The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-05
8icl1mond 1ispatrlr
MARCH s. 1866.
VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
OF Mr.. SPEAKER b A Id WIN
TO THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
A Manly Speech for Constitutional Liberty
AND UNION.

On Saturday last, Mr.. Speaker Baldwin,,
of Augusta, being informed of the vote of
thanks accorded to him by the House Of Dele
gates for the ability and impartiality with
which he had presided over its deliberations,
made the following spirited and patriotic adj
dress to his brother members
My friends, have honestly tried to be all
that your kindness has attributed to me, but
If have, in any degree, given satisfaction i'm
the discharge of the duties of my office, it has
been due chiefly to the kindness, courtesy
and forbearance with which You have sus-
tanned me, and to the faithful and efficient
help given by the officers Of the House, from
the clerk and sergeant to the smallest
of our pages.
have, at different times, been a member Of
several deliberative assemblies, and I feel 1t
10 be due to this House to say that have
never been connected with any body of gen
tlemen among whom there was SO much of
earnest industry in the public service, and SO
much Of kindness and good will in the per-
sonal intercourse Of the members.
The results Of our labors await the just
Judgment of the people of Virginia; and
venture to anticipate that, taking into con-
sideration oil the circumstances by which We
have been surrounded, it will be found that
we have deserved the approval of our con-!
stituents.
It will be remembered that we came together
ct time when our State and our people were
SuUeTlmX unQeT du Ol
tunes such as have never before been known in
the history of the Commonwealth. For many
Of these evils there could, of course, be no
legislative remedy; but it will, i think, be
found that our labors have been addressed
earnestly, and with some efficiency, 10 relieve
the distresses of the people, and TO accommo-
date the Institutions and laws of the State to
the altered circumstances in which we find
ourselves. t-
Fortunately for us, the hopes of our people
do not rest wholly upon the benefits TO accrue
from our labors. They have other and higher
grounds of faith and confidence.
A comparison of our condition now with
that in which we were placed less than year
ago must satisfy us that Ii the progress Of
restoration in Virginia has not been as rapid as
we could have desired, 1t has been marked,
steady, and practical; and that although We
are not yet restored TO our constitutional
rights, as we claim and understand them, our
course is onward and upward, and our
future has in it much Of hope and promise. i
We who know the people of Virginia, under.
stand fully how thorough and how universal
| is their determination and purpose TO perform,
| in entire good faith, all the duties they have
| undertaken as good citizens OF the United
States. We claim that the history OF Virginia
is free from the reproach OF false pretences or
bad faith, and that what she processes may be
believed, and what she promises may be
relied upon. She has taken her position in the
| Union, and under the Constitution, and will be
found as true and as trustworthy as any one
of the United States.
| Sooner or later this must come to be uni
versally acknowledged, and in the mean time
our condition calls for the exercise Of great
| prudence, calmness, and forbearance and we
must learn to watch, and work, and wait, pos
sessing our souls in patience.
1t is important that we shall, by every means
! In our power, cultivate kindly relations anon
ourselves, and shall continue to deal with all
the departments of our State government, and
with all our people, in spirit OF conciliation
| and mutual forbearance becoming those who
have common interests and common hopes.
Let us cherish the same dispositions toward
/ the National Government and toward the peol
pie Of all the States. #
II at any time we have felt impatient under
the delay to which, under the name OF proba-
ton, we have been, and still are, subjected, we
must remember that our full restoration tc
all our relations with the common government
requires the concurrence OF all Its departments
and that what has been done for us but marks
the progress OF great constitutional struggle
for which the history Of this country has nc
parallel.
these great subjects are discussed, Virginia has
| no voice but the vacant seats OF her repre-
/ sentatiyes speak with unanswerable logic and
] with moving eloquence-not In behalf OF local
! or sectional, or party interests-but in the
| cause of constitutional integrity and OF repre-
sentative republican liberty. This appeal
addressed to common Interests and iSrnasf
| the entire north and west, and mas Drougn.
thougAtful men every where 70 CONSIDER
| whether what they have been disposed :
regard as merely the cause Of the south may
not, in fact. be the cause Of constitutional su'
preinacy and constitutional heerty LOT ms
/ whole country,
This is the view taken q tse matter BY IN, ths
President Of the United States, who mas taksi
| hold of the subject with the grasp OF a states
man, and who, In his recent veto message, na,
dealt the boIdest. and most manly, anu mos u
masterly blow for civil liberty, social order, ane
constitutional republicanism. that has beer
struck since the foundation OF our Govern
| uent. ,...,.
which the President, on behalf OF the states
and ,,eople OF this Union, has made with tnt
dominant dom party in Congress. involves In its
immediate consequences our most VIA ".
interests and our dearest rights. II ~
natural. under the circumstance that we we
should feel disposed to appro;priats s,snd MIN
bat n would be doing injustice 70 MIN,
d q lhs ersss and general y anssssm ssy .sa.s 2.
local q ! sectienal PARTISAN, y w