The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-19

L
not add to the credit whica has procured his cleo
his s rsqs as % fss wen
they are mstured but have not yet t the first touch
Of decay HIS career II the army has been continu.
aueny serSsd through ana
%Som Grant
present at the capture OF Mexico In the late civil
war his nrst post It win be remembered, was In
regiment Of Illinois volunteers. Il was nom
the West that the nrst hopes Of Northern
Tennessee were Of the highest Importance and the
captures Of Fort Henry and Port Doneison with seve
among the first heavy blows which the federss dealt
against their adyersaries The successful campaign Of
ms ~ Aisr with
under Johnston and then under Pemberton, and In
vested vicksburg the great Confederate stronghold
May but on the 4th OF July the place surrendered
after long siege, and the power OF the confederacy
command Of the army in Virginia are too wen known
to require recaptuaton. Though worsted more
than once Ike the other Northern generals, by the
made judcious use OF the boundless resources the
North possessed and In the end prevailed over the
Scanty and iiLsupplied forces OF General Lee.
Since the war ne has by general consent behaved
with judgment and moderation. At first 1t was be-
ieyed that he inclined to the views OF the Presidents
but as Mr.. Johnson went more and more nopelessly
into opposition TO Congress and to the dominant
public sentiment, General Grant ranged himself on
the side OF the majority, which trusted him with the
most extensive powers. Yet there is nothing in his
past career which prevents him from exercising q
large discretion and appearing In the character Of
mediator rather than that OF a conqueror To the
main policy OF the republican party he Is bound in
honor to be faithful and indeed any other course
power The national decision on this point Is unmis
taxable and irreversible and VIII probably be &C
Gratis and the South. But there are wide limits In
which man OF Judgment and good feeling can show
s ~ fa ~ aeag d w'i this sae Two
Wish the new Precedent wise discretion and better
success than his predecessor has attained.
The Anerican Minister and Negyo Emancipa-
ton.
On the afternoon OF the 9th inst. deputaton from
the National Freedmen5 Aid Union Of Great Britain
and Ireland waited upon his EXcellency the Hon.
Reverdy Johnson, American Minister to the Court Of
st. James, at his residence In Portland place, In re-
ation to che closing efforts Of the association on be-
half OF the liberated slaves in America. The deega-
ton was assisted by a number Of gentlemen well
known in political, diplomatic and philanthropic
circles After the members OF the delegation were
introduced address was presented TO the Minister
Mr.. Reyerdy Johnson in reply spoke as folloWs:-
GENTLEMEN-I heartily thank you for the kind
words you have spoken to myself and more espec-
country represent In the address which you
fer 1 to g. many topics Incident to the
great subject in which we are SO deeply interested,
that It would require from me speech Of one or
taxing your patience too much You WILL therefore,
am sure, be satisfied II refer to them in general
terms. Slavery is wholly inconsistent with the hap
piness Of its victims and with the happiness OF those
to whom slaves belong lHear, hear.) 1t has no
IN morals Il mas no 10 hs CHRIS
excellent and worthy to live. The slave can hardly
be said to be half man. II his body does not dwlndle
,,i,1. lsyiv, hto hnN 10fn
| becomes ossined, and the same influence is
brought more or less njuriously to bear upon his
moral state. Such Is the case III all countries where
there are two classes-one OF servitude and one Of
| masters over bOndmen. There are men VINO tower
above the obstacles OF their situation, and improve
| their minds to the utmost, but for the most part
| slavery brings them almost to level in point OF
| morality and intelligence. (Hear, hearl think l
am not mistaken in saying that but for the inven-
ton OF the cotton gin, slavery would have been
| abolished without the occurrence OF that dire
calamity through which we have just passed. But
! by the cotton manufacturer, gave to the
labor Of the slave value which it did
think that his real wealth lay not III the acres,
which belonged to him, but In the muscle OF
| the men employed on them. When it became EVIL
dent after the election OF our late martyred Presl-
dent Lincon-(hear hear,-hat the institution would
be brought into serious por, that 1t might IN the
end be entirely destroyed the masters OF the South
| did what. perhaps, they may have thought they
| had constitutional right to do-seceded from the
the purpose OF perpetuating slavery and establish
/ ing a government, calling itself "free,n having
slavery its foundation-a rotten, worthless founda
| was certain to eat away the structure (Hear,
hear.) They raised their arms therefore, against
| the authority OF the government for the pur-
pose OF perpetuating the institution Of slavery.
But God in his providence so directed the blow
ended In its destruction lIear hear.) And, gentle
men. oy no other means which man now can imag-
way THAT in process OF time and as Christian civil.
lization advanced its destruction was inevitable,
never doubted; but Its instant destruction, that de-
structOn which made my country free, and removed
from it its only blo-that destruction was say,
Complished by the instrument designed to perpetu-
ate It. Gentlemen, you can hardly realize the sad
ness OF he struggle. CLEAR, hear) To read OF II
gives you but little knowledge OF its actual results.
| Travel through the South ,and some present, am
glad to know, have done SOL and you will see the
| desolation OF the homes OF the Southern people;
| you win see the badges OF mourning which
| are to be found In every household, and see
| mild and refined women obliged to resort TO
the most mental labor for the purpose OF supporting
themselves ana their children And then, after hav
ing done that, look at the graves. lear, hear.)
| Look at the thousands or graves which are TO be
found IN every southern State-thank God none are
to be found in any Northern State for there the
hardly reached 1t Is due to my country TO ask you
| to remember and in your minds eye to look at the
honor which IL has done to Its patriotic dead Gene
terry after cemetery has been established ut great
cost and labor. on the tombstones OF which are
corded wherever they could be traced the names OF
the patriotic dead ana there is In those cemeteries
also recorded the TRUTH that republic founded upon
freedom never fails to remember the services OF its
\ uclcuucis. tucsiI, hcot.l iOu VIII du aiso ouit,
permit me to say that hope you have not forgotten
| that we were the first among nations to make the
prosecution OF tho African slave trade crime pun
fshable by death.
hope also that you have not forgotten that in the
| Declaration Of independence which proclaimed 1t
as the purpose Of fathers to separate themselves
forever from the mother country-0f whose acts they
thought they had constitutional right to complain
they declared that man possessed certain inalienRbe
rights and among them were the rights OF life lb-
erty and to pursue, wherever he might think f an
| honest avocation. 1t could not therefore, have
| been doubted that government so commencing Its
history could not exist long without casting out
every institution which interfered With the life,
| the liberty and happiness OF man. What has
| been done, and what Is now our condition,
repeat, has been done and is now because
| OF a design that 1t never should be done, and
because Of design to perpetuate slavery as long
/ as possible. You, sir ito Mr. Briscoe) AZ well az
| Others have mentioned the name OF wilberforce.
l can remember, when q boy, the great delight that
took In reading the speeches OF that distinguished
man. and IN hearing OF the perseyering, noble and