Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-03-01
SPEECH OF THE PREsEDENT EEBCT
AT PHILADELPHIA.
PRILADELPHIA, Feb. 2;


TIE ceremony Of raising the flag Of
81 stars over the Hall of Independent ce
this morning BY Mr. Lincoln, was at
tended with all the solemnity due such
an occanion, the scene being an impress
sive one.
At the rising Of the sun crowds Of
people streamed from all parts Of the
city toward the State House, and very
soon every inch of ground was occupied,
4 vast number Of ladies being present
The weather was cool and bracing.
AT seven o'clock MIR. Lincoln was es-
corted to the Hall and there received, by
Theodore Cuyler, who warmly welcomed
him to its venerable walls in the hour OF
national peril and distress, when the
work achieved by the wisdom and patri-
otism of our fathers seems thTsaten6d
with instant ruin. 49,.
Mr.. Lincoln responded as follows:
Mr.. CUYLER: l am filled with deep
emotion at finding myself standing here,
IN this place where once was collected
together the wisdom, the patriotism, and
the devotion to the principles from which
sprang the Institutions under which we
live. You have suggested that i'll my
hands is the task Of restoring peace to
the present distracted condition Of the
country. | can say, sir, that all the po-
Iitical sentiments | ertertaln, have been
drawn, SO far as / am able to draw them,
from the sentiments which originated in
and were given to the world from this
hall. | have never had feeling poiiti-
cally that did not spring from the senti-
ments embodied in the Declaration Of
Independence. [ have often pondered
over the dangers which were incurred by
the men who assembled here and framed
and adopted that Declaration Of Inde-
pendence; have pondered over the tolls
that were endured by the officers and
soldiers of the army who achieved that
Independence; and have often inquired
Of myself what great principle orsidea it
was that kept this contederacy so long
together. 1t was not the mere matter OF
the separation of the colonies from the
mother land, but that sentiment in the
Declaration Of Independence which gave
liberty, not alone to the people Of this
country, but hope to the world for all
future time. Great applause. 1t was
that which gave promise that in due
time the weight would bo lifted from
the shoulders OF all men. This is q SEN
tlment embodied in the Declaration Of
independence. Now, my friends, can
this country be saved upon that basis?
If it can, [ will consider myself one of
the happiest men in the world if eau
help to save it, If it cannot be saved
upon that principle, it will be truly aw-
full. But this country cannot be saved
! by giving up that principle. l was
about to say [ would rather be assassi-
mated on this spot than surrender it
TApplause.] Now in my view of the
present aspect Of affairs there need be no
diood SIZED Or e9ar; there Is Ho ncces<jt3 fer
1t. [ an not IN tjtcor of sach course,
and I may sag in advance that there soW
be no dlooI she'd ualess 1t be forced uPon
tie Goreynment and achen It be competed
to act IN se!fdGfcnsa. Applause
My friends this is wholly an unex-
pected speech, and l did not expect to
be called upon to say word when I
came. | supposed it was merely to do
something toward raising the flag. I
may have therefore said something in
discreet. LCIias Of no, no [ have
said nothing but what I am willing to
live By, and Fit he the pleasure Of Al
mighty God; to die by.