The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-05

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"GRSTLEMEN: cannot make any
speechin reply, but in response to what
has been said, i will simply remark
that my policy, to which You have al
llided as before the country, was mob
announced as the result of impulse,
nor was it thrown for any adj cdpitdIl-
dun purposes. 1t was s5announced as
the result of conviction, of mature con-
sideration, as a necessary consequence
of the principles upon which this Coy
ernment rests. That policy, which 1
honestly regard as being the best of the
country, will continue before the epeople,
without the slightest deviation, and
without being Swerved from on my part.
do not say this in spirit of menace
or threat to anybody, but simply to
give assurance that there will be no
abandonment and no shrinking from
that policy, because it is believed that
the very existence and perpetuity OF
the Government depend on the main-
tenance of the principles which have
thus been enuncfated. - 80
81 am not insensfble to the remarks
which have been made accompanying
the presentation of these resolutions.
The mind and soul of u man whoIwould
not feel more or less inspired and i'm
pressed. by what you have said must be
extremely dull and barren! / feel the
full force! of what you have said! and
think know how to appreeiate.it, and
so feeling, 1 am impressed with the
conviction that my dnty must be per-
formed without regard to the conse5
quences. Your encouragement at this
particular time seems peculiarly appro-
pirate. Your countenance and protferS
of support under the present. circum-
stances. inspire me with a confidence.
and strength. and n hope, that the
country will ultimately triumph, and
those great principles viii be sustained.
at is not necessary for me to remark
to YOU that 1 entered this contest at its
very incipiency, and / have not devia-
ted single hairs breadth from the line
OF, policy / then laid down. / stand.
now precisely on the same ground 1
stood on in the Senate, on the 18th and
18th days of December, 1860. know
that it has been said, and no doubt by
many designedly said, that here is
President who was elected by party,
and who on coming into power, aban-
doned that party; and he has TyleriZed
his Administration; that he has Joined
the Copperheads, and things of that
kind. Those things have no influence
upon me. They fail wholly to drive me
from the discharge of my duty. But If
ployed for four years in resisting II sep
aration and dissolution of the Union,
and now have reached point when re-
sistance has ceased I'VE can be lnstru-
mental in conciliating and bringing
back all the people to an honest, loyal,
and thorough support of the Govern
ment, II seems TO me we are. doing
good deed and accomplishing the work
we undertook. 1t happens sometimes,
in the best of families, If may be per-
mitted to use the illustration, that there
are differences and feudS, but when
these differences are understood and arr
ranged, and when the feuds subside,
laT n n
ing more Kindly toward those from
whom they had been estranged than
they did before. Then / do not think
we are doing wrong, five, while main
tanning principle, while trying tOlpre-
serve the Government, have succeeded
in convincing of their error and bring
ing back to the fold of their fathers,
those who strayed. Think this is "A re-
suit of Which all would be proud, and
for which we should not be taunted. If
1 know myself, my only object Is to
preserve the Government. want it to
continue in loyal hands, and none 9TH
erS. F.l-,s s..7f-- E--tIf7T
s'I hope that the time will soon come
when tho country will be thoroughly
reconciled; but 10 secure all that is nee
eSsary for this pIifpose5 will require a.
severe struggle, for am free to say to
you-it is not worth while to disguise
it-that the very same spirit which ami
mated the rebellion ae one end of the
line, now exists ut the other, to some
extent. Before the recent rebellion,
'thelewerei one set of Eentlemenawho
We're trying toIdissolye and break mp.
the Government fort the purpose of pre-
serving the institution of slavery, and
another set of gentlemen were willing
to break up the Government for the
purpose of destroying slavery, and they
so avowed. Though these respective
parties disagreed in the object they
wished to accomplish, they agreed IN
one thing, and that was the destruction
of the Government, and so far as that
point is concerned, the one was as cul-
pable as the other. The blow was first
struck ut the Southern end of the line.
1t being struck there, the spirit which
was making war upon the principles of
the Government must have something
to vent itself upon, and it Joined with
those who were for the Union against
those who were for rebellion. But now,
whefi the rebellion is put down, if we
find an attempt to change the character
of the Government, we must equally
resist it. The attempt now is to con-
solidate, to concentrate absolute power
here. 1t is the destruction of the Gov
ernment, and it is a manifestation of
the same spirit which attempted to
break pthe Government. 1 stand op-
posed to both. stand with you for the
the supremacy of the law, and for obe-
dience to the law and the COpstitntion.
''Let it be understood that sOiinr as
making candidates for the future is
concerned, / have uothing to do with It.
If can be instrumental In accomplish
ing the great work we have undertaken
to bring about, peace, and harmony
and reconciliation among all our people,
and agaIu plucing this Government
upon lLs nrm DasIs, I shall feel that L
nave reached the summit of my ambi-
ton. L nave no other object in view, if
know my own heart and my own feel
InEs. 80. al
:'Gentlemen, permit me to thank You
most sincerely Tor the announcement
you have gwen me, and Tor the coun-
Lenance you hnYe shown by coming
forward III this great struggle for the
'tirst principle OF Iree government"
: The members of the committee g
then personally introducedt to the Presi-
dent r.laf1 dsHa zizEll5I
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