Year: 1866

This morning large number of the citi
zens of Montana Territory now in Washing
ton oalled upon the President. Mr.. B. NJ
Kinney, United States Marshal for the Ter
ritory, Chief Justice Hosmer, General Bar
rows, and 25 or 80 others were among the
number. Mr.. Kinney addressed the Presi-
dent on behalf of the delegation.


Mr.. PREsrDENT-It becomes my duty as a
member of this delegation to assure you
that the principles announced in your an
nual message to Congress and your policy
in relation to the present political condition
of this country, has gladdened the hearts
of the people of our own mountain land
Montana. We are using no idle or un-
meaning words when we assure YOU
that we take the greatest possible
pleasure in saying that we recognize in you
as the Chief Magistrate of this great nation,
person who. possesses that sound mind
that general knowledge, firm and patriotic
devotion TO the best interests and welfare OF
the whole country which are necessary to
carry it safely over the ocean of political
speculation and debate. We attach no great
importance to this assertion of our feelings
in relation to yourself, but we should be
doing injustice to ourselves and injustice to
the people Of the territory of Montana, and !
should merit their severest eensure if we did
not say we firmly believe that if you meet
with cordial and generous support on
every hand this nation will come forth from
this present political crisis a stronger and
better nation, prepared to take higher
stand and do a nobIer work on the platform
of history than has ever been allotted to any
nation of the earth. Montana has scarcely
had two years political existence and
already numbers $4,000 inhabitants. Places
of habitation and business are dot
ted all over her fertile valleys, and
the numerous thOroughfares are constantly
trembling with rush of merchandise, gold
and silver which the Almighty has long
kept hidden and garnered upon her hills
and ravines have been revealed or discov-
cred, at time when the nation needs new
channels of flowing wealth TO supply her
Treasury. All her agricultural resources are
well calculated to make her early populous
and powerful. At the same time we trust
we are not unmindful of the vasst import
ance of promulgating correct political
sentiments. We believe we are starting
right, if we advocate zoalously, those great
political truths which you have proclaimed
to this country and to the world, and which
we understand to be the foundation of all
good governments.


The President replied as follows:


GENTLEMEN It is no ordinary pleasure
for me to meet you here on this occasion,
and to hear the sentiments you have an
nounced. To receive SO large and respect
able body of intelligent gentlemen from
the remote region of the country from which
you come is highly gratifying to me.


In response, Sir, addressing Mr. Rinneyl
to the eloquent manner in which you have
expressed the feeling and sentiments OF
those whom you represent on this
occasion, I might content myself
with simply returning my thanks for your
kind expressions, but you have made some
illusions to which, under circumstances
that surround us, cannot be indifferent.
You have alluded to the great principles OF
our Government having been enumerated
in paper sent short time since to the
Congress of the United States. The decla-
ration by me of those principles was not
the result of impulse, but it was the result
of thorough and calm consideration of those
great truths. 1t is very easy
for persons to misrepresent it, and to make
assertions that this or the other has taken
place or will take place; but think l may
be permitted to say to You that taking all
my antecedents going back to my advent
into public life, and continuing down TO the
present time, cardinal doctrines set forth in
that paper has been my constant guide.
After having gone so far tits too late for me
to turn and take q diffrent direction.
They will be my guide from this
time onward, and who understand them
may know where I shall always be
found when principle is involved,
Here let me say in order to disabuse the
public mind as far as it is possible for an
individual to do so, that my public career
is well nigh done, and the sands of my po
litical glass has we'll nigh-run out. If
were disposed to refer to myself l nigh
trace my career back to 8 log cabin, then al
alderman and a mayor in a village, the1
through both branches of theStste Legisls
ture, then for ten consecutive years il