reposed in our first and greatest rewlutionaiy character^ whose pre-eminent services had entitled him to the first place in his country's love, and destined for him the fairest page in the volume of faithful history y I ask so much confidence only^ as may give firm^ ness and effect to the legal administration ofyour affairs, I shall often go wrong, through defect ofjudgement.
When right I shall often be thought wrong, by those whose positions ivill not command a view of the whole ground, I ask your indulgence for my own errors^ which will never be intentional;