1865] ON RECONSTRUCTION 227
arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.
There is one thing about the negroes' fighting for the rebels which we can know as well as they can, and that is that they cannot at the same time fight in their armies and stay at home and make bread for them. And this being known and remembered, we can have but little concern whether they become soldiers or not. I am rather in favor of the measure, and would at any time_, if I could, have loaned them a vote to carry it. We have to reach the bottom of the insur- gent resources ; and that they employ, or seriously think of employing, the slaves as soldiers, gives us glimpses of the bottom. Therefore I am glad of what we learn on this subject.
Speech on the Reconstruction of the Southern States.
On April 11, 1865, two days after the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox, President Lincoln de- livered what proved to be his last public address. It dealt with the reconstruction of the governments of the Southern States, especially of Louisiana.
We meet this evening not in sorrow, but in gladness of heart. The evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond, and the surrender of the princi- pal insurgent army, give hope of a righteous and speedy peace, whose joyous expression cannot be restrained. In the midst of this, however. He from whom all blessings flow must not be for- gotten. A call for a national thanksgiving is be- ing prepared, and will be duly promulgated. Nor must those whose harder part gives us the cause of rejoicing be overlooked. Their honors must
