The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-06-29


suspicion lurking in every shade, and
| who are ready TO hedge themselves
around with terror and to execute every
man who utters sentiment of dlsloyal-
| ty TO their crown-but we, as a people,
are great and magnanimous and can for
give. because the principles which we
Hnhold live forever and are indestructl-
HE. loud cheers.) And when war Is
ended. war should end and peace should
begin. else, when can we have peace? we
| would forever be compelled to keep our
| armour buckled on and maintain an
| army. and it would of itself saddle us
with debt and taxation that would be
felt by our remotest posterity, and al
though the republic has maintained it.
self against intestine foes, yet If you
keen alive this animosity-if the perse-
cuting and unrelenting spirit is allowed
TO keep alive animosity and keep di-
vision. it will be productive of no good
result, You know, and you must all
feel that we have other enemies. The
gentleman who addressed you few
moments ago (Col. Bakery alluded to
the fact that in the home of troubles
there came stealthily thief from the
other continent, clothed with the man
tle of monarchy, and assigned to one Of
| the fairest territories Of the American
continent-that Bonaparte, with one of
tbe Hapsburgs in his arms, came over
and seated him on the throne of the
Montezumas and thus occupied the ter
ritory which interposes between our
GREAT Atlantic and Pacific--a posi-
ton in which he threatens to drive
lis in twain as with a wedge. Now,
To in M
ter. and there may be other quarters in
which we shall have to look, and we cam
not afford to make enemies any more
than we have. | say there can be no
justification for any executions which is
not demanded by the safety of the State;
because these men. have already been
afflicted by this war to such degree that
retaliation-why, if you talk of retalia-
ton, follow in the wake of the army
which marched from the Mississippi to
the sea, and thence to Washington.
Who could then speak of retaliation
after witnessing that scene of devasta-
ton necessary it seemed to us, it seemed
to those who inflicted this severe calami-
tY upon those people; necessary even for
their own safety, that we should thus
inhct or desolate them; but the desola-
ton rests and broods upon them still.
Their homes exist no longer, and the
people are driven out and, therefore, to
me, accustomed to look at things as do,
I can see no necessity of making
treason other than ii is already-odi-
Gus. (Cheers.) No punishment that
we could possibly inflict could equal the
punishment already inflicted upon them
and iustiiiable by the great objects which
we had in view Of the reuniting of our
government, and justitiable by no other
reason and no other right; nor can its
prosecution in any other shape OF form
be justified unless the safety of the gov
eminent is imperiled; any policy, my
| friends, which proceeds from mere NAL
| ice, comes from hell, and is at the insti-
CATION of the devil loud cheers,
| Therefore, embrace the doctrine which
has been put forth by tire President OF
the United States in his several procla-
nations, and / trust that the wounds
which have been inflicted by this war
will be healed, and that the bond offree-
dom, which is all that we have snatched
from this terrible scene of desolation and
destruction, will, and l believe it will,
from the bottom ofmy soul, at no distant
day, repay all the suffering through
WHICH we nave Solie. lCueefs.l NOW
I will not detain you longer. go on, J
l am admonished, by my own feelings
and the appearance of lassitude which /
seeon the countenanceso fmyiriends, that
have detained them already too long
and again thanking you, my friends, as
I do from the bottom of my heart, and
with a sincerity which, ! think, nobody
can doubt, for theacts of kindness which
you have so often bestowed on me, tht
compliments you have given meal
undeserved, / know, bur which | have
sought to deserve by my zeal and devo
ton to the cause of the people of the
scountry and of this State. Thanking
you again, say, and believing that fol
my zeal, which has animated mt
throughout this contest, that you will
excuse me for the inelticiency of my
believing also thata mar
who devotes himself, however humble
his talents--who gives it all to his gov
ernment in the hour of its peril, is moi
altogetherunworthy Of its friends. With
these sentiments animating Inc, anC
with heart full of thankfulness fol
you kindness, bid you good night.