The Opelousas courier., 1866-03-17
secretary Stewards Speech at
the Cooper Institute.

SeCr0gAfy 0ow "A 49,
the Cooper Institute
We have placed our readers IN Pessesi+ -
t;,n of This speech. because we think IL
s;oht that they should be informed OF tiie
.n;nns On important questions enter
.a;naJ by so influential a parsonage as
H. Federal Secretary OF State. Ne' In
tho .no ,.;n, heartily concur in these opln-
sna sn.,s We are glad to see that the quon-
ions' ro,nuleator of "the irrepressible
uan a;at,, and of q claw higher than the
eoniat eaonnat;trt;on. has, in these latter days,
Cons.,oJ CoJ ouife moderate tone, and is
nSs 1ranared to sustain, fully, the constitu-
tt;onal policy of the President. Secretary
o Soward is, without doubt, one OF the
sJhrewdest men living. he knows as well
s ss any politician upon the stage what
saas9res-now 10 ass that the war has ended.
n,o n,o" he most judiciously adopted to bring
u .uha,ately conflicting sections OF the coun-
.np . tooefher, and to quiet popular agita-
~ ~ He has thorough acquaintance
'I:.h .la human nature and the springs of
sas;an and understands what is demand
~ ~ Nv the interests of the whole country,
n end - gsspecially the commercial interests
- the great empire State, to which he
ha,ongs. He sees that nowhere, through
~. tLe wide domain of the United States,
os. these interests be successfully prose
a,..ad. while Congress-, with its multitu-
a;nons mad projects for the reconstruc-
.;nr of the Government, places itself in
~ @ att;tude of direct hostility to the peo-
ile. who are everywhere impressed with
the importance of political repose, as es-
sefitialE requisite to successfully reopen
inc fhe channels of trade and directing
their attention, with zeal, to various in
dustrial pursuits.
Now that the rebellion" is put down
iv inyiucible force, and the roll OF the
war dram is no longer heard, summoning
,ha malcontents to battle, Mr.. Seward
thinks it worse than idle to talk OF the
necessity Of standing armies at the South
and of a dire rebellion as already exist.
inc. and about to burst forth, with ten
faId fury, iii our midst. As none of the
Nates have efer been.out of the Unions
he regards it as a profiigate waste OF con-
aressional .eloquence and patriotism, to
spend so much time, as has already been
exnended, in discussing how certain
States NAV be restored to its fold; how
Senators and Representatives, legally
appointed and elected by the States and
people, and sent to Congress, to perform
their constitutional duties, may legally
take their seats. In these struggles of
the dominant party . thrust certain
States. acknowledged to be in the Union,
peeyond its pale, and to prevent their
REPRESENTATIVES from being heard in the
council chambers of the nation, he per-
ceiyes covert design either to break up
the Union altogether, or-whlch is more
Drobable-a determination, by shutting,
trickery and humbug, to gain time to re-
construct the Government of the Union
sccording to their own principles.
We are glad to see that Secretary Sew
ard has patriotism and common sense
enough, and sufficient insight into the
stlferior plans of the radical party, to in
! duce him to oppose this grand plan of
reconstruction. Thepeople North, South,
East and West are, we believe, very well
satisfied with the fundamental features OF
this Government as it is; and should they
ever desire radical changes in it, will
doubtless give their Representatives no
tice, in due time, of the fact. In the
meantime, and until thorough revolu-
ton is demanded by the universal popu-
lar sentiment of all sections of our COM
mon sOuntry-of which no intimation has
tet been giyen-it is unquestiOnably the
dnty of representatives to remember the
solemn oaths they have taken, and legis-
late for the people strictly under the ex-
listing Constitution.
Mr. Seward is of the opinion that there
is not much difference, at this moment,
between the policy of the President and
that which is contemplated by the radical
party, or else his charity sheds so bright
light as to dazzle his visual organs, and
he does not see that difference in all the
length and breadth in which it appears
toa good many other persons. We be-
lieve the benevolence of the honorable
Secretary is SO expansive as to lead him
TO wish that the Legislative and Exect1.
tive branches Of the Government may
harm0nize, in all respects, with eael
other; and that the wish is father to the
thought that they do SO harmonize. We
regret to be obliged, on the contrary, tx
state our own convictions, that they are
at this moment, as wide asunder as the
poles We are glad, at any rate, to see
that, in any catastrophe that may occur
the excellent Secretary means to adhere
faithfully to the cause of TIE President
aud, shOnld he unfortunately be swept
overheard, that it is his firm deterrnina-
ti0n to share his fate.-N. %. Times.
The PRESERVATION OF THE UNION
Hon. John Hogan ,sof Missouri, in a recent
speech In Congress, on one of the subjects
presented by the radical disunionists
employed these eloquent words:
The preservation of the Union was the
great object of the war. For this more
than two M i1fiau m nr xynrf forth info the