Year: 1865

The first District of Columbia colored
regiment marched from their quarters, in
Campbell Hospital, to the Executive Man.
sion, where they were received by the
President, who addressed them rs follows:


My yfriends-my object in presenting my
self before you OH this occasion is simply
to thank yen, members of one of the color
ed regiments, which has been i'm the service
OF the country to sustain and carry its BAN
ner and it's laws triumphantly in every
part of this broad land. Irepeat that ap-
pear before you on the present occasion,
merely to tender you my thanks for the
compliment you have paid me on your re-
/ tusn home, to be again associated with
your friends and relations and those you
hold most sacred and dear.


/ repeat have but little to say; it is un-
usual in this government and i'll most other
governments to have colored troops enga-
ged in their service. You have gone forth
as events have shown, and served with pa
tience and endurance in the cause Of your
country. This is your country as well as
anybody else's country. [Cheers.l This
! is the country in which you expect to live
and in which you should expect to do some
thing by your example in civil life, as you
have done in the field. This country is
founded upon the principles of equality,
and at the same time the standard by which
persons are to be estimated is according to
their merit and their worth; and You have
observed, no doubt, that for him who does
Il Il f,it f,,ll nd 10
always just public judgement that will
appreciate and measure out to him his
proper reward.


know that there is much well calculated
In this Government, and since the late reb-
ellion commenced, to excite the white
against the black and the black against
the white man. These are things you
should all understand, and at the same
time prepare yourself for what is before
you. Upon the return of peace and the
surrender of the enemies of our country,
it should be the duty of every patriot. and
every one who calls himself a christian to
remember that with the termination of the
angry feelings should subside and that ev-
cry man should become calm and tranquil
and he 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 lust been enga-
ged. One great question has been settled
in this Go sernment. and that question is
the question Of slavery. The institution of
slavery made war against the United States
and the United States has lifted its strong
arm in vindication cf the Government and
of free Government, and in lifting that arm
and appealing to the God of battles, it has
boen decided that the institution ofsiavery
must 90 down. (Cheers.) This has been
done and the goddess OF liberty in hearing
witness over many -four ba tle-fields since
the struggle commenced, has made her
loftiest flight. and proclaimed true liberty
to be established upon a more permanent
and enduring basis than heretofore. (Ap-
plause.)


But this is not all. and as you have paid
me the compliment to call upon me, take
the privilege of saving one or two words
rs am before Won. I repeat. that it is not
all now, when the sword is returned to its
scabbard. when your arms are reversed
and the Olive branch of peace is extended.
as remarked before, resentment and re-
venge should subside. Then what is to fol-
low YOU do understand no doubt, and if
you do not. you cannot understand too
sooR that simple liberty does not mean the
privilege of goinr into the battlefield or
it means other things as we'll; and now
when vou have laid down vourarms there
are other objects of equal importance he
fore you; now that the government has fri
nmphantlv passed this MIGHTY rebellion.
the most gigantic llattles the world ever
saw, the problem is before YOU and is best
that vou should understand it. and there
fore speak plainly and simply. and tell
Won now when Won have returned from the
army of the United States and take the
position Of citizens. whom Won have return
ed to the avocations of peace. will yoT give
evidence to the world that vow arn capable
and competent to govern yourselves. That





not a mere idea. n mere va"arv: it is an
| idea and it is q reality, and when YOU come
! to examine this question of liberty Won will
| he mistaken in it rs n mere idea for reality.
! Vt does not consist i'm idlaness: liberty does
not consist in being worthless; liberty does
not consist i'm doingall things as we please.
and there can he no liberty without law.
] Y 4
there must he law. and there must he obe-
dience and submission to the law without
regard To color. (Chrcrs.l Tihcr'v-and
may not call yon my countrymen? ?-li''-
erty consists in the glorious privilege OF
work, of pursuing the ordinary avocations
of peace with industry and with economy.
and that being done. all those who are i'll
dustrious and economical are permitted
to appropriate and enjoy the products oi
their own labor. iCheers.l This is one OF
the great blessings of freedom and hence
we might ask the question and answer, by
stating that liberty means freedom to work
and enjoy the products of your own labor.
| You will be soon mustered out of the
ranks. 1t is for you to establish the great
| lact tHat you are quallneu 10 DE Ifee, nence
| freedom is not a mere idea but is some
thing that exists i'm fact; freedom is not
simply the privilege to live in idleness;
liberty does not mean simply to resort to
low saloons and. other places of disreputa-
| BILE character; freedom and liberty do not
mean that the people ought to live in licen-
tiousness, but liberty means simply to be
industrious, to be virtuous, to be upright
in all our dealings and relations with men;
and to those now before me, members OF
| the lst regiment of colored volunteers from