Year: 1866

Adventurous members of this House
have crowded themselves into the presence
of the Executive, and with exquisite deli
cacv assured him that, with their constitu-
encies. they think his plan of restoration
not likely to give success to his adminis>
tration. and that. tfter an uninterrupted
trial Of fseven months his efforts to reorgan>
ise the rebel States and restore them to
the Union must be recognized as failure
Then with profuse protestations of true
friendship. they modcstly ask him to step
quietly to one side. not to lift finger Of
interference, not to open his lips in re-
monstrance while they smash to pieces all
his we'll ordered plans. and kick to the
ground with their vandal feet his almost
completed structure of Union and peace


Sir, this class Of dissatisfied spirits is to
be found in every age. 1t is composed of
boding birds of evil omen. 1t is their
mission to destroy not build up The b,rer
in the trees of the forest. the worm in the
heart ofthe flower, the wolf in the farmers
shcepfold, the tiger in the travellers en-
campmcnt by night, all pursue their trade
Of destruction and mark their career with
ruin. And like these beings il the animal
world, created to destroy, so there are un.
happy members Of the human family. who
never 5eheld the fair and beautiful crea-
tion of anothers wisdom without an IRE
sistible longing to strew the earth with its
broken fragments To them | make no
appeal in behalf of that policy which has
cleared away the wreck OF gigantic internal
war. laid anew the foundations of govern
ment throughout an extent of country
more vast than the most powerful king
doLls of Europe. revived confidence and
hope in the breasts of dcspairing people.
and won for its author the respect and ad
miration of both hemispheres. | make
my appeal to the disintcrested, impartial.
and enlightened masses of the country.
without regard to lines ofparty distinction
the President, and since this Congress
convened thev have beheld their grand
ful6llment. Those wandering stars from
the azure field of the flag, those discon-
tented Plcades that shot sadly from their
spheres, have one by one reillumed their
rays at the great center of light and glory
The whole land wept when the beautiful
heart broken over the pallid face of the
beloved and un,inely dead is not more full
of anguish than were the hearts Of those
who love their fellow man when many of
our most beautiful planets denied the law
of gravitation and struck defantly out up
on orbits Of their own. The sword that
was drawn by all Christian hands. more in
sorrow than in anger, hangs peacefully in


its scabbard on the wall Each section
has its "reminiscences of sublime devotion.
of grief. and OF glory. These are the brave
hearts dearest treasure. and until


Good knights are dust"


they will be hallowed as the devotee hal>
lows the rites of his religion. But peace
under the policy of the Executive is cele
brating ''her victories no less renowned
than war" The shining symbols of the
revolted race are over our heads State
after State, kindly assisted by the patcrnal
hand of the President. comes TO take its
place beneath its ancient coat Of arms
They cluster around these vacant seats
.h.. he. h:,,o SO long invited them in vain
They are welcomed by the President as
lSraePs greatest King vel 'omed the war
like son of Ner, whose standard had waved
twice four years IN rebellion.


Let Congress initiate his example and
mark the opening of the new wear as an
era of perfect reunion and season of
universal joy. "Let oblivion's curtain falr'
upon the doleful tragedies of the past
Bury the animosities of a civil war. Take
no counsel from their baleful whispcrincs.
Hate is the basest principle of human ac-
ton. They who have made laws and rul-
ed natioLs upon motives of vengeance are
the monsters whom all history cheers with
an unbroken voice The long and deadly
proscriptive lists Of Sylla and Marius. II
berius, and Clodius. gave the names of their
victims to the compassion and sympathy
of the world, while an Immortality of in
fanny clngs INCREASINGLY to those who took
private revenge in the name Of the public
good Charity for the errors, the folies.
and the crimes of the whole family of im>
perfect man is the leading virtue in the
breasts Of law givers and rulers. Thoso
=a =-aao nave been gained " rs its sweet, angelic
influences constitute the glory of the firma-
msnt in the annals Of mankind Cyrus.
Scipio, and Washington command the love
and veneration OF ages more by the for
bearauce, magnanmity and clcmency OF
their characters than by the ranown of
their military achievements. The savage
chief may strike his enemy PROSTATE and
powerlcss at his feet 1t is an attribute of
divinity which lifts him up and makes him
a friend. When Pericles paused upon the
opening threshold of eternity and in his
dying moments reviewed the events Of his
great life. he sonsoled his parting spirit
and rested the chief glory of his reign upon
the fact that he had never caused citizen
OF Athens to shed tear From this hour
May this Government dry up the tears of
citizens May no more hearts be wrung
with the gloom of the prison or the anguish
of death May the two sections meet
again as kindred and friends The angel
Of concord will then stir the healing waters
for them both and renewing their glorious
youth together. the future Of the American