The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-09-13
I dreaded and fearedsthe disintegration
Of the States, ! am equally opposed to
consolidation or concentration of power

I dreaded aud fearedsthe disintegratior
of the States, am equally opposed tc
consolidation or concentration OF power
here, under whatever guise or name they
bear, and if the issue is fol ced upon us
I shall still endeavor to pursue the same
efforts to dissuade from this doctrine OF
running to extremes; but / say let the
same rules be applied as / have before
remarked to you.
| I am gratiied to see so many of you
here to-day. 1t manifests spirit am
pleased to observe l know it has been
said of me that my asperities are sharp
that had vindictive feelings to crafty,
and that should not fail to avail myself
OF the opportunities that would present
themselves to crafty such despicdble
feelings. If my acts will not speak for
themselves, then any professions might
now make would be equally useless
But, gentlemen, if I know myself, as
think 1 do, know that I am of the
Southern people, and love them and
will do all in my power to restore them
to that state ofhappiness and prosperity
which they enjoyed before the madness
of misguided men, in whom they had re-
posed their confidence, led them astray
to their own undoing. If there is any
thing that can be done on my part on cor
rect principles of the Constitution to
promote these ends, be assuredit it shall he
done
Let me assure you, also, that there is
no disposition on the part of the Govern
ment to deal harshly with the Southern
people. There may be speeches publish
ed from various quarters that may
breathe different spirit Do not let
them trouble or excite you, but believe
that it is, as it is, the great object of the
Government to make the Union of these
United Statss more complete and perfect
than ever, and to maintain it OH consti-
tutional principles, if possible more firm
ly than it has ever before been
Then why cannot we come up to the
work in proper spirit, in other words, let
us look to the constitution. The Issue
has been made and decided Then as
men who see right and are determined
to follow it, as fathers and brothers, and
as men who love their country in this
hour of trial, help to settle the questions
of the hour and adjust them according
to the principles of honor and of justice.
The institution of slavery is gone. The
former statues of the negro had to be
changed, and we as wise men must recog
nize so potent fact, and adapt ourselves
TO circumstances as they surround us.
Voiees-"We are willing to do so Yes,
sir. we are willing to do So"
believe you are, believe when your
faith is pledged, when yonr consent has
been given, as l have already said, it
will be maintained in good faith, and
every pledge promise fully carried out
Cries of 1T will"1 All I ask or desire
of the South or the North, the East or
West, is to be sustained in carrying out
the principles Of the Constitution 1t is
not to be denied that we have been great
sufferers on both sides. Good men have
fallen and much misery is being endured
as the necessary result of so gigantic a
contest. Why then, cannot We come to-
gether around the common alter Of our
country and heal the wounds that have
been made. Our country has been sew
cred all over. Then why cannot we ap-
proach each other on principles which
are right in themselves, and which will
be productive of good to all
The day is not distant when we shall
FEEL like the senas family. thot has had a
deep, desperate feud, the various MEM
Lers Of which have come together and
compared the evils and sutferings they
had inflicted on each other They had
seen the influence of their way. and gov
erned by generous spirit of conciliation
they had become mutually forbearing
and forgiving and returned to their old
habits Of fraternal kindness, and become
better friends than ever. Then let us
consider that the feud which aienated
us has been settled and adjusted to mu-
tual satisfaction, that we come together
to be bound by frmer bonds of love, re-
spect and confidence than ever. The
North cannot get along without the
South, nor the South without the North,
the East without the West, nor the West
without the East.
say it 10 our duty to do all that in
our power lies to perpstuate and make
stronger the bonds Of our Union, seeing
that It is for tho common good of all
that we should be united. feel that
this Union, though but the creation of a
century, is to be perpetuated for all time,
and that it cannot be destroyed except
by the All Wise God who created it.
Gentlemen, I repeat, ! sincerely thank
you for the respect manifested on this oc-
casion, and for the expressions of appro-
baton and confidence. Please to accept
my thanks
The leader of the delegation replied:
Mr.. President: On behalf of this dele
CATION return you my sincere thanks
for your kind, generous, aye magnani-
nous expression of kindly feeling to the
neOple of the South