Year: 1865




at the laying of the corner stone of the
Gettysburg monument, on Tuesday, Hon.
d. S. Gooding, United States Marshal
for the District of Columbia, announced
that he had been deputed by President
johnson to read to them letter express
ing his regret at not being able to join
with them in the ceremonies of the day,
which he read in loud and clear voice,
as follows:


EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHINGToN, d. c., July 3D., 1865
IH'. David WIS, Chairman, &c., Gettys-


burg, Pa


DEAR SIR Il had promised myself
the pleasure of participating in person in
the proceedings at Gettysburg to-mor-
row.


That pleasure, owing to my indisposi-
tion, am reluctantly compelled to fore
go.


should have been pleased, standing
on that time consecrated spot, to share
with you your joy at the return of peace
to greet with you the surviving heroes of
the war, who come back with light hearts
though loaded with honors and with
you to drop grateful tears to the memory
of those that will never return.





Unable to do SO in person, | can only
send you my greetings and assure you of
my full sympathy with the purposes and
spirit of your exercises tomorrow. OF
all the anniversaries of the Declara-
ton of Independence none has been more
important and significant than that upon
which you assemble,


Four years of struggle for our nations
life have been crowned with success, and
armed treason is swept from the land, our
ports are reopened, our relations with 9TH
er nations are of the most satisfactory
character, our internal commerce is free,
our soldiers and sailors resume the peace
full pursuits of civil life, and the only bar
rier to our national progress-human sla-
very is forever at an end


Let us trust that each recurring Fourth
of Jnly shall find our nation stronger in
numbers, stronger in wealth, stronger in
the harmony of its citizens, stronger in
its devotion to nationality and freedom.


As | have often said | believe that
God sent this people on mission among
the nations of the earth, and that when
He founded our nation He founded it in
perpetuity. That faith sustained me
through the struggle that is past. 1t sus-
tains me now that new duties are devolv-
ed upon me and new dangers threaten us
L believe that whatever the means he us
es, the Almighty is determined to pre-
serve us as n free people. And since |
have seen the love our fellow citizens bear
their country, and the sacrafce they have
made for it, my abiding faith has become
stronger than ever that Government
of the people" is the strongest as we'll as
the best of Governments.


In your joy tomorrow, trust you will
not forget the thousands of whites as well
as blacks whom the war has emancipated
who will hail this fourth of July with
delight which no previous anniversary
of the Declaration of Independence ever
gavo them. Controlled so long by ambi-
tious, selfish leaders, who used them for
their own unworthy ends, they are now
free to serve and cherish the Government
against whose life they in their blindness
struck. am greatly mistaken if, in the
States lately in rebellion, we do not hence
forward have such an exhibition of 10y
atty and patriotism as was never seen or
felt before.


Where you have consecrated Nation
al Cemetry you are to lay the corner stone
of National Monument, which in all
probability will rise to the full height and
proportion you design.


Noble as the monument of stone may
bo, it will be but faint symbol of the
grand monument which, if we do our du-
ty, we shall raise among the nations of
the earth upon the foundation laid nine
and eighty years ago in Philadelphia
Tine shall wear away and crumble the
monument, but based as it is upon the
consent, virtue, patriotism and intelligence
of the people, each year shall make it
frmer and more imposing.
Ynnr friand and faIIow cifiuan