The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-20


~ - 80
j Reeonssrti ct,, on--lPresident Lincoln
PIan-spcech sps Hon, Frederieis u
Seward fin the Asa emily. ,tu, -,
We give below the 81. eech Of Hon, Fred
rick W.Seward In the Ne, ORR State Al
sembly Thursday on the Lo. l.slana .resoit
tons. In publishing it the Al, 'anS Jou',nc
says that Mr.. Seward gives the trst publ
and full account Of q most interesting an
historical event---the plan Of recoustrL cno
tagreeu upon at meeting Of President LIN
coins Cabinet on the very day Of the presi
dents assassination. In the illness of hi:
father Mfr. Seward was himself present OF
that occasion as the representative of the
State Department, and participated In the
| council. Mr.. Seward spoke asfolloWs:
The questions about Louisiana are not new
ones. On the contrary, they are very old
ones. They arose Immediately upon the
close Of the war. On the morning of the
14th of April, 1866, when Richmondand Pc.
tersburg had fallen, and Sherman was bold.
ing Johnson's army at bay, everything beio.
keped that peace was at hand. President
Lincoln called Cabinet meeting at the Elk.
ecutive mansion, and invited to participate in
rendered. at Appomattox. at such a
meeting, in such time, there could be
but one question, and that a question OF
transcendant importance-the question of re.
construction, restoration, or establishment
of the seeded States in their former relations
as members of the Federal Union. The
conference was long and earnest, with little
diversity Of opinion, except as to details.
nra Of M 81 ha
who should be recognized as State authori-
gina. There were military Governors in
Legislatures were, for the most part, avow.
allowed to continue until they committed
some new overt act OF hostility; whether
the Governors should be requested
to order new elections; whether such
elections should be ordered by the General
Governmental these were questions
raised. Among many similar expressions OF
the President. in that terse and homely mode
of speech, the memory of which still fingers
pleasantly in the hearts of the American peo-
Die, he said: ave can't undertake to run
State Governments in all these southern
States. Their people must do that, though
[ reckon at first they may do it badly" The
Secretary of War, Mr.. Stanton, produced
some sheets of paper on which he had
drafted the outlines of a plan Of recon-
struction, embodying the Presidents
views, and, as ! understood, those OF
most of the other members of the Cabinet.
In substance it was that the Treasury De-
partment should take possession of the GUS
tom.houses, and proceed to collect the reve-
nues that the War Department should gar
risOn or destroy the forts, take possession Of
arms and munitions, and maintain the public
peace; that the Navy Department should in
like manner occupy the harbors, take pos
session of nary-yards, ships, and ordnance;
that the Interior Department should send
out its surveyors, land, pension, and
Indian agents, and set them at work;
that the Postmastcr-G General should re-
open his post.ofhces and establish his
mail routes; that the Acknowledgement
should look after the establishment Of the
Federal courts, with their judges, marsbals,
and attorneys ; in short, that the machinery
Of the United States Government should be
set in motion, that its laws should be faith
fully executed and vigorously enforced, and
that everything like domestic violence or in.
surrection should be repressed; but the pub
lie authorities and private citizens should
remain unmolested, if not found in actual
hostility to the Government of the Union.
In word, it was plan based upon the Con-
stltution of the United States.
That hight Abraham Lincoln passed from
earth. Through the madness of an assassin
the southern people lost a enient judge,
Just and generous friend. The plan for their
peace and safety, upon which the morning
Of !, hn1 hppn
taken up by his successor but the embit-
tered public feeling which followed bis MUIR
der rendered both Congress and the people
far less ready to acquiesce in its adoption.
From that time to this the efforts that have
been made to carry it out have met with an
amount of opposition and q degree of
success and failure that are now
among the familiar facts of history.
still think that this first plan for
the reconstruction of the southern States
was the best and wisest one of all. 1t would
have been fortunate for the South and the
Union if it had been adopted then. 1t will
be fortunate for the South and the Union if
it shall be adopted now. But it is not to be
accomplished by mere Remuneration of what
is or has been done wrong. 1t is not enough
to denounce the wrong; it is necessary to
Uuu Out anu uppfJ IIS 1SAiSNJ' wv
remedy is not now within the power
of political parties or of public meet
ings. 1t is not within our power
on this floor. 1t is not even within
the power of the President. 1t is only within
the power of the people of the United States
through their representatives in Congress
assembled. 1t is right and proper, therefore,
that our resolutions should be addressed to
them, invoking their prompt and patriotic
action. And what is the remedy? You
have it in the pending resolutions congress
Sonal action to define and enforce the
faithful adherence of all concerned to
the respective duties therein enumerated
and prescribed by the Constitution of the
United States. In the case under discus
sion the presence and aid of Federal military
force seems to have been solicited by both
parties to 3 State legislative controversy.
Clearly condition OF affairs so anomalous
and so extraordinary is one requiring early
congressional attention, to declare what are
the respective rights, duties, and obligations
in Louisiana today, of soldiers and of citi-
Zens.
The Arkansas Troubles.
The following is q full SYNOPSIS of the tes-