The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-13
ANOTHER SPEECH FROM PRESl-
DENT JOHNSON. 13

passage
ANOTHER SPEECH FROM PRESI-
DENT JOHNSON. 90
There ought to be another Cabinet
officer added to the Executive Depart
ment--to be styled 1.-The Orator In
Chiefn whose duty it should be to re-
lieve the President of the fast increasing
Iabors of speech making. 1t is too bad
that the Executive should be forced to
talk SO much His administrative du-
ties are quite sufficient to occupy all of
his time, but scarcely day passes that
re is not forced to neglect these In order
to tickle the ears of some ward commit
tee with political barangue. Let an
"orator' be appointed by all means.
The latest demand on the patience ana
the lungs of Mr.. Johnson has been MADE
by delegation from the Maryland Le-
gislature, who presented resolutions
passed by that body endorsing the
Presidents policy of reconstruction.
The following is the reply Of the Chief
Magistrate to the representatives Of
/" My Maryland"
! I have no reply to make, gentlemen,
more than to thank you for the encour-
agement and countenance you have
given on the present occasion, and the.
confidence you have indicated as plac-
ing in me as an executive officer, and IN
my public acts. All that l can say Ill
: connection with the subject has been
said. And I trust and hope, so far as
concerns my prior acts, that your conf
dence has not been misplaced, and that
YOU may not be mistaken in your appro-
baton, 1t Is unnecessary for me to re-
peat the principles have already laid
, down. They are understood and there
, can be no mistake when they are read
and understood, as to the position oc-
bags cones 1rs9S osse ThS and sse
without any previous concert or COM
parison of notions or ideas. We dnd
+ them involuntarily approaching each
q other And the converse of the propo-
q stion is lust as true. Where they disa-
J gree and do not harmonize In their
j. thoughts and actions, they early com.
q meuce "A divergent course. The most
r gratifying thing to me in this, 10, after
!. ALI. that am one Of those who rely upon
il principle. From my earliest advent
q into public life, there has been some run
i damental notion about this nation that
# | have entertained and never departed
: from. But, as said, one of the crafty
q ing things to me is, that after we have
q passed through the ordeal that has
!. marked our recent history-that chaotic
~ state that had characterized the public
miud--that when We see these primer
% Piles enunciated, there is still an appre-
Il hension and comprehension OF them
J. around which and about which there
II seems TO commence a crystalization and
70 formation of men, that will in the end,
believe, sustain the country. AS to
al M yself individually that Is very small
~ affair. 1t amounts to but very little
a. But SO far as that goes, If l have given
= no evidence of sincerity, or that can bs
d confided in and relied upon, in the past,
N there is nothing I could say noW-no
u profession that could make, that would
n show, that, as it has been in the past,
"a 40 i'm the future, the Constitution is my
ar guide. The public good has been my
Ssm. And sink or swim, live or die
De d. that principle and upon that lin'
m upon. through it, All that l ask
y an honest ana f, he future whether
, by me, and say in "a. "fess, aud whe
u am sincere in what Pr. N we reiI
. tncr the principles upon whit.
o are right in themselves.
Ihere Is one thing which have relied
J. upon in early life, aud which has he
: come part of my very nature. The
: principles, the great principles, of free
government never yet failed. In the
: possession OF these great principles we
n cannot reach wrong conclusion. IF
we are right-if the principles are right
:, IN themselves and we pursue them rio int
G iuiiy-tbough there may be gloom gath.
e ering around our pathway, though we
e may not see our way entirely clear, vet
e in the pursuit of principle, il we follow
n u, it VIII take us triumphantly through,
| ff hot l.
d right hand or upon the left. Butt trust
ana nope that in this struggle in the
Government, as 1t Were, we may be en-
O couraged To commence a new career
4 ana that we will commence it upon
u principle. And though so far as / am
> concerned, repeat, am a very small
u part of this thing, yet. now is a time for
: patriots who love principles and who
: want to preserve the Constitution intact.
y now is the time to come forward with
e out regard to any future, SO far as l am
y concerned, for L am looking to none
Il now is time to make basis and form
Il a combination upon this great question
: ana manifest that it can be successfully
n demonstrated Now is a time to mako
It . basis; now is a time to gather the
e material; now is time tn rally around
n principle, aud lay a basis upon which
: our Government can proceed. And that
being done, and this Union being re-
= stored, the summit of my ambition has
u been reached, the measure of my ambi-
q ton has been fulfilled, and / could now
ID say, as Simeon did of old-if L had it Ia
r my power TO pronounce that this Union
was restored, and the Constitution intact
4 and the Government. had commenced i'd
of career anew-if all these things wer,
m established, 1 could exclaim, 9TH,
z, glory of Thy salvation, q God, has beer
I'd seen and manifested, and now let TIL,
n servant depart in peaceIn. thank you
ig gentlemen, for the encouragement yo,
ed have given me. 1 think 1 know how b
n | aIarraciafa nd fool L. y