The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-07-11

President johnson sent the following
letter to speak for him at the Gettys-
burg celebration:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WLsH' TON, D. c., I
July 3, 1865. !
To David Wills, Esq, Chairman Of Com,
nihee
SIR had promised myself the pleas
ure of participating in person in the
proceedings at Gettysburg tomorrow.
That pleasure, owing to my indisposi-
zion, / am reluctantly compelled TO
forego. ] should have been pleased,
standing on that twioe-sacred spot, to
share with you your joy at the return
of peace; TO greet with you the surViv-
ing heroes of the war, who have come
back with light hearts, though heavy
loaded with honors, and with you TO
drop grateful tears to the memory OF
those who will never return.
Unable to do so in person, | can only
send you my greetings, and assure you
of my full sympathy with the spirit and
purpose of your exercises to morrow.
OF all the anniversaries of the De.
elaration Of Independence, none have
been more important and significant
than that upon which you assemble.
Four years of struggle for our national
life have been crowned with. success;
srmed treason is swept from the land;
our ports are reOpened; our relations
with other nations are of the most sat
isfactory character; our internal com
merce is free, our soldiers and sailors
resume their peaceful pursuits; our flag
floats in every breeze, and the only bar
rier to our national progress, human
slavery, is forever at an end.
Let US trust that each recurring 4th
of July shall find our nation stronger
in numbers, stronger in wealth, strong
er in the harmony Of its citizens,
stronger in its devotion to nationality
and freedom. As | have often said,
l believe that God sent this people on
q mission among the nations Of die
earth. He founded its perpetuity.
That faith has sustained me
through the struggle that has passed.
1t sustains me now that new duties are
devolved upon me, and new dangers
threaten US / feel that Whatever
means He uses, the Almighty Is deter
mined to preserve US as q people. And
since I have seen the love our fellow
citizens bear their country, aud the sac
rifees they have made for it, my abid-
ing faith has become stronger than
ever, that Government Of the people
is the strongest, as well as the best Gov
eminent
In your joy TO morrow, l trust you
will not forget the thousands of whites,
as we'll as blacks, whom the war has
emancipated, who viii hail this Fourth
of July with a delight which no preyi-
Gus anniversary of the Declaration Of
Independence ever gave them.
Controlled so long by ambitious, sell
hsh leaders, who used them for their
own unworthy ends, they sFe now free
to serve and cherish the Government
against whose life they IN their blind
ness struck ! am greatly mistaken IL
IN the States lately in rebellion, We do
not henceforward have an exhibition Of
such loyalty and patriotism as was new
er seen nor felt there before.
When You have 0onsecrated 8 ia.
tional Cemetery, you are to lay che cor
ner stone Of = National Monument
which, in all human probability, Eil
rise 10 the full height and proportion
you design. Noble as this monument
of stone may be, il will be but faint
symbol Of the grander monument
which, If We do our duty, We shall raise
among the nations of the earth, upon
the foundation laid in Philadelphia
nine and eighty years ago. Time shall
wear away and crumble this monument
but that, based as II is upon the consent
virtue, patriotism, and intelligence OF
he people, each year shall make frmel
and more imposing.
Your friend and felloE-citizen,
AEDRKW JoHSs0z.