Year: 1865

tons Of the country as guaranteed by the Con-


stitutiOn, bat above all things l was for the
| uslon of the States. remember the .auuts, the
| slsrs, the scowls with which was treated.


remember the circle that stood around me, and


remember the threats and intimidations that


were freely uttered by the men who opposed me,
/ and whom / wanted to befriend and guide by


the light that led me; but feeling conscious in


my own integrity, and that was right, heed


ed not what they might say or do TO me, and


was inspired and encouraged to do my duty re-


gArdless Of Aught else, and have lived to see the


realization Of my predictions, and the fatal er-


ror Of those whom vainly essAyed to save


from the results could not but foresee. GEN


tlsmen, We have passed through this rebellion.
say we, for it is we who are responsible for it.


Yes, the South made the issue, and know the


the nature of the Southern people well enough


to know that when they have become'convinced


of an error they frankly acknowledge it, in


manly, open, and direct manner; and now, in


the performance of that duty, or, indeed, in any


act they undertake to perform, they do it hear


tily and frankly; and now that they come to me,
| | understand them as saying that "We made


the issue, we set up the Union of the States


against the institution Of slavery; VIC selected as


arbiter the God of battles; the arbitrament was


the sword. The issue was fairly and honorably


met Both the questions presented have been


settled against <us, and we are prepared to ac-


cept the issue" find on all sides this spirit


of candor and honor prevailing. 1t is said by


all: "The issue was ours, and7th judgment


has been given against us; and the decision hav-
| ing been made against us, we feel bound in


honor to abide the arbitrament. In doing this


we are doing ourselves no dlshonor, and should
| not feel humilated or degraded, but rather that


we are ennoblng ourselves by our action; and


we should feel that the Government has treated
US magnanimousy and meet the Government
| upon the terms it has so magnanimously prof
fered u.s." So far as | am concerned personally,


| am uninfuenced by any question, whether it


affects the North or the South, the East or the
West. | stand where did of old, battling for
the Constitution and the Union of these United
States. In doing so know l opposed some of
you gentlemen of the South when this doctrine
of secession was being urged upon the country;
and the declaration of your right to break up


the Government and disintegrate the Union was


made. | stand to-day, as have ever Stood


firmly in the opinion that if monopoly contends


against this country, the monopoly must go


down, and the country must go up. Yes, the is


sue was made by the South against the Govern


ment and the Government has triumphed; and


the South true TO her ancient instincts of frank


ness and manly honor, comes forth and express


es her willingness to abide the result of the de-


cision in good faith. While | think that the re-


belhon has been arrested and subdued, and am


happy in the consciousness of duty well per-


FORMED want not only you, but the people of


the world to know that while | dreaded and


feared disintegraton of the States, l am equally


opposed to consolidation or concentration of


power here, under whatever guIse or name; and


If the issue is forced upon US, | shall still en-


deavor to pursue the same efforts to dssuade


from this doctrine of running to extremes. But


| say let the same rules be applied let the Con-


ha L. 81,


thatand the Union of the States be our princi-
pal aim; let it be our hope that the Government


may be perpetual and that the principles of the


Government founded as they are on right and
justice, may be handed down without spot or
blenish to our posterity. As have before re-
marked to you, am gratifed to see SO many of
you here to-day. 1t manifests a spirit | am
pleased to observe. l know it has been said OF
me that my asperities are sharp, that had vim
d:ctive feelings to crafty, and that should not
fail to avail myself of the opportunities that
would present themselves to crafty such des-
plcable feelings. Gentlemen, if my acts will
not speak for me and for themselves, th en- any
professions might now make would be equally
useless. But, gentlemen, if know myself, as
think do, know that am of the Southern
people, and love them and will do all in my
power to restore them to that state of happiness
and prosperity which they enjoyed beforeAthe
madness Of misguided meu in whom they Dad |
rcposed their confidence led them astray to their
own undoing. If there is anything that can be
done on my part, on correct principles-on the |
principles of the Constitution-to promote these |
ends, be assured it shall be done. Let me as
sure you, also, that there is no disposition on
the part ofthe Government to deal harshly with |
the Southern people. There may be speeches
published from various quarters that may
breathe different spirit. Do not let them
trouble or excite you but believe that it s as it


is, the great object of the Government to make
the,Union of these United States more complete
and perfect than ever, and to maintain it on
constitutional principles if possible, more firmly


than it has ever before been. Then why cannot
we all come up to the work in a proper spirit
In OtheT words, let us look to the Constitution.
The issue has been made and decided; then, as
wise men-as men who see right and are deter
mined to follow it as fathers and brothers, and
as men who love their country in this hour Of
trial and suffering-why cannot we come up and
help to settle the questions of the hour and ad-
just them according to the principles of honor
and of justice? The institution of slavery is
gone The former status of the negro had to be |
changed, and we, as wise men, must recognize
SO patent a fact and adapt ourselves to circum-
stances as they surround US. Voices-We are
willing to do so. Yes, sir, we are willing to do
so. believe you are. | believe when your
faith is pledged, when your consent has been
giVen-as have already said, l believe it will
be maintained in good faith, and every pledge
or promise fully carried out. [Cries-It will
All ask or desire of the South or the North,
the East or the West, is to be sustained in ear
rying out the principles of the Constitution. 1t
is not to be denied tina: we have been great suf-
ferers on both sides. Good men have fallen on
both sides, and much misery is being endured as
the necessary results of so gigantic contest
Why, then, cannot we come together, and
around the common altar of our country heal
the wounds that have been made? Deep wounds
have been inflicted. Our country has been
SCARED all over Then why cannot we approach
each other upon principles which are right in
themselves and which will be productive of
good to all? Tie day is not distant when we
shall feel like some family that have had deep
and desperate feud, the various members of
which have come together and compared the
evils and sufferings they have inflicted upon
each other. They had seen the influence of
their error and its result, and, governed by a


generous spirit of conciliation, they lad become


mutally forbearing and forgiying, and returned
to their old habits of fraternal kindness, and be-


come better friends than ever. Then let US