Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-10-27
TaE PREsInEnf,s IAsT spEErH.

The Presidents discourse before the
regiment of negro troops who paid their
respects to him on Sunday, is character
lied at once by the plainest homeliness
and by the deepest philosophy. Know
ing the black race thoroughly, from life
long intercourse with them-knoWing
their feelings and failings, their hopes
and needs, their temptations and dangers,
their capacities and characteristics-he
offered them such advice concerning
their daily and ordinary conduct in the
future, as cannot but prove of the high
est benefit, should it be needed by its re-
cipients. He pertinently inculcated the
practice of those old manly virtues which
always have constituted, and always must
constitute, the foundation of whatever Is
noble In individual or national life So
briefly, honesty, purity, industry, patience,
perseverance, forbearance, peacefulness,
respect for the laws of the land and the
moral code of society-these are among
the fundamental and everlasting elements
of well-being, which cannot be ignored
by the statesman any more than by the
moralist, and the Importance of which
the President urged upon his coIored
military audience In language of forcible
simplicity
Additional to this, he gave the blacks
judieious counsel adapted to the new re-
the commonwealth He incited their
patriotism by telling them, This is your
country as well as anybody else's coun
try" He set before them standard by
which their future political status will
inevitably be established, whatsoever be
the legislation of the hour when you
have returned to the avocations of peace,
will you give evidence to the world that
you are capable and competent to govern
aFsauFa 4naf.sa Il + 4
you will have to do He repeated and
reiterated before them that a great deal
depended upon themselves-that they
were the arbiters of their own fortunes
in the future, and that In no other way
but by the development of their intellect,
the controlling of their passions, and the
application of their powers to the inter
ests of the country, could they attain the
position to which all men may aspire In
discoursing upon this point he gave ut
teranee to a sentence of wisdom which
proves that he is elevated far above those
petty prejudices which have been attrib-
uted to him, and which are too common
among mankind everywhere He who
Is most merItorious, and virtuous, and
intellectual, must stand highest, without
regard to color. It is the very basis up
on which rests heaven itself
But there are other parts of this Presi-
dental discourse that have applications
wider than the black troops who were adj
dressed, and which deserve universal con-
sideration, and may be regarded as par
tlcularly timely at this moment when the
Government is attempting to carry out
not without ObstructiOn-the policy of
treating the PROSTATE South with lenien-
ey - and InagnanfmiTy. Said President
Johnson Upon the return of peace
and the surrender of the enemies of the
country, it should be the duty Of every
patriot, and every one who calls himself
a Christians to remembeI-that, with the
termination of the war, his resentments
should cease. that angry feelings should
subside, and that every man should be-
come calm and tranquil, and be prepared
for what is before him, +" The European
papers express great astonishment at the
eoneiliatory conduct exhibited by the
President toward the section and men
butlately IN rebellion. It is SO unlike
anything IN history, so unlike what they
had anticipated, so at variance with what |
they had conceived of Mr. Johnson's |
character that they know not how to ac-
count for it. Instead of severity, they !
find leniency; instead of feroeity, they be. |
hold benlgnlty; instead of narrowness,
they witness generosity; In the place of |
cOnhscatlons. diSfranchisements and ex-I
ecutioRs. they see those lately rebellious |
resuming all. and more than all, their |
natural inherited and constitutional !
rights. The remark just quoted is the |
key note of the whole matter. 1t indi-
Gates the dividing line between the poll !
cies and the spirit of war, and the policies /
and spirit of peace. Relentless to the
armed enemy, magnanimous to the fallen |
foe; rigorous toward the contumacious.
torgiVing to the patient, anxious above all |
things for the growth and perpetuity of
that spirit of fraternity which is the cor
neI-stone of republican government.
With the termination of the war, resent
ments should cease, angry feelings should
su6slde, every man should become calm
apd tranquil, and thus be prepared for
what is before him." Though addressed
but to small assemblage of colored
soldiers, these noble and patriotic
words may at once furnish guidance for
he conduct of the whole nation, and give
he nation confidence in Chief Msgis-
rate who is himself guided by such prin-
'iples.-N T. Times