Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-06-30
MAJOR, GENERAL F. p. BLAIR AT ST. LOUIS

MAJOR-GENERAL F. p. BLAIR AT ST. LOUIS
THE TREATMENT OF TIE SOUTH-AN
APPEAL FUR LEHlTl, FRATERNITY AND
PEACE.
The return of Major. General +. p. Blair to his
home in st. Louis was made the occasion on
Thursday evening Last of q grand complimentary
dinner at the Lindell House in that city. Over
three hundred guests were present. To a compli.
mentary toast. Gen. Blair responded at cons'dera.
BILE length closing his address with the following
remarks;
would have the proclamation Of the President
carried out in good faith. When an amnesty has
been given by the President an amnesty should
he given in good faith by the people. Now, these
things of political prosecution and execution,
when they are not necessary TO; the safety OF our
government, are intOlerable and repugnant 10
every mans sense of Justice and Of night They
are contrary to the character of great and mag
unanimous people like that to which We be-
Tonga people who have the power TO main
tain their own Institutions against all adverse for
tune-not like tie miserable dynssties OF Europe,
that see suspicion lurking In every shade, and who
are ready to hedge themselves around with ter
ror and 70 execute every man who utters sent-
ment CT disloyaty to their crOwn-but We, as q
people are great and magnanimoui and can for
give, because the principles which we uphold live
forever and are indestructIb,e. Loud cheers. J
And when war is ended war should end and peace
should begin, else when can We have peace We
would forever be compelled to keep our amor
buckled on and maintain an army, and il would of
itself saddle US with o debt and taxation that
would be felt by our rmOtest posterity, and al
though the republic has maintained itself against
intestine toes yet II you keep alive this amnesty
il the PEI scouting and unrelenting spirit is allowed
10 keep alive luminosity and keep division, It will
be productive of no good result. iOu know, and
FL NlaV. har 9th
The gentleman who addressed you few moments
ago iCol. Baker, alluded 10 the fact that in the
home of troubles there came steqlthily q thief
from the other continent, clothed with the
mantle Of monarchy, and assigned TO one
of the forrest territories of the American con.
tinent-that BOnaparte, with one Of the
Hapsburgs In his arms, came over and seated
him on the throne OF the Montezumas, and thus
occupied the territory viii h inteposes between
our great Atlaatic and Pacido-a position in
which he threatens 70 drive US in TWAIN as with
wedge Now, we have got to look out in that
quarter, and there may be other quarters in which
We shall have 70 look and. we cannot afford to
make enemies any more than We have. i say
there can be no Justification for any executions
which is not demanded by the safety of the
State because these men have already been Of.
ficted by this war TO such degree that retalia.
tion-why, If you talk Of retaliation, follow in
the wake OF the my which marched from the Mis-.
sissippi 70 the SEA and thence 10 Washlngton.-
Who could then speak Of retaliation after witneiE.
ing that scene Of devastation necessary it see n.
ed TO u.s. it seemed to those who inflicted this Sc.
we're calamity upon those people; necessary even
for their own safety, that we should thus iuict or
desoate them; but the deso.a.iO9 rests and broods
upon them still. Their homes exist no longer
and the people are driven out, and therefore
to me, accustomed to look at things as / do,
| can see no necessity of making treason other
than it is already-odiOus, (CheerS) No punish
ment that we could possibly inaict could equal
the punishment already inflicted upon them and
jusliaabe by the great objects which we had in
view of tie reunitiDg of our government, and jus
tifable by no other reason and no other right /;
nor can its prosecution in any other shape or
form be justified unless the safety OF the goVera.
ment is imperiled; any policy, my friend, which
proceeds from mere malice CON ca from hell and is
at the instig0tion OF the devil. cloud cheers,)-
Therefore embrace the doctrine which has been
put forth by the President of the United States in
his several proclamation and trust that the
wounds which have been inflicted by this war
will be healed, and that the bond of freedom,
which is all that we have snatched from this ter.
rible scene of desolation and destruction, will
and believe il will, from the bottom Of my soul,
at no distant day. repay all the suffering through
which we have gone. With these sentiments an
mating me, and with leart full of thankfu!ness
for your kindness, bid you good night,