rs, in the fact that the announcement of Lincoln's death
almost synchronized with that of the surrender of the Confederate
armies. After so many confident anticipations and loud predictions of a
Southern triumph, so many denunciations of the policy, acts, and leaders
of the North, these sympathizers found themselves in a sort of
cul-de-sac when Richmond had been taken. Lee had yielded, Johnston was
yielding, and the very same "butcher" Grant, "ruthless" Sherman, and
"Yahoo" Lincoln, whose savageries and imbecilities had been the theme of
annual moral-pointing, were reading the world a lesson of moderation and
self-forgetfulness in victory, such as almost seemed to shrink from the
plentitude of a triumph which was a humiliation to some of their
countrymen. The sympathizers found that they were and had long been of
the party in evil odor with that modern "Providence which sides with the
stronger battalions," not to speak of the older "God of Battles." They
were pulled up sharp in the direction they had been going in, and the
alternative of turning right round and retracing their steps was a very
awkward and unwelcome one. The assassination of Lincoln came to their
relief. They could join, without insincerity, in the burst of public
feeling which that terrible deed excited; could merge their protests
against Lincoln in the established unwillingness to say evil of the
dead; could give momentary pause to national and political
considerations, beside the grave of one preeminent citizen; and could
start afresh afterwards, with a new situation, and a new chief figure in
it to contemplate. President Johnson had taken the place of President
Lincoln, and had, at the hands of many of Lincoln's vituperators,
succeeded to an inheritance of the abuse lavished upon him. Neither
caution nor moderation had been learned by some, suitable as were the
circumstances of Lincoln's death for teaching the lesson. Of late,
however, I have observed symptoms of a decided change in this respect:
the policy of President Johnson being recognized as broad, generous,
resolute, and auspicious of the best results. I think this feeling, and
a general sentiment of respect and good-will for the United States,
promise to grow rapidly and powerfully among my countrymen,--who, true
once again to their conservative instincts, will look with a certain
regard upon a nation which can show those elements of solidity and
"respectability," a tremendous past war, and a h