The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-12-12

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The Executive and his Cabinet; but
Endorsed by Grant. Loud cheering.]
What next? Congress, bound by
public opinion, bound by a sense Of
duty, was driven to one of three al
ternatives: Either to yield to the
Southern demand, that the rebel
States should be entirely rellnqulshed
10 the unrestricted control OF those
who not only seeded, but those who
originated and led the rebellion; or,
secondly, that they must have the
Southern States that had been the
theatre OF war, indefinitely under mill
itary government. The third alter
native was, that Congress itself should
assume the responsibility, and take
the initiative Of passing an enabling
act, by which society and government
could be again organized ii those
States where the rebellion had pro-
duced anarchy, and thus give to the
people there the means of protecting
themselves, and giving to the loyal
States Of the Union perpetual guar
antee for the allegiance and loyalty Of
the rebel States. Applause. You
have seen under what embarrass-
ment and difficulties, resulting from
many sources, that plan of reconstruc-
ton has been conducted, but you have
seen this, also, that while it has en-
c0untered the almost irresistible
power, patronage, and influence of
the Executive, it has never for mo-
ment lacked the steady, loyal. faithful
support Of the Geperal-in-C Chief of
the armies. Cheers J. Passing any
reference 10 myself, except to take
this occasion to express my apprecIa-
ion and gratitude for the support so
steadily given me while In command
in the Carolinas. amid all the trying
difficulties Of that position, let me,
for illustration Of what l have just
said. point you to the manly, soldier
/ ike, true friendship and devotion TO
duty manifested in the struggle made
by the gallant Sheridan. Load
handkerch;efs There was Sheridan
sent to New Orleans with a handful
of men to control all the turbulent
elements Of Louisiana and Texas; to
restore order out of anarchy; to
bring an unwilling people to a sense
of allegiance to our flag and Consti-
tuition and laws; to extend the hand
of protection to the helpless negro,
whom we had emanc; pated, and whom
we had called a freedman, but to
whom we had given no means to
protect his freedom or his franchise;
! obliged to shelter from persecution
and tyranny and outrage the 10 al
whites; compelled to afford security
to Northern capitalists who had gone
down there in the confidence that an
American citizen presumes he may
always feel that wherever he goes, at
least within our territory, the hand
of power, whether civil or military,
will always be exerted and held over
him to protect him from outrage.
Sheridan went down TO perform this
difficult, delicate and responsible
task. He was arraigned and dis
missed-for what? Simply for exc
cutting the laws Of the land passed by
the Congress Of the United States,
the representatives of the people.
/ Applause. Did Grant stand upon
any mere question of military ,eti-
! uuette? Not content with personal
| remonstrances, not content with off
cial appeal, he sat down instantly at
his desk, and penned, in words that
will not die, in language doing equal
honor to his intellect as the senti-
ments of his heart-he penned that
glorious remonstrance to the Execu-
tive. appealing to him to do justice to
/ the sense of duty and the well meant
efforts of a faithful soldier, who
has done the State some service,
and to forbear, at least In that case,
from striking down an officer for
obeying and executing the laws of the
land. Cheers And here, my friends,
you see in this narrative, which j do
not intend to make tedious to you,
that | point out to you In every in
stance where his sense of duty would
permit that the General in-Chief of
the army has been as frankly outspo-
ken and unreserved as it was possible
or proper or becoming for an officer
in his position to be. [Cheers.l No
man Is in doubt as to the sentiments
/ of Gen. Grant upon the great ques-
I tioGs now before the country unless
the man wants to be. [App,ause.l An
/ ignorance upon a matter so pain and
/ so easily ascertained and understood
would, | think, exclu le any such man
from the exercise Of tn ballot if he had
an educational qualification. Laugh
teri To proceed The next time
Gen. Grant was called to a civil "a
ton he was appointed Secretary of
War a99ieterim And here, it seems
to me, he has furnished an answer to
those who had such great anxiety that
his merely military education had not
given him the Necessary experience
and qualifications for civil Office. You
will find many well meaning gen
tlemen who have the gravest
doubts whether Gen. Grant would