Year: 1866

Committee which, On behalf Of the peo.


pie Of the District of Colunb bia, has just


waited on the President OF the United
States to present 70 him the resolutions


adopted by the meeting held today
The Committee requested the President


to present himself to You to give expires


sion To his sentiments, and he has ac
cordingly come out TO do 50.


/ The President, as he appeared, was


received with enthusiastic and long con


tinued applause When it had subsided


he spoke IS follows;


SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT
Fellow citizens, for presume | have


right to address you A. such, | came to


tender to you my sincere thanks for the


appreciation expressed BIZ your Commit


tee in their personal address, and in the


resolutions submitted by them as having


been adopted by the meeting to day


These resolutions, As | understand them
are omplimentary to the policy which
has been adopted by the administration,
and has been steadily pursued since it
came into power.


| am free to say to you on this occa-
sion, that it is extremely gratifying to
me to know that 50 large u portion of
my fellow citizens approve and endorse
the policy which has been adopted, and
which 1t IS my intention shall be ear
ried out. Great applause


That policy is one which is intended
to restore all the States To their original
relations to the Federal Government of
the United States. Renewed applause
This seems TO be day peculiarly ap-
propriate for such a manifestation it is
the day that gave birth to that man who
more, perhaps, than any other, founded
this Government , it is the day that gave
birth to the Father of our Country it is
the day that gave birth TO him who pre-
sithed over that body which framed the
Constitution under which all the States
entered into this glorious confederacv
such day is peculiarly appropriate for
the Endorsement Of a policy, whose OBJ
ject is the restoration Of the Union of
the States as it was designed BY the
Father of his Country. Applause -
W ashington, whose fame this city bears,
is EN- blazoned in the hearts of all who
love free Government. Washington, N
the language of his eulogist, was first in
war, first in peace, and first i'll the hearts
of his countrymen. No people can
claim him, no nation can appropriate
him his reputation is commensurate
with the civilized world, and his name is
,he common property Of all those who
owe free Government


Today | had the pleasure of visiting
IN association who have been deYoting
heir efforts to the completion Of the
which is being erected to his
name. l was proud 10 meet them, and
80 far as | could 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 Government, is almost with
in the throw of q stone Of the spot from
which | address Won. Let it be com
pletcd. Applause. Let those vari-
Gus blocks which the States and indiVil-
uals, and associations and corporations
have put III that monument as pledges OF
their love for The Union he here secured,
and let the work be accomplished. In
this connection, let me- refer to the block
from my own State, God bless her, ap-
plause. which has struggled for the
preservation of the Union in the field
and in the councils Of the nation, and
which i BOW struggle TO renew her re
lations with this Government that were
interrupted lay fearful rebellion she
is now struggling IL renew those rcla
tons and to take her stand where she has
ever stood since l-.G- until tuis rebel
lion broke ont. Great applause


Let me repeat the sentiment that
State has inscribed on the stone which
she has deposited in that monument of
freedom which Is being raised in com
Of Washington. She is
struggling to get back into the Union
and - stand by tie seutimen. which Is
there inscribed, and she Is willing to aus-
tain it, What is it? The sentiment
which was uttered hy her distinguished
son. the immortal and illustrious Jack
son: The Federal Union-it must he
preserved Great applause II it
were possible for that old man, whose
statue j. now before me, and whose por-
trait Is behind me in the Executive man
sion, and whose sentiment is thus pre-
served in that monument. to be called
forth from the grave, or II it were pos
sible 10 communicate with the Hlnstri-
Gus dead. and to make him understand
the progress Of faction. and Of rebellion
and treason. he would turn over in his
coffin and rise, and shake oil the aaGiIi-
ments Of The tomb, would again stand
erect and extend forth his long arm and
finger. and reIterate that sentiment once
expressed by him on 4 memorable oc-
casjon :" The Federal Union; it must
be preserved. Applause.


We have witnessed what has transpir-
ed since his day In 1883. when trea-
son. and treacherv and in6delitv TO the
Government and the Constitution OF the
Udited States started forth in the land,
II WAS his power and influence that crush
ed the serpent in its incipieney, It was
then stopped, but only for time. The
same spirit Of djsatfection continued
There were men di>afected TO the Gov
ernment both in the North and in the
South There was in 8 portion of the
Union peculiar institution, of which
some complained, and 70 which Others


were attached. One portion OF our
countrymen advocated that institution,
while smother portion in the North op-
posed il The result was the formation
of extreme partles-one especially IN
the South which reached point st which