Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-04-27

preston cannot be restrained. In the midst
Of this, however, He from whom all blessings
flow, must not be forgotten.
A call for National Thanksgiving is being
pfepafed, and will be duly promulgated; nor
must those whose harder part gives US cause
of rejoicing be overlooked. Their honors
must not be parcelled out with others. ] my
self was near the front, and had the high
pleasure Of transmitting much Of the good
news to yot; but no part of the honor for plan
Or execution is mine. To General Grant, his
skillful officers and brave then, all belongs
The gallant navy stood ready, but was mot in
reach to take an active part BY these recent
successes and the recent re-ihadguration Of
the national authority the REORGANIZATION which
has had d large share Of thought from the
first is pressed much more closely upon our at
tention. 1t is fraught with great difficulty
Unlike the case of war between independent
nations, there is no authorized organ for us to
treat with No one man has authority to give
up the rebellion for any other man. We must
simply begin with, and mold from disorgan-
lied and dscordant elements Nor is It q
small additional embarrassment that we, the
loyal people, differ among ourselves as to the
mode, manner and measure Of Reconstruction.
As general rule, I abstain from rea1ing the
reports Of attacks upon myself, wishing not to
be provoked by that to which cannot prop
erly offer an answer In spite of this precau-
ton. however, it comes to my knowledge that
am much censured for some supposed agen
cy in setting up and seeking to sustain the new
government of Louisiana. In this have done
Just so much and no more than the public
knows In my annual message of December,
1863, and the accompanying proclamation, ]
presented plan of reconstruction, as the
phrase goes which promised, if adopted by
any State, would be acceptable, and sustained
by the Executive Government of the nation.
distinctly stated that this was not the only
plan which might possibly be acceptable. l al
so distinctly protested that the Executive
claimed NO right to say when or whether mem
bers should be admitted to seats in Congress,
from such States
This plan was in advance submitted to the
Cabinet, and approved BY every member oft.
One of thett suggested that | should then and
in that conjunction, apply the Emancipation
Proclamation to the heretofore excepted parts
of Virginia and Louisiana; that should drop
the suggestion about apprenticeship for the
freed people, and that should omit the pro-
test against my own power in regard to the
admission OF membefs OF Congress. But
even he approved every part and parcel OF the
plan which has since been employed or touched
by the action Of Louisiana. .,...
The new Constitution OF Louisiana, declar-
ing emancipation for the whole State, practi-
cally applies the proclamation to the part pre-
viousy exempted II does not adopt .aappren-
tlceship for the freed people, and Is silent, as
it could not well be otherwise, about the ad-
mission OF members to Congress; so that, as
1t applied to Louisiana, every member OF the
Cabinet fully approved the plan, The mes
sage went to Congress- and read many COM
mendatlons OF the plan, written and verbal
and not single opJeeuon to 1t from any pro-
fessed emancipatlonist came to my knowledge,
until after the news was received at Washing
ton that the people OF Louisiana had begun
movement in accordance with it
From about July, 1907, had corresponded
with dlherent persons supposed TO be interest
ed III seeking q Reconstruction OF the State
Government OF Louisiana Mhen the mes
sage OF 1858, with the plan before mentioned,
reached New orleans, General Banks wrote to
me that he was confident that the people, with
the aid OF his military cooperation would
construct substantially on that plan. l wrote
him and some OF them to try it They tried
it, and the result Is known Such has been
my only agency i'll the Louisiana movement,
My promise Is made, as have frequently
stated, but as bad promises are better broken
than kept, shall treat thus as bad promise,
and break 1t whenever l shall be convinced
that keeping 1t is averse to the public interest.
hut have not yet been 80 convinced.
1 have been shown letters on this subject,
supposed to be able ones, in which the writer
expresses regret that my mind has not
seemed to be definitely fixed on the question
whether seeded States, so called, are in the
Union or out OF 1t 1t would have added as
tonishment to his regret we're he to learn that
since have found pfofessed Union men en-
deavoring to answer that question, have pur.
posely torborne any public expression upon it
1t appears to me that the question has not
been, and is not yet practically material one,
and the discussion Of whileit remains prac
tically immateral could have no effect other
than the mischevous one of dividing our
friends. As yet, whatever it may become,
that qaeston is bad base of dispute; and
good for nothing at all We all agree that
the seeded States, so called, are out of their
proper practical relation with the Union, and
that the sole object Of the Government civil
and military, in regard to those States, is "
again get them into that proper relation.
believe that il is not not only possible, but in
ia nj ainr IN dn this wifhouf dooi1inr nr ovop