Year: 1865

regiment marched from their quarters in


Campbell Hospital to the Executive Man
sion where they were addressed by the
President as follows:


Ny FRIENDS, My object in presenting
myself before you on this occasion, is SIM
ply to thank you, as members of one of
the colored regiments which have been in
the service ofthe country, to sustain and
carry its banners and its laws triumphant
ly in their part-of this broad land.AsR


l repeat that appear before you on the
present occasion. merely to tender you my
thanks for the compliment you have paid


me on your return home again, to again


be associated withlyour friends and fela-
tiens.. Iyrepeat have but little to say. 1t


being unusual in this Government and in
most governments to have colored troops
engaged in their service, you have gone
forth, as events have shown, and served
with patience and endurance in the cause
of your country. This is your country as
well as anybody eises country. Cheers.
This county indwhichyou expect to live
in, and in which you should expect to do
something in civil life, as you have in the
field, this country is founded upon apriuei
Piles of equality, and acts sometimes stand
out by which persons are to be estimated,
according to their merit and their worth,
and you have observed no doubt that for
him who does his duty faithfully and hon
estly, thre is always a just pubhcjudgment


that will appreciate, and measure out to


him his Just Iewaftl. | know there is
much well calculated in this government
and since the late rebellion commenced to
excite the white man against the black, and


black man against the white. There are
things you should all understand at some
future time prepare yourself for what is
before you upon the return of peace and
the surrender of the enemies of the couna
try. It should be the duty of every patri4
OF and every one who calls himself a Chris
tian to remember that with the termination
of the wal his resentments should cease,
that angry feelings should subside, and
every man should become tranquil and be
prepared for what is before him. This
is another part of your mission. You have
been engaged in the effort to sustain your
country in the past, but the future is more
important to you than the period in which
you have just been engaged.


One great question has been settled
in this Government, that question is the
question of slavery. The institution of
slavery made war against the United States
and the country has lifted its strong arm
in vindication of the Government and of
free Government in lifting that arm and
to the God ofhattles, it has been
decided that the institation ,ofsIayery must
90 down. FCheeFs. This has been done,
and the Goddess Of Liberty, in bearing
witness over many OF our fields, sees
struggles commence, has made her loftiest
flight and proclaimed, that liberty has
been established upon more permanent
and enduring basis than before. Ap-
plause.) But this is not all, and, as you
have paid me the compliment to call upon
me, | shall take the privilege of saying
one or two words. As / am before you 1
repeat blldb plllS Is iIO6 al, llOH NAcu your
arms are recovered, and the olive branch
of peace is extended as remarked before,
the sentiment ofrevenge should subside,-
Then what's to follow? you do understand
no doubt, and if you do not you cannot un-
derstand too soon that simple liberty does
not mean the privilege of going into the
battlefield or into the service of the coun-
try as soldier. 1t means other things aswell
and now when you have laid down arms
there are other objects of equal Importance
before YOU. Now that the Government
has triuinphantly passed through this
mighty rebellion, after the most gigantic
battles the world ever saw, the problem is
before you and it is best that you should
it, and therefore | speak simp-
ly and plainly. VIII you now when You
have returned from the army ofthe United
States and take the position of citizens,
when you have returned to the associa-
tions fpeace, will you give evidence to
the world that you are capable and COM
petent to govern yourselves? That is
what you will have to do.


Liberty is not mere idea, rude va
gargy. It is realty; and when you come
- /