Year: 1866

| offered Dy the peaceful and hafmonl-
GUS change Of rulers of that deepseated
love Of law which is so potent an
element in the system of the United
| States, and in the character of the peo-
pie. The thought of seizing the politi-
cal power never entered Grants brain.
On the other hand, Sherman at once,
readily submitted to the Presidents
condition in his treaty with Johnston.


Many and bitter were the attacks
which had been made on Abraham
Lincoln. The like were now directed
against his successor. Neither his
origin nor his character was spared; his
future policy was denounced before
hand as cruel and sanguinary. Andrew
johnson has given them the most com.
plete of all replies-he has lived them
down. He is now known to the world
as one of the ablest men of the day. Of
humble origin, by perseverance he rose
to be Senator from Tennessee, He op-
posed secession from the beginning,
alone amongst Southern Senators. He
went in person to Tennessee and did
his utmost to keep her from secession.
This courageous and. patriotic conduct
nearly cost him his life. The selection
of Mr.. johnson for Vice-President was
a most wise choice, for he had shown a
rare mixture of courage and ability.
Since his accession to the Presidency
he has discharged the duties of his high
Office and directed the policy Of the
country with frmness, moderation
and tact which prove him to be man
of no ordinary capacity. The work
which Mr.. johnson has had to do has
been of the most difficult and delicate
| kind that of reconstructing the
Union. He has avoided both the dan
/ ger of over moderation and that of over
severity; following course worthy of
an enlightened and free Government,
and presiding, in times of no little
difficulty, oyer the destinies of q
great and q Christian people.
Between the time of his accession and
the next session of Congress, President
] johnson and his Cabinet used every
! lawful means to further the work of
reconstruction. He decreed q general
amnesty, in which persons were exclu-
ded who were possessed Of $50 600 cap
ital This was to oblige such persons
to ask a special pardon, which would
be a promise of renewed allegiance
and an acquiescence in the abolition
of slavery. This able stroke OF policy
succeeded amirably. 1t rehabilitated
Southerners OF influence, and obliged
them personally to confess their
wrong. The Government also estab-
lished throughout the South many
"Ffeedmen's Bu.eaux," TO protect and
aid the negroes. The President has
| tened to name Provisional Governors
in the States recently in revolt Their
duty was to reassure the inhabitants,
and to restore the machinery of Gov
| ernment They called State Conven-
tions, and annulled secession, and rat
! fled the abolition Of slavery. The
/ President decided nothing in regard
to suffrage, believing that to be beyond
his power. This clement policy of the
President in the honr of victory was
further shown by the faot that no life
was forfeited, except those of the Lin
| coin assassins and WiTz. A Southern
| deputation waited on the President to
make known their views on recon
struction. Nothing could be more
| kindly, more dignifed, or more truly
Christian, than the words and bearing
| of the President on that occasion. In
q speech couohed in noble and appro-
pirate language, he expressed his pleas
ure to hear the deputation confess the
errors of the past. He assured them of
his sincere desire to give back to the
South ali its rights. He would adhere
strictly to the Constitution, and make
! It the means to restore the South. His
noble words produced deep impress
sion More than once he was inter
rupted by the emotion of his audience.
| How great the contrast between this
conduct, and those scenes Of bloody
repression which have marked the
triumph of European despots over
their own subjects The policy of Mr..
johnson may be summed up in these
words: "The Constitution In all its
integrity" He had been faithful to it
in the hour of danger be made 1t the
supreme rule of his conduct in the hour
of victory. But he determined to ap~
ply it with all the leniency consistent
with its maintenance Such conduct
was worthy the constitutional chief of
q free Government


The reviewer then proceeds to con-
slider President Iohnson's Message, re-
marking that il emphatically sets forth
the supremacy of the Constitution. he
saws of this document that pregnant
as il is with the wisest, the most mod
crate, and the most enlightened policy,
it concludes by an eloquent panegyric
of the United States and its institu-
tons The words of the President
prove that he would fully maintain the
rights of all the States. The reviewer
quotes extensively from the speech OF
Mr. A. II. Stevens in 1860, in opposl-
ton to the rebellion, and says it needs
no commentary. Both facts and argu-
ments, as reviewed in the Westmin-
ster. prove that love of law and devo-
ton 70 the Constitution are indelible
features of the American charter and
that for them the majority Of the ma
ton is prepared to make the very great
est sacrifices The war once closed,
Constitutional means and principles
have alone guided the Federal Govern
ment in the delicate work of recon
struction. And even these have been
applied with all the leniency compati-
bic with the laws and Just authority of
the Federal Union. The ultimate re-
suit of this conflict proves that free
Is perfectly compatible with strong
government It proves admirably that
order must not be sacrificed to liberty,
nor liberty to order The United States
have thus far set their seal to the all
important truth, that these two great
principles are essentially necessary to
each other, and are vital to the exist
ence of q free and well governed peo-
pie.


This very remarkable essay concludes
with an eloquent and earnest appeal to
the English people to rejoice IN and
sympathize with the prosperity OF
America, and for the prevalence OF
brotherly union between the two great
Anglo-Saxon nations @Such is the
feeling" are nearly its closing words,
Hof Englands toiling millions; and they
are right There is no good reason for
a wretched display Of petty jealousy
between the mother country and her
stalWart SON


The Sixth regiment of West Virginia
cavalry Sunday morning returned TO
Wheeling and went into temporary
quarters preparatory to being mustered