history of the impeachment of andrew johnson-第13章

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n　character；　not　frequent　in　occurrence；　and　are　really　disappearing　as　the　authority　of　the　civil　law　is　extended　and　sustained。　*　*　*　From　all　the　information　in　my　possession；　and　from　that　which　I　have　recently　derived　from　the　most　reliable　authority；　I　am　induced　to　cherish　the　belief　that　sectional　animosity　is　surely　and　rapidly　merging　itself　into　a　spirit　of　nationality；　and　that　representation；　connected　with　a　properly　adjusted　system　of　taxation；　will　result　in　a　harmonious　restoration　of　the　relations　of　the　States　and　the　National　Union。

Andrew　Johnson。

The　following　is　General　Grant's　Report　transmitted　to　Congress　with　the　foregoing　Message：

Headquarters　Armies　of　the　United　States；　Washington；　D。　C。；　Dec。　18；　1865。

Sir：In　reply　to　your　note　of　the　16th　inst。；　requesting　a　report　from　me　giving　such　information　as　I　may　be　possessed；　coming　within　the　scope　of　the　inquiries　made　by　the　Senate　of　the　United　States；　in　their　resolution　of　the　12th　inst。；　I　have　the　honor　to　submit　the　following：

With　your　approval；　and　also　that　of　the　Honorable　Secretary　of　War；　I　left　Washington　City　on　the　27th　of　last　month　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　tour　of　inspection　through　some　of　the　Southern　States；　or　States　lately　in　rebellion；　and　to　see　what　changes　were　necessary　to　be　made　in　the　disposition　of　the　Military　forces　of　the　country；　how　these　forces　could　be　reduced　and　expenses　curtailed；　etc。；　and　to　learn　as　far　as　possible；　the　feelings　and　intentions　of　the　citizens　of　those　States　towards　the　General　Government。

The　State　of　Virginia　being　so　accessible　to　Washington　City；　and　information　from　this　quarter　therefore　being　readily　obtained；　I　hastened　through　the　State　without　conversing　or　meeting　with　any　of　its　citizens。　In　Raleigh；　North　Carolina；　I　spent　one　day；　in　Charleston；　South　Carolina；　I　spent　two　days；　Savannah　and　Augusta；　Georgia；　each　one　day。　Both　in　traveling　and　while　stopping；　I　saw　much　and　conversed　freely　with　the　citizens　of　those　States；　as　well　as　with　officers　of　the　Army　who　have　been　stationed　among　them。　The　following　are　the　conclusions　come　to　by　me：

I　am　satisfied　that　the　mass　of　the　thinking　men　of　the　South　accept　the　present　situation　of　affairs　in　good　faith。　The　questions　which　have　heretofore　divided　the　sentiments　of　the　people　of　the　two　sectionsSlavery　and　State　Rights；　or　the　right　of　a　State　to　secede　from　the　Unionthey　regard　as　having　been　settled　forever　by　the　highest　tribunalarmsthat　man　can　resort　to。　I　was　pleased　to　learn　from　the　leading　men　whom　I　met；　that　they　not　only　accepted　the　decision　arrived　at；　as　final；　but　that　now；　when　the　smoke　of　battle　has　cleared　away；　and　time　has　been　given　for　reflection；　this　decision　has　been　a　fortunate　one　for　the　whole　country；　they　receiving　like　benefits　from　it　with　those　who　opposed　them　in　the　field　and　in　council。

Four　years　of　war；　during　which　law　was　executed　only　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet　throughout　the　States　in　rebellion；　have　left　the　people　possibly　in　a　condition　not　to　yield　that　ready　obedience　to　civil　authority　the　American　people　have　been　in　the　habit　of　generally　yielding。　This　would　render　the　presence　of　small　garrisons　throughout　those　States　necessary　until　such　time　as　labor　returns　to　its　proper　channels　and　civil　authority　is　fully　established。　I　did　not　meet　anyone；　either　those　holding　places　under　the　Government　or　citizens　of　the　Southern　States；　who　think　it　practicable　to　withdraw　the　Military　from　the　South　at　present。　The　white　and　black　mutually　require　the　protection　of　the　General　Government。　There　is　such　universal　acquiescence　in　the　authority　of　the　General　Government　throughout　the　portions　of　the　country　visited　by　me；　that　the　mere　presence　of　a　military　force；　without　regard　to　numbers；　is　sufficient　to　maintain　order。　The　good　of　the　country　and　economy　require　that　the　force　kept　in　the　interior　where　there　are　many　freedmen　（elsewhere　in　the　Southern　States　than　at　forts　upon　the　sea　coast；　no　more　is　necessary；）　should　all　be　white　troops。　The　reasons　for　this　are　obvious　without　mentioning　any　of　them。　The　presence　of　black　troops；　lately　slaves；　demoralizes　labor　both　by　their　advice　and　by　furnishing　in　their　camps　a　resort　for　freedmen　for　long　distances　around。　White　troops　generally　excite　no　opposition；　and　therefore　a　small　number　of　them　can　maintain　order　in　a　given　district。　Colored　troops　must　be　kept　in　bodies　sufficient　to　defend　themselves。　It　is　not　thinking　men　who　would　use　violence　towards　any　class　of　troops　sent　among　them　by　the　General　Government；　but　the　ignorant　in　some　cases　might；　and　the　late　slave　seems　to　be　imbued　with　the　idea　that　the　property　of　his　late　master　should　of　right　belong　to　him；　or　at　least　should　have　no　protection　from　the　colored　soldiers。　There　is　danger　of　collision　being　brought　on　by　such　causes。

My　observations　lead　me　to　the　conclusion　that　the　citizens　of　the　Southern　States　are　anxious　to　return　to　self　government　within　the　Union　as　soon　as　possible；　that　while　reconstructing　they　want　and　require　protection　from　the　Government；　that　they　are　in　earnest　in　wishing　to　do　what　they　think　is　required　by　the　Government；　not　humiliating　to　them　as　citizens；　and　that　if　such　is　pointed　out　they　would　pursue　it　in　good　faith。　It　is　to　be　regretted　that　there　cannot　be　a　greater　commingling　at　this　time　between　the　citizens　of　the　two　sections；　and　particularly　with　THOSE　ENTRUSTED　WITH　THE　LAWMAKING　POWER。

I　did　not　give；　the　operation　of　the　Freedmen's　Bureau　that　attention　I　would　have　done　if　more　time　had　been　at　my　disposal。　Conversations　on　the　subject；　however；　with　officers　connected　with　the　Bureau；　led　me　to　think　that　in　some　of　the　States　its　affairs　have　not　been　conducted　with　good　judgment　and　economy；　and　that　the　belief；　widely　spread　among　the　freedmen　of　the　Southern　States；　that　the　land　of　their　former　masters　will；　at　least　in　part；　be　divided　among　them；　has　come　from　the　agents　of　this　Bureau。　This　belief　is　seriously　interfering　with　the　willingness　of　the　freedmen　to　make　contracts　for　the　coming　year。　In　some　form　the　Freedmen's　Bureau　is　an　absolute　necessity　until　civil　law　is　established　and　enforced；　securing　to　the　freedmen　their　rights　and　full　protection。　At　present；　however；　it　is　independent　of　the　Military　establishment　of　the　country；　and　seems　to　be　operated　by　the　different　agents　of　the　Bureau　according　to　their　individual　notions；　every　where。　Gen。　Howard；　the　able　head　of　the　Bureau；　made　friends　by　the　just　and　fair　instructions　and　advice　he　gave；　but　the　complaint　in　South　Carolina　was　that；　when　he　left；　things　went　on　as　before。　Many；　perhaps　the　majority　of　the　agents　of　the　Bureau；　advised　the　freedmen　that　by　their　industry　they　must　expect　to　live。　To　this　end　they　endeavor　to　secure　employment　for　them：　to　see　that　both　contracting　parties　comply　with　their　agreements。　In　some　instances；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　the　freedman's　mind　does　not　seem　to　be　disabused　of　the　idea　that　a　freedman　has　a　right　to　live　without　care　or　provision　for　the　future。　The　effect　of　the　belief　in　the　division　of　lands　is　idleness　and　accumulation　in　camps；　towns；　and　cities。　In　such　cases；　I　think　it　will　be　found　that　vice　and　disease　will　tend　to　the　extermination；　or　great　reduction　of　the　colored　race。　It　cannot　be　expected　that　the　opinions　held　by　men　at　the　South　can　be　changed　in　a　day；　and　therefore　the　freedmen　require　for　a　few　years　not　only　laws　to　protect　them；　but　the　fostering　care　of　those　who　will　give　them　good　counsel　and　in　whom　they　can　rely。

U。　S。　Grant；　Lieutenant　General。

This　report　was　at　once　vigorously　denounced　in　and　out　of　Congress；　by　the　extremists。　Mr。　Sumner　characterized　it　in　the　Senate；　as　a　〃whitewashing　report。〃　The　standing　of　General　Grant　in　the　country　at　large；　however；　was　such　that　few　had　the　indiscretion　to　attack　him　openly。

The　controlling　element　of　the　party　which　had　elected　Lincoln　and　Johnson；　had　acquiesced　for　a　time　in　the　plan　of　reconstruction　foreshadowed　by　Mr。　Lincoln　and　adopted　by　Mr。　Johnson；　but　during　the　summer　of　1865；　frictions　developed　between　Mr。　Johnson　and　those　who　on　Mr。　Lin