The Portland daily press., 1866-02-12

ought to be hanged. -
Mr.. Delano conibatted the positions of Mr..
stevens that the Southern States were dead
ADDRESS of Yirginia Delegates to the. .Presi-
'.'il ~ l'-H aerst-His Reply. II
-la.aa haH g-5-l ~ WASHINGTON, Feb. TO-
This afternoon a committee from the Sem
ate and House of Delegates of the State Of
Virginia called upon the President, for the
purpose of presenting him with the resolutions
adopted by the General Assembly of Virginia.
The following named gentlemen constituted
the committee from the Senate: Messrs. S..
f. Kunn, A. S. Corny and Dale Carter. From
the House of Delegates, Messrs. John b. Bald
win, James Marshall, A. r. Craken, G. PEN
dleton and VIM. T. Jones. DG2l9a3 gsA /
They are gentlemen of acknowledged abili-
ty, and, 1t is claimed, represent the State geo
graphically and politically. MIR. Bald win,
Speaker OF the House of Delegates, as chair
man Of the committee, presented the resolu-
tons, and delivered the following address in
behalf of the committee:
Mr.. President I'VE are committee of
Senators and Delegates sent to present you in
person certain resolutions which have receiy4
ed the unanimous approval of the General
Assembly of Virginia. We came as represent
tatiyes sent by one of the States of this Union
to confer with our Constitutional Presidentin
regard to matters affecting the common govern
ment, and therefore of interest to all the
States and all the people. s,ses5 5qa sres9ifs
We come to you, Mr. President, for the real
son that you recognize our common interest
in the government under which we live, and
because, thus far, we have been denied the
Constitutional measures OF communication by
which other States and other people make
known their opinions, purposes and feelings in
the councils Of the nation. In declaring that
the people of Virginia, and their representa-
tives, accept and abide by the result of the
late contest, and that they intend,in good faith
to meet all the obligations thereby incurred,
the General Assembly express the sentiment
and purposes which have been uniformly. rec
ognized by our people, individually and in
masses, and in regard to which there is no
hesitation OF division in all Virginia. Chief
among the results thus accepted is the univer-
sal conviction that the Union of these States
is an established and enduring fact, and that
the whole future of our people is bound up for
veal or for zoe with the success or failure Of
the government of the United States We
recognize that government as our government,
its Constitution is our Constitution, the duties
which it promises are our rights.
And another great result alike accepted by
our people, is the final overthrow of slavery.
| Z The President, in replyy said: 49,.
Gentlemen ITO the resolutions you have
JuSL QTcStIlbtQ anu tllC CLEAR, IOTClDlc anu
concise remarks which you have made, in ex-
PLANTATION of Virginia, 1 shall not attempt to
make formal speech, but simply enter intola
plain conversation in regard to the condition
of things in which we stand. As premise to
what may say, permit me first to tender my
thanks for this visit, and next to express the
satisfaction feel in meeting SO many inteli-
gent, responsible and respectable men of Vir-
ginia, bearing to me the sentiments whichhaye
cad pofx1
islature, and in the remarks accompanying
them SO far as they refer to the Constitution
/ Of the country, and the sentiments and princi-
1 pies embraced in that charter of the govern
| ment The preservation Of the Union has
been, from my entrance into public life, one of
my cardinal texts. At the very incipiency of
the rebellion I set my face against the dissolu-
| ton of the; Union of the States. don't make
| this allusion for the purpose of bringing up
may be regarded as an unkind or unpleasant
character, but believed then, as I believe
now, and as you have most Enthusiastically in
Dictated. that the security and protection Of the
rights of all people were to be found in the
Union. On this conviction 1 based my oppo-
| sition to the efforts to destroy the Union.
have continued those efforts notwithstanding
the perils through which 1 have passed, and
you are aware that the trial has been a severe
one. .:i ', ~ +, f'le, -si.s. 9naaS 99EaE o3
/ When opposition to the government came
from one section of the country, and that sec
ton in which my life had been passed, and
with which my interests were identified,
| stood, as stand now, contending for the I'm
| ion, asseverating that the best and surest way
| to obtain our rights and protect our interests,
was to remain in the Union, under the protec-
ton of the Constitution. The ordeal through
which we have passed during the last four or
cfrafo hot
that position was right, and to-day, after the
experiment has been made and, failed, after
| the most fearful demonstration has most con-
| clusivey proved, that this Union cannot be
dissolved; that 1t was not designed to be dis
solved. 1t is extremely gratifying to me to
meet gentlemen as inteligenb a, responsible
as yourselves, who are willing and anxious TO
accept the terms laid down in the Constitu-
ton, and obedience to the laws made in pur-
suance thereof We were, at one period sepa-
| rated, and the separation was to me painful
| in the extreme. But now, after having gone
through struggle in which the powers of the
| government have been tried, where we have
! swung around to point where we meet to
! agree, and are willing to unite our efforts for
the preservation of the government, which
| believe is the best in the worldI it is exceed
ingly gratifying to me to meet you to-day,
| standing upon common ground, rallying
4
/ these States, the preservation of which, as
conscientiously and honestly believe, will re-
! suit in the promotion and advancement of this
people. I repeat, am gratifed to meet you
to-day, expressing the principles and announc-
ing the sentiments to which you have given
utterance, and trust that this occasion will
| be long remembered pa y Sa4sz ~.
Ihave no doubt that it is your intention to
carry out and comply with every single princi-
doxyv, tho
mitted. know that some of YOU are distrust-
| full, but am of those who have confidence in
the judgment, integrity, intelligence, and IN
| the virtue of the greater mass of the Ameri-
can people; and having such confidence, am
willing to trust you; and thank God, we have
not reached that point where we have lost all
confidence in each other. The spirit of Gov
eminent can only be preserved. We can only
become prosperous and great as people, by
mutual forbearance and confidence Upon
that faith and confidence alone can the Gov
| eminent be successfully carried on in the car
dinal principles of representation to which
| you refer. will make single remark that
that principle is inherent. 1t constitutes one
| of the fundamental elements of this govern
| ment. The representation of the States and
1 of the people should have the qualifications
prescribed by the Constitution Of the United
| States; and those qualifications must unques'
tionably imply loyalty. He who comes as a
representative having the qualifications pre-
scribed by the Constitution to fit him to take
a part in either of the deliberative bodies
which constitutes the National Legislature,
must, necessarily, according to the intent of
the Constitution, be loyal man, willing to
abide by and be devoted to the Union and Con-
stitution of the United States. He cannot be
for the Constitution, he cannot be for the I'M
ion, and he cannot acknowledge obedience to
the laws unless he is loyal. When the people
send such men in good faith, they are entitled
to representation through them, :
The President concluded his remarks by
saying: Gentlemen, 1 shall continue to pur-
sue the same line of policy which have pur-
sued from the commencement of the rebellion
to the present time MY efforts have been to
preserve the union of the States. L never for
single moment entertained the opinion that
State could withdraw from the Union of its
own will. That attempt was made and it fail