, 1865-10-13

lions, Can the Republic etand this unexpected ca.
lamityi Can cur popular institutions bear this ueu
tZtI: The anguish remained, and still remains
but the apprehension existed but for moment
Scarcely bad the announcement been msdt
that Lincoln had fallen. before 1t was followed
X 1hs sepo,I ih9s s Vice psdsn h
tions OF Government were being yerfonned as resu
lnr. and quietly ns though nothing had happened
And what followed? The body Of the belorcd
President was taken from Washiagton to Illinois
through crowded catica, among erfetatricsen and
decryeSr1tcd people, mourning as no people cgr1
n'onrued: and moved ssuo people ever wers moved:
Of popular passion; borne thousand miles 10 it.
last resting place, hundreds or thousands doing
such honor to the remains as 1sete never raid to
those Of king or cpDqueror; and The plblic pace
notwithstanding intense Indignation was mixed
with intcnEe sorrow, was In no Instance disturbed
Hereafter there win hc 70 ssep!icism among us III
OF republican institutions. There |. no copn
try upon Garth that could have passed through
tho es to which the United States hare been sao
{ectcd during thu past four years. without being
Or Nj. Lincoln this y not a fitting OCCASION fol
me TO epeak Freely. Thus much. however, my
hiehe became ny admiration Of his abllity and his
cllar1cler.- Before wenf to Washington, and for
short period atter doubted both biz peEse and hi1
ma Of shcse donktf, and before his death i had
come to the conclusion that he Was man OF Will
OF energy, Of well-balaneed. mind and wonderful
ssEaeity; nis p,sstItee ot STORYTELLING when ths
the snblimesl events were ttansplsing, surprised,
It did not sometimes disgust, those who did not
know him well7 bnt It Indicated, on his part, no
want OF proper appreciation Of the terrible re-
tnonsihi!fty Which rested upon him as the
Chief Magistrate OF great nation engaged
n thc suppression Of desperate rebellion
him was something more tl.au habit. he vas 80
accustomed 10 1t IN eocIa life nnd in tho practice or
hia profession, that became part Of hls na.urs
md e accurate was bis rceollecion, and go great
fund had he at command, that he hAd always anec-
does and stories 10 illusate his ar.umcnts and do.
light those whose tastes were si.nilar his Own
6ut thoso who judged from this Ait that be 1acked
oftle responsibility Of his position had no Just ap
precision Of his character, lie possessed ali these
qualities In s2 eminent degree 11was srne ofh,m.
those who knew him best h.d 1he Highest admir-.
ton Of him. lie Wak not = mar Of Ecnt1s, but he
Possessed in Large degree what is lar mnrc yalu-
did not undertake 10 direct public opinion, but
no man understood better the leadlucs of the pop
9laz VII, or the beat.pss OF the popular heart.
eSeo % o 9eaass or o n 9 an0T af
he read very few Of OH public jours1al., and was
little fncliaed to call out tho opinions OF others
De- Of es gso ap1 hs
OF himsell than of them: tiranttn. that although
eonstltutionally honest HIMSELF be did not put
very high Valuation upon honesty In Others, and
friends to influence his action IN manner that WAS
hardly comistcnt With On upright administration OF
his great otlce, few mcn have held high position
icism as Mr. Hncoln'e. Int shall not undertake.
lis eulogr. TIE people hayo already rassed judy
ment in 'avor Of fhc noolcncss nnd uprishtness 81
his character and the Wisdom Of his Administration,
and the pen Of impartial history viii confirm The
Judgment.
But YOU Will expect. perhaps, that Say some
thing Of hia MI Iancon SUCCESSOR. nny oiller
Il
net feel 81 liberty to make my particular alluson 10
the Preside nj Of the United S!ntes, holding d do
seat in bis Cabinet But knowing That ina=y OF
yor. ny foWnn2ea aud neieheo5s, have been Of the
which would necessarily come up for settlement at
the cofc Of the 'var would require on the part oi
The Chief Magistrate .profonndcr wisdom and q
broader siaicsman!hip titan was required darins IT.
continuance, end that not few hase heen deeply
anxious lest Mi. johnson might be unequal to the
prodi.io1s work that has bten devolyed upon him
mcut, 20 ground for apprehension on this su5;:ct
Trying end difficult ns Il his situation Mt. sor
Is rnaster OF IL: lie Possesses ia sn eroi
nsa' ol he ssdeney s. pIasep1 t,s g
A Southern man, thoroughly acquainted Viii
the elects Of slavery upun society, be kuows how
70 ceai with Southern men n her present siscum
which he bcrs 10 his Slate IL entirely subordinate
to tltat which he bca.s TO the Cnlun- Jealous Of
State reht, be Is equally Jealous Of the rights O
promising enemy Of 1nll'scatiou, secession ant
every form oftaisloyalty, he l. equally m enc
NY t9 my peasaIes Ehleh, IN his Judgment, art
rights under The Constitution, to conve1t the Fsd
cTal Government into de.potism. 1laIsed in s!avs
States, and rntA recently Shareholder, be ha,
never hsd any love for slavery, and has always bee1
on It. BY nature and by education, he Is Just t.
man FOR the great work OF rc-csiablishine the Fed
gal authority over the reeenly rehelions States
bett results.
Ue Is ,man, also, Of excellent Judgment aud
sareas honesty IN others: Although long ia nub.
1ic hte. md leading politician OF Ills own school
be is II GO sense partisan. unss:usning III msn
liAtens to The ADVICE OF tho4e IN Ehoss jndgmeui
he has confidence, but acfs upon his own conrIc
lions, and GENERALLY according to his dot tmpres
slons. WIN great decasion Of character, he Il
adherence to principle and duty, be is nam oi
kindly and gentle emotions. nartns BY his own
tneomttnble energy fought h!e wsy up nom low
,ko:o n ho are treadInS tho .ame upward p,ih. ne
IL, in word, clear hcsded. upright energetic,
seh1el5srg Ftate.nani dlgnided, courteous and
kind nenissc gentleman His Administration will
be ctaaceslzed " all The ioree and energy and Il.
dependence Of Jacksons, With very little Of its
partisan chnraCtef.
:; Under liee DIRECTION the great work Of reestab-
rapidly, 1t sems. nccor,fn: 10 The oinion Of many
al TIC North. whose opinions entitled 10 great
wisdom 0! MT. Joh1son's policy: ihat many ars o;
the opinion that By their ordinances OF secession
The rebc,ous States ha. ceased to bs Stnies nnd:s
hy the E-ecutye In aid OF the restoration OF thrir
stete Governments until Congress had determined
on uhat terms they should te restored to the Union
which they had voluntarily abandoned and ATTEMPT
had appealed 10 The sword and been eubucated by
the sword, they should Ia governed by the euaefl
subject OF reconstruction; that no Stae that hsd
parsed ordinances OF secession and uuied with the
so.called Confederate Government should ever be
admitted AGAIN into the rnion unless in lis p.ciImt.
mary proceedings MI men, Irrespective Of color,
should be permitted TO vote, without provisions
in It's Constitution for the bsolutc
de1asnd he eonscauon Of she properly Of III rebels
OF the national debt
speesse ar mno na I'll ha y ysT:
Tie belier opinion is that tse States whieh ii.
TEMPTED to eeSfds e Ees eeea to BE- stsses N as
eject; that during The ptocTcsa OF the reEolt tho
ezeIcise Of The Federal authority WAS merely sua,
pended, md that there meyer was moment when
Statea was not doe to the Government, md whsn
The Government .rns not bound to maintain Its an.
thorsty over then IT, and extend Protection 70 tboss
the socclled Confederate Government and all State
governments which had been formed IN opposition
10 the Federal Government ceased TO hava even a
saseet 10 tas@ We.c ior she e bsin, 9 VIII Sf
oIt my government whatever.
Thc ieT1n Of oiIoe Of the Federal officers had e1-
plrcd Or the otIces bad beeome vacant by tbe trcs
son Of thoEc who held them. There were no Fed
rtat revenue oticerrr no competent Federal t1d
and no organizcd Federal courts. Nor were tue
5&uf6<l N.$n
Ice1rdcl- When Tie Conftderary collapsed all tho
n be State governments collapsed with It, 10 that
will few Exceptions, thero were no persons hold
ing civil office At tho South by the authority ofaaJ
legitimate C0vcInment-
Now, IA government is at all t1mcs necessity
among Ecn. and rs II was especially So at The
sway, the question 10 be decided BY lhe President
vns simply this: Shall the people at the South be
held under military tule until Congress shall &C!
upon tie question, OF shali immediate meisures b2
t1ken by The EAoeutiue to restore TO them civil
After raaiuIc consideration tho Pfcsfdcut con.
apd an satisfied that In doing 60 he has acted
military rulc will not be In demand by the people
Of the United State: one 'nnent longer than there
!, sreh an army ae Monld have been requi,'tc foz
satiucated people, unul Congress might Prescribe
Union, would have been too severe u stlatn rpon
cur Republican institutions, md too expensive 70,
the present condition Of the Treasury. Ihe FEesi:
hy thc nsc from the necestl1y Of the case OF por
tidn Of those who have l'ecn recently In aEma ID
ovcrthrow It.
The experiment may be regarded as a dangerous
ono, but Y will bo proved. l arprebcnd, to have
hetn jud!clous one. Never were people go dis
gustcd with tho work OF their own hands a. WEIR
c great 1uaas Of the people OF the South (evua be-
fore the collapse Of tie rebellIonl with the Govern
ment which was attempted to be set up by the ovcr
throw Of the Government Of tAeif forelath-rs
Never were q people so completely subju.ated
Is the people OF the rebel States. I have met d
1:reat many Of those whom the President Is using
in his restoration policy, and they have imprc.se
me most iayotabIy. i 6e1ieye them to be hpnest In
taking the amnesty oath, and In their pledges o
fidelity TO the Constitution and the Union. SlavpsJ
lGs pe1ishct III acknowledge and with It has
gouc down the doctzine OF eeeesElon- State Soye.
cisnty had been discussed in Congress, bcloE,
roars, ip the 2pb'Is ,9nEaals anu n!oas iae PEG
ihja ve1cjl question was eutmitted to The anal al
bltIa1nent Of the sword. The question, % ii