The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-06
The rresident's Reception nj Buffalo
HIS Spcech-An nnseresstnE Refer.
euee 10 ME-. Fillmore.

/ u
handsome speech welcoming the Presi-
dent on behalf of all men of all parties,
the President replied as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, and through you to the
feel Incompetent to present TO you in
feelings and emotions produced by this re-
ccption. But if | were disposed to make
a speech, and time would permit me to do
it, Notwithstanding might be ovcrwhclm-
ed by your manifestations of regard and
respect, yet say that the mind would be
exceedingly barren, the genius exceed
ingly dull, that could not give uttcrance
to something on an occasion like this.
IApplausc.l am free to confess TO you
that since | started on this tour from the
capital OF the government toward our
place of destination in the West, the de-
monstrations that have been made by the
great mass of the people are to me ex-
ccedingly flattering and gratifying, for l
am nothing but a mortal man; and man is
susceptible to ilattery, and perhaps loves
il. While admit this defect and imper-
lection Of our nature, trust in God that
| have discrimination and discretion
enough to see the difference between mani
fcstatious for the simple man and what the
emergency and the momcntous occasion
brings forth. [Chccrs.l There is no one
| who can be mistaken in the signs of the
times. The American people have under
taken the great work. There was rebel
lion commenced some time since, the par
ticulars of which | will not narrate on this
occasion. This Government commenced
! with its strong arm to put that rebellion
down. In the beginning Of the effort, GER
tain purposes were avowed and declared
| for which the rebellion should be put
down, and that was when the rebellion
was suppressed peace should be restored,
| that the war should cease, and that We
should again become one people, and re-
| new all the avocations of peace, of COM
| mcrcc, of trades, of merchandise, and, in
| fine, of all that pertains to civilization and
makes the people great loud chcers], as
has been very kindly remarked here to-
day by your distinguished representative,
| whom | have known from character for
years, and slightly in person; and to re
ceivc through him this cordial welcome is
peculiarly gratifying. [ChecrS.l In the
midst of this struggle, since the rebellion
commenced, and when it seemed to me
the clouds of our political horizon were
most lowering, he, while in distant cOun-
try, far removed from home, read the er-
pOsf that had been made, or the message
that had been submitted to the Congress
of the United States, and sat down and
pcnued letter Of encouragement to me,
enunciating and rctcrating the doctrines
it contains, rendering across the great
deep his encouragement to stand by the
Constitution and the flag of my country.
| fCheerS.l On receiving at such time that
letter, / assure you it was peculiarly en-
couraging TO me, for sometimes, when sur
rounded with great points of difficulty, the
strongest arm and the stoutcst heart will
yield and give up. But, thank God! with
encouragement from quarter like this,
and with the appreciation manifested
| by the great mass of the people so
far as | have met with them, it renew
ed and increased my confidence that the
understanding and intelligent Of the great
mass of the people will settle this question,
and that the Union and Constitution OF the
country will be preserved. When the
southern people had laid down their arms
| they wanted TO be Il part and parcel OF us
again. | said this: Obey the ConSttu-
! ton, submit TO the laws, and let us all be-
come one people again. The work pro-
crossed the States met in convention and
| revised their constitutions their Icgisla-
lures assembled, and did the three things
required of them, and in those three
things the Cabinet participated, and one of
them was Your distinguished tcllOw-citi-
la Of Sfatp-Ilnn
liam ii. Seward-and what was then said
| to these people who acknowledged their
error! We said to these people, "Re-
! scind your ordinances of secession y; they
did it. We said to them, "Abolish all
obligations in the shape Of debts contract
ed for carrying on the rebellion >; they did
I it. We said to them, Furthermore, we
must have great national guaranty that
no one State could touch or interfere
, WITH" What was that! 1t was the
ratification of the amendment to the Con-
stitution Of the United States aboliShing
slavery now and forever within the jurisdic-
ton of the United States. They did it. Now
that the apple of discord is removed; now
that they arc willing toacccpt OF ourterms
now that they acknowledge obedience to the
, Constitution and the laws; now that they
are willing even to help in the payment OF
! the debt that has been incurred in the
Suppression of this rebellion; now that
they are willing to take up the flag of the
United States, and the Constitution of the
country, let us go together to common
altar, and let all else perish for the pre-
servation of the Government. 1t was not
in my nature or in my heart to say, under
/ those circumstances, that they were not =
part of the Government. l said, as others
! have said, they are bone of our bone and
. flesh of our flesh. They are our kindred.
and we theirs. We are part and parcel OF
great whole. The parts are as essential
to tho whole as the whole is to the parts.
! This great government cannot get along
without the South, without the North, the
East, and the West. Large as it is, 1t is
not large enough to divide. am one OF
those who believe that u man may sin and
do wrong, and after that may do right. II
all of us who have sinned were put to
death, | fear, my countrymen, there would
not be many of us left. l understood that
when the Saviour of men came and found
them condemned, instead of putting the
world to death, He died and shed His
own blood that the world might live.
| thank you for this sincere mani
| festatiou of your regard to me as
! Chief Magistrate and II fellow-citizcn, for
! thank God am Il citizen of the United
| States. 1t is not the case, as contended
by some, that am living in State out OF
the Union, and therefore am not citizen
! Of the United States. But in parting
4 L.