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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 rigorous terms which could but result in future frictionswithout slaveryand yet with sufficient safeguards against future disloyal association of the sections； and that purpose had been approved by an overwhelming majority of the people in his re…election in 1864。
In these purposes and methods Mr。 Lincoln appears to have had the active sympathy and co…operation of his entire Cabinet； more especially of Mr。 Stanton； his Secretary of War。 Indeed； Mr。 Stanton is understood； from the record； to have been the joint author； with Mr。 Lincoln； of the plan of reconstruction agreed upon at the later meetings of the Cabinet immediately prior to Mr。 Lincoln's death。 Mr。 Stanton proposed to put it in the form of a military orderMr。 Lincoln made an Executive order。 The plan was embodied in what afterwards became known as the 〃North Carolina Proclamation；〃 determined upon by Mr。 Lincoln at his last Cabinet meeting and promulgated by Mr。 Johnson shortly after his accession to the Presidency as Mr。 Lincoln's successor； and is inserted in a subsequent chapter。
Mr。 Lincoln unquestionably comprehended the peculiar condi