Daily national Republican., 1865-07-05
EDITION
FoUn o.cIsocK, TN.
Letter from the President to
the Gettysburg Commit
tee of Arrangements.
"NEw DANGERS THREATEN u.s."

The following Is nm authorised and cor
rcctcd copy of tho eloquent and patriotic
letter of President JOHNSON, addressed to
tho Chairman of the Committee Of Arrange.
ments nt the celebration of Gettysburg yes
tcrday.
Executive MGxHoy,l
July 3, is 3.
lfr Ddrm Irf,ts,N Chairman, &c, &c, diettys-
burg, Pa: . 80
DEAR SrR; had promised myself tho plons-
urc participating in person in tho proceed
ings at Gettysburg tomorrow. That pleas
ure, owing to my indisposition, ! AIN rcluc.
tantly compelled to forCgo.
should have been pleased, standing on that
twice consecratcd spot, to share with you
your joy Mt the return of poacc, to greet with
you tho surviving heroes Of tho war who
come back with light hearts and heavy
laden with honors and with you to drop
grateful tears to tho memory of those that
will never return
Unable to do SO in person, ] can only send
you my greetings and assure you of my full
sympathy with the purpose and. spirit ofyour
exercises tomorrow.
OF all tho anniversaries of the Declaration
ofIndopcndence, none has been more i'm.
portant and significant than that upon which
you assemble.
Four years Of struggle for our nations
| life have been crowned with succoss armed
treason is swept from the land; our ports are
re0peWedi our relations with other nations
arc of the most satisfactory character; our
internal commerce is free; our soldiers and
sailors resume tho peaceful pursuits of civil
life; our flag floats in every breeze, and the
only barrier to our national progrcss-human
slavory-is forever at an end.
| Lot us trust that each recurring Fourth of
July shall find our Nation stronger in num-
bcrs,-stronger in wealth, stronger in the
harmony of its citizens ns-stronger in its de-
votion to Nationality and Freedom
| As / have often said, I believe that God
sent this people on n mission among tho ma
tOns of tho earth, and that whom He founded
our nation, He founded 1t in perpetuity
|
that is past. 1t sustains me now TINT new
duties are dovOlved upon me, and new dangers
threaten US I feel that whatever the means
lie usos, tho Almighty is determined to pre-
love our fcllow-citizcns, bear their country,
and tho sacrifices they have mado for it.,
my abiding faith has become stronger than
ever that u Government of the people, is
the strongest as well the best of Governments,
In your joy tomorrow, trust you will not
forget tho Thousands of whites as we'll as
blacks, whom the war has cmancipated, who
will hail this Fourth of July with u delight
which no previous anniversary of tho Dccla-
ration of Independence ever gave them. Con.
trolled so long by ambitious, selfish leaders,
who used them for their own unworthy onds,
they are now free to serve and cherish the
Government against whose life they, in their
blindness, struck. am greatly mistaken if.
in the States lately in rebellion wo do not
henceforward have an exhibition of such Ioy.
atty and patriotism as was never seen nor
felt there before, .... ...
Where you have cOnseorated National
Cemetery you are to lay the cornerstone o
National Monument, which in all human
probability will rise to the full height and
proportion you design Noble as this monu,
ment of stone may be, it will be but fcint
symbol of the grand monument which, if We
do our duty, we shall raise among the ma,
tions of the earth upon the foundation laid
nine and eighty years ago in Philadelphia.
Time shall wear away and crumbIc this mon,
umcnt; but that, based as it is upon the con,
sont, virtue, patriotism, and intelligence Of
the people, each year shall make Grmer and
more imposing.
Your friend and llow-citizcn.
ANDREW JOHNSON