The colored Tennessean., 1865-10-14
NOBLE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON
TO A COLORED REGIMENT.

The following statesmanlike, phi
lanthropic, and patriotic speech of the
President, will be hailed with loud
applause, by every lover of the I'm
ion. twill revive the hearts of many
thousands. We have read nothing
better for many day. His declara-
tion to the colored soldiers, that this
is their country as well as anybody
else's country, will, at the same time
fall like a hnmh-shell among tho ranhs
of the negro haters. ~
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The 1st Dis
trict 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
follows: -a..f4 ar rsf. ae
My FRIENDS: My object in present
ing myself before you on this occa-
sion, is simply to thank you, as mem
bers Of one of the colored regiments
which have been in the service of the
country to sustain and carry its ban
ner and its laws triumphantly in every
part Of this broad land / repeat
that / appear before you on the pres
ent occasion merely to tender you my
thanks for the compliment you have
paid me on your return to again be
associated with your friends and re-
lations and those you hold most sa-
cred and dear / repeat l have but
little to say. it being unusual in this
Government and of most govern
ments to have colored troops engaged
in their service. You have gone
forth, as events have shown, and
served with patience and endurance
in the cause of your country. This
is your country as well as anybody
else's country. Cheers This is
the country in which you expect to
live and in which you should expect
to do something by your example in
civil life as you have done in the field.
This country IS founded upon the prin-
ciples Of equality. At the same time
the standard by which persons are to
be estimated is according to their
merits and their worth, and you have
observed, no doubt, that for him who
does his duty faithfully and honestly
there is always a just public judg-
ment that will appreciate and measure
out to him his proper reward. I
know that there are men well calcu-
lated in this Government, since the
late rebellion commenced, to excite
the white against the blacks and the
blacks against the white man. There
are things you should all understand,
md at some time prepare yourself for
what is before you. Upon the return
Of peace and the surrender Of the
enemies Of the country, it should be
he duty of every patriot and every
)ne who calls himself a christian to |
that with the closing of the
var his resentments should cease !;
hat angry feelings should subside,
md that every man should become
aim and tranquil, and be prepared
or what is before him. This is an
,ther part of your mission. You +
ave been engaged in the effort to sus-
ain your country, but the future is
nore important to you than the pc
led in which you have just been en-
aged. One great question has been
ettled in this Government, and that 4
uestion is the question of slavery
he institution Of slavery made war
gainst the United States, and the ]
5nited States has lifted its strong
rms in vindication of the Govern f
lent, and, in lifting that arm appeal
10 to the God of battles, it has been /: