Year: 1866




Mr.. P. r. Fendall, in introducing the
President, said:


FELLOW CITIZENS: am one of the
committee which, on behalf Of the people
of the District OF Columbia, has just
waited on the President of the United
States to present to him the resolutions
adopted by the meeting held to-day
The committee requested the President
to present himself to you to give express
sion to his sentiments, and he has ac-
cordingly come out to do SO.


The President, as he appeared, was re-
ceiyed with enthusiastic and long con.
tinusd applause. When it had subsidized
he spoke as follows:


SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT.


FELLOW CITIZENS, for / presume l
have right to address you as such: |
come to tender to you my sincere thanks
for the appreciation expressed by your
committee in their personal addresses,
and in the resolutions submitted by
them as having been adopted by the
meeting which has been held i'll this
city to-day.


These resolutions, as l understand
them, are complimentary to the policy
which has been adopted by the admins
tration, and has been steadily pursued
since it came into power. am free to
saw to you ON this occasion that it is ex-
tremely gratifying to know that SO
large portion of my fellow citizens ap
prove and indorse the policy which has
been adopted, and which it is my inten.
ton shall be carried out [Great ap-
plause.J That policy is one which is in
tended to restore all the States to their
original relations to the Federal Govern
eminent of the United States. Re-
newed applause This seems to be a
day peculiarly appropriate for such
a manifestation; it is the day that gave
birth to that man who, perhaps more
than any other, founded this govern
ment; it is the day that gave birth to the
father of our country; il is the day that
gave birth to him who presided over that
body which formed the Constitution
under which all the States entered into
this glorious confederacy. Such day
is peculiarly appropriate for the indorse-
ment of a policy whose object 10 the res
toration of the IIninn of the States as
il was designed by the father of his
country. Applause. ] Washington,
whose name this city bears, is embalmed
in the hearts of all who love free gov
ernment Washington, in the language
of his eulogist, was first in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts OF country
men. No people can claim him. No
nation can appropriate him. His repu.
ton is commensurate with the civilized
world, and his name is the common
property of all those who love free gov
eminent To-day / had the pleasure of
visiting an association who have been
devoting their efforts to the completion
of the monument, which is being erected
to his name was proud to meet them
and, so far as could, to give them my
influence and countenance in aid Of the
work they have undertaken. That
monument which is being erected to
him who, may say, founded the gov.
ernment, is almost within the throw OF
stone of the spot from which | address
YOU. Let it be completed. Applause.
Let those various blocks which the
States, and individuals, and associations,
and corporations have put in that monu.
ment, as pledges of their love for this
Union, be preseryedi and let the work
he accomplished In this connection
LET me refer to the block from my own
State-Ged bless her [applause which
has struggled for the preservation of
this Union in the field and in the conn-
ellis of the nation, aud which
is now struggling to renew her
relations with the government that
were interrupted by a fearful re-
bellion. She is now struggling TO renew
those relations, and 10 take her stand
where she had ever stood since 1896, un-
til this rebellion broke ont. lGreat ap,
plause. Let me repeat the sentiment
that that State has inscribed upon the
stone which she has deposited in that
monument of freedom which is being
raised in commemoration Of Washing
ton. She is struggling to get back into
the Union, and to stand by the senti.
ment which is there inscribed, and she is
willing to sustain it. What is it 1t Is
the sentiment which was enunciated by
her distinguished son, the immortal, il
lustrious Jackson: The Federal Union


it must be preserved Great applause.
If if were possible for that old man
whose statueis now before me, and whose
portrait is behind me in the executive
mansion, and whose sentiment is TINS
preserved in that monument in your Vi
cinity, to be called forth from the grave


or if it were possible to communicate
with the spirit of the illustrious dead
and make him understand the progress
of faction and of rebellion and treason
he would turn over in his coffin, and he
wonld rise, and shaking of the habili
msnts of the tomb, would again stand
erect and extend forth his long arm and
finger and reiterate that sentiment once
EXPRESSED by him on memorable occa
sion: The Federal Union: 1t must 6t
preserved" [Great applause, we
have witnessed what has transplreC
since his day, in 1888. When treason


and treachery and infdelity to the Gov


ernment and the Constitution OF the


United States stalked forth in the land


1t was his power and. influence


that crushed the serpent in 1t:


incipiency. 1t was then stopped, but


only for time. The same spirit of dis


affection continued There were mer


dissaffected to the Government both il


the North and in the South. There was


in portion of the Union. a peculiar in
bifA6tkxk kH31ah some con,nlained anf