The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-22
Another Speech from the Presi'
dent.
WASHINGTON, March 9, 1866.

headed by Speaker Frazer, had
an interview with President Johnson yes
terday, to present the resolutions adopted
by the Legislature, indorsing his policy
for the reconstruction of the Union.
The President in reply to the remarks
of Mr.. P. Frazier said:
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 conf
dence you have indicated as placing in
me as an Executive Officer, and in my
public acts All that can say in con-
nection with the subject has been said.
And I trust and hope, so far as concerns
my prior acts, that your confidence has
not been misplaced, and that you may
not be mistaken in your appreciation. 1t
is unnecessary for ne to repeat the -prin-
ciples 1 have already laid down. They
are understood and there can be no mis-.
take when they are read and understood,
as to the position 1 occupy. Persons
who understand principles, and who agree
upon principles, have come together, and
act together, without any previous con-
cert or comparison of notions or ideas.
We find them involuntarily approaching
each other. And the converse of the
proposition is just as true. Where they
disagree and do..not harmonic in their
thoughts and actions, they early COM
mence a divergent course. The most
gratifying thing to me in this is, after all,
that am one of those who rely upon
principle. From my earliest advent into
public life, there has been some fnnda-
mental notion about this nation that l
have entertained and never departed
from. But, as 1 said, one Of the CRAFTY
ing things to me is, that after we have
passed through the ordeal that has mari
cd our very recent history-that chaotic
state that had characterized the ps;h!ic
mind-that when we see these principle
enunciated, there is still an apprehension
and comprehension Of them around
which and about which there seems to
commence crystalzation and forma-
ton of men, that will in the end, / be
lieve, sustain the country. AS to msy-rlf
individually, thatis a very small affair.
1t amounts to but very little. But, so
far as that goes, if I have given no eri-
dcnce of sincerity, or that can be con-
fidcd in and relied upon, in the past, there
is nothing I could say now-ne profession
that I could make, that would show, that,
as it has been in the past, so in-the future,
the Constitution is my guide. The pub
lie good has been my aim And sink or
swim, live or die. upon that principle and
upon that line | shall 60 through with it.
All that ask is IN honest and confding-
public to stand by me, and say in the flu
ture whether am sincere in what pro-
fess, and whether the principles upon
which we rely are right in themselves.
There is one thing which / have relied
upon in early life, and which has become
a part of my very nature. The princi-
pies, the great principles, of free Govern
ment, never yet failed. In the possession
of these great principles we cannot reach
a wrong conclusion. If we are right
if the principles are right in themselves
and we pursue them rightfully-though
there may be gloom gathering around
our pathway, though we may not see our
way entirely clear, yet in the pursuit of
principle, if we follow it, it will take us
triumphantly through, without regard to
what may be upon the right hand or up
on the left But I trust and hope that in
this struggle in the Government, as it
were, we may be encouraged to com
monce new career, and that we will
it upon principle. And though
so far as I am concerned, | repeat, / am
a very small part Of this thing, yet now
is time for patriots who love principles
and who want to preserve the Constitu-
tion intact, now is time to comeforward
without regard to any future, so far as |
am concerned for am looking to none
now is time to make a basis, and form
a combination upon this great question,
md manifest that it can be successfully
demonstrated. Now is time to make
basis; now is time to gather the materi-
al; now is time to rally around princi-
pie, and lay basis upon which our Gov.
ernment can proceed. And that being