The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-13
VIRGINIA DELEGATION.
INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT JOHNSON.

The Virginia Delegation consisting
of Messrs. Keen, Gray, Carter, Baldwin,
Marshall, Grafton, Pendleton and
Joynes, deputed by the State Legisla-
ture to convey to President johnson the
resolutions approving his reconstruction
policy, were received by him at the
White House on Saturday morning.
Mr.. Baldwin, Speaker of the House
of Delegates, as Chairman of the Com
mittee, presented the resolutions, and
delivered the following address on be-
half of the committee:
ADDREsR OF MR. BALDWIN.
Mr.. President: We are n committee
of Senators and Delegates sent to pre-
sent to you in person, certain resolutions
proval of the General Assembly Of Vir-
ginia.
We come as representatives sent by
one of the States of this Union to con-
fer with our Constitutional President
inregard to matters affecting the COM
mon government, and therefore of in
terest to all the States and all the peO-
pie.
We come to you, Mr.. President, for
the reason that you recognize our COM
IuOU luJCICot6 Ill buC NtONSihiAiChU VII
der which we live, and because thus far
we have been denied the Constitutional
means of communication by which
otherpeople made known their opinions,
purposes and feelings in the councils OF
the nation.
In declaring that the people of Vir-
ginia aud their representatives accept
and abide by the results of the late con
test, and that they intend in good faith
to meet all the obligations thereby in
Cured, the General Assembly expresses
a sentiment and purpose which have
been uniformly recognized by our peo-
pie Individually and in masses, and in
regard to which there is no hesitation
or division in all Virginia.
Chief among the results thus accept
ed is the universal conviction that the
Union of these States is an established
and enduring fact, and that the whole
future of our people is indissolubly
bound up, for veal or woe, with the
success or failure of the Government o
tho United States. We recognize thai
Government as our Government. 1t
Constitution is our Constitution the
duties which it requires are our duties
and the rights which it promises are oul
rights.
Another great result alike accepted by
our people is the final overthrow of the
institution of slavery. This has been
completed by Constitutional amend
ment. the binding force of which Is uni
versaily admitted; for although we were
not represented in the Congress by
which it was proposed, the failure to b'
so represented was of our own choice
The condition of the freedmen among
us, and the policy to be adopted In re
gard to them, will be recognized by you
as calling for the exercise of the h1ghes
faculties of the statesman and the bes
feelings of the Chri,tiRn philanthropist
The General Assembly of Virginia il
engaged earnestly ih the consideration
Of these subjects, and in anticipation o
the results of their labors, we can onl,
say that whatever policy may be adopt
ed will be addressed in good faith ant
with kind feeling to the improvement
of the physical, intellectual and mora
condition of our freedmen.
You can understand and will readil.
believe that the feelings of our peopl
| towards these freedmen are those G
kindness; sympathy and good will, an
| that to treat them with harshnes or In
/ isntice is. opposed asmuch to our feel
| ings as it is to-our interests and on
sense of right.
The policy pursued by You, Mr.. Pres
dent, toward Virginia and other state
i'm like condition, has its strong founda
ton in broad and comprehensive view
of constitutional right and Of nation'
policy, and must rely for its nltima
success upon the conservative sense
justice Of the people Of all the state
1t is due, however, to you and to OF
people to assure you that when oar del
eral Assembly declare the universal Al
prevail of that policy by the people
Virginia, they express what each one