Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-04-14
rnn pnrsIprrr's srrrou.

We meet this evening, not in sorrow, but in
gladneRs Of heart. The evacuation of Peters
burg and Richmond, and the surrender of the
principal iusurgent army, give hope of a right
eous and speedy peace, whose joyous expression
cannot be restrained
In the midst of this, however, lie from whom
all blessings aow must not be forgotten. A call
for national Thanksgiving is being prepared,
and will be duly promulgated
Nor must those whose harder part gives us
the cause Of rejoicing be overlooked, aud their
honors must not be parceled oui. With others,
| myself was near the point, and had the high
pleasure of transmitting much of the good news
to you, but no part of tho honor, or plan, or
execution is mine. To General Graut, his skillhll
officers and brave men, all belongs The gallant
navy stood ready, and was in reach to take an
active part by these recent successes, the re-
Inauguration Of ihe national authariiy, and the
reconstruction which has had atge share of
thought from the first, is pressed much more
closely upon our attention.
1t is fraught with much difficulty. Unlike tbe
case OF war between independent hations.
there Is no authorized organ for lis to treat with
No one man has authority to give up the rebel.
lion for any other man. We simply must hegin
with and mould from disorganzed and discorJ.
ant elements. Nor is it a small additional
embarrassment that We, the loyal people. differ
among ourselves as to the mode, manner, and
measure of reconstru9iiOn.
AS general rule l abstain from reading the
reports of attacks upon myself wishing not to
be provoked by that to which cnnnot 5ronerlv
offer an answer. In spite Of this precaution,
however, It comes to my knowledge that | am
much censured for some supposed agency in
setting up and seeking to sustain the new State
Government of Louisiana. ln this have done
Just 80 much and no more than the public
knows. In the annual message Of December,
loO5, and the accompanying proclamation,
presented blan Of reconstruction las the phrase
goes which promised, if adopted by any State,
Snou'u DC acceptable to and sustained by the
Executive Government Of the nation.
distinctly stated that this was not the only
plan which might possibly be acceptable, and
also 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 tue then Cabinet, and was dis
tnctly approved by every member of it, One
OF them suggested that ] should then, aud in
mat connection, apply the Emancipation Pro
clamaton to the heretofore excepted parts Of
virginia aud Louisiana; that should drop the
suggestion about apprenticeship for freed people,
and that should omit the protest against my
own power in regard to the admission Of mem-
Ders 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.
Tho new Constitution Of Louigiaua, declaring
emancipation for the whole State, particularly
applies the proclamation to the part previously
excepted. IL does not edopt apprenticeship for
freed people, and it is silent, as it could NOT
uei be otherwise, about the admission of meIn-
bers of Congress So thatas it applies to Lou
isiana, every member of the Cabinet fully
approved the plan.
The message went to Congress- and received
many Communications Of the plan, written and
verbal, and not single objection to il from any
progressed emancpatIonist came to my know
ledge until after the news reached Washington
that the people of Louisiana had begun to move
10 accordance with it. From about July, 1862,
had corresp6nded with different persons sup.
posed to be interested, seeking reconstruction
Of a State government for Louisiana, when the
message of 1868, with the plan before mentioned
reached New Orleans, aud General Banks wrote
me that he was confident the people, with hi.
military co. operation, would reconstruc. sub.
Htantially on that plan, | wrote him and lomt
Of thsm to try il. We iried it, aud the result il
known. Such only has been my agency in get
ting up the Louisiana government. As to sus-
tanning it, my promise is out as before stated
but as bad promises are better broken than kept
shall treat this as bad promise and break i