Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-04-25

The PTrsident at Annapolis.

The Official Yisu Of The President Of The Uni
ted States and The Secretary ofths Many. 10
The United States Ndrai 4eademy al Annapo
lis, and The Nep Uar STEAMER Merrimac ia
annapolis Roads.
The President, and the Secretary If the Navy,
Mr. Dobbln, made aD official visit To the Naval
Academy, and The new steamer Merrinlnc.
at Annapolis. on Saturday. in accordance with
previous announcement. They left Washin gton
the evening previous (hnyng accepted nn iuyi
tati"n 10 be- present at the ball given by Captain
Goldsborough, of the Naval Academy aud v ere
accompanied by Capt. Ingrahan recently APP
pointed Chief Of the Bureau Of Ordnance mud
llydrogtaphy. aud of K"sta celebrity. and by
sydney Webster, Esq. the Presidents private
secretary.
The President bad rooms provided for him Mt
NHltoD's City HOTEL the critical condition of
Mrs. lgons health since her receut acenueh-
ment having deprived thu Governor of The plea.
ure Of entertaining the President at the govern.
meut mansion. After being escorted thither and
ten having been proyidrd the President and h-
party, al "a O'Clock, visited the Senate Cham
Der of the Capitol, which, NOT wiihstandng the
mprompiu notice, thronged with citizens.
and large number Of ladies' The President War
then hriclly addressed by the chairman of the
committee, james Murray, ESQ.
The President in reply, expressed his cordial
thanks 10 the chairman for such agreeable
welcome on his first visit 10 the ancient and IN
teresf,ng city Of Annapolis The fact, shd the
President, that 1t is the seat Of government ot II
State distinguished no less for tho enterprise
than Tor tho intelligence, patriotism and high
tone OF its citizens, * the crenm stance that here
is wisely established, | think. the seat of II nat
ionnl Institution Of universal Interest. would Of
themselves make it place of peculiar interest.
But u can never be without other causes of ut
traction, stronger and more controlling even than
al, 10
population us only, il seems 10 me, can dwell in
n locality hallowed by many precious memo
rIes, and instinct with many associations sug.
ges've otelevated purposes and noble sent.
ments
Familiarity with the most sacred scenes does
undoubtedly diminish in some degree those emo.
tons of reverence aud awe which they at first
inspires but il Is pleasant 10 believe that the I'm
seen power of the infurnoeis never lost. Stand
ing in this hail. his thoughts invouutarlly turn
cd tn the past. Indeed from the III 1ment hc en-.
tered the enyirous Of Annapolis, his faculties
seemed sur, endered to the dominion Of memory
The occasions ct peculiar trial and anxiety of
which your city were at times the ceutre, those
of joy and exultation, and that great event of
maichless moral sublimity to which you have 50
touchlngly adverted, were all before him. 1t j.
Tor the moment as II the touch Of wand had oh
liberated the present aud restored the past. Still
the solemn facts stands that one l. here present
who witnessed tho scenes of ihut day in Noy'r,
1881 when all business was suspendcd.the streets
throngcd with people. aud every window and
balcony crowded with life aud beauty upon the
arrival OF Washington fresh from the victorious
fields of Yorktown. None are here who were
present at tie sublime neutrality-suspicious. The
most august in all our nnnas-whon IN this room
the Father of his Country resigned his military
power into tho hands of the civil authority from
whence it came. None here who attended
the deliberations of the delegates OF those States
which were represented in the ussemblage which
met in 1S6to consider the best means TO rene
dy the defects OF the Federal Government. Wa
dwell upon these scenes, and standing here we
bring the actors in them wildly before us. but
do we, Ms we ought, derive instructions and
strength from their example and their preceptsl
! fear continued the President. not To the extent
which onr safety, our duty. reverence and
gratitude should suggest. fear thnt willie we
are enjoying the peerless Inheritance which has
been TRANSMITTED 10 u.s. we are not sufficiently
mindful of the price ut which it was purcha sed
that in the midst oi degree of prosperity and
freedom. of personal security, Of individual hap
piness d enjoyment sue has great community
ever possessed before, We are too prone to for.
get the only means bv which these blessings can
be preserved and made perpetual
10 my mind Mr.. Chairman, there is some-
thing fearful in the consciousness that the men
of the revolutionary epoch have all passed away.
/ Their very presence awed and subdurd the spir-
I IL of seciionalism and intolerance. They could
I speak, and they did speak, words of ndnonitiaii
| and instruction which if needed md ohev.d bv
/ the mass Of our population. North aud South.
East and West would give entire security to the
noble fabric of our institutions, and complete
surance that this signal experiment of mans en-
pacity for sefgovernment is to realize more than
their most sanguine anticipations ever embraced.
Washington always spoke AS he spoke here when
our Independence had just been acknowledged. q
when the trials and sutferings, and sacrifices o,
that beeding.at times furnishing, but always firm,
and patriotic, amy of liberty were universal ap
scenes of triumph, but he did not forget that they
were also scenes of trial. He spoke from hisi
| cent experience and with tu view of all the
embarrassment, which were still To be overcome
by The statesmen AMI PATRIOTS of the land 1t i.
Tor us Ia remember that i, is with nations as with
Individuals, a harder task to use and enjoy with
! profit great prosperity, than 10 endure with be-
| coming fortuee great adversely The later
years OF the Republic seem to me To present cir.
| cumstances to which the Father of his C.untrv
! often referred, not merely with the wisdom of n
sage. but with the spirit of prophet Let us.
said the President, give earnest heed to his les
son., and manifest our reverence for his graat
name and great deeds by love for that common
i country to which he gave the services of youtb
manhood IN mature age, and by devotion IN
this blessed union of States, upon the pro.erys
ton of which reposed the homes which yave saol
calm and BEAUTIFUL sereneity to the last year. O
| his most eventfnl life.
The President appropriately ALLUDED 80 III