, 1865-10-11
SPEECH BT THE PRESIDENT,
The Reception Of the 1st Regiment D.
G. Eolunteer~-Inpor1a speech By
the Pre*1dent-TAc Prevent and I7u-
lure of the Freedman.

The Reception of the 1st Regiment D.
c. Folunfeern-Impor1an Speech by
The Pre*1dent-Tlic Present and I'u-
tAre of the Freedman.
WAsu1sG1oS, 0c!. lU.-1hc 1st District o, Col.
pmhia eolored regiment marched from their on.r-
ter. IN cmrbelra hospital. 10 thc Executive Man.
zion, where they we're received hy the President.
who uadrcssed them az follows:
My FE,yps-Ms object IN presenting mysclI
before yon en- this occasion il simply 10 tn INK you,
nlemfNrt Of one OF the coioscd regiments which
haE bccu In The service Of the County TO sustain
md cErry its banner md Its laws frinmphnnt1y
In every pan OF this broad land repeat, that ap
pear before you on the present occasion merely 10
tender ron my thanks for the compliment you hare
paid me, on your rrturn home. to zgan be assec1a-
ted with yonf friends md yout relations and those
5ou hold uost eacred and dear. repeat, I have
but little TO say, It being unnsunl In this Govern.
unent and IN most Of other Governments 10 have
co!ored troops engaged ID their service.
You have Eouc forth ns evcnts b8rc Hhown and
te1sed With patience md endurance IN The can.e Of
your country. This IL your country IL well as any
body e1sc's country. tCheers.l This is the coun-
uy in which you expect TO live and In which you
should expect to do something by 5our example In
civil life, you hsre done IN the hcld This coun-
IN Is founded On the principle Of equality md ut
TIE eame time the standard by which persona arc to
be estimated T. according to their merit and their
WORTH and you have observed, no doubt, that for
him who does hfs any tasthsnsy and honestly there
le a1~s5s j1st pubic Judgement tha; will appre-
Ciale and measure out to him hls proper xcwnrd. /
know that there l. much well calculated in this
e1ease the white against the biaek and the black
nsainst the white man These arc things you should
all understand and at the eac ttr1c prepare your
eelyes for what Is before you
Cpon the return Of peace and !he surrender Of
the rneme. Of the country It bhond he The duty os
ane st We 81 ds1
Of The wnr biz rcxentments should CEASE that nnrry
tes,nes should tubs,ds. ana .hat eveE man thoSla
Is before him. r ~4'@'~'3 &'' "-4''
Yor hive been cnr.pcd in the rfbrt tn sustain
pant m 3ou tbsn ~ 3dd pgi II Eheh Is rn Ss9
TTnst her1, encaeef. Gnr rreat oreeiinn M h-rn
fsltleil in This EosernGen,, md that question Is
seaasI he Gna ana aa
fhe Gosernment md Of ff1e government. apd in
o! ' hs,.les it hss been deesded hat the M tastisa
lion Of slavery ,nnst 70 dowu. fCheers.l 1hf.
slfu:rie commrpced. b. made heF ois;cst iii..bt.
md proclaimed that trnc liberty has BEEN e4ta1lish-
ID npon more permanent and enduring basis tim
But ibis Il not al md as you have pasd ne the
compliment TO call upon me- snall take tho priy1-
itFct ct ssying one Of Two words, - an IN bciore
l
Is ctutped TO it, ecabblri when your arng are r.
versed nd tic olive branch Of peiec il extendsd.
A. 1sma1Se befo.s rssentncnt nnS reIenre sbonSd
faheide: Taen shat i 70 tol|oHi Yoa DO Under
derstsnd 100 soon, thai eimple liberty does not
Mean The privilege or gong ito tbe bsitle
Il M means a @ othes thas as - veil M ana Sow whsn si go
have laid down vpur AIMS there arc Other objects Of
eQpsi importance before ron. Now that t3e Gov
e1pnent has y mtrimnphant1y pa:fcd through this
world cser saw fhe problem Is before you and It is
bcti that yon should understand It. md thegcforr
spss5 simply snd p,slnly sad te yoa PoT whs ,;,sa
Siatce and take the portion Of dtazcus, when you
have rs!qIned 70 tae av9saaons Of peace, viii yon
@ so H. Tofa asS Pses and
will harc 70 do- Liberty Is not mere idea, mere
spsarE. II y N idca or realty. and when you
ec'is to examine this question OF liberty {ou mar
be mistaken 70 mere tdea Tor reality. It does not
eopsaet N sd!eness. lAsefty docs not eonsist 10
being Morihte*s. Liberty docs not con.ist tn
1csnS a! ahings % at re pcsss aaa thee e91 b. no
obedience and subHl.elon 10 the sT T1shDnt regard
s9s1 ?y e asa e3
,'ae Mssneeru. Norh ~ pG.sVne .1e ytnaAaly W.
eations q Peaes win y ln5nslsy and VIII econon5,
a .nat 9 9eanS aone, e. 1 nose VIZ hs'e e. oeea
aGa enjoy Ire prodacts o. their o"n Moor;
!Cheess-i ms fe one o. she gIeat hlesflnss Q!
te1ol!; 1Au nsee ~ !. tt y: - ue Quesl41u a4a
ansEI !! p} sta3fnS shAl merry means 1feedon 10
work and enjoy the products q! Your own Ao0r.
lou Will bc soon mustered ont q the rsuks- II +
ior 3ou 10 eftablteh ihe great tact that Jon Ate Ut
is not mere Idea, but ie Thing that exists in
G:c,; Freedom ls not simply the privilege to live
eor 10 low SALOONS ind othcr places Of dsfeputable
character. Freedom and liberty do not mean that
tbc people ought TO 1ye in Iee1Ionsness, bns lb-
ous, 10 bc upright in III our dcni1s and relations
With men. And 10 thofe uow before me, members
Of the Is, regiment uf colorel volunteers from the
siatcs, hsye to say that creat eai depends upou
Yourselves; yo9 must Eiye cy1dcocc fist you sre
Competent fot tho rights that the Government has
| guaranteed to you. Ecorcfosth yon must be