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authority。 * * * The first business； transacted in the Cabinet after I became President was this unfinished business of my predecessor。 A plan or scheme of reconstruction had been prepared for Mr。 Lincoln by Mr。 Stanton。 It was approved； and at the earliest moment practicable was applied； in the form of a proclamation； to the State of North Carolina； and afterwards became the basis of action in turn for the other States。〃
Mr。 Stanton also testified before the House Impeachment Committee of 1867； that he had 〃entertained no doubt of the authority of the President to take measures for the reorganization of the rebel States on the plan proposed； during the vacation of Congress； and agreed in the plan specified in the proclamation in the case of North Carolina。〃
In the first attempt to impeach the President； in 1867； Mr。 Johnson's method of Reconstruction was the most conspicuous feature of the prosecution。 It was insisted by the extremists that it was a departure from Mr。 Lincoln's planan unwarranted assumption of authority by Mr。 Johnsonthat its purpose was the recognition of the people of the South as American citizens with the rights of such； and even as an act not far removed from treason。 In reference to this action of the President； General Grant was called before the Committee and testified as follows：
Question： I wish to know whether； at or about the time of the war being ended； you advised the President that it was； in your judgment； best to extend a liberal policy towards the people of the South； and to restore as speedily as possible the fraternal relations that existed prior to the war between the sections？
Answer： I know that immediately after the close of the rebellion there was a very fine feeling manifested in the South； and I thought we ought to take advantage of it as soon as possible。
Ques。 I understood you to say that Mr。 Lincoln had inaugurated a policy intended to restore these governments？
Ans。 Yes Sir。
Ques。 You were present when the subject was brought before the Cabinet？
Ans。 I was present； I think； twice before the assassination of Mr。 Lincoln； when a plan was read。
Ques。 I want to know whether the plan adopted by Mr。 Johnson was substantially the plan which had been inaugurated by Mr。 Lincoln as the basis for his future action。
Ans。 Yes sir： substantially。 I do not know but that it was verbatim the same。
Ques。 I suppose the very paper of Mr。 Lincoln was the one acted on？
Ans。 I should think so。 I think that the very paper which I heard read twice while Mr。 Lincoln was President； was the one which was carried right through。
Ques。 What paper was that？
Ans。 The North Carolina Proclamation。
In additional testimony that Mr。 Johnson was endeavoring to carry out Mr。 Lincoln's methods of reconstruction； the following extracts from a speech by Gov。 O。 P。 Morton； of Indiana； delivered at Richmond； that State； Sept。 29th； 1865； are here inserted：
An impression has gotten abroad in the North that Mr。 Johnson has devised some new policy by which improper facilities are granted for the restoration of the rebel States； and that he is presenting improperly and unnecessarily hurrying forward the work of reconstruction； and that he is offering improper facilities for restoring those who have been engaged in the rebellion to the possession of their civil and political rights。
It is one of my purposes here this evening to show that so far as his policy of amnesty and reconstruction is concerned； he has absolutely presented nothing new； but that he has simply presented； and is simply continuing THE POLICY WHICH MR。 LINCOLN PRESENTED TO THE NATION ON THE 8TH OF DECEMBER； 1863。 Mr。 Johnson's policy differs from Mr。 Lincoln's in some restrictions it contains； which Mr。 Lincoln's did not contain。 His plan of reconstruction is absolutely and simply that of Mr。 Lincoln； nothing more or less； with one difference only； that Mr。 Lincoln required that one…tenth of the people of the disloyal States should be willing to embrace his plan of reconstruction； whereas Mr。 Johnson says nothing about the number； but； so far as it has been acted upon yet； it has been done by a number much greater than one…tenth。 * * * Their plans of amnesty and reconstruction cannot be distinguished from each other except in the particulars already mentioned； that Mr。 Johnson proposed to restrict certain persons from taking the oath； unless they have a special pardon from him； whom Mr。 Lincoln permitted to come forward and take the oath without it。 * * * That was Mr。 Lincoln's policy at the time he was nominated for re…election by the Union Convention at Baltimore； last summer； and in that convention the party sustained him and strongly endorsed his whole policy； of which this was a prominent part。 MR。 LINCOLN WAS TRIUMPHANTLY AND OVERWHELMINGLY RE…ELECTED UPON THAT POLICY。
In his last annual message to Congress； December； 1864； he again brings forward this same policy of his； and presents it to the Nation。
Again； on the 12th of April； 1865； only two days before his death； he referred to and presented this policy of amnesty and reconstruction。 That speech may be called his last speech； his dying words to his people。 It was after Richmond had been evacuated。 It was the day after they had received the news of Lee's surrender。 Washington City was illuminated。 A large crowd came in front of the White House and Mr。 Lincoln spoke to them from one of the windows。 He referred to the organization of Louisiana under his plan of amnesty and reconstruction； and in speaking of it he gave the history of his policy。 He said：
In my annual message of December； 1863； and accompanying the Proclamation； I presented a plan of reconstruction； as the phrase goes； which I promised if adopted by any State； would be acceptable and sustained by the Executive Government of this Nation。 I distinctively stated that this was a plan which might possibly be acceptable； and also distinctively protested that the Executive claimed no right to say when or whether members should be admitted to seats in Congress from such States。
The new constitution of Louisiana； （said Mr。 Lincoln） declaring emancipation for the whole State； practically applies the Proclamation to that part previously exempted。 It does not adopt apprenticeship for freed people； and is silent； as it could not well be otherwise； about the admission of members to Congress。 As it applied to Louisiana； every member of the Cabinet approved the plan of the message。 * * * Now； we find Mr。 Lincoln； just before his death； referring in warm and strong terms to his policy of amnesty and reconstruction； and giving it his endorsement； giving to the world that which had never been given beforethe history of that plan and policystating that it had been presented and endorsed by every member of that able and distinguished Cabinet of 1863。 Mr。 Lincoln may be said to have died holding out to the Nation his policy of amnesty and reconstruction。 It was held out by him at the very time the rebels laid down their arms。 Mr。 Lincoln died by the hand of an assassin and Mr。 Johnson came into power。 He took Mr。 Lincoln's Cabinet as he had left it and he took Mr。 Lincoln's policy of amnesty and reconstruction as he had left it； and as he had presented it to the world only two days before his death。 MR。 JOHNSON HAS HONESTLY AND FAITHFULLY ATTEMPTED TO ADMINISTER THAT POLICY； which had been bequeathed by that man around whose grave a whole world has gathered as mourners。 I refer to these for the purpose of showing that Mr。 Johnson's policy is not a new one； but that he is simply carrying out a policy left to him by his lamented predecessora policy that had been ENDORSED BY THE WHOLE NATION IN THE REELECTION OF MR。 LINCOLN。
Again Gov。 Morton said：
An impression has gotten abroad in the North that Mr。 Johnson has devised some new policy by which improper facilities are granted for the restoration of the rebel States and that he is presenting improperly and unnecessarily hurrying forward the work of reconstruction； and that he is offering improper facilities for restoring those who have been engaged in rebellion； to the possession of their civil and political rights。 It is one of my purposes here this evening to show that so far as his policy of amnesty and reconstruction is concerned； he has absolutely presented nothing new； that he has simply presented； and is SIMPLY CONTINUING THE POLICY WHICH MR。 LINCOLN PRESENTED TO THE NATION ON THE 8TH OF DECEMBER； 1863。
The following are extracts from Mr。 Johnson's Message to Congress； in December； 1865； on the re…assembling of that bodythe first session of the 39th Congress。 Indicating； as it did； a policy of reconstruction at variance with the views of the Congressional leaders； it may be said to have been another incident out of which arose the conditions that finally； led to his impeachment。 Mr。 Johnson said：
I found the States suffering from the effects of a civil war。 Resistance to the General Government appeared to have exhausted itself。 The United States had recovered possession of its forts and arsenals； and their armies were in the occupation of every State which had attempted to secede。 Whether the territory within the limits of those States should