history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第4章

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It　was　at　this　pointon　the　great　question　of　Reconstruction；　or　more　properly　of　Restorationthat　the　disagreements　originated　between　the　Executive　and　Congress　which　finally　culminated　in　the　impeachment　of　Mr。　Lincoln's　successor；　and　that　condition　of　strained　relations　was　measurably　intensified　when；　on　the　following　July　4th；　a　bill　was　passed　by　Congress　making　provision　for　the　reorganization　and　admission　of　the　revolted　States　on　the　extreme　lines　indicated　by　the　above　action　of　Congress　and　containing　the　very　extraordinary　provision　that　the　President；　AFTER　OBTAINING　THE　CONSENT　OF　CONGRESS；　shall　recognize　the　State　Government　so　established。　That　measure　was　still　another　and　more　marked　rebuke　by　Congress　to　the　President　for　having　presumed　to　initiate　a　system　of　restoration　without　its　consultation　and　advice。　Naturally　Mr。　Lincoln　was　not　in　a　mood　to　meekly　accept　the　rebuke　so　marked　and　manifestly　intended；　and　so　the　bill　not　having　passed　Congress　till　within　the　ten　days　preceding　its　adjournment　allowed　by　the　Constitution　for　its　consideration　by　the　President；　and　as　it　proposed　to　undo　the　work　he　had　done；　he　failed　to　return　it　to　Congress〃pocketed〃　itand　it　therefore　fell。　He　was　not　in　a　mood　to　accept　a　Congressional　rebuke。　He　had　given　careful　study　to　the　duties；　the　responsibilities；　and　the　limitations　of　the　respective　Departments　of；　the　Government；　and　was　not　willing　that　his　judgment　should　be　revised；　or　his　course　censured；　however　indirectly；　by　any　of　its　co…ordinate　branches。

Four　days　after　the　session　had　closed；　he　issued　a　Proclamation　in　which　he　treated　the　bill　merely　as　the　expression　of　an　opinion　by　Congress　as　to　the　best　plan　of　Reconstruction〃which　plan；〃　he　remarked；　〃it　is　now　thought　fit　to　lay　before　the　people　for　their　consideration。〃

He　further　stated　in　this　Proclamation　that　he　had　already　presented　one　plan　of　restoration；　and　that　he　was　〃unprepared　by　a　formal　approval　of　this　bill　to　be　inflexibly　committed　to　any　single　plan　of　restoration；　and　was　unprepared　to　declare　that　the　free　State　Constitutions　and　Governments　already　adopted　and　installed　in　Louisiana　and　Arkansas；　shall　be　set　aside　and　held　for　naught；　thereby　repelling　and　discouraging　the　loyal　citizens　who　have　set　up　the　same　as　to　further　effort；　and　unprepared　to　declare　a　constitutional　competency　in　Congress　to　abolish　slavery　in　the　States；　though　sincerely　hoping　that　a　constitutional　amendment　abolishing　slavery　in　all　the　States　might　be　adopted。〃

While；　with　these　objections；　Mr。　Lincoln　could　not　approve　the　bill；　he　concluded　his　Proclamation　with　these　words：

〃Nevertheless；　I　am　fully　satisfied　with　the　plan　of　restoration　contained　in　the　bill　as　one　very　proper　for　the　loyal　people　of　any　State　choosing　to　adopt　it；　and　I　am　and　at　all　times　shall　be　prepared　to　give　Executive　aid　and　assistance　to　any　such　people　as　soon　as　military　resistance　to　the　United　States　shall　have　been　suppressed　in　any　such　State　and　the　people　thereof　shall　have　sufficiently　returned　to　their　obedience　to　the　Constitution　and　laws　of　the　United　Statesin　which　Military　Governors　will　be　appointed　with　directions　to　proceed　according　to　the　bill。〃

〃It　must　be　frankly　admitted；〃　says　Mr。　Blaine　in　reciting　this　record　in　his　'Thirty　Years　of　Congress；'　that　Mr。　Lincoln's　course　was　in　some　of　its　respects　extraordinary。　It　met　with　almost　unanimous　dissent　on　the　part　of　the　Republican　members；　and　violent　criticism　from　the　more　radical　members　of　both　Houses。　*　*　*　Fortunately；　the　Senators　and　Representatives　had　returned　to　their　States　and　Districts　before　the　Reconstruction　Proclamation　was　issued；　and　found　the　people　united　and　enthusiastic　in　Mr。　Lincoln's　support。〃

In　the　last　speech　Mr。　Lincoln　ever　made；　（April　11th；　1865）　referring　to　the　twelve　thousand　men　who　had　organized　the　Louisiana　Government；　（on　the　one…tenth　basis）　he　said：

〃If　we　now　reject　and　spurn　them；　we　do　our　utmost　to　disorganize　and　disperse　them。　We　say　to　the　white　man；　you　are　worthless；　or　worse。　We　will　neither　help　you　or　be　helped　by　you。　To　the　black　man　we　say；　'this　cup　of　liberty　which　these；　your　old　masters　hold　to　your　lips；　we　will　dash　from　you；　and　leave　you　to　the　chances　of　gathering　the　spilled　and　scattered　contents　IN　SOME　VAGUE　AND　UNDEFINED　WHEN　AND　WHERE　AND　HOW。'　If　this　course；　discouraging　and　paralyzing　to　both　white　and　black；　has　any　tendency　to　bring　Louisiana　into　proper　practical　relations　with　the　Union；　I　have　so　far　been　unable　to　perceive　it。　If；　on　the　contrary；　they　reorganize　and　sustain　the　new　Government　of　Louisiana；　the　converse　of　all　this　is　made　true。　We　encourage　the　hearts　and　nerve　the　arms　of　twelve　thousand　men　to　adhere　to　their　work　and　argue　for　it；　and　proselyte　for　it；　and　fight　for　it；　and　grow　it；　and　ripen　it　to　a　complete　success。　The　colored　man；　too；　in　seeing　all　united　for　him；　is　inspired　with　vigilance　and　with　energy　and　daring　to　the　same　end。　Grant　that　he　desires　the　elective　franchise。　HE　WILL　YET　ATTAIN　IT　SOONER　BY　SAVING　THE　ALREADY　ADVANCED　STEPS　TOWARD　IT　THAN　BY　RUNNING　BACK　OVER　THEM。　Concede　that　the　new　Government　of　Louisiana　is　only　to　what　it　should　be　as　the　egg　to　the　fowl；　we　shall　sooner　have　the　fowl　by　hatching　the　egg　than　by　smashing　it。〃

It　is　manifest　that　Mr。　Lincoln　intuitively　foresaw　the　danger　of　a　great　body　of　the　people　becoming　accustomed　to　government　by　military　power；　and　sought　to　end　it　by　the　speediest　practicable　means。　As　he　expressed　it；　〃We　must　begin　and　mould　from　disorganized　and　discordant　elements：　nor　is　it　a　small　additional　embarrassment　that　we；　the　loyal　people；　differ　among　ourselves　as　to　the　mode；　manner；　and　measure　of　reconstruction。〃

Louisiana　was　wholly　in　possession　of　the　Union　forces　and　under　loyal　influence　in　1863；　and　in　his　judgment　the　time　had　come　for　reconstructive　action　in　that　statenot　merely　for　the　purpose　of　strengthening　and　crystallizing　the　Union　sentiment　there；　at　a　great　gate…way　of　commerce；　that　would　become　a　conspicuous　object…lesson　to　foreign　governments　in　behalf　of　more　favorable　influences　abroad；　but　also　to　the　encouragement　of　Union　men　and　the　discouragement　of　the　rebellion　in　all　the　other　revolted　States。　He　had　fortified　his　own　judgment；　as　he　frankly　declared；　〃by　submitting　the　Louisiana　plan　in　advance　to　every　member　of　the　Cabinet；　and　every　member　approved　it。〃

The　steps　taken　in　Louisiana　were　to　be　but　a　beginning。　The　nature　of　subsequent　proceedings　on　his　part　must　be　governed　by　the　success　of　thisthat　under　then　existing　conditions　it　was　inexpedient；　in　view　of　further　possible　complications；　to　forecast　further　proceedings；　and　especially　to　attempt　to　establish；　at　the　outset；　and　under　the　chaotic　conditions　of　the　time；　a　general　system　of　reconstruction　applicable　to　all　the　States　and　to　varying　conditions。　So　the　beginning　was　made　in　Louisiana。　It　is　manifest　that　the　purpose　of　this　immediate　action　was　two…foldnot　only　to　restore　Louisiana　to　the　Union　at　the　earliest　practicable　daybut　also　to　so　far　establish　a　process　of　general　restoration　before　Congress　should　reconvene　at　the　coming　December　session；　that　there　would　be　no　sufficient　occasion　or　excuse　for　interfering　with　his　work　by　the　application　of　the　exasperating　conditions　that　had　been　foreshadowed　by　that　body。

On　this　point　Mr。　Welles；　his　Secretary　of　the　Navy；　testifies　that　at　the　close　of　a　Cabinet　meeting　held　immediately　preceding　Mr。　Lincoln's　death；　〃Mr。　Stanton　made　some　remarks　on　the　general　condition　of　affairs　and　the　new　phase　and　duties　upon　which　we　were　about　to　enter。　He　alluded　to　the　great　solicitude　which　the　President　felt　on　this　subject；　his　frequent　recurrence　to　the　necessity　of　establishing　civil　governments　and　preserving　order　in　the　rebel　States。　Like　the　rest　of　the　Cabinet；　doubtless；　he　had　given　this　subject　much　consideration；　and　with　a　view　of　having　something　practical　on　which　to　base　action；　he　had　drawn　up　a　rough　plan　or　ordinance　which　he　had　handed　to　the　President。

〃The　President　said　he　proposed　to　bring　forward　that　subject；　although　he　had　not　had　time　as　yet　to　give　much　attention　to　the　details　of　the　paper　which　the　Secretary　of　War　had　given　him　only　the　day　before；　but　that　it　was　substantially；　in　its　general　scope；　the　plan　which　we　had　sometimes　talked　over　in　Cabinet　meetings。　We　should　probably　make　some　modifications；　prescribe　further　details；　there　were　some　suggestions　which　he　should　wish　to　make；　and　he　desired　all　to　bring　their　minds　to　the　question；　for　no　greater　or　more　important　one　could　come　before　us；　or　any　future　Cabinet。　He　thought　it　providential　that；　this　great　rebellion　was　crushed　just　as　Congress　had　adjourned；　AND　THERE　WERE　NONE　OF　THE　DISTURBING　ELEMENTS　OF　THAT　BODY　TO　HINDER　AND　EMBARRASS　US。　If　we　were　wise　and　discreet；　we　should　reanimate；　the　States　and　get　their　governments　in　successful　operation；　with　order　prevailing　and　the　Union　reestablished；　BEFORE　CONGRESS　CAME　TOGETHER　IN　DECEMBER。　This　he　thought　important。　We　could　do　better；　accomplish　more　without　than　with　them。　There　were　men　in　Congress　who；　if　their　motives　were　good；　were　nevertheless　impracticable；　and　who　possessed　feelings　of　hate　and　vindictiveness　in　which　he　did　not　sympathize　and　could　not　participate。　Each　House　of　Congress；　he　said；　had　the　undoubted　right　to　receive　or　reject　members；　the　Executive　had　no　control　in　this　matter。　But　Congress　had　NOTHING　TO　DO　WITH　THE　STATE　GOVERNMENTS；　which　the　President　could　recognize；　and　under　existing　laws　treat　as　other　States；　give　the　same　mail　facilities；　collect　taxes；　appoint　judges；　marshals；　collectors；　etc。；　subject；　of　course；　to　confirmation。　There　were　men　who　objected　to　these　views；　BUT　THEY　WERE　NOT　HERE；　AND　WE　MUST　MAKE　HASTE　TO　DO　OUR　DUTY　BEFORE　THEY　CAME　HERE。〃

The　subjugated　States　were　in　a　condition　that　could　not　be　safely　permitted　to　continue　for　any　indefinite　period。　It　would　be　inconsistent　with　the　purpose　of　the　war；　incongruous　to　the　American　system　and　idea　of　government；　and　antagonistic　to　American　political；　or　even　commercial　or　social　autonomy。　Naturally　upon　Mr。　Lincoln　would　fall　largely　the　duty　and　responsibility　of　formulating　and　inaugurating　some　method　of　restoration。　With　the　abolition　of　slavery；　the　most　difficult　of　settlement　of　all　the　obstacles　in　the　way　of　reconstruction　had　been　removed。　Naturally；　too；　during　the　later　months　of　the　war；　when　it　became　manifest　that　the　end　of　the　struggle　was　near；　the　question　of　reconstruction　and　the　methods　whereby　it　could　be　most　naturally；　speedily；　and　effectively　accomplished；　came　uppermost　in　his　mind。　A　humane；　just　man；　and　a　sincere；　broad…brained；　patriot　and　far…seeing　statesman；　he　instinctively　rejected　the　many　drastic　schemes　which　filled　a　large　portion　of　the　public　press　of　the　North　and　afterwards　characterized　many　of　the　suggestions　of　Congressional　action。　With　him　the　prime　purpose　of　the　war　was　the　preservation　of　the　political；　territorial　and　economic　integrity　of　the　Republicin　a　word；　to　restore　the　Union；　without　needless　humiliation　to　the　defeated　party；　or　the　imposition　of　unnecessarily　rigo