Year: 1866

then to the country. To this duty I ad-
here, and if persons were to interfere
with me in faithfully carrying out this
principle, I could overbalance them and
still be faithful to the country (great
cheering) ..-......,e.-. =.
The President, Secretary Seward, Gen
eral Grant, Admiral Farragut and Secre-,
tary Wells were quartered at Delmonico's
while the remainder of the party were
provided for at the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
The President received many visitors


last evening. -~>
New York, Aug. 3O.-The banquet to
the President last night was splendid
affair. Among those present were Grant,
Farragut, Seward and Wells, and the ].
Russian, Mexican and Brazilian ministers,
A. 7. Stewart, Astor, and upwards Of
two hundred prominent citizens. The
President spoke at great length, and said
in the course of his remarks that the gov
ernment went to war for the express pur-
pose ofpreserving the Union ofthe States,
and the government had established the
great fact that the States have not the
power or the right either by forcible
or peaceable means to separate from each


other, but that Congress has particularly
assumed, and up to the present time, has
carried out the doctrine that the govern
ment was dissolved, and those States
were out of the Union. We denied their
right to secede, even peaceably and now
we find, when these States seem again to
renew their prctical relations with the
Union by sending representatives to
Congress, there are men in that body
who, in violation of our great charter Of
liberty, refuse to admit them. The ques-
ton is, will we submit-will the Ameri-
can people submit to to this practical
assertion of the doctrine they repudiate
and overthrow by the war. That isaue
is before you. five submit to this, We
give the lie direct to every position taken
by US since the war commenced. He
asked in the spirit Of christianity and
sound philosophy if we are prepared
again to see our portion Of the country
arrayed against the other in deadly con-
| Aict, or shall we make an effort to unite
the whole county in harmony and be
friends. Referring to the Philadelphia
Convention, he said the best evidence
that can be shown of loyalty are loyal
professions and loyal actions, and when
these gentlemen, met in Convention
from the North and the South, come for
ward ane profess devotion to the United
States and the Constitution, and when
their actions and professions correspond,
who shall dare to doubt them. Have we
reached that point that all confidence is
lost in men. If we have, I tell you that
your Government is not as strong as
rope of sand. 1t has no weight and
will tumble to pieces, The adversepow-
er of this Government is in the conf
dcnce which the people putin each other.
He said the South had accepted this
arbitrament of the sword and lost, and
wanted to retarn again to the Union. He
did not want to see them come back de-
graded and debased, but wanted them to
come with all their manhood. They have
again taken up the Constitution and ask
that its laws shall be enforced. What
then was the cause of distrust or lack of
confidence in them? There is no cause.
He also said Gen. Grant and himself
had fought for the Union'at one end Of
the line, and now they were fighting for
it at the other, and Grant was not in the
field, but be was doing equally good
service Daughter and applause). He
said our three thousand millions of debt
could be paid only by the consolidation
of our nationality and the perpetuity and
union of the States. In conclusion, he
said the demonstration in New York con-
frmed him in his opinion that the people
will take care Of the Government, and
those who would attemptto to cheat their
purpose had better stand from out the
way. For himself, he had reached the
summit of his ambition, with one excep-
ton. He said there is but one thing
wanting; would you like to hear it.
| (Cries of yes.) At this particular crisis
and period ofour history, when the States
are in peril, if can be the instrument
in the hands of the people of restoring
this Union and making it completely,
causing the Government to recommence
it's glorious and mighty career of pros
perity and greatness I will be willing to
exclaim as Simeon did of old when be saw
the babe born in the manger: Il have
seen the glory of thy salvation, let thy
servant depart in peac." (Applause.)
That beingdon my ambition is complete.
| ask nothing more I would rather live
in history, rather live in the affections
and hearts Of my countrymen, as having
] cnnsnmmated this great end. than be