Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-09-26
The Presidents Return.

course of people Just before the train started
| the President briefly addressed the crowd, ex
| pressing great qualification at the enthusiastic
reception be had met with. He had expected
hearty greeting, but the popular reception
had far surpassed bis expectations He com.
plimen;ed 10 handsome terms the Ly0cbburg
military for their 6uo appearance aud s0dlerly
bearing. TIE train left the depot amid the
cheers of the multitude and Inspiring music.
| When the traio arrived at CoGes7iiie, about
ten miles from Charlottesville, comnittee Of
citizens from the latter place got aboard, aad
were introduced 10 the Presidential party. At
| Charlottesville the reception was similar 10 that
at Lynchburg. There was large crowd Of
people, aud they received the distinguished
visitors with cheers and music. The Mayor Of
| Charlottesville rendered the hospitalllcs Of the
city to the President, who returned thanks.
The party was then conveyed to the FatisL
House, from the portico of which the President
was presented to the crowd by Colonel Charles
S. Venable, who addressed him saying
IL have the honor, in the name OF the CHI
zsns Of Albemare, to extend to you and your
| honored friends cordial welcome. Without
| distinction of party We extend this welcome to
the Chief Magistrate Of this great republic, of
which our beloved Commonwealth is one Of the
constituent States, and, more than this, Mr..
President, We wish our welcome to you to hara a
personal significance. We greet you as the
President Of The once more United States, who,
by the wise measures Of bis administration, has
given real peace to distracted people aud real
unity to we'll nigh disrupted republic. es,
Mr.. President, in the lew short month"; which
have elapsed since your inauguration you aud
your wise couDsel!orS have earnestly codeavored
to substitute for that peace which was but the
disguise Of war, for that false peace made up SO
largely with dlstru5t, suspicion, dIsc0nlent,
hatred bayonets and blood real, benign,
God given peaee-peace between the races,
peace between the States, peace between the
people OF the two great sections 81 cur clinIG0n
country.
II need hardly tell you, Mr. President, that
among the men who are here to greet you there
are very mauy who stood in scrrcl ranks SGD
delivered good, honest blows in many bloody
battle against the hosts woo fought under the
banner which you followed; veterans Of Lee,
some who marched with Jackson, some who
were with Stuart ard Hampton, ard some who
mouth at Gettysburg. They are men who. as
Virginisns ana patriots. accepted war with all
its horrors when war was inevitable, and from
the day on Which they laid down their arms
have as true patriots, seduously sought the
things Of peace which brave man accepted
without dishonor, and they sre here to Welcome
you because you have given them peace and
Union which all men can accept heartily with.
out dishonor. And here, Mr.. President. in full
view of yonder humble but sacred spot. where
taught the fathers Of the people Of Albemarle
the great catech:su CT constitutional liberty, l
bid you welcome in the Danle Of that people, be-
cause you have restored to our sister States their
rghtful constitutional liberties Welcome,
| thrice welcome, among us"
The President responded as follows -
Ladies, gentlemen and friends Of CHar!oteS-
| piNe and AAenlarle county: We accept your
invitation with great pleasure, and it now gives
me great satisfaction to exchange sslutstions. l
will not talk at length Ga any topic. l can very
Venable has said. We are now at the end Ct
our appointments, duriag which we have passed
through five Of the greatest States of the Union,
four Of which were large slave holding States
Kentucky, Tennessee! Georgia and now Virgin
ia-and that which rejoices mo more than any
thing else is the fact that everywhere we have
found growing an increasing sentiment in behalf
of the Union the Constitution and the Admins
ton which regards alike the interests and rights
of every section, and every State, which regards
alike and equally all classes, WITHOUT distinction
Of race or color The equality under the laws OF
all citizens is the corner stone of the structure of
restored harmony from which ancient friendship
is to rise. In this path way am going the path
way whers your illustrious led-your Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe and your Washington. Our
will unite 10 reconcile the leslng which pre-.
vailed when the Union WAS formed. We wish
to see what the fathers gave us preserved and
transmitted to those who come sfeer. This is the
work of your future uniting in sentiments like
| these. There is no reason why there should be
any distinction between the North and the South.
That wise man whose homo was here saw plain
ly the danger in the future. Jeferaon, in 1870,
| during the Missouri controversy. spoke OF the
agitation Ct that question as the ira bell IN the
night. In due time the danger he saw, clta:ly
forsaw, came upon us. Efforts at compromise
by wise and patriotic men delayed the subject
! from time to time, but in the course OF events
the question had to be submitted to the arbltra-
ment Of war. You VINO fought 60 CALAMITY OF
many battle field fought fer wha! you believed
10 bo right and no man CT woman can fail to
respect you for it. We fought and risked our
lives for our convictions, and We are sure you
will accord the same re .pect to us that We accord
| to YOU, Let us Join hands together aud 90 for.
ward. Many cannot follow for they are not
| ready 10 follow, but We have no il will for IT,
/ a grand army goes Oh WlLuOuL IeShlu W sIhS
| p!ers, I doubt not that as the months 20 on we
will once more return to the harmony Of our
| fathers
The President then introduced Secretary Of
State E7arts, Who abiding TO Charlottesville
as the home of Jefferson, said there was no spot
in Virginia more attractive to the people of the
| United States than that city. Whatever places
i the citizens of the country may have assigned
to the great men of their States, it cannot be
denied that Thomas Jefferson was our great
leader 10 the Congress Of the Union, the wiseSt
and best man of this country. The lead Of the
historical roll to be remembered for ever and
ever in The Declaration of Independence fell to
Virginia 10 the person Of Thomas Jeferson
| He lives again 10 the great university Of Fir'
GINA.
Mr.. Evarts then paid glowing tribute to
this institution, saying that as sure as The pin
ciples of Jefferson are to be the leading prlDc'
| ples of the Government, juat so sure must the
| University ever be one OF the great institutions
Of the country. He next referred to the Presi.
dent and the principles he had laid out for the
IL crnIa pF kho