Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-14
ABRAHAM
The Memorial Address of George Bancroft.

u "
From the Washington Star of Monday Evening
The morning opened rather gloomy, with muddy
streets and falling rain, but these disagreeables did
not prevent lucky ticket holders iOr seats in the Rep
resentatiye Hall IRON making their way to the Capt.
toll TO use them. From the number of visitors from
Northern cities seeking seats, these tickets were IN
much demand, and as high as fifty dollars nave been
offered for the precious bit of pasteboard. Hackmen,
too, were in demand, and improved Their opPortuni-
Ties. charging from twenty-five dollars to thirty dol
lars for their vehicles for the day in some cases.
Whether so intended or not, the machinery of the
ticket system served TO pretty cfiectually block out
the cOlOred people from the House hall. \ few were
present. Among them Mr.. George T. Downing, and
other cOlored delegates from the North to tins city.
The great rush was for the galleries, which were
pretty compactly filled by III, A. NJ. The portion of
the floor of the Hall devoted to the diplomatic corps
was also filled early, the British Minister and Russian
Minister occupying seats nearly in front. In the
same vicinity was General james Watson Webb, re-
turned from Brazil.
The c%lapping OF hands from TINA TO time indicated
the entrance OF personages of note. Such applause
was given to Mrs. Grant on her being escorted to
the ladies' gallery by Hon. Mr.. Washburne. A lit
tie later a hearty round OF applause was given on
the entrance of General Grant, whose seat, rs II hap
pened. was Immediately in front of where General
Butler was seated. General Logan, John Minor
Bolts, Judge Acknowledgements Holt We're among
those noticed seated in the range behind General
Grant.
lie luleIdl ueCOIdtIOuS VI tC hEphSSohehb'S'
Hall were simple and in good taste. The clock was
draped in black Grape, and feStoons of the same
were suspended over the Speakers chair.
At 10 O'clock the House was called to order by
Speaker COlfaX, and prayer was delivered by Rev.
Mir. Boynton, Chaplain. The Speaker then read a
letter from Secretary Seward, expressing his regret
at his inability TO be present on account OF his
health.
States was announced, and the members of that
body were shown to their seats in the centre of the
hall. Next was announced "Ihe President and his
Cabinet and they too were escorted to seats lmlnle-
diately in front to the lett of the Speaker, all being
present but Mr.. Seward. Next was introduced
The Supreme Court of the United States" who,
draped in black gowns, were placed TO the lmmedi-
ate right front OF the Speaker. Upon the entrance
of each of these bodies the asSemblagc, ut u rap of
the Speakers gavel, rose until the visiting. party
were placed, when, at two raps oTthe gaycl, they re-
sumed their seats. With the Senate came the orator
of the day, Hon. George Bancroft, n slim, gold-spec-
tacled gentleman, of literary look, and whose gray
hair was quite closely cropped, as he usually weaiS
it. He was shown to a seat i'll trout of the Speaker.
The audience being placed, the exercises were
commenced by the performance IN exquisite style
by the Marine Band-36 pieces, headed by Prof..
Scala in person-of1hc MiScrere from IL IrOraf0re.
The band was stationed in the hall, in rear of the re-
porters gallery, and the mourniul music penetrated
into the main hall with exquisite chastened effect.
The President of the Senate, Hon. L.. ). Foster,
then called the two Houses to order, and an affect
ing and eloquent prayer was offered by the Rev. MIR.
BOynton, Chaplain OF the House.
The orator of the day was then introduced, and
proceeded to read his address.
HON. GEORGE BANCROFTs ADDRESS.
Hon. George Bancroft then arose and commenced
his address by a reference TO " God in History" say
inc that the deeds of time are governed, rs well rs
Judged, by the DEGREES of eternity, and that the
teeting existence bends to the immOvable omnlpo-
tcnce, which plants its foot on all the centuries, and
has neither change OF purpose nor repOse. He then
,,.,n1a m raViay tho mprValpuS growth pI The
American Republic, and noticed various prophecies
as to the consequences OF slavery, which appeared
from time to time in our early history.
He spoke of the despair OF Washington, Jefferson,
Madison, and the men of the revolution at the CON
tjnuance of this stain OF slavery, and proceeded TO
the new views of that institution which began to
nTeY iHsti tn iaa F fS aI TePft iteT elS mhe' Should i9nnf'f be- d ,iIit
J demned as inhuman unwise and unjust; IN tie
throes of discomfort at the self leproach oil Their
fathers, and blinded by a lustre Of wealth to be ac-
quired by the culture of a new staple, they devised
the theory that slavery, which they would not abol-
ish, was not evil, but good. They turned on the
friends of colonization, and confidently demanded,
"Why take black men from a. civilized and christian
country, where their labor is IA source oil immense
Gain and q power to control the markets OF the
world. and send them TO q land of ignorance, id0la-
try and Incidence, which was the home of their fore
fathers, but not theirs? Slavery is a blessing.
A regular development OF pretcnsiOns followed
the new declaration with logical consistency. I'm
der the old declaration every one oil the States had
retained, each for itself, the right OF manunitting
all slaves by an ordinary act OF legislation now,
the power OF the people over serVitude through ther
Legislatures was curtailed, and the privileged class
was swift in imposing legal and constitutional OBJ
structions on the people themselves. The power OF
emancipation was narrowed or taken away. The
slave might not be disquicted by education.
He then spoke of the disastrous effect of this new
theory of slavery and our foreign relations and
touched on squatter sovereignty, saying that Wash
ington, and Jefferson, and Madison had died des-
pairing of the abolition OF slavery Calhoun died
in despair at the growth of freedom.
He then came down to the time of the bred Scott
decision, saying of Chief Justice fancy that against
the Constitution, against a previous decision, against
a series of enactments, he decided that the slave Is
property, that slave property Is entitled To no less
projection than any other property, that the COnsti'
tuition upholds it in every Territory against any act
of a local Legislature, and even against Congress
itself; or, as the President of the time tersely pro-
mulgated the saying kansas is as much Il slave
State as South Carolina or Georgia. Slavery,
by virtue of the Constitution, exists in every Terrific
ry."
Only one step more remained to be taken-seces-
sion. As the Presidential election drew on, one of
the old traditional parties did not make its appear
ance; the other Teeled as 1t sought to preserve It's
old position; and the candidate who most nearly
represented its best opinion, driven by patriotic zeal,
roaNed the country from end to end to speak for
Union, eager at least TO confront its enemies, yet
not having hope that it weuld lind its delIverance
through him. The storm arose to a whirlwind who
should allay its wrath The most experienced
statesmen of the country had failed there was no
hone from those who were great after the flesh
cOuld relief come from one whose wisdom was like
the wisdom of little children
The speaker then most elOquently reviewed the
carly life of President Lincoln the ignorance of his
parents in their Kentucky home his emigration, at
the early age of eight years, to Indiana his lonely
life in a log cabin in the dense forests OF Spencer
county. in that State his American education his
VOYAGE down the Mississippi in a tat-boat; the lami-
L. ,,fU- f.n m Illinois when he was tWeutNtV-Onp
yeals old his election to the Legislature OF that
State in his twenty-titth year; his election To Con
gress in 1917; and his rivalry with Douglas l1r the
SenatorslIip in 1853. Speaking OF his elevation 10
the Presidency. Mr.. Bancroft said that he measured
the difficulty of the duty that was devolyed upon
him, and resolved to fulfill 1t. The speaker then
gave a graphic account Of the Preridents journey tn
Washington, and OF the state oil the country AT Tue
time. saying that the great Republic seemed to have
It's emblem in the vast unfinished Capitol, at that
moment surrounded by masses OF stone and PROSTATE
columns never yet lifted into their places; seemingly
the monument of high but delusive ASPIRATIONS, the
confused wreck of inchOate magnlhcence, sadder
than any ruin of Egyptian Thebes or Athens.
He then touched on the inaugural address saying
that with instructive wisdom the new PRESIDENT,
speaking to the people on taking the oath oil onice'
mt aside every question that divided the country,
and gained a right to universal support by planting
himself on the single idea OF the Union. To fire
the passions of the Southern portion oil the people,
the Confederate Government chose 10 become ag-
! EIt51OA5f Ahu Oh Nv hP'H-6
began the bombardment of Fort SUMTER and com
pelled its evacuation.
Tbe orator spoke in glowing terms of the grand
uprising of tie people which followed that event
saving that whatever there was OF truth and faith
and nnblic love in the common heart broke out with
one expression. The mighty winds blew from every
marter 70 fan the flame of the sacred and unquench-
able fire. =,
The war which followed involved the ~destinies Of
mankind . and is prime iples and causes shook the
nolitics of Europe TO the ceutre, and from Lisbon to
Petin divided the governments of the world.
The sentiments aud policy of Great Britain during
our struggle for existence were then depicted IN elo'
onent terms. and the facts referred to that the re-
sonrces of British capitalists, their workshops their
r armories, their private arsenals, Their shipyardS, were
in league with the insurgents, and that every DIT t.sh
> harbor in the wide world became a saie poit .
British ships, manned by British sailors; ana armed
: with British guns to prey on our peaceful cohllnetye
even on our ships coming from British ports, heishtc
ed with British products, or that had carried gits oil
grain TO the English poor.
The act of recognizing the rebel belllgerehts was
concerted with France; France, so beloved IN Anne
l RIGA, on which she had conferred the greatest bene'
fits that one people ever conferred on another. The