The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-13
the committee here present knows to b

1t happens that your position. place:
you between us and a threatened dan
ger, and the General Assembly have Blu
given voice to the real feelings of ou
people when they tender to you the
warmest thanks of Virginia for the firm
stand you have taken against the iacii
ity with which it is proposed to change
the fundamental law. We would mol
however, claim rs the only, or even The
chief merit of the course you are taking
that ii affords to us protection in time
of trouble.
It is as defender of the General Con.
stitution that you deserve and command
the confidence and support of the peoplc
of the United States, and it will be
hereafter remembered az your highest
claim to the character of Republican
statesman, that under all the trying cir
cumstances by which you are surround
ed, you have not only proclaimed tn,
Constitution Of the United Sta es to bt
tho supreme law of the land, but hav,
defended it alike from violation anO
from innovation.
The President replied rs follows:
SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT.
|. In reply to the resolutions which you
have just presented, and the remarks
you have made, So forcible, so clear and
so concise, | shall not attempt anything
like formal address, but will rather
enter, as it were, into n conversation;
and AS a premise to what may say,
you must permit me to tender my
thanks, first, for thisvisit, and next, for
the qualification afforded me in meeting
with so many intelligent, responsible
and respectable men from the State you
represent, bearing the sentiments ex-
pressed in yS%rp SHsf89INIl'q9if e nd z hfehy
are, as far as they refer to the Constitu-
ton OF the county, the sentiments aud
the principles embraced in that instru-
ment. The preservation of the Union,
as referred to, both in the resolutions
and i'm your remarks, has been from my
entrance into public life one of my car
dinal tenets, and at the very commence
ment of this rebellion land / do not
make this remark for the pur-
pose of bringing up anything
that has TRANSFERRED that is unkind
in its character,) l set my face
against the dissolution of the Union of
these states. / believed then, rs believe
now, and as you most unmista kably ex-
press and indicate, that the rights of all
were better secured ia the Union than
they could possibly be out of it, and con-
WINGED of this, L from the first opposed
all the efforts made to destroy the Union,
Notwithstanding the severe peril to
which | thus subjected myself. The re-
suit of the bitter ordeal through which
we have passed during the last four
years, demonstrates most conclusively
that the position l then assumed and
maintained was q correct one. 1t has
proved most conclusively, also, that this
Union cannot be dissolved. That the
experiment to that end, after having
been fully and fairly made, has failed,
and, having failed, it is highly crafty
ing to meet gentlemen as intelligent and
responsible as yourselves, who are will
ing and anxious to accept and do accept
the terms laid down in the Constitution
and are willing to obey the laws madein
pursuance thereof. We were at one
point when we separated, which was
painful in the extreme, but when We
passed round through the period of four
years that has tried the powers of the
Government, and swing round to this
point at which we meet and agree, and
willing to unite in efforts for the pre-
servation of the Government, which |
regard as the best in the world, l am
gratified, indeed. We arenOw standing
upon one common ground, rallying
around the Constitution and the Union
of these states, the preservation of which
suit in the promotion and advancement
of the interests of our people. have nc
doubt the intention and the purpose OF
you all is to carry out and to apply that
very simple principle and resolution
which you have here Lain down.
L know that some are distrustful; but
am one of those who have confidence
in the Judgment, the integrity, the in
telligence, and in the virtue Of the great
mass of the American people: And hay
ing this confidence, SO far as | am con
cerned, am willing to trust them; and
/ thank God that we have not vel
reached that point in which we have
lost all confidence in each other. 1t is
only by having confidence in one an
other that the Government can be pre-
served and we soon become a happy and
a prosperous people.
In regard 10 the principles referred tc
in your address, and in the resolutions
i'm reference to representation. [ will
/,
ciple of representation is inherent, ant
constitutes one of the fundamental e'e
ments of this Government; but the rep
resentative should have the qualifica
lions required by the Constitution oItht
United States; and those qualifications
fitting him to take his seat in either o
the deliberative bodies, most unques
tionably imply that he who comes as /
AI RI 4 In.
Union and the Constitution of thu
United States. If the people, in good
| faith, select such u representative, then
| he ought to be received.
| must be permitted TO say, further
| that in going into this rebellion or in
surrection against the Government o
the United States we have erred, ant
that in returning and renewing oul
allegiance, and resuming our relations
with the Federal Government, all h,
responsible positions and placesou
to conferred only upon those who ar
truly loyal. l wo.ald even add in thi'
connection that if there We're only fiv,
| thousand loyal men, asuflicient mum
| Der to take charge of the political ma
chinery of State, that five thousan
men are entitled to do so, II all the res
were otherwise. 1 look upon 1T as BEN!
| fundamental-in compliance with tn
principles and doctrines laid down her
| to day in the resolutions and the addres
that accompanied them-that loyal mel
only should be permitted to occupy
public positions. Combining these po
sitions strictly to such, l feel that th
| day is not far distant land l speak con
fidingIy in reference to the great mas
of the American people-when tn