Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-02-15

Union of the States is again complete, that we
bayeresumed our career of prosperity and great
ness. at that very instant, almost, all our for
eign difficulties will be settled, for there is no
power upon the earth which will care to have
a controversy or a rupture with the Govern
of the United States under such circumstances.
IF these States be fully restored, the area for
the circulation of the national currency, which
il thought by some to be inflated to very
great extent, will be enlarged, the number of
persons through whose hands it is to pass will
be increased, the quantity of commerce in which
II is to be employed as a medium OF exchange
will be enlarged; and then it will begin to APP
proximate, what we all desire, a specie standard.
If all the States were restored-if peace and
order reigned throughout the land, and all the
;ndustrial pursuits, all the avocations of peace
were again resumed-the day would not be far
distant when we could put into the commerce
of tie world $250,000,000 or S30O,OO0,OOO
worth of cotton and tobacco, and the various
products of the Southern States, which would
constitute in part a basis of this currency.
THIN. instead of the cone being inverted, we
should reverse the position, and put the base at
the bottom, as if ought to be, and the currency
of the country will rest on sound and occurring
basis and surely that is result which i cal
culatoi to promote the interests not only OF one
section. but the whole country from one ex-
tremity to the other. Indeed, | look upon the
restoration of these States as being indispen-
sableto all our greatness.
Gentlemen. know nothing further that |
could say in the expression of my feelings ON
this occasion and they arerot affected more than
TO add that shall continue in the same line OF
policy which / have pursued from the COM
mendment of the rebellion to theI sent period.
Nv efforts have boon to preserve the Union OF
the States | never, for single moment, en-
tertained the opinion that State could with
draw from the Union of its own will. That
attempt was made. 1t has failed. | continue
TO pursue the same line of policy which has
been my constant guide. Twas against disso-
luton. Dissolution was attempted; it has fail
ed and cannot take the position that State
which attempted to secede is out of the Union,
when contend all the time that it could not
90 out. and that it has never been out. can
not be forced into that position. Hence when
the States and their people shall have complied
with the requirements of the Government,
shall be in favor of their resuming their former
relations to this Government in all respects.
/ do not intend to say anything personal, but
Won know as well as do that at the beginning,
and indeed, before the beginning of the recent
gigantic struggle between the different sections
of the country, there were extreme men South,
and there were extreme men North. | might
make use of homely figure, (which is some
times as good as any other, even in the illustra-
tons of great and important questions.) and
saw that it has been hammer at one end of the
line and anvil at the other; and this great Gov
eminent. the best the world ever saw, was kept
upon the anvil and hammer before the rebel
lion. and il has been hammered since the rebel
lion; and there seems to be disposition to con-
tinue the hammering until the Government
shall be destroyed ! have opposed that sys-
tenn always, and oppose it now.
The Government, in the assertion OF Its pow
ers and in the maintenance of the principles OF
the Constitution, has taken hold of one ex-
IRENE, and with the strong arm Of physical
power has put down the rebellion. Now, as we
swing around the circle Of the Union with a
fixed and unalterable determination to standby
it, if we find the counterpart or the duplicate OF
the'same spirit that played to this feeling and
these persons in the South, this other extreme
which stands in the way must get out of it, and
the Government must stand mistaken and I'M
moved on its basis. The Government must be
preserved.
will only say, in conclusion, that hope all
the people of this country, in good faith and IN
the fullness of their hearts, will, upon the prn-
ciples Which you have enunciated here to-day
of the maintenance of the Constitution and the
preceryation of the Union, lay aside every other
feeling fer the good of our common country,
and with uplifted faces to heaven swear that
our gods and our affairs and all shall sink in the
dust together rather than that this glorious
Union shall not be preserved. [Great APPLAUSE. ]
am gratiied to find the loyal sentiment Of
the country developing and manifesting itself
in these expressions; and now that the attempt
to distroy the Government has failed at one end
of the line, trust we shall 90 on determined
to preserve the Union in its original purity
against all opposers.
thank you gentlemen, for the compliment
YOU have paid me, and respond most cordially
to what has been said in your resolutions and
address, and trust in God the time will soon
come when we can meet under more favorable
auspices than we do now. :
Mr.. Baldwin then resumed as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: As an assurance that we
represent the sentiment of the State, | beg leave
to introduce the members of the committee,
and to name the parts of the State from which
they come, in order that you may be certified
that this IS fair representation of all parts Of
Virginia. l introduce to you Mr.. Keen, the
Senator from Spottsylvania Mr.. Joyncs, the
Delegate from Petersburg; Mr.. Carter, Senator
from the county Of Russell; Mr.. Marshall,
Delegate from the county Of Fauquier; Mr..
Gray, Senator from the county of Rockingham,
MIR. Pendleton, Delegate from the county of
Giles Mr.. Grattan, Delegate from the city of
Richmond. We claim this to be a fair and
equally distributed representation of the people
of Virginia.
As the several members were introduced the
President shook each one by the hand, and then
added as follows in manner somewhat more
conversational than before: / am happy to
meet you, gentlemen. As | said to another
delegation the other day, | have no ambition
and no object beyond the restoration of this