New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-07
ruE PROCEEDING

49,, .nyt pBIA, June o. nc reunion VI 1iio Ai"'
-tn'o potomac took place at the Academy Oh MuS,"
to.day. The stand was handsomely dccora'eu
a. frons being gra,ed with guns ana cdiIl"sO''
..oLed arms &c. The field tents stood IN the oacA-
s.o,nd and behind the seats for the guests was
s",ahod IN, Headquarters flag of Gen. Meade. Inc
s.,con;es were profusely draped with Na'ionai
.oIo. and in front of the family circle were psceu
.hialds with CORDS marks indicating the ISL Zu' ou'
S,h 9Th. 9th. 18th, and 18th Artillery and CaVsiry
Germs Of the Army of the Potomac, between winch
a,a alternately erected a brace OF STARE anu
Strines The meeting was called to order oy Ten
Hancock, who made q few appropriate I0in''"
After prayer Mai Gen. John A. DIX was Ih'ro""0'o
as the orator Of the day.
Ex-GOy Dix, in opening his addrcSs '",u ,""
century in The history OF government "-".-It
becun with the declaration to the woro Vi mo sn,
of the naopIe TO q voice IN the ADMINISTRATION vi
tho, noIjtical systems had terminated III the aSSer
tion and application Of the great principle OF UNI
xersal emancipation. He then sketched the various
rotical struggles over the savery question: the OK
slusion of slavery from the Northwest Territories
and then continued his address as follows:
Ipass by ali tno intermediate stages OF tie movement
from the era of the antsavery ordinance of 1857 TO the
reoent and mere familiar OF Abraham Lincoln car
mot name him without expressing my sincere adlaoh
Of his Justice and benigny and my profound respect Tor
bs strong common sense, his comprehensive views OF
government and his almost unoiTing judgment Indeed
IN the presence Of the great men OF the county VIA
whom he had the wisdom to surround himsef-Seward'
chase aud stanton among the dead, aud Cthors among
the ving-he nothing by comparison in the great
essentials o. craftsmanship. 1t is my firm conviction
that there right, civil or political, individual OF
municipal, which he would not. under any oircum-
stauCes have held s1cred there no right which he
did not msn:ain far depended on him, until for
fe,ted by the laws OF war No one could have uphold
more firmly faithfully the compromises OF the Con-
sttuon against prevalent tendency in some quarters
to disregard them, even though by so DONG ne was
se.ppg faith with those who were IN open warfare
against tie Government Let me give YOU S"ho eA-
ampIos this conseientousneSs ON has phrt or VIZ
3Ist of AUGUST, lo61 Gen. Eremon' .-ineI proc
ismaton declaring martial law III Mi.souil, ana ON,
fscating g tue public use the properly o. d'T VIZ do
in the same clause Aud t1eir slaves any me! 10,
ore hereby decsred free men, On the 2d of September
ensuing, two days later. Mr. Lincoln wlpte Se. lre
mont letter disprOvng OF the proclamation ~ sever
particulars. intending those have mentioned, and
asking Ann 10 nodiy IL. Dmirg the Summer and
Autumn OF 1861 a considerable COniedeltte tOrce
emUtp ooJiies ON the eastern shore of Virginia, for
mely Nises Congress district was tdel ~ CON
with my Headquarters Baltimore and sent strong
force TO excel the Confederate troops from
A. few days before the advance fsned
a proclamation. and caused It 10 be circulated
in those coaade summoning the troops enbooicu men
inhabitants IL they submitted without resistance To te
authority OF the Government. will read To YOU the
most important clause Of this proclamation: special
directions have been given not Ia interfere with the con
SSp 81 ay Ssss may nSG be no ond or
pretext Misrepresentation, commanders OF regiments
r4r.ons ;o come within their lines" on the publication
OF this proci lmaon received letter tUl Mt Se"aId
approving Of e II had the desired effect The hostile
camp was broken up; the mlli.ia returning 10 tuer
homes, and the small body OF regulars crossing CnesI
peake Bay aud joining tie Confederate forces ut Rich
nOrd O1 The 9Th of 5ay, 1862, Gen Hunter issued al
Hilton Head. south Carolina, proclamation OF which
Will read extract: the persons IN these three
states-Goorsa, Florida, and South Cdr0ln;F-nerc,o-
fore held slaves therefore, declared forever free
= proclamation declaring ecu. aunteGc "atogethcr
void - aud further that commander mad authority II
declare slaves free In any State aud that whtthtr va
competent for him, as Commander n-Chef ~ the Arm!
and Navy &c declare tho slaves OF any state or state
free, whether at time. or ID any case I SHOULD
become neceosity Indispensable To INC inh'ehahCo Oh
the Government to exercise su3h supposed ~ef we're
questions wn,co, under his rtsponsohty ne
himself bave adduced thee instances VI Tue i"roea
auee rs well the good fa Of Nh Lincoln t. shO" tha
he did no; sort ~ the ex cue measure ..
ing the slave population VI a. states 10 arms ga ne
to shei allegiance on any just terms ana ult IL
manifest IL re issue coud only I've dtCdeC Dy lne
striking the weknOwn fact that no man was moro
Thoroughly mbueJ ~iti Tn spirit of freedom n uole
firmly convinced tlst human slavery was unjust az
credtable t. a iIoc pcOp,e ard demCrliHnS n It's
influences OF society an6 VOyefnment
Gu the @2d OF SEPTEMBER, loo2, tir Lincoln Issued
prospective exclamation declaring free al PERSONS hed
10 slavery within any State the people whereof should
be Ia TcOeil.gI the succeeding LIST or Jshuary A'
cordngly the condition Of thngs being unchanged Mr.
FmencrsIoo ProcInatop nIscine II en- The ground Of
military neoessity warranted by tue Constitution aud
invoking fort IT, 70 use hs own anguage c eOnS ~
Almighty God" Some OF those who were most earnest
In tie support OF the Government doubted It's eSpod
ency ana fearod Consequences fact well known 10
him. but which did not cause Jim 10 hesitate I'D calns
ouI hIs we dc red purpose. Let revert q
an aIlson az 3n early stage Of my remarks This great
mea-ure-nomentOus IN It's consequences 70 US, 10
future generations, and TO the course OF civilization
thrOughOu: the wOrid-intTUduccd a new elcmen,
nto tue conflict You were no longer hghting for the
the preset walton Of the Union alone We're nSntngssO
for The ynd!eatiOn OF the principle of universal fro DOM
for your tolls your marches, your vigils your com
bavs your sufoings had been Ia vain, slavery Wohin
have boen re6stablished, and your twofOld triumph
would have been lost 10 the country and 10 mankind
Lincoln addressed TO me letter which Will read 10 you
II was marked private and confidential ana has been
preserved among my private papers until this hour but
the D that day belong to the history Of the past
and violate no confidence IN giving It 70 You Sho ~
the Union. IL Giooloses the act which have @iIeady
stned tIat lis proclamation DID not command the I'M
divided spproDson OF all who we're acting WITH hn' Ia
UNFOLDING puDhc authority. But give II to you also
Lccsuse II touches another qnesleN on %o6 Gesre 10
rgag,l to wch there was also at tat TIME difference
fhInE you will agree with me that the style Of TINS
letter, brief a. II 49, characteristic OF the m1nJi III!
expressing his thoughts la the most coucse and Of
feetve a su2sc Eead Il carefully when you shall
CT whether tEese word which can 10 omitted without
tmpairlng its pe.spicuity aud force:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. WAsHnGToS JaiLl il, 1863.
% @ s g moi 1f % G We're q1 oTes S oo
that have all Tie lis
taysntagu Il .s bear in certain qnaTorsl
lsI benefit rom it practicable therefore
viii thank you your wecoDsderod opinion whether For
,ess MOc and Yorktown one or botn could not ~ Sho.
SavT those places 10 be employed elsewhere
Yours very truly A. LINCOLN.
MIR. William Winter then read beautiful ami
appropriate poem, entitled, The Voice of the
Sileuce."
Al tho conclusion of the ode, Gen. Sherman was
called for, and responded briefly. Gems. Sheridan
and Hooker, Coy. Hartranft. ex-Gov. Curtin, Mayor