The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-04-27
President finculn's Last Speech,
Rscons.ruction.

The following is the last spee'
tlai our late beloved Chief Mag
,rate made. lt,was delivered 9
Tuesday Evening, April llih,
front of tho Presidents mansio
or TIE OCCASION Of his return fro
Richmond. The cl,ief snhject di
cusscd Ia that OF RrcoNsrRrcrio
one Of the most important t'
now pgitates the country and 9
whicli many Of our best statcsln'
differ. Tho Presidents views
this subject willbe regarded "i'
more interest now, that be has pa
sed from the scene OF action. i
discussed tho subject with his usn'
caution and honesty Of purp's
and whether right or wrong n,
sen,i,neh,s are deserving OF consll
GRAFTON. It is the utterance ol"ne
on an important question, who lac
no other ambition than TO serve
his country and pcrPcinate her ~
stNutions. Believing as VIC u'
ths he was the chosen Moses o
our .imes, 10 lead the American
people out Of the wilderness, it is
to be regretted that he was not
permi,ted to live to carry out his
principles. and see the Government
fully restored to its former great
ness and glory. WccommCnd his
remarks to the careful considera'
ton ofonr readers.
The President said:
We meet this evening, not in
sorow. bGtiu gladness of heart.
The evacuation OF Petersburg aud
Richmond. aud the surrender OF
the principal insurgcnt army, give
hope of righteous and speedy
peace, whose Joyous expression.
cannot be restrained. In the.
midst Of this, however, Tie from
whom all blessings now mnst not.
be forgotten. a cal for u Nation
al Thapksgiyirg is being prepared,
and viii hc duly promulgated.
Nor must those whose harder part
gives us the cause of rejoicing b,
overlooked. Their honors must
not BE- parceled out with others;
|, myself, was near tho front and
had the high pleasure of transmit
ting much OF the good news to you
But no part Of the honor for Of cX
ocution is mine. To General
Grant, hisskhllul officers and brave
men all belong The gallant navy
stood ready, but was not in reach
to take active part. BY these re.
cent success the re-lnangurat'on
Of the national authority, recon.
struction, which has had Il large
share of Thought from the first IL
press ID much more closely
upon uur attention. 1t ia traught
wib, much difficulty. Unlike y
ease OF war between independent
nations, there is no authorized or.
gan for ia to treat with No one
man has authority TO give up the
rebellion for any other man. We
simply must begin with and mold
from disorganizei aud distordaut
elements. Nor is it n email addi.
iionalembarrnssment that we, the
loyal people. differ among our.
selves as to the mode, manner aud
means of reconstruction. IA n
general rule, abstain from read
ing the reports of attacks upon my
self, wishing not to be provoked
by that TO which | cannot properly
offer an answer.
IN sp,ta Of this prccaution, how.
ever, it comes to my knowledge
that am much ccusur,d for some
supposed agency in setting up and
seeking TO sustain tho new govern.
ment OF Louisiana. In this ! have
done jus, SO much and no moro than
the public knows. In the annual
message Of December, 1868, and
tho accompanying proclamation,
as the phrase goes, Which proin.
ised, itadopted by any State would
DO acceptable to aud sustained by
the Executive Government OF the
nation. 4 distinctly stat, d
that this was not the Only plan
which might possibly he accepta.
ble; and Ialso distinctly protested
that the Executiva claimed NO
right to cay who OF whether mem,
bers should be admitted to seats in
Congress from such States. This
plan was in advance submitted 10
the Cabinet and approved by every
member Of it. Ohe Of them sug.
gested that | should then, and in
that connection apply the cmanci,
patton proclamation to the hereto
fore excepted parts OF Yirginmaud
Louisiana, that l should drop the
suggestion ubou, the apprtu,iG,
ship for freed people, aud that
should omit the protest against m,
own power in regard to the adnlis
sion OF members to Congress. pu
even he approved every part an,
parcel % the plan which has sine,
boen,employed or touched by Ia,
action oflouiSapa. Then1W Con
stitution of Louisiana, dcclarin.
emancipation for the whole state
practically applies the proclama
tion to the part previously e2ocp
to1 In does not adont aOnroutlcC