Year: 1874




In December, 1865, report was read in
Congress on the condition of the Southern
States, the disposition evinced by the citizens
recently in rebellion and the most advisable
manner of treating them. The document in
question was generous in spirit, conciliatory
toward the South and statesmanlike in it's
propositions. It's author said:-'1 am salts
fed that the mass of thinking men Of the
South accept the present situation of affairs in
good faith. The questions that have hitherto
divided the sentiments of the people of the
two sections-slavery and State rights, or
the right of State to secede from the
Union-they regard as having been settled
forever by the highest tribunal-arms-that
man can appeal to. I was pleased to learn
from the leading men whom / met that they
not only accept the decision arrived at as
final, but now the smoke Of battle has cleared
away, and time has been given for reflection,
believe that this decision has been fortunate
one for the whole country" The disorder re-
sulting from four years of war had rendered it
desirable that the military forces of the
United States should not be wholly with
drawn from the South at that time, notwith-
standing the loyal disposition manifested by
the leading citizens; but the author of the
report was careful to advise that as few fed
eral soldiers as possible should be stationed in
the Southern States, and that they should all be
white troops. "The presence of black troops,
lately slaves" he said, "demoralizes labor
II. liz 1>xx
their camps a resort for the freedmen for long
distances around" His sound common sense
enabled him to see that the danger to the
future peace of the Southern States lay in the
ignorance of the late slave population and in
the "beief widely spread among the freed
men" by the agents of the Freedman's
Bureau s'that the lands Of their former own
ers would, at least in part, be divided among
them" He therefore urged the policy of
leaving the negroes to the care of their white
fellow citizens, who would give them good
counsel lit cannot be expected" he said,
'that the opinions held by men at the
South for years can be changed in O
day." but his predictions for the future were
nevertheless thus hopefully expressed: "My
observations lead me to the conclusion that
the citizens of the Southern States are anxious
to return to selt-government within the Union
as soon as possible; that while reconstructing
they want and require protection from the
government that they are ready to take any
course required by the government that is not
humiliating to them as citizens, and if such
course were pointed out they would pursue it
in good faith.


This report was received with appreciation
by the people. 1t struck generous chord to
which the heart of the nation responded. 1t
held in check for time the carpet-bag plum
derers whose fingers were already itching for
the rich spoils of political reconstruction. Its
influence was great and deservedly so; for it
bore the signature of General Grant, the soldier
who had subdued the rebellion and saved the
Union. May not the lessons it taught and
the spirit it breathed be advantageously studied
by President Grant in his treatment of the
Southern people at the present time?