The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-07-17
Celebration OF the NaiianaI Victo.
ries at WHsaingtOn.

| splendid national victories, won within
the past fortnight on the Mississippi and
in the East, was held at The White House
on the evening of the 7th inst. An inn
mense crowd assembled with bands OF
music, cheering for GRANT, MEADE and
RosEcRANs. The President appeared and
spoke as follows; ns
| Fsllo,o. Citizens am very glad indeed
to see you to night, and yet / will not
say thank you fnr this call; but | do
most sincerely thank Almighty God for
the occasion on which you have called.
LCbeere How long ago is it-eighty
odd years-since on the Fourth of July
for the first time in the history of the
world anation by its representatives., as
sembled and declared as self evident
truth that "ail men are created equal"
| Cheers. That was the birthday Of the
United States of America. Since then
the Fourth of July has had several Pc
culiar recognitions.
The two most distinguished men 10
the framing and support OF the Declara-
tion were Thomas Jefferson and John
Adams--the one having penned il and
the other sustained il most forcibly in
debate-the only two Of the fifty. five
who sustained IL being elected President
of the United States. Precisely fifty
years after they put their hands 10 this
paper, il pleased Almighty God TO take
both from the stage of action. This
was, indeed, an extraordinary and re-
markable event in our history. Another
! President, five years after, was called
from the stage of existence on the same
day aud month of the year; and now, in
this last Fourth of July Just passed,
when we have gigantic rebellion, at the
bottom of which is an effort TO overthrow
the principle that all men were created
equal, we have the surrender of a most
powerful position and army on thatv very
day, lcheers and not only so, but in a
succession of battles in Pennsylvania.
near to us through three days, so rapid
ly fought that they might be called one
great battle, on the LIST, I'd and Sd OF he
month of July; and the 4th the cohorts
of those who opposed the declaration
that all men are created equal, "turned
taiP' and run. Long and continued
cheers. Gentlemen this ia q glorious
theme, and the occasion for speech, but
am not prepared to make one worthy
Of the occasion. / would like to speak
in terms of praise due to the many brave
officers and eoldiers who have fought In
the ause of the Union and liberties of
the country from the beginning of the
war. There are trying occasions, not
| IaiIu In auocaca L,,4 g.. a. n ,,,.,,t - s -.
cess. | dislike 10 mention the name OF
of one single officer lest l might tio
wrong to those | might forget, recent
events bring up glorious names, and par
ticularly prominent ones, but these / will
not mention. Having said this much
will now take the music.
At the close of the Presidents speech
the crowd proceeded to the War Depart
ment, and serenaded and cheered Mr.
Stanton. The Secretary appeared on
the steps, and made q short, stirring
speech. He said that something under
two years ago, on receipt of an offer oil
conditional surrender from a rebel army
the General in command replied: 6
propose to move Immediately on yooi
works" The same General again moved
on the enemy's works, and the result Il
Vicksburg. He paid many hatterine
compliments to Gen. Grant, also TO Gen
Meade. He concluded with saying
The same strategy, the same bravery
the same indomitable zeal, which hay,
driven the enemy from the banks Of the
Mississippi, aud the banks of the Sus.
quehanna, will, in q very short period
arive every armed re6si from the field
and eve Y Copperhead 10 his den
The s cretary next Introduced Major
General Halleck, who was received witt
applause. He alluded TO the time whel
he first took command Of the Westerl
army, two years ago. Since then Gran
had been under bis command. lie hal
fought fifteen battles and won fftee
victories. He was in Yicksburg on th
Fourth, he will be in Port Hudson TO
I morrow or next day.
SECRETARY sEwARD's SPEECH.
Secretary Seward spoke imprompiu q
length TO crowd who preferred to hea
him rather than TO follow the music. II
, said:
Fellow citizens, | thank you for you
visit Of congratulaliOn. II is ali ia
more welcome because what you come
ielicitate me upyn has only the sam
significance for me personally that it ha
for each one of yourselves, and for III
children and posterity Of US all through
out as many generations as we can no
foresee.
RETR0sPECT.
When / saw commotiOn uprising ini
civil strife, thought II consistent wit
the duty Of patriot and Christian
avert the civil wari IL was possible, an
tried to do so. Ii this was a weakness
| found what seemed an instruction e.
eusing il in the prayer of our Sayio
that the cup, the full bitterness of whic
was understood by himself alone, miel
pass. But found, also, al instruotic
}. TO duty in his resignation "Neycrth'
/. less not my will but Thine be done
When il was clear that without fault q
i. your part or mine the civil war was IL
eyitable, / then thought IL consistent vii
the duty Of a patriot aud Christian
take care that the war should be besr
= not by the friends Of the Union, but .
it's enemies--so that in maintaining Il
Union We should not only maintain q
cause of our country, but should
A maintaining IL in righteous self deienC
q Aggression, unjust aggression, is Ia evel
N case weakness. Self-deienco ia a righ