The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-04-26
ScrcnadC of the President by Soldiers and
SailOrS--l Address Of the President

SallOrS--lddrGSS OF the President.
WAsHrNGroN. April l3-ht six o'clock
this evening n procession OF soldiers and
.alors. and such of their friends as sympa.
thizeu with them in their grateful ackuow I.
cdgmcnt TO the President for his order late
ly issued directing the heads OF the Depart.
mcntS 10 give preference, in appointments
and promotions to the subordinate Offices
Ia ucrsons who have rendered honorable
ser ice in the army and navy, was formed
nni marched to the Executive ma iSion with
the Marine hand, to screnadc President
Johnson, who signiiied to the committee that
he would accept the compliment.
\ very large number of persons Gr both
sexes were previously OH the ground await
ing the demonstration. At q quarter past
six O'Clock tho band performed several pa
triotic airs, when the President made his
appearance and was greeted with hu2Aas by
the assembled thousands lIo took sta,,d
on the coping of the wnii near nc carriage.
way, on the north side Of the mansion,
when he was addressed in behalf of The
soldiers and sailors by one of their number
III highly complimentary terms, saying in
conclusion
"In return for your kindness we can hut
oner our sympathies and payers, and trust
taat an all-wsc Providence, who has
brought our nation through n baptism Of
blood. and to whom we consccratc il anew
free from slavery and by II nations tears,
will so guide and direct you tha, you may
calm the troubled water, harmoni2c public
opinion and restore our whole blessed cnun-
try once more to peace and prosperity"
ADDRESS or THE PRESIDENT.
President Johnson said 1t is not alfcc;a-
tion in me TO say that language is made
quatc to convey the heartfelt feelings pro-
duced on this occasion by your presence
here, and by the presentation OF your scni
men's as expressed by your Representatives
i'll his address, and in the resolutions which
you have thought proper to adopt con.
fcss that in the peculiar posture OF public
affairs, your presence and addi css give en-
couragement and confidence to me in my
efforts to discharge the duties incumbent
upon me as Chief Magistrate the Rcpub
lie. And in what have to say, | shall ad-
dress you in the character Of citizens, sail =
ors and soldiers | shall speak to you in
those terms, and none others.
| repeat my thanks.for the manifestation
of your appreciation and of your encourage
ment. [Applause. We are to-day involv.
cd in one of the most critical and trying
struggles that have occurred since this Gov
ernment was spoken into existence. Ma
tions, like individuals, must hr 9 begin.
ning-must havo u birth In struggling
into existence nation passes through its
first trying ordeal.
1t is not necessary for mo now to carry
your minds back to the struggle when this
nation was born. Ii was not necessary for
me to allude to the privations and hardships
of those who engaged in that struggle to
achieve the national birth. It is not ncces.
sary to point 10 the blood shed and the
lives lost in accomplishing that result.
The next ordeal through which nation
has to pass is when il is called upon to give
evidence that 1t has strength, capacity and
power to maintain itself among the nations
of the earth.
In giving such evidence we passed
through the war 1912. and through the war
with Mexico; and we have passed through
all the struggles that have since occurred
up to The beginning Of tho rebellion. That
was our second ordeal But q nation has
smother test still to undergo, and that is tc
give evidence to the nations of the earth
and to It's own citizens that it has power tC
res ist internal foes; that it has strength
enough to put down treachery Mt home and
treason within its own borders. Cheers
We have commenced that ordeal, and ,rus
in God we will pass through it successfully
CCheers. l feel complimented by the al
luson Of your representative to the fac
chat Istood in the Senate in 1860 and 1861
when the nation'was entering on this third
ordeal, aud raised my voice and hand:
against treason, treachery and traitors u