East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-03-07

l appear before you in answer 70
your call. This call, coming in the
imposing form it does, and under the
circumstances it does, requires a re-
sponse from me. You have assigned
to me very high, very honorable
and responsible position. This posi-,
ton you know l did not seek. Most
willingly would have avoided it
and nothing but an extraordinary
sense of duty could have induced me
to yield my own disinchnations and
ayersiens to your wishes and ,Judg
ment in the matter. For this unu.
sual manifestation of esteem and
confidence, i return you my profound
est acknowledgements of gratitude
Assurance; al Nv can ] give you any
permitted to discharge the trust,
thereby imposed, they will be dis
charged with a singleness Of purpose
to the public good.
The great object with me now is tc
see restoration, if possible, of peace,
prosperity and Constitutional liberty
in this once happy but now disturbed,
agitated and distracted country. To
this end, all my energies and efforts,
to the extent of their powers, will be
devoted.
You ask my views on the existing
state of affairs our duties at the
present; and the prospects of the fu-
ture This is task, from which, un-
der ordinary circumstances, might
very well shrink. He who ventures
to speak, and to give counsel and ad-
vice in times of peril, or disaster, as
sumes no enviable position. Far be
that rashness from me which some-
times prompts the forward to rush in
where angels might fear to tread. In
responding. therefore, briefly to your
inquiries, / feel, / trust, the full
weight and magnitude of the subject,
1t involves the welfare of millions
now living, and that of many more
who are to come after us. l am fully
impressed with the consciousness of
the incunceivablv small effect Of what
l shall say upon the momentous re-
suits involved in the subject itself.
1t is with these feelings l offer my
mite of counsel at your request
And in the outset of the undertaking,
limited as it is intended to be-, to a
few general ideas only, well may i
initiate an illustrious example in in-
voking aid from on High THAT i
may say nothing on this occasion
which may compromise tho rights,
honor, dignity and best interests of
the people of Georgia.s With their
sufierings their losses, their misfor-
tuues, their bereavements, and their
present utter prostration, my heart is
in deepest sympathy.
We have reachsl that point in our
affairs, at which the great question
before us is" To be or not to be-
and if to be How? Hope, ever
springing in the human breast,
prompts even under the greatest ca
lamities and adversities, never to de-
spair. Adversely is a severe school u
terrible crucible, both for individuals
aud communities. We are now in
this school, this crucible, and should
bear in mind that it is never negative
in its action. 1t is always positive
1t is ever decided in its effects one
way or the other. 1t either makes
men better or worse. 1t either
brings out unknown vices or arouses
dormant virtues. In morals, its ten
dency is to make saints or relrobates
lin politics to make heroes or despe-
radoes. The first indication Of its
working for good, to which hope
looks anxiously, is the manifestation
Of full consciousness Of its nature
and extent, and the most promising
grounds of hope for possible good
from our present troubles, or OF
things with us gettieg better instead
of worse, is the evident general reali-
cation; on the part of our people, of
their present situation. Of the evils
now upon them and of the greater
ones still impending. These it is not
my purpose to exaggerate if could /;
that would be useless nor to lessen
or extenuate that would be worse
than useless. All fully understand
and realize them. They feel them
1t is well they do.
Can these evils upon us-the alb
sence Of law, the want Of protection
and security of person and property,
without which SylljafqtoSB cas can rGib those cs
greater ores which threaten our very
political existence, he averted ?-These
are the questions.
1t is true we have not the control of
all the remedies, even if those ques-
tions could be satisfactorily answered.
Our fortunes ond- destiny are not en-
stirely in our own hands. Yet there
are some things that we may. and can,
and ought, in my judgment, to do
from Which no harm cdn come and
from which some good may follow in
beitering our present condition.
States and communities, as well as in
d'viduals. when they have done the
best they can in view of surrounding
circumstances, with all the lights they
have bere them---let results be what
they may--can at least enjoy the con-
solation-no small rccompense that
of having performed their duty, and
of having a conscience void of offense
before God and man. This, if no
more valuable result, will, ] trust, at
tond the doing Of what ] propose.
The first great duty, then, would
enjoin at this tiule, is the exercise of
the simple, though difficult and try
ing, but nevertheless indispensable
quality of patience. Patience re-
quires of those afflicted to suffer and
bear with fortitude whatever ills may
befall them. This is often, and es-
pecially is it the case with us now, es-
sential for their ultimate removal by
any instrumentalities whatever. We
are i'm the condition of the man with n