Year: 1867

dered to the South Dy the votes OF tWo'
thirds of the Representatives Of the peo-
pie. 1t was ratified by three-fourths of
the loyal States that put down the rebel
lion. 1t was rejected by the South, and
they rue it now and repent it. But SO it
was it was rejected. It was denounced
by the Executive and his Cabinet; but it
was sustained, recommended and indors-
ed by Grant. loud cheering.)


What next? Congress, bound by
public opinion, bound by sense of
duty, was driven to one of three alterna-


tives: Either to yield to the Southern
demand that the rebel States should be
entirely relinquished to the unrestricted
control of those who not only seeded,
but those who originated and led the re-
bellion; or, secondly, that they must
have the Southern States that had been
the theater Of war indefinitely under
military government The third alter


native was, that Congress itself should
assume the responsibility, and take the


initiative of passing an enabling act, by


which society and government could be


again organized in those States where


the rebellion had produced anarchy, and


thus give to the people there the means


of protecting themselves, and giving to


he loyal States of the Union perpetual


guarantee for the allegiance and loyalty


of the rebel States. [Applause. You


have seen under what embarrassment


and difficulties, resulting from many


sources, that plan of reconstruction has


been conducted, but you have seen this,


also, that while it has encountered the


almost irresistible power, patronage and


influence of the Executive, it has never


for moment lacked the steady, loyal,


faithful support of the General in Chief


of the armies. Cheers. Passing any


reference to myself. except to take this


occasion to express my appreciation and


gratitude for the support SO steadily


given me while in command of the Car


olinas, amid all the trying difficulties of


that position. let me, for illustration of


what l have just said, point you to the


manly, soldierlike, true friendship and


devotion to duty manifested in the strug-


gle made by the gallant Sheridan.


Loud cheering and waving of hats and
handkerchiefs. There was Sheridan
sent to New Orleans with hand full of
men to control all the turbulent ele-
ments of Louisiana and Texas; to re-
store order out of anarchy to bring an
unwilling people to sense of allegiance
to our flag and Constitution and laws to
extend the hand of protection to the
helpless negro, whom we had emancipa-
ted and whom we had called freedman,
but whom we had given him no means
to protect his freedom or his franchise;
obliged to shelter from persecution and
tyranny and outrage the loyal whites;
compelled to afford security to Northern
capitalists who had gone down there in
the confidence that an American citizen
presumes he may always feel that where
ever he goes, at least within our terri
tory, the hand of power, whether civil or
military, will always be exerted and
held over him to protect him from out
rage. Sheridan went down to perform
this difficult, delicate and responsible
tax He was arraigned and dismissed
for what? Simply for executing the
laws of the land passed by the Congress
of the United States, the representatives
of the people [Applause.] Did Grant
stand upon any mere question of military
etiquette? Not content with personal
not content with official
appeal, he sat down instantly at his desk,
and penned, in words that will not die,
in language doing equal honor to his
intellect and the sentiments of his heart
he penned that glorious remonstrance
to the Executive, appealing to him to do
justice to the sense of duty and the well
meant efforts of faithful soldier, who
had done the State some service, and to
forbear, at least in that case, from strik-
ing down an officer for obeying and exc
cutting the laws of the land. Cheers.
And here, my friends, you see in this
which do not intend to make
tedious to you, that point out to you in
every insta ance where his sense of duty |
would permit that the General in Chief
Of the army has been as frankly out
spoken snd unreserved as it was possible |
Dr. proper or becoming for an officer in
lis position to be. lCheers.l No man
8 in doubt as to the sentiments of Gen.
Grant upon the great questions now be-
ore the country unless the man wants to
De. Applause.] An ignorance upon a
natter so plain and SO easily ascertained
nd understood would, / think, exclude


my such man from the exercise of the