The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-02
Richmond, Va, June 2, 1865.

Modest and born OF the angel nope,
Like our hope of success, 1T passed;
Richmond, Va, June 2, 1865.
Speech of Gov. J. d. Cox, of Ohio,
On taking the Chair, as President OF
the Soldiers and Sailors Pit tsbaergh
Conve7atiOae.
My FELLow-CIT1zENs AND LADIES
AND GENTLEMAN: No one could be
much more surprised than myself at be-
ing thus called upon to preside over the
deliberations of this great body. For
myself, had fully and heartily coinci-
ded with what has been said to you by
the distinguished Chairman of the Com
mittee on Permanent Organization, that
in the great East from which we have
been accustomed to receive leadership
and instruction, we should find any one
who would have better claims to this
position than myself; and in the great
West only that distinguished Chief
whom 1, with many others have delight
ed to follow-Gen. Logan-wouldh have
been the choice of my own heart. But
MANY another would have seemed to
me more fit and proper for this posi-
L
that of the most unbounded sympathy
with every man who has worn the blue.
TApplause.7 From the beginning of the
war to the surrender of the last Rebel
army, my heart and my word have
services could make me feel at home
home. 1 feel further, my comrades,
IL, L -
that whether the Presidency of this Or
ganization had fallen upon one from the
East or the West, so that he were a
soldier of the great Republic, he would
have its support. Applause. We are
here as citizens soldiers and 1 remem-
Der time, and perhaps our distingui sh-
ed friend, the Chairman of the Commit
tee on Permanent Organization, will
also remember the time, in some of the
rather dark days of 1862, when it was
debated in this country, whether or not
the army, which seemed able to save
the Republic, could under any circum-
stances be made the tool of any Chief,
in or out of the army, to destroy those
liberties. And know that there were
men in the Army of the Potomac and
in the Army of the Great West; there
were men everywhere to spring up and
say: Soldiers of the American Republic
are citizens first and soldiers afterward
cheers !; that they recognized that
their paramount duty is the duty they
owe to their country; that no allegiance
to a military or political chief could ev-
er under any circumstances, make them
forget that they have bound themselves
and pledged their lives and honor to
the support of the Government against
all it's enemies. So long as there is the
least danger that that Government
shall fall or even be imperiled, if any
foe within or foe without, whether he
be a military man or whatever may be
his political sentiments, should strike
at the perpetuity of this nation, the az
my of the Republic will be found ar
rayed as one man against all such foes.
1t is great satisfaction to me to meet
here not only our comrades, of the Vol
unteer Army and Volunteer Navy, but
also our comrades of the Regular Army
and Regular Navy. We have come
thank God to-day, that although ther
are instances III which men who hav
faithfully served the country throug
the war may have been brought to o.
cupy such unfortunate positions tn:
they may seem to have been bougl
by the hope of preferment; yet Il
great mass of all those who have woI
our uniform, whether it has been Il
uniform of our boys in blue, on land
water, are true in the principles tn,
were fighting for during the war. A
plause. The old Proverb says, "Exct
tions prove the rule" and so think
at least, who live in Ohio, and ha 3
seen how pitiful the array of exceptio 5
has been, are prepared to avow l
prove that they are only such as ma g
the most positive proof of the ru :.
Applause. AS citizen-soldiers, tn, =,
we meet, determined that what has bt n
done during the war shall continue 0
bear its fruit; that our labor, toll, a
blood, shall not have been wasted I'll t
the Union which our fathers have taue
us to love with patriotic devotion sh |
ever continue to exist and grow mt e
and more vigorous upon free principl J.
We recognize the fact that about t
Union of these States is clustered
those causes for patriotic devotion viii \
In other lands may be concentrat l
about families and the powers of &c
That spirit of loyalty al L
means with us everywhe
not attachment to a position, to an OF
ce, to any or all the offices that m.
the Government of the cou:
try; but it represents attachment /
the unity of those United States undo
our glorious Constitution and SINGER
love for the nation in its unity. TGres
applause. But greatly to our regre
we have had forced upon us recogn
ton of the fact that we are placed fac
to face with some of those whom We
have heretofore delighted to honor
With many of us it was sore trial to
believe that any man who had done