The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-12-06

Reception at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel.

-
last evening was attended by a very
large number of our best citizens. For
three hours throng ofladies and gen.
tlemen paid their respects to the Gen.
eral, who made the following speech in
response to an address of welcome by
Mr.. James Wadsworth:
"Mr. Wadsworth, Ladies and Gen
tlemen: The citizens of New York
have done me honor, overmuch Their
kindness, extended in every form known
to Christian courtesy, overwhelms me.
That l should be able to add anything
to the sum of intelligen ,e is a still great
Ell honor. That / entertain very dis
tinct views upon the subjects to which
you have adverted is most true. Peace
hath her victories no less renowned than
war; and Of all peaceful victories ever
yet achieved in the interests of human
freedom, that achieved in the peaceful
quiet which almost brooded over this
land on the 9Th of November was the
greatest.
Before we proceed to look at the ma
terial results, let us look for moment
at the moral. 1t has taught the world
who shall look on-and it can now be
said that it is no vain boast in America
that the eyes of the world are upon
her-it has told all the world that we
are able, in the stress and strain of CIV
il war like that never seen before, to
carry our institutions in peaceful quiet,
change or re-elect our rulers as we
weigh them in the balance to find them
either meritorious or wanting, without
so much of trouble or disorder, or riot,
or of commotion as attends constable's
election in parish in England.
"The moral, then, is, that the gov
ernment, embalmed in the hearts of the
people, dependent OH the intelligence OF
the people, is the strongest government
on earth-strong In the affection, stron.
ger still in the right arm of the people
And when we have been told hereto.
fore that it was necessary that there
should be either monarchy or despot
ism to WELD bayonets, we see bayonets
welded by hundreds of thousands
where other countries have been able
to WELD them by tens, and they entire
ly subservient to the peoples will
Applause.
"The material results are not les:
striking first in the fact that all dispu
ted questions which have divided th'
country are now settled by the almos
unanimous verdict the country. Doe.
any one complain that in the conduc
of military operations there should b.
an arrest Of traitor? That question
has been argued and settled, and thu
verdict is guilty-arrest him when he il
guilty. Bravo.1 Does any complain
that the true theory ofour constitution
has not been carried out which enroll,
all able-bodied men and holds them tC
military duty in defense of their coun
try's life and liberty? That question
has been settled, and hereafter it will
be more honorable to be drafted thai
to volunteer. Laughter.
"Does any one complain that tn
government, in its wisdom, has organ
lied troops irrespective ofthe color, AM
believes that black man would I'LL d
large a grave as though his color wa
winter, when he falls in battle in de
tense of his country's liberty? Tha
question has been settled, and has pas
sed away forever to be amongst tn,
things of the past. Does any one nov
claim, as was claimed in 1860, tha
Abraham Lincoln is the President of
minority? That question is settled b.
an overwhelming majority. Applause.
"Let us look for moment at tn
fact that if we count every rebel agains
him, as he was; if we found every sym
thasizer with rebels against him, as h
was if we count every untrue and dis
loyal man against him, as they all were
yet he is reelected by majority on
iy second to that with which Jackso
swept the country in the hour of finan
cial peril. Those material results hav
been achieved. Now, then, what is tn
duty of the government in the presen
future I? War cannot always last.
sThe history of nations, the expert
ence ofthe world, has shown this. Wal
therefore must come to an end, bu
how? In what way? A war Of thi
kind is to be prosecuted for the pun
pose of breaking down the power G
those opposed to the government, an
bringing them into the fold of the gov
ernment, under the supremacy of ii
laws. In view, therefore, of the una
nimity of the American people, in viey
of the strength and majesty of the law
in view of the might of the natior
might it not be suggested that now is
good time for us once again to hold ou
to the deluded men of the South tn
olive branch ofpeace, and say to then
sCome back, come back now. This
the last time of asking; Come back an
leave the feeding upon the husks, an
come with us to the fat ofthe land, an
let by-gones be by-gones, if by-goner
are by-gonres, and our country will liv
in peace hereafter" Loud applause.
"Were we not able to afford tha
now? Do we not stand strong enough
Do we not stand Union enough to b
able to afford that to the leaders an
to all? There might have been reason
think, among a proud and chivalrou
people that they would not desert thei
leaders in answer to the amnesty {
.. President Lincoln: but now has com
an hour when we can say, Come bacl
come back, and submit to the laws, an
, you shall find exactly such laws-as b.
: fore, except so far as they are altere
by the good Judgment Of the legisls
. lures of the land. TApplauso.
"We are in condition now, not t;
, king counsel from our fears, not takin
!. counsel from our weakness, but takin