Year: 1865

of our institutions leads to it peculiar


Importance. I should be most happy
to meet with YOU now, and exchange


congratulations on the magnificent


success with which our Government has
passed through its last and. greatest


trial It is q subject upon which re-


feet with increasing wonder and adml-
ration. The amazing resources With
which the war has been prosecu-
| ted, the giant rebellion which
has been utterly pFostrated, the pro


eress that has been at the same time
made in developing the wealth, tk9 in
J telleet, the taste ofour people, and ia diff
fusing therefnement, cultivation and
luxury that attend peace, are striking


and extraordinary But there are Tea


lures in the history of our past four


years more peculiar and unprecedent-


ed The perfect order that has


prevailed in most of the loyal States


while this attempted revolution was IN


process of execution, the cheerful ODE


dience to law, and submission to acts
| of more than doubtful constitutionahty;


the enormous contributions of men and


money to sustain rulers who we're held


to be the choice of majority of the


people, in contest which might have


teen avoided; which was prosecuted in
amode open to Just censure, and pro


tracted far beyond the necf fssities which
occasioned teach and MI of these


are American characteristics, that de


note the wisdom and patriotism with


which our institutions are saved under


circumstances of the greatest embar-


easements and discouragements.


Think, too, Of the conduct of our peo-
ple on the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln.


A similar event in France, or any Euro
pean monarchy. would have upset the
Government Here power passed as
naturally and TRANQUILITY to his consti-
| tutional successor as if he had been
first elected to the Presidency on the
expiration Of Mr.. Lincoln's official term.


Not mob, nor riot nor a disturb
ance occurred Military heroes, with
whom the country then abounded, and
who engrossed the affections OF their
fellow-citizens more deeply and honor
ably than was ever before known, in
stead of planning, as elsewhere, their
own accession to power, gave all their
thoughts and efforts to the establish
ment of the Vice Presidents authority,
in tranquility and peace. The Govern
ment's credit which abroad, on ike
occurrence, would have received a
shock from which it would with diff |
fculty rally, was actuallystrengthened. |
United States stocks were IN greater |
demand the day after the atrociOus /
crime that removed our Chief Magis
trate, than they had ever before been.


1t is Affections like these that press !
upon the mind, as the day approaches
when we are in the habit Of rejoicing at /
the establishment of our Government,
and dwelling with honest pride upon
its comparative excellence.


I And now let us turn for few mo
ments from our glorious past to the |
anxious present and momentOus tu- /
ture, and let us confer more particular
" as Democrats as to our wisest course
Much is now and has often before been
said about the reconstruction OF the
Democratic party. Doubtless this
comes from friendly and well-inten-
toned quarters, but | have generally
found that demands of this kind not
unfrequently proceeded from those
who, having taken shelter with our ad-
versaries, during the burden and heat
of past contests, dissatisfied with their
position and perhaps with their share
Of the fruits of our defeat, are ready to
90 in front of the Democratic party in
the march to power, which is so palinly
open to them. All the reconstruction
which, in my my judgment, the Demo
CRITIC party needs is aftrict adherence
to its time-honored principles, and
careful selection of the men who shall
represent them. Our opponents in the
last Presidential canvass united for the
avowed purpose Of putting down there
bellion and abolishing slavery as its al
legged cause These two objects having
been accomplished by their exertions,
or in spite of them, they see and admit
that it is obvious to ali that their union
is at an end, and that the original
elements of their organization will re-
turn to their natural afiinities. 1t
should be our object to attract and not
repel such portions as properly belong
to us. The great question which viii
divide the people of the United States
for some time to come will be how the
Government of the United States shall
deal with the loyal people of the sew
eral States that have attempted to
throw off that Government, and are
not now represented in the Congress of
quiry to the loyal people, because the
treatment of those guilty of treason or
other crimes must depend upon consid-
erations peculiar to each individual,
which il is the business of the courts
and the President to investigate and
dispose Of, and which can never be
come a national or party question. For
instance, a very general discussion Is
now going on as to what shall be done
with Mr. Jefferson Davis. Leading Re-
publicans, such as Henry Ward Beech
er, Gerritt Smith, VIM. Lloyd Garrison
and others, think he should be pardoned
Lord Derby, and other English lords,
who have never heretofore mentioned
the United States except as 8 beacon
10 be Stunned by all who seek for safe
forms of government, not only concur
in this opinion, but affect to trem
BILE with apprehension, lest in our
dealing with this felon We may
leopard our fair fame Democrats
generally, with who1 ! have
conversed, think Mr.. Davis should be
severely punished. / mention this
merely TO show that question like this
is not, aud from necessity, cannot be, q
national or party question. But the
mode in which those who are declared
by the Executive (the constitutional
tribune to determinel to constitute the
several States in rebellion shall be treat
ed, is q great governmental question
which viii be Likely to divide the people
of this country in much the same way
rs they have been divided in the pro-
tracted aad honorable contests which
have distinguished our past political
history. And in regard to this, am
glad to think that the President Of the
United States has laid down the only
true, wise, and constitutional policy-a
policy based upon the principles which
lie st the foundation of our Govern |
ment, and which rejects, with equal
scorn, the suicidal heresy Of secession,
and the destructive theory Of consol-
idation. The loyal people Of the sew
eral States heretofore ia rebellion have
lost, by the war, such property as they
may have had in slaves They would
be wise 70 put the question out Of the
range Of future discussion BY ratifying
the proposed amendment 70 the Con-
stituti0n upon this last act Bat beyond
this they have forfeited no rights. They
have undergone sufferings almost uu-
parslleled, without serious fault on their
part They are entitled now 10 form 3