, 1865-05-23

rantee of the future. My past public life,
which has been long and laborious, has been
founded, as I in good conscience believe, upon
a great principle Of light, which lies at the basis
Of all things. The best energies of my. life have
been spent in endeavoEring to establish and per-
petuate the principles Of free Government, and
| believe that The Government in passing
through its present trials will settle down upon
principles consonsnt with popular rights more
permanent and enduring than heretofore. [
must be permitted to say, if | understand the
feelings Of my own heart, | have long laboured
to amehorate and alleviate the condition Of the
great mass Of the American people. Toll and
an honest advocacy OF the great principles Of free
Government have been my lot. The duties
have been mlne-the consequences arc Co.'s.
This has been the foundation OF my political
creed. | feel that in the end the Government
viii triumph, and that these great priucipl-3
will be permanently established. In conclusion,
gentlemen, let ne say that | want your euoour-
a9ement and countenance. | shall ask aud rely
upon you and others in carrying the Govern
mont through its present periIs. | feel in max
ln9 this request that it will be heartily respond
cd to by you and all other patriots and lovers Of
the rights and Interests Of a free people
the conclusion Of the above remarks the
President received the kind wishes of the friends
by whom be was surrounded. A few moments
were devoted to conversation. All were deep
~ impressed with the ~solemnity Of the occasion,
and the recent sad occurrence that caused the
necessity for the speedy Inauguration Of the
PRESIDENT was gravely discussed. Mr.. johnson
IS IN lno health, and has an earnest sense of the
important trust that has been couflcd in him"
On the 18th President Johnson receiy-
ed a deputation of citizens of Illinois, ard
In reply to their address delivered the
following speech -
"Gentlsmen,-I have listened with profound
emotion to the kind words you have addressed
to me. The visit Of this large DELEGATION to
speak to me, through you, Sir, these words of
encouragement | had not anticipated, in the
midst OF the Saddening circumstances which sur
round US; and the immense responsibility
thrown upon me, au expression OF the conf
dcnce OF individuals, and still more Of an innu-
entail body like that before me, representing a
great common wealth, cheers and Strengthens
my heavily burdened mind. am at a loss for
words to respond. In an hour like this OF
deepest sorrow, were it possible to embody in
words the feeling Of my bosom, l could not
command my lips to utter them. PERHAPS the
best reply l could make, and the one most rea-
Oily appropriate to your kind assurance of con-
fdenco, would be to receive them in silence.
(Seasation) The throbbings Of my heart since
the sad catastrophe which has appalled, us can
not be reduced to words; and oppressed as |
am with the new and great responsibility which
have devolved upon and saddened me with
grief, | can with difficulty. respond to you at
all. But | cannot permit such expressions Of
the confidence repoSed in me by the people to
pass without acknowledgment. To an indiyi-
dual like myself, who has never cI aiugsa much,
but who had, it is true, received from a gene
rous people many marks of trust and honour
for a long time, an occasion like this, and a man
Hesitation of public feeling so well timed, are
peculiarly acceptable. Sprung from the people
myself, every pulsation of the popular heart
finds an immediate answer in my own. By
many men in public life such occasions are
often considered merely formal to me they are
real. Your words of countenance and encour-
agement sink deep in my heart, and were [
even q coward I could not but gather from
them strength to carry out my convictions of
the right. Thus feeling 1 shall enter upon the
discharge of my great duty firmly, steadfastly
(applause), if not with the signal ability ex-
hlbited by my predecessor, which is still fresh
in our sorrowing minds. Need I repeat that
no heart feels more sensibly than mine this
great affection! In what l say on this occa-
sion shall indulge in no petty spirit Of anger,
no feeling Of revenge. But we have beheld a