Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-24
ON REGIONS fRUcTIOE.

Tit bravest Of the brave.
LINCOLN ON REGIONS fRUCTI0K.
The papers heretofore contributed to
the Galaxy magazine by Hon. Gideon
Wellss, ex-secretaryo Of the navy, have
been, says the st. Louis Republican
extremely valuable in a historical
point Of view; throwing, as they do,
much light upon some OF the most
important movements of the war, and
showing precisely where the credit OF
the blame of success or failure belongs.
Based not alone on personal recollec,
tiODs, but on memoranda made at the
time the events occurred, and also on
private official documents never before
published, these papers present an ar
ray of plain facts which cannot be dis
prOved-and, so far as we are
aware, there has been no at
tempt to do so. In short, the
contributions of MI. WelleS are
in the best and truest sense of the
word, reliable history. In the latest
article, which appears in the Galaxy
for April, he passes from military and
naval operations TO the more peaceful,
but infinitely more important, do
main of politics, giving us a clear in
/ sight into the views of President Lin
/ coin concerning reconstruction, and
the discussions Of the cabinet there
upon, Immediately before and after
his death. AS this subject has been
the theme Of much debate in public
and private circles, and as this is the
first authoritative revelation regard
ing it which has ever appeared in
print, we propose to reproduce a few
OF the leading features, asking for
them the careful attention of our read
ers. After abiding tc Mr.. Lincoln's
! connection with the Wing party, and
his chivalric devotion to Henry Clay,
MI. Welles says:
Time, reflection and maturer years tenn
pered his enthusiasm and modified his feel
logs. He did not wholly %relinqulsh his party
obligations, but investigation, discussion and
responsibility had wrought a change In his
views. Aside from personal admiration OF
the eloquent Wing champia n, which fingered
in his mind a pleasant remembrance, and
apart from association which begets attach
ment, Mr.. Lincola, in his later years, retained
but little zeal for Wing doctrines. When
elected, nd during his administration, he
was sincerely a consctentiously in feeling
and principle, a Fea eral Republican, a friend
Of State rights, and in his general views an
opponent of Onsolidation Observation and
experience made him less a centralist and
more a SJate-rights Republican than he had
been in his earlier years If the ~exigencieso of
the war impelled him to exercise extraOrdis
nary and sometimes doubtful powers he Ia
mented The necessity, and became more and
more IN admirer of our federattve system,
and in his convictions an earnest eonstitu-
tionalist.
When II became evident that the
var vas drawing to q close, Mr.. Lin
coins anxiety in regard to the condi-
ton and treatment of the South natur-
ally increased, and he was continually
talking about the matter to members
OF the cabinet, in and out of session.
He dreaded and deprecated violent and re-
vengeful feelings, or any malevolent demon /
STATIONS toward those ofour countrymen who
were involved, voluntarily or -involuntarily,
in the rebellion, The leaders, he believed.
would fee the country when hey became sat
isded their cause was hopeless. He often ex-
pressed a wish that they might be facilitated
In their escape, and no enu efforts made |
to prevent their egreSs. . " q His great OBJ |
Ject was clemency to the rebels and peace to
the country. " " " I have reason to suppose /
that in interviews with Generals Grant and |
Sherman he had en1oined upon them the con- |
cesslon of liberal terms to the rebels on the |
first indication OF a disposition TO yield and
ABANDON the contest. 10 these merciful and
considerate views of the President may be |
attributed the liberal terms extended by the |
COA4hOAAA6 60ANAoA1 ~ 1CC anu 1OAuAAOAs 4
Each of our generals was impressed with the /
generous and patriotic designs OF the i
president, whose earnest, deepest wish was
peace to the people, an early restoration of
the national union, and the establishment |
of the States and people in all their original, /
reserved and undOubted rights, on terms OF /
equality and Justtos,
After the surrender of Lee came the
proclamation or order of General
Weitzel converting the Virginia legis-
I,A,wo -1Ls1A did nnf r1nnk L. o1.I,,I /
approval Of the majority of the cabi-
net. MI. Welles stated his objections
to the president in q private CONVEX
sation, and the ideas OF the latter are
set forth as follows:
He said his object and intentions were to
effect a reconciliation as soon as possible, and
should not sickle about forms, provided he
could attain the desired result; that he
thought IT best TO meet the rebels as men, fell
low-countrymen, who were reasonable and
and had rights which we were
and disposed TO respect. They had
been in error, had appealed 10 arms, and, after
having fought well, were beaten and humbled.
o . Q He had, he said, no Thought of treating |
the rebel Virginia representatives as a legal
real legislature but the persons
that body were leading men in
their respective counties, each of whom had a
local influence, which he thought should De
made available in. this critical transition
state, in the interest of peace and the Union.
was surprised thai his object and the
movement 1aQ De6n SO generally mSScOn- |
strued, and under the circumstances, perhaps,
t was best the proceeding should be aban-
State action in the interest Of peace
was, however, in Itself dts1ntegration and de-
5~truction to the Confederaey- He thought it
should be encouraged, and was, 1 perceived,
disappointed that his friends opposed the
measure, and that !, always recognized by
lim as a State rights Union man, had not IA
yored 1t.
a cabinet meeting was held on the
afternoon of the 14th of April, a few
hours before the president fell by the
hands OF an assassin. At that time,
while discussing plans for the reorgan.
of the South, Mr.. Lincoln ex-
pressed himself as follows:
he thought it pr~ovidentiaI that this great
llion was crushed just as congress had
adjourned, and there were none Of the disturb !
elements of that body 10 hinder and en-
1arrass us. II we were wise and discreet, we
,hould reanimatet the States and get their gov }
,rnments in successful operation, with order
prevailing and the Union re-estab1shed be- )
ore congress- came together In December, :
Wis he thought important. We could do bet )
81. more wtthoutthan with them. !
here were men IN congress h II their mo-
ives were coed, were nevertheless 1mpractt-
able. and who possessed feelings OF haze and 6
fnaictiveness IN which ne didn otsympethizs
nd could not participate. He hoped there :
gould be no persecution, no bloody work after &
he war was over. None neeo e1pect tnat ne E
nose men. even the worst Of them Brighten ,
hem out Of the country, open the gates, let .
nwn the bars scare them on, said he, throw
ng up bis hands IS Il soaring sneep; \
OF our very good friends 10 be masters, to D
nferfere with and dictate 70 those States, to =
reat ne people not a. fellow-citizenss there =
100 lftsls respect f0E thsis rights AZ did ]