The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-02-15
The Presidents Reply to the yzr.
SinfH Delegation.


On Saturday afternoon committee from
the senate and House ofdelegates of the State
oil Virginia, called upon the President and
presented him with the Resolutions adopted
by the General Assembly of that State We
append the following extract ofthc Presidents
address in response to the resolutions. The
President in reply said:
GENTLEMEN-To the resolution you haze
Just presented to me. and the clear, forciblc
and concise remarks which you have made, in
explanation Of the position Of Virginia. [
shall not attempt to make formal reply, but
simply enter into plan ofconversation in re-
gard TO the condition ofthingS in which we
stand. As q premise to hat | MAJ say per
mil me first To tender You my thanks for this
visit. and next To express the qualification
feel in meeting so many Intelligent, response
bile and respectable men of Virginia, bearing
To me the sentiments which have been eX-
pressed Ill the resolutions OF your Legislature
and the remarks accompanying them. They
are 80 far "a they refer to the Constitution of
the country, the sentiments and the principles
embraced III the chart Of the Government.
! Weare willing 10 unite our efforts for the
! preservation of the Government which, be
! lieve, IS tn" hest in the world. 1t Is exceed
ingly gratifying To me to meet vou to-day,
standing upOn Democratic ground. and rally.
ing around the Constitution and the Union OF
these States. the preservation of which, as /
can earnestly and heartily believe, will result
in the promotion and the advancement ofthe
people.
| repeat, am gratified to meet You to-day
expressing the principles and annuncing the
sentiments YOU have given utterance to, and
! | trust that this occasion will long be remcm-
bered. have no doubt that your intention
is TO carry out and comply with every single
plinciple laid down in the resolutions you
have submitted know that some of youare
distrustful, but am Of those who have conf
dence, in the judgment, in the integrity in the
intelligence, and in the virtue of the great
mass of the American people; and having
such confidence am willing to trust them,
and thank God that we have not reached
that point where we have lost sll confidence
in each other The spirit Of the Government
can only b. preserved we can only become
prosperous an! great people b. mutual for
hcarancc anS confidence. Upon that faith
and confidence alone can the Government be
successfully carried on
| On the cardinal principle OF representation
to which YOU refer | will make IA single re-
mark. That principle is inherent il c0ns'i-
tutcS one Ofthe fundamental clements of this
| Government. The representation Of the
| ifications prescribed in the Constitution Ofthe
United States. and those qualifications most
unqucsticnab!y imply loyalty He who comes
as q representative. having the qualifications
prescribed by the Constitution to fit him 10
/ take n scat in either uf the dcliberativc bodies
which constitute the National Legislature,
must necessarily. according to the intent of
| the Constitution. be q LOYAL man, willing to
| abide by and believe in the Union and the
! n T.l. -,
be for the Union. he cannot acknowledge al
| lcgiance to all the law. unless he is lOyal--
+ When the people send such men in good faith,
they are entitled to representation through
/ them
| The President concludes his remarks BY
saving: Gentlemen. | shall continue to pur-
sue the same line ofpOlicy which have pur-
sued from the commencement Of the rebellion
To the present time, Nv efforts have been
to preserve the Union Of the States | never
/ for single moment Endorsed the theory that
State could withdraw from the Union of its
own will That attempt was made, and fail
! ed. shall continue 70 pursue the same line
of policy that has been my constant guide, and
cannot take the position that a state which
attempted TO srccdc isout ofthe Union, when
cortended all the time it could not 20 out
and tina. il had never been out | cannot be
forced into that position. Hence, when the
with the requirements OF the Government,
shall bc in favor of their rcsuming former re
latiOns
do not intend to say anything personal,
but at the beginning of the recent gigantic
struggle between the different sections North
and South, there were extreme men North
and extreme men South. This great fault
was kept upon the anvil, hammered during
the rebellion and il sheen hammered since
II, ololI . 10 h.. DSi
ton 10 continue hammering until the Gov
eminent is destroyed | have opposed that
system always. ] oppose it now. The Gov
eminent in assertion of its powers, and in
maintenance of the principles ofthe Cons;itu
ton has taken hold Of one extreme, and with
the strong arm of physical power has put
down the rebellion. Now rs we swing around
the circle Of the union, with fixed and urGltcr
able determined To stand by it, VIC find
counterpart, or duplicate. of the same spirit
This other extreme which stands in the way
must get out of it. The Government mus:
get rid Of it. The Government must stand
mistaken and unmoved upon lis basis. The
Government must be preserved
hope that all the people of this country. in
good faith and in the fullness of their heart,
will fix upon the principles which YOU have
enunciated here to day, Of the maintenance of
union-lav aside every other feeling for the
{
lifted voices to Heaven, swear that our goods
and our alters and all shall sink in dust to-
gether, rather than that this glorious MON
shall not be preserved. Great applause. |
am gratificd to find the lOval sentiment of the
country manifestng itself i'm these express
sons, and now that the attempt TO destroy the
Union has failed at one end ofthe line trust
we shall 90 on determined TO preserve the
Union in its original purity against all opposi-
! ton.
After some further conversation between
the members of the committee and the Presi
dent, the latter said "Ifnow the country ar
rive AT point 81 which these States are all
restored. each having its representation in
the National councils with the Union restor
ed SO that we can proclaim peace anl COOL
will among the people of the United States.
il will bcto me a very happy day. care not
what may he said ~ taunt or iecr; but tell
you that whcneverthat point is reached. the
me isurc of my ambition will have been filled
have no object beyond it, oh how proud
and gratifying it would be to me 10 retire
from this place feeling and knowing that had
been instrumental in the contamination of the
great end. Great applause)
The delegation then shook the President
heartily by the hand, thanked him for this
kind expression of his opinions. and retired.
EapoIeon's speech.