Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-25
1IOre Presidential Speech VI ak
ing.

The Soldiers and Sailors Association gath
cred IN front OF the White House Wednes-
day evening, of last week, and through their
representative made congratulatory address
to President johnson, concluding as follows
In return for your kindness we can but
offer our sympathles and prayers, and trust
that an Ali-wlse Providence, W no has brought
our nstIon through baptism OF blood, and
20 whom consecrate 1t anew Tree from
slavery, amid IL nation = sears, will so guide
and direct you that you may calm the troubled
waters harmOnlze public opinion, and restore
our y mole blessed country once more to peace
and prosperity.
In reply the President spoke as follows:
1t is not afieotatIon In say that Ian
guage Is Inadequate to convey the heartfelt
feelings produced on this occasion by your
presence mere, and by the presentation OF your
sentiments expressed by your representative
In his address, and IN the resolutions which
you have thought proper to adoIr. L confess
that In the peculiar position OF public affairs,
your presence and address give encouragement
and confidence TO my efforts to discharge the
duties incumbent upon me AS Chief Magis
trate of the republic, and In what have 70
say, shall ADDRESS you the character OF
citizens, sailors, and soldI rs. l shall speak
tosyou on those terms, and on none other. L
repeat my thanks for the manifestation OF your
appreciation and of your encouragement.
(Applause) We are to-day involved in one
of the most critical and trying strugg les that
has occurred since this government came into
existence Nations, like individuals, must
have a birth. Struggling into existence, q
nation passes through Its first trying ordeal.
Ii is not necessary for me now to carry your
I.,.,L Sfr 10 xxhn
was born. 1t is not necessary for me to al
Jude to the privations and hardships of those
W no were engaged In that struggle to acheive e
the national birth. 1t is not necessary to
point to the blood shed and the lives lost in
accomplishing that result. The next ordeal
through which nation has to pass Is when
| it is called upon to give evidence that IL has
strength, capacity, and power 10 maintain 1t
self among the nations of the earth. In CIV
/ ing such evidence, we passed through the war
OF Mexico, and We passed through all the
struggles that have since occurred up to the
beginning of the rebellion. This was our
second ordeal. But nation has another test
still to undergo, and that is TO give evidence
to the nations of the earth, and to its own
citizens, that it has power to resist internal
force, that is has strength enough to put
down treachery at home, and treason within
It's own borders. (Cheers.) We have com
menced that ordeal, and l trust in God we
will pass through it successfully (Cheers
, l feel compiimented by the allusion Of your
. representative to the fact that L stood IN the
Senate in 1860, '6l. when the nation was en-
tering on the third ordeal, and raised my
voice and hand against treason, treachery
and traitors at home. (Cheers and cries o
. "good.') l stand here to-day, holding t.
. and maintaining the same principles which
: then enunciated. iCheers.) l stand here to
: day opposing traitors and treason, whethe
they be IN the South or in the North. (Lon
cheers) 1 stand here to-day as then stood
using all my powers, mental AMI physical, I
u reserve this nation in passing through tt
: third phase of its existence. The organize
;. forces and combined powers that recentl
q stood arrayed against us, are disbanded N
n driven from the field. But it does not folio
that there are still NO enemies against o.
present form of government and our tree lns