The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-23

uellNbItu a ituBNul sDcGCH Ou ldblOlldh dudlIS dJ
Corning Hall this evening, before a crowded
audience. Mr.. Seward said:-
My GGood Friends:-Your kind Importantly
will not avail me as an excuse for speaking II
ought to keep silence. Perhaps, however, the
solctude which pervades the country may
justify us all IN conversing upon political ques
tions in q candid and patriotic spirit We were
together here in October last. The national
condition has undergone some material changes
since that time. We were then on the verge OF
a series OF elections throughout the States. The
leaders, who so pertinaciously claim to be Demo
cratic, organized with their customary machi-
nery They had wisely ceased to denounce as a
failure the war for the Union, which had at last
become a glorious success. They thought to
undermine the distinctive party OF the Union by
affecting newborn admiration for its chief
Ant rev Johnson. They seemed anxious to prove
their devotion superior to ours by committing
themselves to support him as candidate Tor the
Presidency in 1868. They inscribed our recon-
ciliation mottoes upon their newly wrought ban
ners; and, reorganiZing their struggling lines as
well as they so hastily could, they vehemently
charged onward for partisan, not patriotic
victory. What led the Democratic leaders TO
make this change was the striking, | may call il
the marvellous, phenomenon which was Just
then exhibited in the scene of the recent Re-
belion.
The whole disloyal community in that bIighted
and desolated region, accepting the conditions
OF partial amnesty and the invitations to return
ing allegiance which were proclaimed by the
ciples, practices, and policy OF secession and
disunion, and rendered US a new covenant of
LOYALTY, sealed with their oaths, and brought
forward with alacrity the remains of their long
cherished institution of slavery, and cheerfuliy
threw it to be burned upon the constitute lonal
altar which they had so newly restored. These
unexpected changes in the attitude OF political
adversaries, once so obstinate, naturally enough
excited suspicious, iealousies, and apprehen-
sions among loyal and tried Union men. 1t was
the old cause OF William OF Orange, who having
in civil war, put down the Tories, afterwards
found it necessary to cede to repentng Jaco.
bites and Paplsts the right OF citizenship It is
the case which has ever occurred, and which
must forever more occur at the end of sue
cessful resistance to rebellion. How could De-
mocI ats and Rebels be converted to the support
OF triumphant Union Administration?
This was the question everywhere put by the
jealous leaders Of the Union party. 1t was at
that moment answered that question by ask
ing others, viz. :-How could Democrats and
Rebels avoid being converted? Is it not their
conversion that you contended for and that YOU
now desire? l expressed the opinion that the
condition ofpeace. with its new responsibilities
must thencetorth be in good faith accepted. |
advised prompt and complete reconciliation
with the restoration at once of the constitutional
symmetry Of the Union
Rejecting the ungenerous suspicion that the
Rebels and their Democratic abettors were only
changing their political strategy with tra1torous
purposes, l argued that With few and marked
exceptions they were now to be received and
dCCtplGu as l6llOW-ClLlL6uS ana Dfetlre0. i
urged that this would be safely done, il only the
tried friends of the Administration, remaining
united and harmonious, and thus retaining their
Justlyiacqu1red prestige, should themselves
promptly and magnanlmously secure to the
nation the enjoyment of ardently desired peace
and Indlspensably required prosperity.
For time the friends OF the Union acted
upon that policy. The elections everywhere
resulted in the defeat and overthrow of the
Democratic organization, and placed the Ad-
ministration of Andrew Johnson beyond the
reach OF danger at home or abroad.
The work OF reconstruction has outrun ex-
pectatlon. Indeed, it has never had parallel
in human affairs With internal connections
and disturbances less serious than those which
sometimes attend popular elections IN a free
country IN time OF profound peace, the here
tolore disloyal people of the Southern States
successfully, nay, almost simultaneously as
seluoled and adopted new constitutions, in CON
tormty with the Constitution of the United
States They upturned rebellion, with all its
tar-spreaoing roots and all its poisonous fruits
and they accepted and ratified the then pending
Congressional amendment to the Constitution Of
the United States, which abolished slavery
thenCefOrth and forever.
the people OF these States have at the same
time chosen for themselves, by free and uncon-
trolled suffrage, Governors, Legislatures, iudI-
clarles ana municipal authorities Bet tWecn the
Federal Government and these restored and re-
organized Slate governments there exists nov
more complete and practical harmony than has
ever before prevailed between the Union and
so many OF lts members since IL was first
established. Within thesame time the Execu
tive Department of the United States has as
sumed its iunctQnE among the people of these
former disloya& States. { The State Department
speaks for them with their free conseni tn
principalities and powers The Treasury col.
lects the national imports and taxes there The
WarDepartment distributes its forces whenever
and wherever 1t seems necessary and expe-
dlent to guarantee peace between the invete.
rate but fast-eXpTing factions.a
The navy of the United States rides freely In
all their reopened ports and harhors. The Post
Office circulates, through every vein and artery
there, the knowledge which is the revivifying
blood of united republic. The Interior De-
partment pays pensions, protects Indians, sells
lands, and deirays the expenses of judicial ad-
mnistratior. The Attorney General proscribes
traitors and other disturbers of the peace there
before the Federal courts. All this has been
done with the active concurrence of the peooe
oil those States, absolutely free from military CON
troll, while the army of the United States, In
stead OF being increased has been reduced from
a million and malt OF men to some sixty or
eighty thousand. .-l..
The expenses of the Federal Governm ment have
been reduced from million and half Der day
to sum less than the daily receipts of the trea-
sury, and the great but In every sense sacred
debt OF the Union is already perceptibly dimin.
ished. Foreign nations have desisted from in.
tervention and have assumed an attitude of con-
Citation and friendship. The people of the
lately disloyal States, desiring to pass the last
stage OF restoration rs speedily as possible have
chosen Senators to represen. them in the Senate
and members TO answer tor them in the House