Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-02-15
From the Washington Intelligencer of the 8th.1
Important Speech of the Observation-Disclosures
n DELEGATION from Montana.

Yesterday morning large number of the citi-
zens of Montana Territory, now In Washington
City, called on the President 3 M: f1nney' Esq
u. S. Marshal for the Territory, Chief Justice Hos
mer, General Barrows and twenty-five or thirty
others, were among the number.
Mr. Pinney addressed the President on behalf
of the delegation. He said Mr.: President 1t
becomes my duty as a member of this delegation
to assure you that the principles announced IN
your annual message to congress, and your policy
in relation to the present political condition OF
this country, have gladdened the hearts of the
people of our mountain land, Montana We
are using no idle unnecessary words when
assure you that take the greatest possible plea
sure in saying that we recognize in you, as the
chief magistrate of this great nation, person
who possesses that sound mind, that general
knowledge that firm and patriotic devotion to the
real interests and welfare of the whole country
which are necessary to carry 1t safely over the
ocean of political speculation and debate We
attach great importance to this asseveratlon of
our feelings in relation to yourself but should
be doing injustice to ourselves injustice to the
people of the Territory of Montana, and should
merit their severest censure if did not say that
we firmly believe that if you meet with q cordial
and generous support on every hand, this nation
would come forth from the present political crisis
a stronger and better nation, prepared to take
higher stand and do nobler work on the platform
of history than has yet been allotted to any
nation of the earth.
Motana has scarcely had two years political
existence and already numbers fifty thousand
inhabitants. Places of habitaton and of business
are dotted all over our fertile valley and
merons thoroughfares are constantly trembling
with the crush of merchandise The gold and
silver which the Almighty had long kept hidden
and garnered in our hills and ravines, have been
revealed or discovered at time when the nation
needs new channels of flowing wealth to supply
her treasury; and Montana possesses well as
great mineral wealth. all those agricultural resour
ces so well calculated to make her early populous
and powerful. At the same time we trust we
not unmindful of the vast Importance of promul-
eating correct political sentiments. We believe
that starting right and will be starting right
| if advocate ZeaOusl y those great political
truths which you have proclaimed to this country
and to the world and which we understand to lie
at the foundation of all good governments
| The President ephed as follows
| GENTLEMEN : It is no ordinary pleasure for me
to meet you here this occasion and to hear the
sentiments you have announced. To receive 50
large and respectable body of intelligent gentle
men from that remote region of the country from
which you come, Is eXtremely gratifying to me. In
response, sir, addressing Mr.. Pnney, to the elO-
quent manner in which you have expressed the
sentiments and feelings of those you represent on
this occasion, | might content myself with simply
returning my thanks for your kind expressions
But you have made some illusions to which, under
the circumstances which surround us, l cannot be
indifferent. You have alluded to the great princ-
pies of our government having been enumerated
by me in a paper sent short time since to the
| Congress of the United States. The declaration
by of those princi pies not the result of i'm
pulse. 1t was the result of a thorough and calm
consideration of those great truths which lie at
| the foundation of all free governments. Those
who understood those truths, and have laid them
down their guide, cannot fail to understand the
doctrines enunciated in the message 1t is not
necessary to inquire whether they emanate from
this man or that man. Those who understand and
| believe in those principles matter from what
standpoint they look at them, will find themselves
invOuntarlly, and lmpercephbly it may be, but
surely coming together IN all great struggles that
may take place in regard to Them while those who
| disclaim them, who willing to repudiate Them
and set them at naught, will be found dssintegra-
| ting and travelling in divergent direction For
| this reason there may be many now coming to-
gether without any previous concert or arrange
ment, but impercepHbly, because they agree on
the same great principles.
[ think, gentlemen, there is no one who can
mistake the great cardinal principles that laid
down IN that message. They comprehend and
embrace the principles upon which the government
rests, and upon which, to be successful it must be
| administered. [ care not by what name the party
| administering government may be IenOmlnated-
the union party, the republican party, the demo-
cratic party, or whatnOt-nO party can admins
ter the government successfully unless it is admin
lstered upon the great principles laid down in that
paper You would meet with about the sue
cess III attempting to carry OH the government
upon any other principles than those which are
found in the constitution, you would if you
should take hold of piece of machinery that had
been constructed and trained to run tremendously
in one direction and attempt by reverse action to
run 1T IN the opposite direction. l say again
that think no mistake the doctrines
Of that message. 1t very easy for persons to mis-
represent it and to make assertions that this that
or the other had taken place will take place;
but [ think L may be permitted to say to
you on this occasion that, taking all my
antecedents, going back to my advent into
political life, and continuing down to the
present time, the great cardinal principles set
forth in that paper have been my constant and
unerring guide. After having gone far it is
impossible for me to turn and take different di-
rectioh. They will be my guide from this time
onward, and those who understand them may
know where shall always be found when princi-
pie is involved
Here let me say to you, and in order to disabuse
the public mind far it is possible for an indi-
vidual to do so, that my public career is we-nigh
done The sand of my political glass has well-nigh
run out Ii were disposed to refer to myself 1
might trace my career back to the log cabin, then
an alderman and mayor in village, then
throughout both branches of the state legislature
then for ten consecutive years in the national
house of representatives then through the CUB
ernatOral chair to the Senate of the United States
then provisional governor with slight participa-
ton in military affairs then vice president, and
now in the position occupy before you; and now
in this position if [ be instrumental in restor-
ing the government of the United States, in re-
storing to their true position in the union those
states whose relation to the national government
have been for time interrupted by one of the
most igantic rebelions that ever occurred in the
world, so that we proclaim once more that we
are united people, shall feel that the meaure of
my ambition has been filed and filled to overflow
ing; and at that point if there be any who are en-
vious and jealous of honor and position shall be
prepared to make them as polite bow as I know
how, and thank them to take the place have &C.
cupled, for my mission will have been fulfilled.