The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-11
SCHUYLER COLFAX.
LECTURE AT IRVING HALL-HIs RECEPTION
go BY THE UNION LEAGUE.


/ Last evening, at Irving Hall, the Hon
Schuyler Colfax delivered his celebrated
lecture, ACROSS the Continent" The lee
ture was for the benefit of the fund OF the
Southern Famine Relief Commission. A
large number of people listened to the lee
ture.
After the lecture, a reception was given to
Mr.. Colfax by the members OF the Union
League, at their clubhouse on Unlon-square.
Mr.. John Jay, the President OF the CLUB,
upon taking the chair, introduced Mr.. Col
fax to the meeting in the following remarks:
GENTLEMEN: The language OF eulogy Is
tame beside the logic OF facts, and volume
of biography would fail to convey an IDEA
of character so definite as that embodied
in the thought that Mr.. Colfax was chosen
XXXIXth, and XLth Congresses. To those
Congresses, with the XXXVIIth, history
will accord a glory akin to that which hal
lows the memory of the Continental Con-
gress of our Revolution. They carried the
country safely through our second war tor
national independence; the XXXlNth IN
auourated the Constitutional Amendment
abolishing Slavery, to which this Club lent
its active influence. and that immortal act
has now led to abolition in Brazil, and has
settled the question of abolition throughout
the world The XLth Congress, browning
the work of its predecessors, has ordained
plan of reconstruction based upon the ma
tional and eternal principles of the Declara-
ton of Independence; plan which IS cor
daily accepted by the bravest OF the South
ern Generals and the most judicious OF the
Southern statesmen and under that plan we
trust that the Speaker may presently order
the roll-call of Representatives from every
State of the reunited Republic. (Applause)
Such is the grand future of our country, free
and harmonious at home, and proudly re-
gardful as in the days of Washington, OF
our international obligations, that this Club
confidently anticipates, in its present efforts
to elevate the idea OF American citizenship,
to Tighten the burdens Of our national IN
dustry, and to purify and ennoble our legls-
lation. Gentlemen, in your name offer to
our illustrious guest, personally and official
ly, our heartfelt congratulations and most
cordial welcome, and have the honor and
pleasure to introduce to you Mr.. Speaker
Colfax. Applause)
SPEECH OF MIR. COLFAX.
Mr.. Colfax, on rising to respond, was
greeted with cheers. He spoke as follows:
1t is easy, NJ President and gentlemen of
the Union League Club, when trebly armed
with the merits of a good cause, to bear or
answer the attacks of enemies; but it is
always difficult to reply to the cordial greet
ings and the partial language of valued
friends. Faithful as have always striven
to be to principle and duty, the long contin-
ued confidence of my immediate constituents
has been both an incentive and Il reward.
But when gentlemen conspicuous as your
selves in this great metropolitan city, identi-
fed with this noble organization, on which
the Government leaned in the darkest hours
of trial and peril, join with them in this in
dorsement I scarcely know what words to
use as fitting acknowledgment, and can
only say would that | were worthIer"
We scarcely realize (and 1 must speak again
of our country as in the Lecture Hall an hour
ago. how rapidly and yet how gloriously we
are making history: but posterity will read
it on the open pages of our country's annals.
Six years ago-how brief it seems-but a
fraction of an individuals life-buta breath
in the life of Il nation-the banners of Re-
belliOn waved over hostile armies and stolen
forts from the Potomac to the Rio Grande
and the unlocking world predicted the
certain downfall of the Republic Now,
thanks to our gallant armies and their gal
liant commanders-Grant the infexible-
vincible-and all their fearless compatriots
on sea and shore-but one flag waves over
the land-thc flag that Washington loved,
and that Jackson, and Scott, and Taylor
adorned with their brilliant victories-the
flag dearer to US in all its hours of peril than
when gilded by the sunshine of prosperity
and famed by the zephyrs of peace, at last
unquestioned, unassailed. Six
years ago, millions of human beings born on
American soil, created by the same Divine
Father, destined to the same eternal here
after, were subject to sale like the swine of
the stye, or the beasts of the field, and our
escutchcon was dimmed and dishonorcd by
the stain of American Slavery. 7o-day,
auction blocks. and manacles, and whipping
posts are, thank God, things ofthe past, while
the slave himselfhas become the citizen, with
the freeman's weapons of protection-the bal
lot in his own right hand. (Applause) Nor
can we forget, while rejoicing over this
happy contrast, the human agencies so po-
tential in its accomplishment. First and
among the rest rises before my
mind the tall form of a martyred President,
whose welcome step no mortal ear shall ever
listen to again. Faithful to his oath, faith
full to his country, faithful to the brave arm
les his word called to the field, he never
swerved hairs breadth from his determ-
nation to crush this mighty rebellion, and
all that gives it aid, and comfort, and sup
port. Applause) Unjustly and bitterly
denounced by his enemies, and yours, as a
usurper and despot; compared to Nero and
Ca!lgula and all other tyrants whose base
deeds blacken the pages OF history, your no.
BILE League stood by him amid this tempest
of destruction, cordially and to the end and
you have now yourabundant vindication and
reward. Though the torch of SANDER was
lit at every avenue of his public life while
he lived, the civilized world would become
mourners at his coffin; and with those IL
belous tongues hushed, our whole land en-
shrines his memory to-day with the Father
of the Country he saved. Again, when, in
the very crisis of the nations agonies, he
struck with the battle-axe of the war power
against slavery, as the cause of all our woes,
you stood by him, upholding his hands and
him in that eventful conflict
Enemies assailed you with epithet and in
vective. You were called negro worshippers,
and Radicals. But on the stump, at
the polls, and in Congress, we all faced
the issue fearlessly, and the world-ac-
cursed system went down forever and for
ever. (Applause) No thanks to our oppo-
nents for this benefcent consummation.-