The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-04-28
President Lincoln's Last Speech.

dent made q speech at the Executive Man
sion. Tho Executive departments aud the
Presidents Macoion were illuminated -
Thousands OF persons repaired ID the Ex
locutivo Maneion, and the President respond
cd to . unanimous call. appearing at the
upper window. Ito said: -.
We meet this evening not in sorrow, but
in. glodness Of heart. The evacuation OF
Petersburg and Richmond, and tho turfen
der OF the principal ipsurgept army, give
hopes Of righteous and speedy peace, y hose
Joyous expression cannot 10 restrained -
In tho midst of this, however, Ho from
whom all blessings Aow must not be forgot.
ton. A call for q national Thanksgiving ia
being prepared. and will DO promulgated
duly. Nor must these whose harder part
eivos ns cause for rejoicing be overlooked
Their honoie must not bo patceiled out with
othcrs. l myself Was near the front, apd
had the high pleasure Of transmitting much
OF tho good nows 10 you, but no part of tho
honor for the plans or thoir exception is
u,ino. To General Grant and bis skil,ful
officers and brave men oil belongs. Tho
gallant navy stood ready, but was not in
roach to take active part. BY !heso recent
successes tho re.innuguration o: national eu :
thority, and fcconstructiop. which has bad
q largo slaro Of thought from tho first, Is
pressed much moro closely on our attention.
ltis fraught with gicat difficulty. Unlike
. case OF war between independent nalions,
there is not an authorized organ for us to
treat with. No man has authority TO give
up rebellion for any other man. Wo sim.
ply must begin with mould from disorgen
ized and d;scor daut clements. Nor ia il a
small additional embarrassment that. We
| Ia
the mode. mannor aud measure Of recon-
ct, uction. As q general ruIo, aLstain from
reading reports of attacks upon myeolf,
Wishing not to be- provoked by that to which
l csnuot properly offor answer. In spite
1 OF this prccaurion. bowover. IL cnmcs 10 my
kuOwledge that am much censured for
some supposed sgeGcy in ectting up and
| seeking to sustain the new State Govern.
mont Of Louisiana. In this l have dono
just SO much and no moro than tho public
knows. In my annual message of ,Deccm.
her. 1863, aud accompanying proclama lion.
/ presented q plan Of Ofreconstructiou, which
promised. IT adopted by any State, would
be acceptable to and sustained by tho Er.
ccutivo Government. distinctly said this
vas not the only plan which might possibly
be acceptable. and also distinctly protest
cd that the Executive claimed not tho right
to say when or whether members should
bc admitted to seats in Congress from such
States. This plan was in advance Of that
submitted and approved by every member
Of tho Cabinet. Ono Of ;hem suggesr cd
that / should then and in. that conn re ion
apply the ems ncipation proclsma tion to tho
heretofore excepted parts of Virginia and
Louisana; that should drop suggestions
about apprenticeship for. froed people. and
that should omit tho protest seainst my
own power in regard TO the admission Of
members Of Congress. But even he sp-
proved every part and parcel of tho plan
which has since been employed or touched
by the action o: the new constitution Of
Louisiana. Tho new constitution dccla ring
emancipation for tho whole State, practical
ty applied tho proclamation 10 the part pro.
viousiy excepted. II docs not adopt np.
premiership for freed people, and 10
silent, s il could not DO otherwise.
about tho admission of members of
Congress. So far as it applics to Lou.
isians, every member approved Of tho plan
| The message went to Congress. and re.
coived many Communications of the plan,
written and votbsi, and not . single ob.
lection to it from any profcssed einancipa.
iouists came to my knowledge until after
news was received OF Washing ton that ihe
people OF Louisiana had begun to move
In accordance with il from about July 1862
had corresponded with different persons
supposed to TO interested in seeking ro.
construction of State Govornmvut for
| Louisiana. When the message OF 1863, with
tho plan before mentioned. reached New
Orleans, Gen. Backs wrote me tbst he
was confident the people, With his militia
ry cooperation, would construct substan.
TALLY on that plan. wrote him. and some
Of them. to try IL. They tried it, and tho
result is known. Such has been my only
agency in getting Louisiana, and the movo.
mept as to sustaining it. My promise
10 out, % before stated, but as bad promises
are better broken than kept, i shall treat
this ss bad promise, and break it whcnev.
or I shall be convinced That keeping II 10
adverse to public interest. But have not
vet been so convinced. have been shown
letters on this subject. supposed TO be able
ones, IN which q writer expresses regret
that my mind has not seemed TO be definitely
fxsd on the question whether the seeded
States, so called, are in the Union or out of
it. 1t would perhaps have added astopish-
ment to his rcgrot were he to learn that.
since have found profossed Union men
endeavoiing to answer that question, I have
purposely forborpe any public expression
upon 1t, as It appears TO mo that the question
has not been nor yet is practically mate.
rial ono. and that tho discussion Of it while
|, remains practically immateriai, could have
no effect other than the mischeyious one of
dividing our friends. As yet, whatever it
may become. that question is bad as a ba.
sis Of controversy and good for nothing
We all agree that the seeded States, go
called are out Of their proper particular re.
lation with the Union, and that the sole oh.
ject of the Government, civil ana military,
ia regard to those States, is to apain get