Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-10-25
Address of President johnson to the
Returned Negro Regiment.

| Returned negro lSeSiWeh''
: On tho 10th inst, the President delivered
to some regiments of blacks, just prior tc
their mus,ering out an address, synopsis
whereof has already been given, but ofwhich
the following is a full report:
My FR1EsDs-My object in presenting my
self before you on this occasion is simply to
thank you, members of one of the colored
regiments which has been in the service OF
the country to sustain and carry its banner
and its laws triumphantly in every part OF this
broad land. repeat that I appear before
you on the present occasiop merely to tender
you thanks for the compliment you have paid
me on your. return home to again be associa-
ted with your friends and your relations and
those you hold most sacred and dear. / re-
peat have but little to say. 1t being unu-
sual in this Government and iu most Of the
other governments to have colored troops ell.
gagged in their service, you have gone forth,
as events have shown, and served with pa
tience and endurance in the cause of your
country. This is your country as well as
anybody else's country. (Cheers) Thisis 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 principles of equality, and at the same
time the standard by which persons are to be
estimated is according to their merit and
their worth ard you have observed no doubt
that for him who does his duty faithfully and
honestly there is always just public judg-
ment that will appreciate and measure cut to
him his proper reward. -
You have been engaged in the effort to
sustain your country in the past. But the
future is more important to you than the pc
rlod in which sou have just been engaged.
One great question has besn settled in this
Government, and that is the question Of sla-
very. The institution of slavery made war
against the United States, and the United
States has LITE Its strong arms in vindication
of the Government and of free government,
and ia lifting that arm and appealing to the
God Of Battles it has been decided that the
institution ofslavery must go down. tCheers.@
This has been Gone; and the Goddess Of LIB
arty,. in bearing witness. over many of our
battle fields since the struggle commenced,
has made her loftiest flight, and proclaimed
that true-liberty has been established upon
more permanent and enduring basis than
heretofore. (Alplause.) But this is not all !;
and as you have paid me the compliment to
call upon me, shall take the privilege of
saying one OR two words as am before you.
I repeat that it is not all Now when the
sword is returned to its scabbard when
your arms are reversed and the olive branch
of peace is extended, as remarked before,
resentment aud revenge should subside Then
what is to follow? You do understand, no
doubt, and if you do not, you cannot under.
stand too soon, that simple liberty does not
mean the privilege of going into the battle
field rinto the servicc of the country as a
soldier. -
Liberty is not a mere idea, mere vagary.
It is an idea or IL is reality and when you
come to examine this question of liberty you
will be mistaken in mere idea for the reai
ty. I. does not consist in idleness., Liberty
does not consist IN beng worthless. Liberty
does not consist in doing all things as We
please and there can be no liberty without;
law. In government of freedom and Of
liberty there: must be law, and there must be
obedience. and Submission to the law withoui
regard to color. (Cheers.) Liberty (and may
l not call you my countr5men n9), liberty con.
sists in the glorious privileges of work Of
pursuing the ordinary avocations of peace
with industry aad with economy and that
being done, all those who haye been indus
trious and economical are permitted to ap.
propriate and enjoy the products of their ewp
labor. (Cheers.) This 10 one of the great
blessings of freedom and hence we.might
ask the question, and answer itby stating
that liberty means frcedom-to work and en-
joy the products Of your own labor. You
will soon be mustered out Of the ranks. 1t
is for You to establish. the great fact that You
are fit and qualified to be- free. Hence free
dom is not mere idea, butts something that
exists in fact. Freedom is not, simply the
privilege to live in idleness; liberty does not
mean simply to resort to the low saloons and
other places of disreputable character: Free
dom and liberty do not mean that the people
ought to live in RIGHTEOUSNESS; but liberty
means simply b, be Industrious, to be yirtu:
GUS, to be upright in all our dealings and re-
lations with men and to those now before
me, members OF the first regiment of colored
vou nteers from the District of Columbia and
the Capital of the. United states;I have to
say that great deal depends upon yourselves.
You must give evidence that you are .oompe-
tent for the;righta that the Government has
guaranteed to yoa. Heucetorth each and all