The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-09-03

my knowledge that am much censured
from some supposed agency of mine in
setting up and seeking to sustain the
new State government of Louisiana. In
this have done just so much and no
more than the public knows" He
then gives the history of the plan
which General Banks, the Military Gov
ernor of Louisiana, had during the war,
after consulting the loyal people of the
State upon the Presidents suggestions,
subjected to the action of popular
Convention, and made the basis of q
State constitution to adopt it to the re-
newal of its relations in the Union.
He made suggestions, but no exactions,
and the System of restoration" which
the people of Louisiana adopted, was
lone very proper plan for the loyal peo-
pie OF any State choosing to adopt it,"
Many chose to adopt it, and insist upon
it, with the Wade-Davis plan before
them, as we'll as the Presidents sugges-
tioAs. The government of Louisiana,
thus accommodated by vote of its peo-
pie to meet the results of the war, was
approved by the whole of Mr.. Lincoln's
cabinet, and "whcn the message went
to Congress-" he adds, 81 received many
concentrations of the plan, written
and verbal, and not single objection
to it from any professed emancipationist
came to my knowledge until after the
news reached Washington that the
people of Louisiana had begun to move
in accordance with it,"
Now let me give, in the words of Mr..
Lincoln, what the people had done,
which so affected the little junto at
Washington on the arrival of its news.
"Some twelve thousand voters in the
heretofore slave State of Louisiana have
sworn allegiance to the laws, assumed
to be the rightful political power of the
State, held elections, organized State
government, adopted free csnstitu-
ton, giving the benefit of schools
equally to black and white, and en-
powering the Legislature to confer
the elective franchise upon the
colored man. The Legislature has
voted already to ratify the constitu-
tonal amendment recently passed by
Congress abolishing slavery through
out the nation. These twelve thou.
sand persons are already committed to
the Union and to perpetuate freedom in
the States, committed to the very
things, and nearly all the things, the
nation wants, and they ask the nations
recognition and its assistance to make
good that recognition. Now, if we re-
ject and spurn them, we do our utmost
to disorganize and disperse them"
He contrasts the design of the Radi-
cal faction who had made manifest
their purpose "to disorganize and dis
perse" the Union element, with the
manner in which he and his friends met
the advances of the twelve thousand
voters in louisiana that sought n well
come in the homes of their fathers. To
the men who, like Sumner, Stevens and
the rest, held that the States had COM
mitted suicide, that their constitutions
were tabula rasa, that their people were
foreign subjugated subjects, but who
vet agreed with him in the idea "that
the sole object of the Government, civil
and military, in regard to these States is
to again get them into their proper
practical relations" in the Union, he
said, 81 believe it is not only possible
but, in fact, easier to do this without
deciding or even considering whether
these states have ever been out of the
Union than with it. Finding them
selves safely at home, it would be ut
terly immaterial whether they had ever
been abroad. Let us all join i'll the acts
necessary to restoring the proper prac-
tical relations between these States and
the Union, and each forever after inno-
Gently indulge his own opinion,
whether in doing the acts he brought
the States from without into the Union,
or only gave them proper assistance,
they never having been out of it,"
His doctrine was "they never had
been out" or could go out, or be put
out; but, as q practical man, he was
willing to put that question aside; all
he asked of those who assumed to be
real Union men was "prOper assist
ance" in bringing about that Union.
He wanted them to prove their faith by
atfording proper assistance to Loulsl-
ana. ave 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
complete success. The colored man,
too, all united for him, is inspired with
vigilance and energy, and doing to the
same end. Grant that he desires the
elective franchise, will he not attain it
sooner by saving the already advanced
steps towards it, than by running back
ward over themi Concede that the new
government of Louisiana is only to
what it should be, as is the egg to the
fowl; we shall sooner have the fowl by
Matching it, than by smashing it,"
The last business hours Ofhis life was
given to this engrossing subject OF
bringing the States to embrace each
other. On the 14th of April, three days
after his speech that may be called his
legacy to his countrymen, and just be-
fore he went to the theatre, he had a
cabinet meeting on the policy he had
IN conjunction with the people of the
South, devised to make the pacification
perfect. His biographer, Mr.. Barret,
formerly the head Of the Pension OF.
flee, and who seems to have been on in
innate terms with him), says: cat the
meeting of the cabinet, lith April, he
was in unusually bouyant spirits; his re.
naming labors evidently seemed light
| CT Iudu cNCI
NOR was noticed by his friends" He
then quotes Secretary Stanton's des-
patch, thus: "April Il. At cabinet
meeting at which General Grant
was present, to-day, the subject
of the States and the prospect Of
speedy peace was discussed. The Pres,
ident was very cheerful aud hopeful
spoke very kindly of General Lee and
Others of the Confederacy, and the es
tablishment of government in Vir
ginia."
This is very significant from Mr.
Stanton, for the Presidents nearest
friends had made it knswn, soon aftel
his death, that he had observed thai
his Secretary of War bad been intimate
before the election with those hostile
with his policy, to which Mr.. Stanton
by his despatch would seem again to
give in his adhesion. General Grant,
presence, too, at this Cabinet, called t.
discuss Virginia's establishment in her
relations with the Union, identifies hin
with the Presidents labors for that pur
pose. General Grant and Mr.. Stanton
Iof l.. -,