Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-04-26

-,critccd n,1rc. or who has devoted more Of his
time and energies to the accomplishment OF the
great end, than I And have done 1t from
Inc promptiugS Of myown hcartand conscience
. believe / was right, and with your help aud
vour Countenance and your encouragement,
bali 20 through on that linel CCheers aud
imeltcr.1 Aud whcu come to talk about
tilors nc>s3l,liors. about this to be done and
that b. be done, all want is for you to wait
,nd scc 81 far as the future is concerned
Matt and see Il / do not stand by you, although
every other may E,lter and fail. LCheers. -
B want t. sec measures Of policy brought for
ward THAT viii advance the interests OF the
poplc-ol that portion Of the people who have
1hNitutcd the gallant and brave men who, IN
roth branches of the service. have upheld the
National llag AMI sustained the country IN the
,cccnt struggle.
thank you gentlemen, for the encourage
.cl.t--l thank you for your countenancc ON
inis occasion. Ii cheers me on and gives me
lrcugth T. perform the work before me- Ii
1rc are true 70 ourscvcs-if We are true TO the
q usttution-thc day Is not far distant when
tais Government viii be restored. Let us go
On and restore the Government Let us en-
largc the area Of OurcOmJnerceand trade. Let
Ms not ONLY Inspire confidence at home, but re-
poet abroad, by letting the nation resume ITS
.arccr of prosperity and greatness. 1 know
that some viii find fault with nc and say am
200 len:cnt. too ki3d. and all that. If we were
Ill 70 be put 60 death or punished, or thrown
,vrav FOX one offence or for the second offence,
md were 10 be lost or excluded from society
and communion with cur fellow men, how ma
ly Of Us would be left
have felt when have done wrong and re-
pentcd of it, that was as sincere and honest
rs he who bad done no wrong at all. Then,
Svc must reason with eachOther and understand
our nature, and what is necessary to restore
peace and harmony and concord to distract
I'd and divided people. In time OF war II Is
tight % burn villages, sack cities and deyaState
'ieds-to lly waste country and cripple and
reduce the enemy-but in time Of peace the
converse Of the course is precisely the rShtone.
The true policy of nation is TO rebuildltS cit
os, restore its villages, renew its fields OF agrl-
culture. and let all the avOCationS of peace and
prosperity be restored. know there are some
who have been at home calculating during the
war, and who bring into the consideration OF
questions Of peace and harmony, and the avo-
cations Of civil lifc all the feelings Of resent
inent which animated us when the excitement
was up and running high. But take the brave
men who sustained the flag on the field and
ON the wave, and you will find better feelings
and better judgment on these questions than
YOU will find with those who have been sitting
IN the closet, and never Smelled gunpOwder.-
-Cheers.1 Yes. from the private up to the
Commanding General, they know better how
20 treat the present circumstances than any OF
these closet patriots and humanitarianS.
Then, my coUntrymen, fellow-citizenS, sol
ticrS and sailors, let us rejoice that peace has
come. Let us rejoice that the relations Of the
states are about being restored. Let us make
every effort We can on proper principles to re-
store the relations which existed between the
Federal Government and the States. thank
God that peace is restored. thank God that
our brave men can return to their families and
homes, and resume their peaceful avocatiOnS.
I thank God that the baleful planet of fire, of
blood, which a short time ago was in the as
Cendant, has been chased away by the benig-
nant star Of peace. Now that the bow OF peace
IS suspended in the heavens, let us culuvatethe
arts and relations of peace, and all those asso-
Gatqnf e TPS5v RsRsRW tS p &a can Pb2 aee
political millennium, a political jubilee, and
when we can proclaim TO all the nations Of the
earth that we are again a united people, and
that we have triumphantly passed throughout
third ordeal, having peace at home and power
TO bid defiance to all the world Loud cheers.
Remember one thing, gentlemen, that in my
past life, though SANDER may misrepresent, no
man can say that ever deserted or betrayed
him It will be for YOU to see in the future
who will redeem all his promises, and who will
be most faithful.
thank you, gentlemen, for the compliment
you have paid me.
AS the President closed his speech he was
loudly and continuously cheered. The band
performed some more patriotic airs, and the
immense crowd dispersed.