Evening star., 1896-01-11

III SIdQneSS OF neart. The evacuation OF
Petersburg and Richmond. and the sur
render of the principal insurgent army, give
hope of righteous and speedy peace, whose
Joyous expression cannot be restrained. In
the mldst Of thus, however, He from whom
all blessings flow must not be forgotten.
Nor must those whose harder part give US
the cause of rejoicing be overlooked. By
these recent successes the reinaug.,ra rion
OF the national authority-reconstructio
which has had a large share of thought
from the first, is pressed more closely upon
our attention. 1t is fraught with great
difficulty. Unlike a case of war between
Independent nations, there is no authorized
organ for US to treat with-no one man has
authority to give up the rebellion for any
other man. We must simply begin with
and mold from disorganized AMI discordant
elements. Nor is it a small additional en-
Earrassment that We, the loyal people, diff
1er among ourselves as to the mode, man.
ner and measure of reconstruction"
He spoke of his Louisiana plan OF reor-
ganfzation which had been in operation, and
said that it contemplated no right to say
when or whether members should be admit
ted to seats in Congress from such states.
Referring to the question whether the Sc
ceded states were in the Union or out of it,
he said it appeared to him that that ques-
ton had not been, nor yet was, a practical
~ material one, and that any discussion of
ii, while II thus remains practically imma-
terial, could have no effect other than the
mlschievous one Of dividing our friends. AS
yet, whatever it may hereafter become
that question is bad as the basis of a con-
troversy, and good for nothing at all,
merely pernicious abstraction. That il was
agreed that the seeded states, SO called,
were out of their proper practical relation
with the Union, and that the sole object of
the government, civil and military in re-
gard to those states, was to again get them
into that proper practical relation.
He believed that 1t was rot only possi-
ble put, In fact, easieS to do tEis without
deciding or even considering whether these
states have ever been out of the Union
1 ha with
| at home, it would be utterly immaterial
whether they had ever been abroad. That
all should join in doing the acts necessary
TO restoring the proper practical relations
between these states and the Union, and
| that each one could forever after inno-
| Gently indulge his own opinion whether in
| doing the acts he brought the states from
without the Union. or only gave them prop
| er asslstante, they never having been out
| OF 1t. He said he was considering that it
| might be his duty to make scme new an
| rouncement to the people Of the south, and
that he would not fail to act when salts
| ned that that action would be proper.
Booth md Payne Present.
This was the day after the President had
/ returned from Richmond. and that night
there was great gathering Of people in
front Of the White House, for the Presi-
dent had promised to make this speech
| then. In the grounds among that crowd
| and directly in front of the window where
the President was speaking were Booth
and Payne, the assassins, and Booth at
that time tried to persuade Payne to shoot
1 the President while he was in the window.
4 To which Payne said Il will take such
risk" They walked together around the
square. and Booth said to Payne: THAT is
| the last speech he will ever make"
| At that time there was great diversity of
| opinion among the learned men and states
| men Of the north on the question whether
the states, which were in rebellion, under
| nf hxyf fhair lncriS Sl lof
| in the Union or out of it.
At the south, however, there was unan-
| unity Of opinion that admitted of no doubt.
| The people of those states were square on
that question. They were out of the Union
| and fer four years they fought and suffer-
| ed with heroic courage to maintain that
position 1t was revolution, and had they
succeeded two Independent nations would
have been the result.
1t will be seen therefore that President
Lincoln abandoned his plan of using the
Virginia legislature or its members for any
purpose; and that he denied making any
| effort or giving any permission that 1t
| might be used to settle all differences with
| the United States; that the President
| brushed aside the theory whether the Sc
ceded ctates were in or out of the Union;
| that it was immaterial, and could not gov
| ern the question of ecolstruc ton; that it
| would form no part in whatever plan he
| might propose to restore the seeded states
to the Union.
Had President Johnson adhered to this
determination, he did at first commence
under the Secretary's plan, the southern
people woull have been spared all the trou-
bic their leader brought upon them after
the war was over.
If Mr.. Stanton's services in saving this
grand and mighty Union of sta tes were in
! dispenSable, as history will show, il will
also show that he rendered equally i'm
portant services in peace by his mastery
of the colossal problem of reconstruction
At that time neither President Lincoln, nor
President Johnson, nor any member of the
cabinet, but the Secretary of War, seemed
to have any matured plan of what should
be done to restore the southern people to
self-governmenr within the Union. Every
day was increasing the longing of the peo-
pie for peace and orderly government, and
at the moment of the surrender of the con-
| federaie General Johnston at Raleigh, Mr.
Stanton was ready with his plan fol
peaceable government for the south
With his plan for peace he also ad.
Nocated turning over to the states
of the south all the railroads and
rolling stock property of the government
amounting to millions of dollars to helr
the people in their comm ercial intercourse
he opposed President Johnsons desire fol-
!, vindictive treatment of the leaders in re
bellion; and when he called a halt to The
Richmond proceedings for reconstruction
he meant peace to the people of Richmond
A. z. H. JOHNSON.