Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-12

you to the chances Of gathering the spilled and
scattered contents, in some vague and unde-
hned when, where, and how If this course,
| dlscouraging and paralyZing both white and
black, has aIy tendency to bring Louisiana
| into proper practical relations with the Union,
| nave, SO far, been unable to perceive it. II on
| the contrary, we recognize and sustain the new
government Of louisiana, the converse of all
| this is made true. Weencourage the hearts and
nerve the arms OF the twelve thousand to adhere
to their work, and argue for it, and proselyte for
1t, and fight for it, and feed it, and grow it, and
| ripen u to complete success. The colored
| man, too, in seeing all united for him is in-
sPirred spree with with Vigilance, and energy, and daring
| tive franchise, will he not attain 1t sooner by
| saving the already advanced steps towards 1t
| than by running backward over them! Con-
cede that the new Government of Louisiana is
| only to what 1t should be as the egg is to the
fowl, we shall sooner have the fowl by Matching
| the egg than by smashingit. [Langhter.l Again,
five reject Louisiana, we also reject our vote
in favor Of the proposed amendment to the Ma.
tional Constitution. To meet this proposition,
| 1t has been argued that no more than three.
foul tbs Of those States which have not attempt.
ed ecession are necessary to validly ratify the
amendment. do not commit myself against
would be questionable. and sure to be persist
| emily questioned; while ratification by three
| fourths of all the States would be unquestioned
| and unquestcnable.
| / repeat the question. "Can Louisiana be
brought into proper practical relation with the
unios ;Sensr by sMss1a.y OF by d'ssGrdg her
| of Louisiana will apply generally to other
States. And yet so great peculiarities pertain
to each State, and such important and sudden
changes occur in the same State, and, withal,
so new and unprecedented is the whole case,
that no exclusive and infiexible plan can safely
be prescribed as to details and collaterals.
Such exclusive and inf1exible plan would
surely become ane " ENHANCEMENT. Important
| principles may and must be infiexible
In the present situation, as the phrase goes,
1t may be my duty to make some new an
| nouncement to the people Of the South. 1 am
considering, and shall not fail to act when sat.
| isfied that action will be proper
The speech of the President was listened to
| with intense earnestness, and almost every
| period was followed by the loud cheers of the
| audience, showing their thorough sympathy
| with his views and appreciation of the diff.
cultes OF the question to be dealt with as stated
| by him.
On its conclusion, Senator Harlan being
loudly called for, was introduced by the Pres
dent as tollows:-"I introduce to you Senator
Harlan, soon to be Secretary of the Interior"
SENATOR HARLAN's SPEECH.
Senator Harlan said:-FelIow Citizens: /
should have been much more happy to have
been permitted to listen tonight, than to have
been called on to speak, however highly ap.
stances. I shall not, however, weary you with
speech. will, however, call your attention
to one or two principles which I suppose have
been, or are at least, being settled in the great
contest which is now about to close
The American people have decided, as sup
pose, that the decision of the majority OF the
[cheers;l that minority Of the voters shall
never hereafter be permitted to interfere with
the decision of that majority in the election OF
its officers and In the incipient process OF max
ing its laws. [Cheers.
In the second place, I suppose, the Ameri-
can people have decided on the many bloody
have served, that no part of the people of this
Republic shall ever be permitted by force to
divide the country. Loud cheers.l II this
belief were once admitted in favor of our
brethren down in Dixie, no one can see the end
short Of division OF the whole country into
petty republics or petty despotisms, or, in the
end, grand monarchy.
l hope no one will annoy the American peo-
pie with the suggestion that you stcan't con-
quer the South" TCheers and laughter That
is verv important question, perhaps, for you
to decide for yourselves and through your
fSe '3e ai sa S dome .,
these brethren of ours [Cries Of "Hang 'em."]
suppose that the question, so far as the prin-
by the trainers OF the Constitution of the United
States [Great cheering They have declared
what constitute the elements of treason; and
Congress, in performance of the PLAN provl-
sion Of the Constitution, which says that Con-
gress shall declare the punishment Of treason,
has set ferth the manner In which they shall
ciples OF humanity and public policy, the
President Of the United States may exercise
the pardoning power. .["Never," s'never."l
On that point speak alone for myself 1 sup
pose that the masses OF those who have been
engagedsin this unfortunate struggle for the
destruction OF the Republic are comparatively
those who plotted and hatched this rebelilon
are the guilty parties, [cheers and suppose
that at least few of these ought to suffer the
punishment fixed by Congress for treason.
Immense cheering.] But on this subject am
willing to trust the future in the hands OF the
first citizen Of the Republic, who has been
faithfully executed. lGreat and prolonged
cheering
After music by the several excellent bands in
attendance the crowd quietly dispersed, large
numbers taking their way to the residence Of
Secretary Stanton, on K street, near Franklin
Square, which was most brilliantly illumina-
ted and tastefully decorated with flags, flow
ers, evergreens, &c. Upwards of fifty large and
beautiful flags were to be seen among the mag
nifcent decorations here.
Some spirited music was given in turn by the
fine bands of Hardwood, Emory, Campbell,
and Mount Pleasant Hospitals, and while the
serenade was IN progress the Secretary returned
nized by the crowd as he passed through it was
most enthusiastically cheered.
On ascending the steps of his house he was
again greeted with vociferous cheers, to which,
and for the compliment of the serenade, he
made his Acknowledgements in few fitting
words and he concluded by calling for three
cheers for
1.-THE President of the aohole United States,"
which were given with a will.
The Secretary then asked for three more for
"Gen. Grant and the armies OF the Potomac
and the James,"
which were accorded with the same heartiness,
and the assemblage then followed with three
tremendous ones and ga tiger" on their own
account, for edwin n. Stanton, Secretary of
War;
The Examinations.
Though there was no general understanding
in regard to an illumination last night, there
was yet q very fine display in this way.
The War Department presented a magnifi
cent appearance, and was the center OF attrac-
tion, thousands of persons visiting 1t during
the evening. Every window in the building,
on all the fronts, was ablaZe with light, while
the outer decorations were beautiful indeed.
The balcony on the north front was festooned
were suspended from cords running from each
end OF the portico to the flag staff on the top Of
the building. Immediately below these was
wreath OF evergreens, in a semicircle, sur
mounted with ship lanterns, beautifully light
ed. A transparency was placed under the cir
Gle OF eyergreens, bearing simply tne word
ssirant' Several bands of music were in at
tendance, besides which there was magnifi-
cent display Of fireworks: