The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-19
Last legacy of Abraham Lincoln.
Delivered at the Executive Mansion
April IL, '65.
His Views Upon RecOhstructiOn


I t-AAA-H-s
The amount Of consistency, so TO speak
| on which the new Louisiana government
rests, would be more satisfactory TO all, if il
contained fifty, thirty, or even twenty thou
sand, instead of only about twelve thou
sand, as il really does. II is also u1satis.
factory TO some, that the elective franchise
| is not given to the cOlored man. 1 would
myself prefer that it were now conferred on
the very intelligent, and on those who
served our cause as soldiers. Still, the ques-
tion is not whether the Louisiana govern
| ment, as it stands, is quite ell that is de-
sirable. The question is: aWill it be wiser,
take it as it is, and help to-improve it, or TO
reject and disperse it?" "Can Louisiana be
brought into proper practical relation with
| the Union sooner By sustaining or by DIS
eaTdiHg her State government"
Some twelve thousand voters in the here
tofore slave State Of Louisiana have sworn
allegiance 10 the Union, assumed to be the
| rightful politica! power Of the State, held
elections, organized State government,
adopted free State constitution, given the
benefit Of public schools equally TO black
and white, and empowering the Legisls-
ture 10 confer the elective franchise upon
the colored man. Their Legislature has al
ready voted 10 ratify the constitutional
amendment recently passed by Congress,
aboiishing slavery throughout the nation.
These twelve thousand persons are thus
| fully committed to the Union, and to per-
petueI freedom in the State; committed 70
the very things and nearly all the things
the nation wants, and they ask the nations
recognition and its assistance TO make good
that cOmmittsl.
Now, if we reject and spurn them, we do
our utmost 70 dIsorganize and disperse them.
{ Mn rH. 20 HhsW hnt g ADrr
are worthless, or worse; we will neither
help you, nor be helped by you." To the
blacks we cay, 'This cup Of liberty which
these, your old masters, hold TO your lips,
We will dash from you, and leave you TO
the chances Of gathering the spilled and
scattered contents in some Vague and unde-
fined when, where and how" If this
course, diseouragiDg and psralyzing both
white and black, has any tendency TO bTing
Louisiana into proper practical relations
with tbs Union, have, so far, been unable
to preceiye it. If, on the contrary, We rec :
Ognizs and sustain the new government Of
Louisiana, the converse of ali this Is made
true. r.ra.g. -#-.s
We encourage the hearts and nerve the
arms of the twelve thousand to adhere to
their work and argue for it, and proselyte
for it, and fight for it, and feed It, and grow
it, and ripen it to a complete success.
The eoloFed men, too, seeing all united for
him, is iuspi=ed with vigilance, and energy,
and daring TO the same end. Grant that he
desires the elective franchise, viii he not
attain it sooner by saving the already ad-
vanced steps towards it than by running
backward over them? Concede that the
new Government Of Louisiana is only TO
what il should be as the egg is TO the fowl,
we shall sooner have She fowl by hntehing
the egg than by smashing it. [Laughter.l
Again, if wo reject Louisiana, we also re-
jeet one vote in favor of the proposed amend
ment to the National Constitution. To
meet this proposition, it has been argued
that no more than three-fourths Of those
States which have not attempted secession
are necessary 10 validly ratify the amend
ment. ! DO not commit myself against this
| further than TO say that such a ratification
would be questionable, snd sure to be per
sistently questioned; while ratification by
three -fourths of all the States would be un-
! questioned and ungaestiOnable.
| | repeat the question "Can Louisiana be
| brought into proper practical relation with
| the Union sooner by sustaining OF by dis
carding her new State goVeFnment?"
| What has been said Of Louisiana will apply
generally to other States. And yet so
| great peculiarities pertain 20 each State,
/ and such important and sudden changes
| occur ~ tne same state anu WlIha9 30
new and unprecedented is the whole case,
| that no exclusive and inhexible plaA can
| safely be prescribed as TO details and cola
terals. Such exclusive and intiexible plan
would surely become new ENHANCEMENT.
Important principles may, and must be in
/ flexible.
In the present situation, as the phrase
goes, it may be my duty TO make some new
| announcement to the people of the South.
l am considering, and shall not fail 10 act,
| when satisfied that action will be proper.