The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-11-30
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH

THE PRESIDENTS SFEECd..
The President appeared at an upper
window Of tho White House, ON tho
occasion of q scrcnade shortly after the
election, and when the cheers with which
he was greeted censcd, he spoke as follows:
1t has long been q grave question
whether any Government not too strong
for tho liberties Of tho people can be
strong enough to. maintain its own ,e1is:
tcncc in great emergencies. On this
point the present rebellion brought our
Republic to severe test, aud a Pre-:
sidential election occurring in regular
course during the rebellion, added not a
little to the strain: If the loyal people,
united, were put to their strength by
the rebellion, must they not fail when
divided and partially paralyzed by Po'
li,ical war among themselves? But the
election was necessity. We cannot
have o free Government without olec-
tions, and if the rebellion could force US
to forego or postpone national cleo.
ton, it might fairly claim to have al
ready conquered and ruined us. The
strife Of tho election is but human ma.
turc practically applied to tho facts OF
the case. What had occurred in this
case must ever recur in similar cases.
Human nature will not change. In any
future great national trial, compared
with the men Of this, We shall have as
weak and as strong, as silly and as wise,
as bad and as good. Let US, therefore,
study the incidents Of this, as philoso.
ply to learn wisdom from, and none OF
them as wrongs to be reYenSed.-
1Cheers. ..Y. l..s,,
But tho election, along with its Incl
dental and undesirable strife, has done
good too. 1t has demonstrated that o
peoples government can sustain ma
tional election in the midst Of great
civil war. Renewed cheers. Until
now it has not been known to the world
that this was n possibility. 1t show:
also how sound and how strong VIC still
arc. 1t show that even amoug the can
didatcs of tho same party, he who. ii
most devoted to the Union and most op
posed to treason, can receive most Q
the peoples votes. Applause l
shows, also: to the extent yet known
that VIC have more men now than VI
had when the war began. Gold is goot
in its place, but living, brave and pa
triotic men are better than gold. dChecr
and other demonstrations Of applause.
But the rebellion continues, and :no1
! that the election is over, may not oil
having q common interest to .reunlte Ill
common effort to save the common
country. GChcers. For my own part
| have striven and shall strive to avoit
placing any obstacles in tho way
| lIChcers.] So long as have been here
l have not willingly planted q thorn il
any mans bosom. While I am duly
sensible Of the high compliment Of re
election, and duly grateful, as trust, t
Almighty God for having directed m,
country to right conclusion as lthins
for their good, /: adds nothing to my
satisfaction that any other man may b,
disappointed by the result. Cheers.
Nay I ask those who have not differed
with me to join with me in this same
spirit toward those who have? Anc
now let me close by asking three heart!
cheers for our brave soldiers and sea
men, and their gallant commanders.
The thrcc cheers werc enthusiastically.
given, accompanied by music and sount
of cannon. ..a u. ......, ..:...,.-