of sentiment on this subject. But the white
Democrats in the South were blind to their own interest. President
Johnson permitted them in several States to take into their
hands again the power of government. They proceeded to pass
laws which if carried out would have had the effect of reducing
the negro once more to a condition of practical slavery. Men
were to be sold for the crime of being out of work. Their
old masters were to have the preference in the purchase. So
the whole Republican Party of the North came to be united
in the belief that there could be no security for the liberty
of the freedman without the ballot.

It is said that this reconstruction policy has been a failure.
Undoubtedly it has not gained all that was hoped for it by
its advocates. But looking back now I do not believe that
any other policy would have done as well as that has done,
although a large part of what was designed by the Republican
leaders of the period of reconstruction never was accomplished.

A complete system of education at the National charge was
an essential element of the reconstruction policy. It was
earnestly advocated by Sumner and by Grant and by Edmunds
and by Evarts. But there were other Republicans of great
influence who resisted it from the beginning. Among these
was Senator Eugene Hale of Maine, a very accomplished Senator,
an able debater and a man of large influence with his colleagues.
His public life has been one of great distinction and usefulness.
While an earnest partisan he has given an example of independence
of action on several notable occasions. But he always seemed
to be possessed by what seems to prevail among the Republicans
of Maine to a great extent, dislike for what is called sentimental
politics. Mr. Hale always seemed to think that the chief
function of Congress was to provide for an honest, economical,
wise and at the same time liberal public expenditure, to keep
in the old paths and leave other matters alone. He dislikes
new doctrines and new policies. He is specially adverse to
anything like legal restraint. He once in my hearing used
a very felicitous phrase, full of wisdom, "Government by good
nature." John Sherman, who had originally been an earnest
advocate of a liberal National expenditure for education,
joined the ranks of its opponents, putting his opposition
largely on the ground that he was unwilling to trust the Southern
states with the expenditure of large sums o