Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-11-03
SPEECH BY SECRETARY sEwAsD.
NO. SO.


peace, he said:
/ In the opening Of the rebellion it was
necessary that popular leader should
arise on behalf OF the country-a man
whom hesitating Border State peoDle
could trust-a STAKEHOLDER in practice.
/ though not IN principle, and yet In prin-
| clple and association a Democrat Andy
johnson, with the consent of the whole
American people, assumed the great re-
sponslbility. President Lincoln an
nounced that slavery should be treated
as public enemv. Andy johnson en-
dorsed the announcement. The attempt
ed revolution eliminated when our noble
banner was successfully replanted in
Tennessee. From that time, though it
was necessary to prosecute the war with
such energy as human nature had never
before exerted, it was equally needful to
prosecute the benefcent work of restoring
the Union. The abolition Of slavery
was thencefOrth equally an element Of
persistent war and Of returning peace
Andrew johnson was fitly appointed the
first of the provisional governors for the
prosecution of these double and diverse
purposes of war and peace, and was sub
sequently elected Vice President, and in
the end constitutionally inaugurated
President of the United States
RESTORATION.
We are continually hearing debates
concerning the origin and authority of
the plan of restoration. New converts,
North and South call it the Presidents
plan. All speak Of it Us If it were a new
and recent development. On the contra
! ~, we now see that it is not Andy John
son s plan, nor even q new plan in any
respect. 1t is the plan which abruptly,
yet distinctly, offered itself to the last
administration at the moment when the
werk Of restoration Was to begin. 1t Is
essential that the insurrectionary States
should accept this plan. This is what l
in the sense in which the word ''subjuga-
ton was used by our enemies, it was not
the expectation OF the purpose of this
! Government that the Southern States
| should be subjugated; but that, by the
plan adopted, they should be brought to.
a voluntary return to their allegiance
The plan, therefore, recognizes, not their
destruction, but their active existence. II
The 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.
THE UNION AND THE STATES.
He SPOKE of the American Union as a
system to which the States were attached
as limbs, and said: "If a limb is broken
itmust be restored tosoundness before due
constitutional health and Yigor can be
brought back to the whole system. IF a
limb offend we cannot cut it off and cast
it away; but by doing so, we would be
doing what other nations, less wise than
ourselves, that have submitted unneces-
sarily to amputation, and given up ma
terial portion of their strength to save
themselves from apprehended danger"
SLAVERY.
He alleged that the reconciliation
adopted so promptly was the wisest course
| to pursue "iFhe plan, he said, gives us
two great national advantages in the
progress of moral and political elevation,
which are now to be made fast and firmly
fixed: First 1t secures voluntary abb
olition of slavery by the insurrectionary
States; and second an effectual adoption
| by the late slave States themselves of the
amendment to the federal constitution
prohibiting slavery forever In any part OF
the United States. To hasten this work
of reconciliation, he urged, in the Lam
guage of the President, that "we must
trust each other.
FEARS OF OVER -LENIENoY.
! As to fears OF too much leniency on the
part of the President, he said. fExcent
| those who have been MANNED or hereayed
none had suffered more of wrong insult
and insolence at the hands of the leaders
of the rebellion than the President, and
cannot we forget what he can forgive p
His terms of amnesty are far more rigor-
Gus than those offered by Abraham Lin
coin"
Mr.. Seward guaranteed fidelity and
lfaithfulness on the part of Andrew J ohm
son. He had never in his life met a man
more free from personal caprice and self
ish ambition-nOne more purely and exclu-
siVely moved in public action by love of
country and good will to mankind.
Mr. Seward then passed IL review the
different members OF the Cabient since
the first Inauguration Of Mr.. Lincoln
speaking well of them all
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Concerning foreign nations, Mr. Seward
said he was permitted to say, in general
terms, that we have claims on foreign ma
tions for injuries to the United States and
her citizens, and other nations have pre-
tended claims against the government for
: alleged injuries to them or their subjects
He believed the President would conduct
4 those affairs In such a manner as to yield
and recover idemnity justly due, without
any compromise of the national dignity
and honor With whatever jealousy we
may adhere to our inherited principle o1
avoiding entangling alliances with foreign
nations, we must continue to exercise Q
lust and beneficial influence on the inter
, national condition of foreign states, par.
t ticularly those which are near to us OF
this continent, and which are especially
, endeared to us by their adoption of re-
publican institutions. He was sure the
J President had not lost sight of this i'm
portaut interest and he expected to see
republican institutions, wherever the!
) have been heretofore established through
out the American continent, speedily win
dicated renewed and reinvieorated