The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-11-30
auxPUBLIsHEB Ms"


as that of Abraham
Lincoln in the South. OF course
his horrid and seuseless assassination
@rent the veil' through
which the Southern people had during
his life regarded him; and predispos-
ed them to kindlier estimation of his
career. But, far beyond this influence,
he has continued to grow in their
thoughts until now he is held as
statesman profound and far seeing as
Jefferson; as a patriot as pure as
Washington; as a leader strong and
courageous in his convictions of right |
as jackson; SO full of gentlencss and
kindliness for humanity, SO free from
malice aud ill-will toward men, that
metaphor fails. And yet all this might |
have been truthfully said a month
since; before the revealing of an act
which, circumstance, time, surround
ing, the historical situation all consid-
cred, proves every comparison which
we have drawn to be but simple, If not
scant, justice. In February 1868
when the cenfederacy was at Its last
gasp, the death rattle sounding in the
hearing of all men, when the air
around the Capital was lurid with the
flame and heat of war, quivering with
the anticipation of triumph aud graft
fed hate and revenge in its very grasp
with passion literally ruling the hour,
Que man looked beyond tho present,
rose above the prevailing rage and
dared to imperil all the fame and
popularity OF his high career, to
put away every temptation Of per-
sonal ambition. At that time
President Lincoln submitted to his
Cabinet the following message, pub
lished for the first tImo in the Century
for November, which he designed to
send in to Congress:
"FelIow-citizcns of the Senate aud
House Of Representatives ! respect
fully recommend that q joint resolu-
ton, substantially as follows, be adopt
ed, so soon as practicable, by your hon
orable bodies "Resolved by the Sem
ate and House of Representatives Of
the United States Of America in Con-
gress assembled, That the President of
the United States Is hereby empower
cred, ia his discretion, to pay four hun
dred millions Of dollars to the States
of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas. Virginia and West Virginia, In
the manner and ON the conditions fol-
lowing, to-wit: The payment to DO
made in six per cent. Government
bonds, and to be distributed among
said States pro rata OH their respective
slave populations US shown By the Gen.
sus of 1860, and no part of said sum to
be paid unless all resistance to the ma
tional authority shall be abandoned
and cease, OH or before the first day of
April next; aud upsn such abandon
ment and ceasing Of resistance one
half of said sum to be paid, In manner
aforesaid, and the remaining half to be
: paid only upon the amendment Of the
national Constitution recently propos-
by Congress becoming valid law, on
or before the first day of July next, by
the action thereon of the requisite
number of States.'
The adoption of such resolution Is
sought with view to embody it, with
other propositions, in a proclamation
looking to peace and re- union.
| Whereas, jsint resolution has been
, adopted by Congress, in the words
r following, to-wit:
Now therefore l, Abraham Lincoln
!, President of the United States. do pro.
| claim, declare, and make known, tha,
f on the conditions therein stated, the
9 power conferred on the Executive IL
/ and by said joint resolution will b,
a fully exercised; that war will ceas,
< and armies be reduced to basis o
9 peace; that all political offenses vii
a be pardoned; that all property, excep
e slaves, liable to confiscation or forfeit
ure, will be released therefrom, cxcep
In cases of intervening interests o
third parties; and that liberality will
be recommended to Congress upon al
y points not lying within Executive con
8 troll
g The Endorsement of his own hand
+ writing on the manuscript draft of hi
It proposed message records the result o
his appeal aud suggestion;
o "FEBRUARy 8, 1868. To-day thes
/ papers, which explain themselves, wer
:. drawn up and submitted to the Cabi
It net and unanimously disapproved b
}, them-A LINCOLN
g II would appear that there was bu
d little discussion of the proposition
'e The diary Of Secretary Welles give
only brief mention of the importan
q incident, but It reflects the feelin
d which pervaded the Cabinet chamber
le MONDAY, February 6, 1865.
n There was o Cabinet meeting lai
le evening. The President had mature
Ie scheme which be huped would b
'e successful in promoting peace. 1t wa
d proposition for paying the expens
d of the war for two hundred days, {
le four hundred millions to the reb
'e States, to be for the extinguishment Q
s. slavery or for such purpose as I'll
N States were disposed. This, in fe
ts words, was the scheme. 1t did n,
meet with favor. but was dioppe
The earnest desire of the President
conciliate and effect peace was manifes
but there may be such thing as |
al OVERRIDING as to cause distrust or a.
of verse feeling.'
er The statement of Secretary Ushe
O. written many years afterwards fro
as memory, also records the deep feelif
with which the President received Il
n a 4 =