Year: 1865

ter President Lincoln's return to Wash.
ington from Richmond, the Executive
Department, including the Presiden.
tial Mansion, were illuminated and
covered with transparencies and ma
tional flags. Thousands of persons
focked to the Executive Mansion. The
President, 10 response to . unanimous
call, appeared at the upper window,
and spoke as follows:


We meet this evening not in sorrow,
but in gladness of heart. The evacu.
alton Of Petersburg and Richmend and
the surrender of the principal insur-
gent army give hopes of righteous and
speedy peace, whose joyous express
sion cannot be restrained. In the
midst of this, however, He from whom
all blessings flow must not be forgot
ten. A call for a nations thanksgiv-
ing is being prepared, and will be du-
ly promulgated. Nor must those
whose harder part gives us cause of
rejoicing be overlooked. Their hon
ors must not be pieced out with others.
| myself was near the front, and had
the high pleasure of transmitting much
of the good news to you, but no part
of the honor for the plan or execution
is mine. To Gen. Grant, his skillful
officers and brave men, all belongs.
The gallant navy stood ready, but was
not in reach to take an active part.


BY these recent successes the rein
auguration of national authority and
reconstruction which has had q large
share of thought from the first, is
pressed much more closely upon our
attention. 1t is fraught with great diff
ficuly. Unlike the case of war between
independent nations there is no author
lied organ for us to treat with. No
one man has authority to give up the
rebellion for any other man. We sim
ply must begin and mould from disor-
ganized and discordant elements nor
is it small additional embarrassment
that we loyal people differ among our
selves as to the mode, manner and
measure of reconstruction.


Discussing the reconstruction of the
Union and admission of Louisiana, he
said /:


The amount Of constituency, 80 to
speak, on which the Louisiana Gov
ernment rests would be more satisfac-
tory to all if it contained fifty or sixty
thousand, or even twenty thousand in
stead Of twelve thousand as it does.


1t is also satisfactory to some that
the elective franchise is not given to
the colored man. l would, myself,
prefer that it were now conferred on
the very intelligent, and on those who
serve our cause as soldiers. Still the
question is not whether the Louisiana
government, as it stands, is quite all
that is desirable. The question is,
will it be wiser to take it as it is and
help to improve it or to reject and dis
perse. Can Louisiana be brought into
proper practicable relation with the
Union sooner by sustaining or discard
ing the new government.


These $4,000 persons are thus fully
committed to the Union, to perpetuate
freedom in the State committed TO
the very things and nearly all the
things the nation wants, and they ask
the nations recognition and assistance.
We have rejected and spurned them.
We in fact say to the white man, you
are worthless or worse. We will new
er help you nor be helped by you. To
the blacks we say this cup of liberty
which these your old masters held to
your lips we will dash from you and
leave you to the chances of gathering
the spilled and scattered contents in
some vague and underlined when.
where and how.


If this course, discouraging and
paralyzing both the white and black,
has any tendency to bring Louisiana
into proper practical relations with the
Union, | have SO far been unable to
perceive it.


The colored man, too, in seeing all
united for him is inspirited with vigi-
lance and energy. Grant that he de-
sires the elective franchise, will he not
attain it sooner by saving the already
advanced steps toward it than by run.
ming backward over them? Concede
that the new government of Louisia.
ma is only to what it should be as the
egg to the fowl. We shall sooner


have the fowl by Matching the egg


than by smashing it. Laughter.


Again, if we reject Louisiana we al


so reject our vote in favor Of the pro


posed amendment to the National Con


stitution. 1t may be my duty to make


some new announcement to the people


of the South. l am considering anc


shall not fail to act when satisfied tha


action will be proper