Year: 1866

and with prudence, and with discretion,
and wisdom, the end Is not very far dis
tant.


1t seems to me apparent that from eve
ry consideration. the best policy which
could be adopted, at present, would be a
restoration OF these States and of the
Government upon correct principles


We have some foreign difficulties. but the
moment 1t can be announced that the


Union of the States is again complete, that
we have resumed our career of prosperity
and greatness, at that very instant, al
most all our foreign difficulties will be
settled, for there Is no power on earth
which will care to have a controversy or
a rupture with the Government of the


United States under such circumstances.


If these States be fully restored, the
area for the circulation Of the national
currency, which is thought by some to be
inflated to a very great extent, will be
enlarged, the number of persons through
whose hands it is to pass will be increas-
ed, the quantity of commerce in which
1t IS to be employed as a medium of ex-
change will be enlarged, aud then it viii
begin to approximate to what we all de-
sire, a specie standard. If all the States
we're restOred-if peace and order reigned
throughout the land, and all the indus
trial pursuits, all the avocations of peace
were again resumed, the day would not
be very far distant when we could put in
to the commerce of the world two hun
dred and fifty million dollars or three
hundred million dollars worth of cotton
and tobacco and the various products of
the SouthernbStates which would consti-
tute, IN part basis Of this currency.


Then, instead of the cone being inver-
ted, we should reverse the position. and
nf "a - -
to be ; and the currency of the country
will rest on sound and enduring basis
and surely that Is a result which is calcu-
lated to promote the interests not only of
one section, but Of the whole country,
from one extremity to the other. Indeed
| look upon the restoration Of these
States as being indispensable to all our
greatness.


Gentlemen, I know nothing further
that [ could say in the expression of my
feelings on this occasion-and they are
not afected-more than to add that I
shall continue in the same line of policy
which l have pursued from the com
mencement of the rebellion to the pres
ent period. Ny efforts have been to pre-
serve the Union of the States. I never for
a single moment entertained the opinion
that State could withdraw from the
Union Of its own will. That attempt was
made. It has failed. I continue to pur-
sue the same line of policy which has
been my constant guide. [ was against
Dissolution was attempted.
it has failed and now I cannot take the
position that a State which attempted to
seceed Is out of the Union, when I con
tended all the time that it could not 20
out. l cannot be forced into that posi-
ton. Hence, when the States and their
people shall have complied with the re-
requirements of the Government, I shall
be ID favor OF their resumlDg their former
to this Government in all
respects.


[ do noti inted to say anything personal
but you know as well as l do that at the
beginning, and indeed before the begin
ming of the recent gigantic struggle be-
tween the different sections of the coun-
try, there were extreme men South, and
there were extreme men North, [ might
make use Of a hOmely fgure-which is
sometimes as good as any other. even In
the illustration of great and important
questions-and say that it has been ham
mer at one end Of the line aud anvil at
the other; and this great Government, the
best the world ever saw, was kept upoD
the anvil and hammered before the rebel
lion, and it has been hammered since the





slton to continue the hammering until
the Government shall be destroyed [
have opposed that system always, and I
oppose it now.


The Government, In the assertion of its
powers, and IN the maintenance of the
of the Constitution, has taken
hold Of one extreme, and with the strong
arm of physical power has put down the
rebellion. Now, as we swing round the
circle of the Union, with fixed and un-
altered determination to stand by it, If we
find the counterpart of the duplicate of
the same spirit that played to this feeling
and these persons in the South. this other
extreme which stands in the way must
get out Of 1t, and the government must
stand mistaken and unmOved on It's basis
The Government must be preserved.


L will only say in conclusion, that
hope all the people of this country, in
good faith and in the fullness of their
hearts, will, upon the principles which
you have euunciated here to-day of the
maintenance of the Constitution and the
preservation of the Union, lay aside every
other feeling for the good of our common
country, and with uplifted faces to Heav-
en- swear that our gods and our affairs. and
all, shall sink in the dust together, rather
than this glorious Union shall not be
preserved. Great applause


am gratified to find the loyal senti-
ment Of the country developing and man
ifesting itself In these expressions and
now that the attempt to destroy the Gov
erment has failed at one end of the line. I
trust we shall 60 on, determined to pre-
serve the Union IN its original purity
against all opposeTs.


I thank you, gentlemen, for the COM
pliment you have paid me, and I respond
most cordially to what has been said in
your resolutions and address, and I trust
in God that the time will come when we
can meet under more favorable auspices
than we do now.


Mr. BALDWIN.-Mr. President. as
an assurance that we represent the senti-
ment of the State, beg leave of you to
introduce to you the members of the com
mittee and to name the parts of the State
from which they come, in order that YOU
may be certified that this is a fair repre-
sentation of all parts of Virginia.


The President added am happy TO
meet you gentlemen. As I said to another
delegation the other day, have no am
bition and no object beyond the restora-
ton of the Government. I feel that I
am in a condition where / can afford to
do right l have occupied, during my
career, many different posts in this Gov
ernment. | started at one of the hum


blest cabins in the country, and [ have
passed through the State Legislature the
gubernatorial chair, both Houses of Con-
gress, the ' ice Presidency of the United


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