orward in the defense of the
State and Federal Government. General Washington declared
that the people or the militia was the Army of the
Constitution or the Army of the United States, and as soon
as it is practicable the original design of the Government
must be resumed and the Government administrated upon the
principles of the great chart of freedom handed down to the
people by the founders of the Republic. The people must be
trusted with their Government, and, if trusted, my opinion
is they will act in good faith and restore their former
Constitutional relations with all the States composing the
Union. The main object of Major-General Carl Schurz's
mission to the South was to aid as far as practicable in
carrying out the policy adopted by the Government for
restoring the States to their former relations with the
Federal Government. It is hoped such aid has been given. The
proclamation authorizing restoration of State Governments
requires the military to aid the Provisional Governor in the
performance of his duties as prescribed in the proclamation,
and in no manner to interfere or throw impediments in the
way of consummating the object of his appointment, at least
without advising the Government of the intended
interference.

ANDREW JOHNSON, Prest. U. S.

As soon as I reached New Orleans, I telegraphed my reply. The
President having apparently supposed that I had ordered General Slocum
to issue his order, I thought it due to myself to inform the President
that the order had been out before I saw the General, but that I
decidedly approved of it.

According to the President's own words, I had understood the
President's policy to be merely experimental and my mission to be
merely one of observation and report. I had governed myself strictly
by this understanding, seeking to aid the President by reliable
information, believing that it could not be the President's intention
to withdraw his protecting hand from the Union people and freedom
before their rights and safety were secured. I entreated him not to
disapprove General Slocum's conduct and to give me an indication of
his purposes concerning the Mississippi militia case.

The next day, September 2, after having seen Major-General Canby, the
commander of the Department of Louisiana, an uncommonly cool-headed
and cautio