The weekly union record. [volume] (Oroville, Calif.) 1864-1866, 1865-11-18
Secretary Seward.

home in Auburn, New York, Oct, 10Th. from
which We extract some noble ui,eranees. On
the subject of reconstruction, be saws:
It is essential to this plan that the insurrec.
iionsry States shall by themselves and for
themselves. aecep; and adopt this plan. and
thereby submit themselves TO aud recognize
the national authority. This IS what meant
when said to Minister Adams, ia a passage
which you may possibly recall. that in the
sense 10 which the word ~sUbiugaiion" was
then used By the enemies Of the United States.
al home aud abroad, il was not the e1pecis-
ton or purpose of this Government, that the
Southern States should be subjugated: bot
that | thought that those States would be
brought. by The iadicionsly mingled exercise
OF pressure and persuasion. TO condition in
which they would voluntarily return TO their
allegiance. This was The explanation which
Adams gave TO Lord Palmers,un. tie Prime
Minister OF England. when. that great. and as
trust. not unfriendy. statesman said that he
did not believe the Federal Union could be
restored. because be knew that while any man
can lead horse 10 water, DO man could make
hun drink. The plan. therefore. recognizes
not the destruction. nor even the subverson of
States, but their active existence and il reas-
oDs from facts as they are. not from assumed
or possible changes Ia be Effected BY continual
war, much less does it reason from mere
chlmeras. This absolute existence Of the
States which constitute the republic is the
most palpable of all The facts with which the
American statesman has to deal. If many
have stumbled over it into treason and rebellion.
ha 70 for oil larrit ,iglr
poses. nevertheless remaius. In O practical
sense the States were before the American
Union Was. Even while they were colonies OF
the British crowa they still were embryo
States-several, free, SelfexisIing and hides
trucible. Our Federal republic exists. and
henceforth and forever mus, exist. through. not
the creation but the combination of those sew
eral, free, self existing, stubborn States These
States are not stakes driven into The ground
by an imperial band, nor are they posts hauled
together squared and hewed. ard so erected
loosely upon it; but they are living, growing,
Majestic trees, whose roots are widely spread
ard interlaced within the soil, ard whose shade
covers the earth. II AT any time any of these
trees shall be blown down or uplurred
by violence, it must ne lifted up again in lis
proper place. and sustained by kindly hands
until il has renewed ils uatural stability and
erectness- II at any time the American Uniou
is fractured through lesion Of one Of its limbs
that limb must be restored TO soundness before
due constitutional health and yigor can be
brought back 10 the whole system.
In reference to Andrew johnson, be SAYS:
Those who hitherto opposed the President
but now profess 10 support him, either are sin
cere or insincere. Time must prove which is
the fact. II they are sincere, who that has a
loyal heart must not rejoice in their late though
not too lurg DELAYED conversion ? If they are
insincere, are We either less sagacious, or have
we less ability now than heretofore 10 counter.
act ireachery to the national can>e? Perhaps
you fear the integrity Of the man. ] confess,
with q full sense of my accountability. that
that among all the public men whom have
met or with whom | have been associated or
concerned. in this or any other country. no one
has seemed to me 10 be more wholly free from
personal caprice and selfish ambition than
Andrew johnson; none to be more purely aud
exclusively moved in public action by lore Of
country and good will to mankind.
In relation TO the Monroe doctrine. we msy
infer bis sentiments. after his feeling alns,on
to the patriots Of Mexico" by the following ;
With whatever jealousy We may adhere to
to our inherited principle Of avoiding eniang-
ling alliance with foreign natinns, the United
States must continue to exercise. as always be
fore our civil war they did exercise, just and
beneficcnt Influence in the International con.
dnct OF foreign States, particularly those
which are near 10 us on this continent, and