Year: 1866

was Based but to confirm and establish


them. The one great doctrine which
has been settled by the war is that the


National Union can not and shall not bt
, destroyed by the action of any Of the
States composing it; but its continuance
its modification, or its dissolution, shal
be determined by the whole people acting
} as one nation under the forms 6f the


Federal Constitution. The one great So
cisl change which has been determined


by the same event, is the abolition OF


slavery, the existence of which was


staked upon the success Of the rebellion
of which it was the cause.


These things have been decided in The


dread court OF last resort for peoples and


nations. BY as much as the shooa oil


armed hosts is more grand than the in


tellectual tilt of lawyers; as the Cod Of


battles is more awful judgs than any
earthly court by so much does the dig.
pity OF this contest and the fiRality of this
decision exceed that of any human tribu.
nal. If we have not been right in pledg


ing four lives and our fortunes to save
our country. tnen The blood Of the my
rlads Of heroes who have fallen rest, with


murderous guilt upon our souls, and we
should never consent that the justification
orcondemnstion Of this great people shold
rs,t, now or hereafter, with ahv bench of
Judges, however learned. especially when
each judge must determine his own cause.
Since he must have been for or against
the country in her struggle. There are
some things to which courts of law can
add no sanction. and a nations appeal to
God, when it sezes the sword, IS one Ct
them. We may when necessary, try
individual traitors, and the people of the
United States will appear as prosecutor,
Ibut not as defendant at the bar.


| Being conquerer, the Government has
the undoubled right to impose terms upon
the conquered, but in the statement Of
what should limit and define those terms.
difficulties arise. We are apt indeed. 10
listen with impstencs to Any Limitation
Of our control over those FSh6 are subject
to us. The pleasures of ruership and
the JOY which is felt in the exercise of
power have always appealed with peculiar
force to the iiailtits Of human nature,
and professed Republicans have been IS
subject to temptatiop as other men. In
time Ike this most of us feel the neces.
sitv of checking our Impulses and pas
slons, challenging the motives and the
consistency of our actions, and of fasten.
ing our attention, by effort Of will, upon
principles OF government and of human
rights which have been axioms to us
during the period of the growth of our
institutions and of conflicts between us
and powerful foreign powers However
anwelcome the task Of self-examina-
non, we owe 1t to ourselves to make il
thorough and searching. The ancient
conqueror was accompanied by slave
III his triumphal car, who reminded him
OF his humanity and his weakness we
must act AS our own prompters to moder-
alton or justice, and remind ourselves of
the rules which should control our action,
and of the dangerous tendencies of our
own nature. We need no stimulus to
any thing which runs with the whole
current Of popular impulse and feeling !;
such things will take care of themselves
but no duty can be more important than
that OF stopping occasionally to weigh well
what seems to cross our desires or to
question the direction of our progress.


We have the right, and are in duty
bound, TO insist upon sufficient guaran
tees for the future safety Of the Union J;
but those guarantees must be such rs
shall not be inconsistent with repu6Ii-
can government for those who receive
such security,


Conquest does not rightfully give un-
limited sway over the persons and prop
erty of the conquered, and their right
may be diminished 70 farther than is
Necessary for the public safety.


II it were proven that it would be i'm
possible for US TO live safely, as sharers
OF commor government, with the people
OF any State or community, our repuhli-
canism might force us to consent to sep
araiion. but could not justify us iu hold
ing them as subjects and this proposition
Is true without reference to race or color


representation is not privilege con
ferred upon majorities, but it is most eff
ctent for good when it approaches most
nearly, to giving voice in the Legislature
to all minorities in proportion to their
nt!mber.


1t is better and safer that minority,
however hostile to us in principle. should
be so represented as to be openly heard
and answered, than that it should have
the advantage Of winning the sympathy
and gaining partisans by making Issue
upon the Question of the representation
instead of upon the falsity ofits obnoxious
principles. nt


Military government is in its very Ca
sense desposism, and any long conlinu
ance of it after the cessation of armed re-
slstahce is contrary to. and confession
of the failure Of, republicanism.


These and many similar general max