The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-11-02
SPEHC" 4DE
President johnson
TO THE
Colored Regiment.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The First
District Of Columbia colored regiment
marched from their quarters in Camp
bell Hospital, to the Executive Man
sion, where they were received by the
President, who addressed them as fol-
ows:
My fricnds-My object in present
ing myself before you on this occasion
is simply to thank you as one of the
colored regiments which has been in
the service Of the country to sustain
and carry its banner and laws triumph
antly in every part of this broad land.
repeat, that l appear before you on
the present occasion, merely to tender
you my thanks for the compliment you
have paid me on your return home to
again associate with your friends and
your relations and those you hold
most sacred and dear. repeat, have
but littlo to say, it being universal in
this government, and most of other
governments, to have co!orcd troops
engaged in their service. You have
gono forth, as events have shown, and
served with patience and endurance in
the cause of your country. This is
your country as well as any body else's
country. This country is founded up
on the principles of equality, and at
tho same time the standard by which
persons are to be estimated is accord
ing to their merit and their worth, and
you have observed, no doubt, that for
him who does his duty faithfully and
honestly there is always just public
Judgment that will appreciate and
measure out to him his proper reward.
know that there is much well calcu-
lated to excite in this government and
Bomo in the late rebellion commenced
to excite tho whites against the blacks
and tho blacks against the whites.--
There are things you should all under,
stand at some time. Prepare yourself
for what is before you. Upon the re-
turn OF peace and the surrender
of tho enemies of tho country it
should be the duty Of every patriot
and every one who feels himself q
Christian to remember that with the
termination of the war his resentment
should cease; that angry feelings should
subside, and that every man should be.
come calm and thoughtful, and be pre-.
pared for what is before him. This is
another part of your mission. You
have been engaged in the effort to sus
tain your country in the past, but the
future is, moLe important to you thar
thcperiod in which you have just beer
engaged. One great question has beer
settled in this Government, and thai
question is the question of slavery
The Institution of slavery made war a
gainst the United States, and the Uni
ted States has lifted its strong arms il
vindication of the Government, and O
free Government. And in lifting that
arm and appealing to tho God Of battle
1t has been decided that the institution
of slavery must 60 down. Cheers.
This has been done, and that goddess
of liberty in bearing witness over eve
ry battle 6elp since the struggle com
menced, has made her loftiest fligh
and proclaimed that true liberty bal
been established upon a more pcrma
nept and enduring basis chan hereto
fors.g GApplause] But this is notlall
and as, you rhavo paid mo the compli,
mepEt %. .calt-aponnie l shalB .take M,
privilege pf pfsayipg, o few words as
am before you. repeat that,gis no
all; now,twhen, the swordlisN returner
to the scabbard, when your arms arr
fToA er1'efsff .''1q 20 alt'l n' INol lla q